Page 7 of Game Misconduct

Glancing around the bar, I confirm nobody is paying attention to us. I push the cheese fries in her direction again, and it makes me smile when she immediately takes one.

“New Orleans.”

Her eyes widen. “Yeah, you know him.”

“Who?”

“Now, that would be cheating,” she says, giving me such a satisfied grin, my cock takes notice.

“He’s family? Not a boyfriend?” I have to double-check.

She groans. “Gross. No. My brother.”

“So it’s not cheating, per se…”

Bex looks over at me again. Interest gleams in her eyes, and I flex a bit, which makes her huff out a laugh.

“Would it piss him off?” I ask.

“Oh, yeah. For sure.” She licks her lips. “You staying nearby?”

“Hotel around the corner.”

Bex cocks her head. “Why here?”

I shrug. “My best friend is from up the road, so we used to come visit in college. It’s… it was the first place that ever felt like home. My dad and I are… not close.”

“And you’re here with me instead of drinking with him?” She grins.

“She doesn’t live here anymore.”

Still, her guard springs up. “She?”

My stomach sinks. Why is this such an issue for every woman I meet? “Yeah. My best friend is a woman. Is that a problem?”

“You’re not together? It’s not cheating?” she echoes my earlier statement.

I shudder. I couldn’t possibly have feelings for Elsy. She’s just so… Elsy.

“Definitely not. There’s no interest there. She’s just a bro who happens to be female. We’re friends.”

We get this question a lot, but when someone has seen you at your absolute worst and still wants to spend time with you, there’s not much that can come between you.

Bex nods, accepting me at my word. “So she won’t get pissed if I invite myself back to your room?”

I scratch my hand through the bushy playoff beard. “Nah. It’s not like that with us.”

“Okay. Cool.” She looks down at the tray between us. “But I’m finishing the cheese fries first. No sense in letting them go to waste.”