Page 21 of Her Power Play

I’m absolutely not ready. But I climb up into the truck anyway. Clipping my seat belt into place, Liam closes my door, and then I watch as he jogs around the front before he jumps into the driver’s seat and starts the engine.

It doesn’t take us long to get to the restaurant—unfortunately. All I’ve had the chance to do is ask him how his practice was today.

“It was good. Long. I’m going to be sore tomorrow,” he murmurs before he pulls into a parking spot and shifts the truck into park. He turns his head, his eyes finding mine, and his lips curve up into a grin. “They’re going to love you, I promise.”

I want to believe him. But I don’t. Instead of telling him that I don’t believe him, my lips curve up into a grin, and I give him a single nod. He can tell I have doubts. I don’t need to voice them, but they’re there, and they are big ones.

“Stay there,” he says before he opens the truck door and jumps down. I watch as he walks around the front, again, then opens the door for me. It’s really sweet and chivalrous, opening the door for me. It’s just another reason why it’s been so easy to fall for him.

Taking Liam’s outstretched hand, I curl my fingers around his palm and step down from the truck. Together, hand in hand, we walk into the restaurant. It’s a Tex-Mex place, and my mouth waters the moment I step inside.

Maybe I can be okay with this meeting, especially if chips and queso are involved.

Stepping into the restaurant, I’m instantly greeted by the hostess. She smiles at me, then her gaze flicks behind me. Her eyes shift up and her head tilts back slightly as she looks up at Liam, her lips parting in awe as her cheeks tint pink.

Well, at least I know what I looked like the first time I saw him. Although I’m pretty sure I had a little drool coming out of my mouth, she doesn’t.

“We’re meeting some friends. I think they’re already here. Big group of guys,” he murmurs as she stares at him.

I let out a sigh, but my nerves do not subside. In fact, they ramp up. The hostess clears her throat, shakes her head once to get out of her Liam-stupor, and mutters for us to follow her before spinning around to walk away quickly.

We follow her to a room in the back, where there are about five tables pushed together and at least ten massive men who all turn their heads and focus their attention on me. I have never felt more awkward in my life. If I could melt into the floor, I’m pretty sure I would choose that right now.

“Cupcake Girl,” they all cry simultaneously.

TWENTY-FIVE

LIAM

When I told Ruby that my teammates would love her, I knew they would, but what I didn’t know was how fucking much they’d love her. Too much almost. Bouch lets out a booming laugh as Ruby finishes telling a story. I don’t know what the story is, but the whole table is enthralled.

It shouldn’t piss me off.

But it does.

It’s not rational for me to be so mad. But the way they look at her—focused, interested, captivated—makes me want to drag her out of here and throw her in the truck so they can’t look at her anymore. Still, I can’t tell her or any of them that, or I’m the one who looks like an asshole.

“You good?” a voice murmurs from beside me.

Turning my head, I look over to see Logan watching me with a concerned expression on his face. “I’m fine,” I lie.

He snorts. “Hard watching a whole tableful of men focus on your woman, especially when she makes cupcakes that taste like they came straight from heaven and looks like a fucking knockout wet dream.”

I want to punch him in the arm, maybe even the face, but I don’t. Instead, my lips twitch into a smirk. I mean, she is a wet dream, but she’s my fucking wet dream. What I don’t like is her being anyone else’s.

“Makes me want to punch every man with eyeballs in the face,” I state.

Logan chuckles. “So she’s the one, huh?”

I could lie, but what would be the point? I knew she was different the moment I saw her holding those boxes of cupcakes and the coffee. Then that coffee spilled on me, and I couldn’t help it—I knew she was the one.

The food comes, and thankfully, the conversation splits off and isn’t focused on Ruby any longer. Reaching beneath the table, I curl my fingers around her thigh and squeeze gently. She doesn’t make a move immediately, her head tipped slightly as she looks down at her plate.

When I squeeze her thigh a second time, she slowly turns, looking up into my eyes. My lips curve up into a grin. She matches my smile, but only slightly, then I watch as her teeth sink into her bottom lip, and her cheeks tint pink.

“You ready for dessert?” I ask.

I watch as her eyes round, then she laughs softly before she hisses my name. She’s trying to make it sound like she’s admonishing me. But I can see the underlying excitement behind her eyes, along with the way her nostrils flare.