Page 64 of The Game
“In the kitchen,” he responds, probably in the midst of cooking dinner.
During times like these, it feels comforting to have him nearby, knowing I can make the drive here on a regular evening.
I hug him before setting the table for us both.
“How is the brilliant social media strategist of the Chicago Coyotes this evening?” he asks me as we sit down.
“I’m good; it’s been incredible so far—getting to know the team and everyone working there,” I reply, and I can tell the question about the players is just around the corner.
“And the players? Are they behaving around my daughter?”
I roll my eyes at him. You’d think that at 24 years old, he would stop looking at me like I’m his baby, but I guess a dad never will.
“They’ve been on their best behaviour,” I tell him, trying to sound nonchalant.
It’s not like I can tell him that the captain of the team had his tongue down my throat just a few days ago.
As I think about him, it feels like my dad has telepathic abilities.
“Even the captain?” he asks, making my pulse quicken.
“What do you mean?” I ask, again trying to sound neutral, but probably failing.
This is my dad we’re talking about; he’s probably calling my bullshit.
“He seemed, I don’t know, he was just looking at you in a different way than the other guys.”
Even my freaking dad noticed the connection between us.
I won’t confirm his suspicions, though, since I’m not planning on taking this any further.
“Well, you have nothing to worry about. I’m busy with my job, that’s all.”
He doesn’t seem entirely convinced, but he lets it go, at least for now.
~
The next day, I meet up with Jessica at one of the local cafes, and I can tell it’s my turn to be grilled about the boy trouble.
“Okay, so now that we’ve covered all of my love life, or lack of, it’s your turn,” she tells me as I pick at my nails.
I never really got around to telling her about all my complicated feelings for Alexander, so I’m curious to see her reaction when I tell her we kissed.
Luke Hastings was right about something, at least.
“Well, promise me you won’t judge,” I tell her, and she reassures me that, as my best friend, she will never judge me.
“You know Alexander? The guy I slapped across the face and all that?” I ask her sheepishly.
Clearly, she knows who I’m talking about; I’m just stretching out the conversation. I even talked to her and Luke about him on FaceTime.
“Well, I might have let it slip in our previous conversations that the sexual chemistry is kind of off the charts. So, when I saw him on Friday, he was taunting me about the whole “I’m going to report you for assault” thing, and things got heated. I told him I’d report him for sexual misconduct since he called me a hooker the first time we met,” I bite my lip, wondering how she’s going to react to what comes next.
“When I said that, he told me that if I was going to report him, he was at least going to make the most of it, stalked over to me, and kissed me as if his life depended on it.”
It makes me lightheaded to think about the kiss.
God, it was perfect.
