Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 79850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
That’s apparently all she needed to hear, because her face softens and she squeezes my hand back. “I won’t say I’m sorry, because you told me not to say it again, but I very much understand day in and day out it’s my fault we’re in this situation. I don’t want to make things difficult for you. And to be honest, I didn’t reach out to you because I didn’t want to bother you. I’m sure you have a lot on your plate and would rather be doing anything other than playing ‘fake relationship’ with me.”
“If I had to play ‘fake relationship’ with someone, I’m glad it’s with you,” I tell her earnestly.
That’s no shit.
“You’re sweet,” she says with an exaggerated flutter of her eyelashes, and it makes me laugh. “Ready to get this over with?”
“Ready,” I tell her as I turn for the hostess podium. But then another thought strikes and I turn back toward Brooke, backing her into the corner. Bending my face down to get near hers, I say, “We don’t have to have sex. You know that, right?”
“I know,” she says in a breathless whisper.
“I mean…I want to have it,” I quickly say so she doesn’t think otherwise. “And you seem very much into it with me. But if I’m wrong about that…well, just know that’s not my priority. It’s getting through this charade with your relationship intact with your dad and without him throwing me off the team.”
“He can’t do that,” she says dryly.
“I know that,” I return with a grin. “But he can make my life hell.”
“We want the same things, Bishop.” Her words brush across me light as a feather, her voice is so soft, yet their meaning punches me in the gut.
She knows what I want. That’s her.
She wants the same thing, which means she wants me.
If that’s the case, then fuck if I’m going to stand back from her. I think in this moment there’s no need to use the excuse we need to get to know each other to put on a good show, but rather it’s more we can get through this fiasco and also have a good time doing it.
At least that’s the way I’m reading it, and I’m sticking to that.
“Let’s start the show then,” I tell her, and lean down to brush my lips across hers. Her breath comes out in a shaky pant across my lips, and when I pull back, her eyes are bright and promising.
Without another word, I tuck her hand into the crook of my arm, then turn to lead her into the restaurant. At that same moment, Erik comes through the doors with the type of woman I’ve seen him with on a few occasions. She looks like she came straight from sunny California with a mass of bleached blond hair and huge tits that practically spill out over the top of her dress, the hem of which barely covers her ass.
I shake my head in amusement as he walks toward us, his arm around the woman and hanging low enough I’m betting his hand is on her ass.
“What’s up?” Erik says, and starts to hold a fist out for a bump when he notices Brooke standing close to me with our arms linked. His eyes get big and his mouth drops open. “Whoa.”
I know exactly what he’s thinking. It’s what everyone else in there is going to think too.
Bishop Scott is banging the coach’s daughter and nothing good will ever come of that.
“Brooke, have you met Erik Dalhbeck yet?” I twist my neck and drop my gaze down to her.
The smile she bestows on me makes me want to pull her in closer. She shakes her head. “I haven’t had the pleasure.”
“Erik joined the Vengeance from the Los Angeles Demons. He’s a premier defenseman, one of the toughest enforcers in the league, and we’re lucky to have him.” I glance back at Erik, who is still looking dumbfounded. I give a slight nod of my head toward my girl and tell the lie for the very first time. “This is Brooke Perron. She and I have been dating for a few months.”
“What the what?” Erik mutters, and then seems to get that he’s not handling this in the most professional way. He sort of shakes his head and then holds his hand out to Brooke. “Pleasure to meet you.”
“Welcome to the team,” she says back with a smile.
Erik turns his gaze back to me and gives me a very pointed look that says, Dude…you and I…we have some talking to do.
Pulling his date along, Erik makes his way in without even bothering to introduce her. This is not strange behavior. Lots of players—myself included at times—have had one-night-only dates. Hot, gorgeous women you show a good time with a bunch of famous people, then you bang their brains out and go on your way. There’s no sense in really making introductions because she won’t be around for the next event, so why even bother.