Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 54091 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 270(@200wpm)___ 216(@250wpm)___ 180(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54091 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 270(@200wpm)___ 216(@250wpm)___ 180(@300wpm)
But this isn’t a date. It’s just a weird, impromptu dinner with Leo, whom I mostly dislike.
“Just tell me what it is,” I blurt. “I can’t stand not knowing.”
“I want you to hear me out.”
“And you think I won’t do that if we’re in the car?”
He shrugs a shoulder. “I think if you have a nice glass of wine on the way, you’re less likely to blow up and leave.”
“Okay.” I shake my head, aggravated. “I can buy my own wine and drink it at home if I want to. Out with it.”
He shifts in his seat, looking uncomfortable. “So it starts with my teammate Anson. He’s a good guy, but he’s hairier than a fucking gorilla. He’s very masculine-looking, you know?”
“And this relates to me how?”
He sighs heavily. “He has a twin sister. And apparently she has a thing for me.”
“Aw, she’s blind?” I cover my mouth with my hand. “I’m sorry. That just slipped out.”
He flicks a glare at me. “She’s his twin sister, and she’s coming here for New Year’s Eve. He wants to fix me up with her, and when he mentioned it at dinner yesterday, I sort of told him I’m already seeing someone.”
“There you go. Problem solved. No hurt feelings.”
He nods, not saying anything. I just look at him for a few seconds, waiting.
“Are you going to get to the part where this has anything to do with me?”
“Just a sec ...” The light we’re at turns green and he accelerates. “Just let me get up to a speed where you can’t jump out of the car ... okay, surely this is fast enough. I, uh ... said I’m dating you.”
Chapter Nine
Leo
* * *
Mara just gapes at me for a couple of seconds. Then she laughs.
“Are you joking?”
I grip the steering wheel tighter, annoyed. “Why would I joke about this? It’s not remotely funny.”
Her smile slides away. “But why me? Aren’t there like ... a thousand other women in your phone you could have asked?”
“It wasn’t like that. It was a spur-of-the-moment thing, and Carter backed me up with the photo you took of us.”
A note of laughter bursts out of her. “No, don’t put this on me. I’m not part of your ... shenanigans just because of that photo.”
“You don’t have to actually date me. I just need you to go along with the story.”
She pinches the bridge of her nose, not saying anything for a few seconds. When she finally speaks, she says, “It doesn’t even make sense, Leo. Your teammates have all seen us together at parties and they know it’s all we can do not to strangle each other.”
“We can tell them it took a turn. The passion was always there; we just rechanneled it.”
She smiles, amused. “Rechanneled it?”
“Yeah. You’re still yelling when we’re together, but now you’re yelling out my name while my face is between your thighs.”
Her brows shoot up. “Really? Is this the charm that parts legs in every city you visit?”
“Not even close. You haven’t seen any of the charm yet, but you will if you do this for me.”
She furrows her brow in a half cringe. “I honestly don’t think I can convince anyone I’m into you.”
I bristle at that. “Why not? Am I really that bad?”
“No, you’re actually very hot. But everyone knows we hate each other.”
“You think I’m hot?”
Her cheeks flush with embarrassment. “I used to—before your drunken intrusion.”
I have to force myself to focus on the road, though I’d rather look at her. Traffic is heavy, but within a minute, I’m pulling into the parking lot of Neptune’s.
“Do you mind if I park in the lot next door? I’m kind of precious about my car.”
“I’m precious about human rights. You and I are not the same. See what I mean?”
I ignore her jab and park my car in a spot without cars on either side of it.
“What can I say to convince you?” I ask on the walk into the restaurant.
“I can help you find someone for this. Easiest job ever with you being a hockey player. You’ll be so much happier pretending to be with someone you could actually end up liking instead of me.”
This is going about as well as I was worried it would. I run a hand through my hair, feeling a few cold snowflakes. “I already told him it’s you, Mara. Can you please just do me this one favor?”
She stops walking, turning to me and lifting her chin so we’re eye to eye. “Why would I do that? To be nice to you? I don’t fucking care if you think I’m nice. I once heard you tell Carter I’m a spoiled brat whose voice makes you want to claw your own eyes out.”
I exhale heavily, remembering the day I said that. I was in a shit mood. “That was more than a year ago.”