Page 52 of Ice Me Out

Sugar: I picked you up a little something something while I was shopping :)

I smirked and texted her back.

Me: Give me a hint.

Sugar: It’s metal.

Me: A butt plug?

I chuckled while the chat bubbles danced. I could picture Vera rolling her eyes and saying something snarky under her breath.

Sugar: Wow. How did you know? I can’t wait to use it on you.

Me: No, ma’am.

Flip: This is just a friendly reminder from the man who makes you millions that you haven’t updated your social media in three days.

“Fuck,” I muttered under my breath as I sent him a quick text.

Me: My bad. Been busy.

Flip: Make sure it gets done tonight. A thirst trap will do. We need to meet soon. We might have a possible endorsement.

That caught my attention. Endorsements were sweet, easy money, and unless the company was controversial or their views were the polar opposite of mine, I didn’t turn them down.

Me: What’s the company?

Flip: Thirst trap, Hart.

Me: Go to Hell.

Flip: I’ll meet you there.

Sugar: I am forwarding you the itinerary for this evening.

Sugar: Attachment Received.

I gawked at the list. Vera wanted to visit the CN Tower and the Royal Ontario Museum and have dinner at an upscale steakhouse. I was fucking wiped after my two nights with Vera. The three hours I demanded last night turned into four with a thirty-minute nap. I would’ve been satisfied with three hours, but Vera surprised me when she caught her second wind and suddenly became the Energizer Bunny.

My dick started to swell as I thought about how I laid there and let her take me. She had a crazy, dominant side, and I never fathomed a woman talking me through it and praising me would have me weak like this. Every woman I hooked up with in the past naturally fell into the rhythm of letting me take the lead. But it was different with Vera. There was no script or roles when we came together—we moved on pure instinct.

“I’m so fucking tired,” Marlon bemoaned beside me as our plane started its final descent.

“Tell me about it,” I replied, returning my new earbuds to the charging case and wondering how I’d break the news to Vera that we couldn’t go out, even though I’d insisted we’d do anything she wanted.

“Make sure you catch a nap before team dinner.”

“I have other plans.”

A smile cracked Marlon’s face as he shoved his e-reader into his carry-on.

“That’s right. You do have other plans… with your sugar baby, aka my wife.”

I bristled. Not because he somehow guessed my sugar baby’s identity, but because he referred to her as his wife. My rational side knew he was being playful and pulling my leg. Still, my irrational side went from calm to caveman in 0.5 seconds.

“Am I going to have any problems out of you?” I asked coolly, low enough that our teammates wouldn’t overhear us.

“Jesus, Hart, chill. I’m just messing around. We’re good.”