Page 8 of Pucking Your Best Friend

He smiled. “Is that so?”

She blushed. “Yes, it is. So, do you want to come and tell me about that last goal? It all happened so fast! I barely noticed it.”

His smile broadened. Man, he had been hit on in many different ways, but he never got tired of theexplain to me why you’re so incredibly good at your jobversion. “Sure,” he said lightly. “I…”

“Not her!” He suddenly heard a female voice. The next moment, someone took one of the glasses from his hand and he was being dragged through the crowd by the arm. “Definitely not her.”

“Why not?” he asked indignantly and peered down at Maddie, who was sipping her tequila sunrise while dragging him away from the woman who had found him so incredibly masculine. And rightly so. “She’s hot!”

“Yeah, I noticed that. And the bridal magazine sticking out of her purse.” She nodded meaningfully over her shoulder at the black-haired woman he had left standing there.

“Oh, shit.” He made a face. Maddie was right. “How could I have missed that?”

“You were distracted by her breasts,” she replied with a grin. “Not that I blame you – even I was drawn to them. But if you sleep with her, she’ll want more and will end up getting hurt.”

He sighed. “Yeah, yeah, I hear you. Fine. I’ll keep my hands off her. So, which of the ladies hereisavailable for a one-night-stand?” He raised his eyebrows and put his non-alcoholic beer on one of the bistro tables opposite the bar.

Maddie looked up at him with narrowed eyes, took two big sips of her cocktail, and yelled, “I was wrong, you know. I believed you weren’t a big ladies’ man, but you are.”

He chuckled loudly. They’d been seeing each other almost every week for a year and she’d only just come to this conclusion. “Well, at least I’m not a womanizer like many of my teammates.”

“That’s only because I keep you from sleeping with the wrong women,” she informed him wisely as she placed a hand on her own chest. “After all, I want you to make your mother proud. So…” She surveyed the crowd — when her face lit up. “Ah, yes, she’s cute.” She pointed to a short, curvy blonde dancing with a few friends near the entrance.

Matt looked down at her, studied her face, and swiveled his head from side to side. She was pretty, but… “Nah, she has that future mom look.”

Maddie snorted. “Since when are you a ‘look’ expert?”

“Since you taught me to pay attention.” He grinned and added softly, “You happen to have that particular look too.”

“Oh. Gosh, I’m such a good teacher,” she said enthusiastically. “Okay, I’ll keep looking. Give me a few minutes. I’ve never let you down, have I?”

No, she hadn’t. He didn’t know how Maddie did it, but she had found him at least a dozen women in the last year who just wanted to have a bit of fun. Meanwhile, his teammate Leon Alvarez had already had to move twice and change his phone number four times because he’d slept with yet another super-groupie who thought she was about to get a ring on her finger…the kind who stalked the hockey player hoping her fantasy would become reality.

“You know, at some point, I’ll have to return the favor and find you a guy,” he suggested.

Maddie snorted. “Please don’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because Lucy is right: Your taste in men is terrible!”

Acting hurt, he gasped. “Excuse me?”

“Exhibit one: You like Dax.”

“Lucy – your sister! – also likes Dax.”

“Yes, but Lucy was blinded by his six-pack, so that doesn’t count.” She waved him off. “Also, exhibit two: You like Leon Alvarez!”

He made a face. That was a valid point. “Leon can be…nice.”

“Hmph. Sure.” She gave him a mocking look. “But don't worry. You’re my furniture mover and I’m your wing-woman. That’s the deal! Besides, you only ever find men good-looking when they have an animal on their face.”

“Not an animal, a magnificent beard!” he corrected her precociously.

“Which usually looks like the remains of a sick raccoon! Seriously. What is it with you men and beard jealousy? I don’t get it. I don’t constantly compare my leg hair to my girlfriends!”

Matt laughed. “Well, first off, I’d love to hear that conversation. And second…” He stroked his stubbly chin. “It’s not jealousy. It’s deep, honest admiration. Because, man, not everyone can grow a great beard, let alone wear it with dignity.”

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