“Hey,” she said warmly.
“Hey, beautiful.” She giggled, and my gut fluttered, the butterflies that she set off with that sweet tinkle swooping and flipping. “Something went down at practice today. I’ve just walked in on a meeting where they were talking about Hux. It sounded like there were a few people on the team who weren’t real happy with him.”
“Oh,” she said, hesitating. “I, um, I’ve kept away from the tabloids, but I heard there was a scandal of some sort. I kind of don’t want to get involved.”
“I agree.”
“Okay, so what are you thinking?” she asked, the relief in her tone palpable.
“Feel like room service and another movie? Or maybe that date?”
There was a pause. “Oh, I thought…. Never mind. It’s okay—”
“What did you think, Cara?” I pressed, hoping she’d be brave enough to tell me. I really hoped I got this right. It seemed reckless somehow.
But also not.
“Well, when you mentioned Alec, I thought you meant for him—”
“I did,” I hurried to clarify. The relief that she and I had been thinking along the same lines lifted a weight I didn’t even realize I’d been carrying. “I meant that we should invite him. I thought we could organize something, and I could drag him along.”
“Oh.” She laughed happily, and I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. A surge of pride filled me. I’d done that.
“If Alec was at practice today, he might be sore. Should we stay in again? We could get a few drinks from the bottle-o or…”
“Or?” I prompted.
“There’s this arcade—”
“I know the one, and it’s perfect. I’ll pick him up on the way to your room. What time do you want us there?”
“Give me an hour?”
***
There were no sounds coming through Hux’s door. I knocked, then waited and was surprised that it opened after a few seconds.
“Hi,” he said after a moment, looking from side to side up the corridor as if he was on the lookout for someone.
He was dressed only in a pair of loose grey workout shorts that hung so low on his hips it should be illegal. My guess was that he was settling in for the night. Headphones hung around his neck, murmurs of sound coming from them.
I stood there, speechless. He looked… sexy. No wonder Cara was attracted to him. I wasn’t blind. Even I could see exactly what drew her to him. His hair was fluffy, clearly having only just dried from the shower. It curled around his ears and gave him a boyish charm instead of the scowling, angry man or cocky tease I’d seen so far. But his eyes were wary, as if he was waiting for the other shoe to drop. I didn’t like that look on him—I much preferred the relaxed cheekiness I’d witnessed in Cara’s room the night before.
I ran my gaze over him, admiring the hard work he’d put into his body. I could see every workout in the flex of his muscles. He would have put in endless hours of exercise and pushed his body to the limit over and over to be as perfectly sculpted as he was.
His broad shoulders were decorated with intricate tattoos that drew my eyes down and over his pecs. The tight nubs would tempt Cara to lick and bite them. His six-pack and the set of obliques he sported were like a washboard, and both were jealousy inducing. It was the same with the perfect V that was cut off by the waistband of his obscenely low shorts. I only wished I could have them. I was fit, and my stomach was mostly flat, but I was starting to show the signs of middle age. Hux was clearly in his prime.
His thick thighs screamed power. I couldn’t wait to see him on the ice and watch the explosiveness that would come with all that training. He reminded me of a tiger—beautiful and rare with a controlled strength that was awe-inspiring. He moved elegantly with a grace that was beautiful to watch. I had a feeling that he’d be the one I couldn’t tear my eyes away from when he was on the ice.
“Grab a shirt and some thongs. We’re due at Cara’s in five minutes.”
He hesitated, looking torn, before he shook his head. “I don’t think I’m good company tonight.”
“I get it, but I’m gatecrashing your night this time, and I’m not accepting no for an answer. You need to eat, remember?”
A ghost of a smile lifted his lips, and I knew I had him. The same pride that burst inside me hearing Cara’s laugh warmed my chest at seeing him happier. “It’s an arcade. We can shoot the shit, then get room service and watch another movie. You literally just need thongs and a shirt.”
“A thong? You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” he teased, and my gut swooped.
