Page 18 of Pucking Rebound

Jordy taps a keycard against a panel on the wall, instructing the doors to close.

I stare at the spot above the door to discover there’s no digital display to count the floors.

“Penthouse,” Jordy says.

“You live in the penthouse?”

“Best view of the city.”

I’m not at my best tonight, not fully functioning, and I swear I’m making the worst judgment call.

This is a stupid idea.

CHAPTER FIVE

Lola

This was a brilliant idea.

As soon as I walked into Jordy’s penthouse apartment, I instantly felt better. It’s huge, spacious, with wall-to-wall glass. Exquisite oversized abstract paintings in golds, soft greens, and blush pinks hang on every wall. I've never seen anything like them. They’re beautiful.

It feels lived in, warm, homely even.

It’s taken me by surprise and is a far stretch from the bachelor pad I thought Jordy would live in.

“Look at the view.” My hands land against the floor-to-ceiling windows. I’m like a kid in a candy store, admiring the multicolored lights of the city below as the snow continues to fall. “The snow looks so pretty from way up here,” I say, then point to a giant structure in the distance. “You can even see the arena from here. This is gorgeous, Jordy.”

“You are.”

I sigh and turn to face him. “We need to set some ground rules tonight.”

He removes his jacket, laying it over the back of his enormous sectional sofa, then toes off his black biker boots that he never seems to lace up. “I agree.”

“You need to stop flirting with me.”

“Okay, but you have to do the same.” And there’s that goddamn cheeky grin of his again.

“Okay,” I agree. “My room needs to be as far away from yours as possible.”

“You can sleep in the east wing.” He points in the direction he’s referring to. “Is that because you can’t trust yourself around me and my six pack?” He asks at the same time he pulls up the hem of his tee shirt to flash me his abs.

I raise my hand to stop him because he’s right, but I need to shut him down. “Don’t tempt me.”

“Trust me, that’s exactly what I am trying to do.” His reply is smooth and steady but has a warm and inviting undertone that makes me want to run over to him.

“You’re impossible.” I’m so tempted.

“You used the wrong word, baby. You mean irresistible.” Jordy pulls his tee shirt higher, revealing more muscles I can only dream about licking.

He adds, “I swear to fuck I can smell your arousal from here. You’re imagining what it would be like to dip your tongue into each divot of my abs, aren’t you?”

I gasp at his deliciously sin-filled words. I wasn’t, but I am now. Okay, maybe that’s a lie. I have been, I want to. Shouldn’t. Maybe I should because the heat between my thighs is growing hotter by the second.

And what the hell is this strange energy between us? The chemistry we have is overheating and about to bubble over. I’m not sure I can take any more.

I clear my throat and try to compose myself. “Like I said, you’re impossible.”

Jordy lowers his shirt again. “Can’t blame a guy for trying.” Running his hands through his hair, he adds with a deep sigh, “I promise to behave.”

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