Page 52 of Revenge Puck

“You don’t wear a matching set unless you intend for someone to see them.”

“Whatever. Fine! I wanted to be prepared for our date just in case I stopped being angry at Preston for his alphahole move of asking me if I slept with the Bobcats players.”

“Okay. That’s all understandable. So far, I haven’t heard why you look all fuck drunk, ashamed, and sad while rocking a mean hickey on the side of your neck.”

Gasping, I slap my palm over my throat. “Crap. I forgot about that.”

“So, are you going to tell me how that happened? I’m assuming it occurred sometime after the hockey player saw your underwear.”

“Right. Preston followed me to the door when I was leaving, and he was blatantly…turned on, you know? We kissed, then his hand was in my panties, his mouth was on my neck, and I got off.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Back the truck up. How are you going to give me all the details of everything except for the hookup?”

“It happened nearly that fast,” I admit. “Over and done. And then Preston was done.”

“You mean he got off too?”

“No, I mean that he stopped me, us, when it was his turn.”

“Oh. Why in the world would he do that?”

“He gave me some excuse about notindulgingbefore a game, and how he was leaving tonight, so I took off. Now, I feel yucky because those seem like ridiculous excuses. Christian never had any sort of rule like that.”

“First of all, he should only be referred to as the fool from here on out.”

“Right, sorry.”

“Two, stop apologizing!”

I open my mouth to apologize for apologizing, then purse my lips together and give a nod of agreement instead.

“Good. And third, you didn’t tell Preston that part, did you?”

“What part?”

“The part about the fool!”

“Oh, no, of course not. I try not to bring up his name around Preston.”

“So, to sum up last night and this morning, you went on a dinner date, Preston ripped the fool a new one on the phone, then you went to Preston’s hotel room to fuck with the fool before tonight’s game?”

“Yes. That was stupid, wasn’t it?”

“You’ve got it bad for the woolly mammoth, Elle. There’s nothing stupid about that.”

“He’s leaving tonight after the game! That’s the other reason why he didn’t want to take things further this morning.”

“That excuse at least makes a great deal of sense.”

“What?”

“You just broke up with the fool. Do you honestly think that you’re emotionally ready to be with someone else, someone who is leaving town in a few hours?”

“No. I know it was for the best to stop. I just feel so…blah about it.” I swallow the rest of my coffee in one gulp, savoring the burn down my throat.

“Could that blah feeling have anything to do with you thinking that Preston, being the voice of reason, means he’s not attracted to you?”

“Well, yeah. What if that’s the basis for all of his excuses?”

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