Page 42

GARRETT

Despite knowing better, my eyes bounce back to Nash. It’s as if there’s a magnetic charge between us. And this time, I discover I’m not the only one looking, because his eyes are locked on me.

His attention hits me with the same kind of force he uses to plow into other players.

I take a step back and immediately bump into the bar. Thankfully, both Rett and Calvin are too distracted to notice my visceral reaction to a man who probably doesn’t even want me looking at him at all, let alone reacting.

The air crackles between us, but all too soon, he drags his eyes away, and, after muttering something I can’t decipher to Darcy, he marches toward the other end of the bar.

My eyes desperately want to follow him. I want to see just how well the shirt he’s wearing shows off his wide shoulders, and I want to know if his ass looks as good as I think it probably does in those slacks.

Fuck. The man is a walking wet dream.

Forcing myself to the here and now, I focus on Darcy as he cuts across the room toward me.

“Hey you,” he says, leaning in for a hug.

I startle, not expecting it, but I recover quickly and return his embrace. All the while, my skin prickles with awareness. It fucking kills me not to look back to see if Nash is watching us, but I do it.

“What are you drinking?” I ask Darcy once we’ve parted.

“Uh…rum and Coke?”

“Coming right up.”

“So, how are things?” he asks as I flag down the waiter.

“Yeah, you know. Still unemployed and living in my sister’s guest bedroom. Living the life,” I tease.

We fall into easy conversation after I’ve ordered us drinks, and I’m reminded of just how easy Darcy is to hang out with. He seems lighter tonight. He’s smiling and laughing like the first time I met him.

As time goes on and the drinks flow, I find myself also relaxing, although I’d be lying if I said I’d forgotten about the man who’s now moved himself to a booth in the corner of the room.

I mostly keep my back to him for fear that I’ll just openly sit here staring at him otherwise.

At some point, Fletcher arrives with his wife, and everyone flocks to him to wish him a happy birthday and supply him with more shots than he needs, considering they’ve got a game the day after tomorrow.

More and more people join us until the VIP area is looking pretty full. It’s been closed off for a private party, so I assume that most of the Vipers organization is here tonight.

“I’m just gonna use the bathroom,” Darcy says once he’s drained his drink. “Dance when I’m back?”

A smile pulls at my lips. “Yeah, that sounds great.”

I’ve got a good buzz going on, and other than walking over to Nash and dragging him into yet another storage closet, dancing with Darcy seems like the next best thing to do.

Turning my back to the bar, I scan the crowd. A little shot of adrenaline goes through me every time I find a hockey player. It makes me want to pinch myself to think that I’m hanging out with these guys. Of course, the majority of them have no idea who I am, and I’m okay with that.

I find the gyrating bodies on the dance floor at the other side of the room, and right there at the edge is my sister.

I watch her and Calvin for a few minutes and quickly conclude that he approves of the fitted navy dress she chose for tonight because he’s all over her.

Happiness and jealousy collide within me, which is ridiculous.

I just want to have some fun. Right?

The problem is that right now, I’ve got two men that I’m interested in. One of them isn’t in a position to do anything about the chemistry we discovered in the closet because, well…he’s still in the closet. And the other…well, fuck knows why the artist is holding back.

We might talk pretty much daily, but I don’t know anything about him, not really. I know that the sight of his body does things to me, though, and I’m trying not to allow myself to believe that means anything.