Page 21 of One Shot

“But it is,” Bren says.

“No, no!It is also Captain Lucas Donato!Thatwas conveniently left out.”

“Why does it matter?” Suz comes around the corner. Shit. She must have been in the bathroom. I don’t need her to know I have a crush on him. She’s best friends with the guy and seemingly in love with him.

My lips press together as I fall silent. I can’t possibly divulge my lust for the captain to her.

“Do you have a crush on him or something?” Suz asks.

“Not even close,” I yell. Suz gives Bren a look.

“She doesn’t. Laur is not interested in Lucas. She is guy-free this year and focused on marketing for the team and her future!” Bren chimes in for me. As she turns to look at me, she must instantly sense my infatuation with Lucas oozing from every pore of my skin and can easily see that she is now very wrong. I do have a crush.

Suz looks me up and down. “Look, I know I haven’t been the nicest to you, Laur, and I apologize for that. But I’m trying to protect Lucaslike Bren is you. The guy is a fucking saint and doesn’t even sleep around. Sure, he might look like a cocky player, but he is the furthest thing from it. He can’t help that he’s attractive. Shit, he can have more than half the girls on campus. I’m not even into him. He’s like a brother to me, but even I’m not immune to his good looks and charm.”

Barbie isn’t in love with Lucas? Thank goodness.I feel like a weight has lifted off my shoulders.

“Oh,” is all I manage to reply.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Bren starts.

“No. It can’t go anywhere. It’s just a schoolgirl crush that will pass. We will just be friends, absolutely nothing more. This stays between the three of us. I will know if it doesn’t.” I glare at both. “Understood?”

They both hold up a pinky to me, and we promise in a three-way pinky swear.

“Now that we are done acting like high school girls, can someone please pick a cute outfit for me since I will have to be with him all night?” I groan. “I ordered about twenty things from Amazon. And just because Lucas is only my friend doesn’t mean I don’t need to look hot at the first party I go to.”

Bren and Suz look at each other excitedly and stand up.

Suz claps her hands together in typical Barbie fashion, “Yes! Bren, grab the wine!”

Chapter fourteen

Lucas

The Beer Olympics has been an annual tradition for the hockey team before our practice schedule ramps up. It’s always been a shit show. I have a blurry memory from last year of Tyler bouncing a quarter so hard it dented the table and profusely apologizing. Nick Bellinger was laughing so hard and said this bonding experience was just “drunk idiots making (not-so-lasting) memories before kicking our asses into shape.” His statement will still probably be fitting for this year.

This year, it’s in Liam, Connor, and Tyler’s backyard. Convenient for me because I live just a block away. I’m in a Hawaiian button-down shirt I ordered four days ago off Amazon. Somehow Hawaiian was our team’s theme when other team themes range from solid colors to SpongeBob SquarePants to just straight plaids that just clash. The solid color black team really went for it with all four of them wearing eyeliner and black lipstick.

“Aren’t you glad we’re black lipstick free?” Liam says as he pats me on the back. “The girls just got here. They’re putting their stuff in my room.”

“Yes, very glad. I don’t think it would be our shade, but a bare nude-rose might look nice with the flowers on your shirt.” I chuckle knowing this is part of our typical bit when anyone mentions lipstick around us.

“Bare nude-rose? I tell you one lipstick name, and you use it more than I ever thought you would,” Bren chimes in, giving me a hug.

“As much as I do? What are you even talking about? This is probably the third time I've ever said it! But it is very fitting,” I tease back.

“You don’t think I would look lovely with some bare nude-rose on these lips, babe?” Liam goes along with my stupid joke before kissing her. “Lucas is just looking out for me.”

I think Bren responds, but their words fade away as I take in Laur walking into the backyard. I tune them out as soon as I see Laur. Her dark brown hair is down in loose curls framing her face. She’s wearing a floral blue and green two-piece outfit that makes it hard to look elsewhere. It’s very different than her usual leggings and oversized t-shirt. The top is cropped, showing off her riveting midriff, and very low cut. My eyes linger on her cleavage as I take her in and drag my eyes back up her body. Her body is flawless.

As she makes her way toward our group, our eyes meet. There’s electricity and triumph behind her stare from watching me drink her in like I’ve been lost in the desert for days. It’s taking all my focus to fight my hard on while she’s looking at me with those baby blues. I could get lost in them for hours, but I’d do almost anything to get lost in that cleavage too.

“Hi. Nice shirt,” Lauren says shyly.

“Oh, this old thing? Why thank you. Your outfit is pretty on point. If you dressed like that at practices, the team wouldn’t be able to look away. Shit, we’d be out of shape and play terribly. You look beautiful.”

That’s my line? Seriously. Why do I suck at compliments? I don’t need her thinking about what power her beauty might have over anyone else on the team. I just want her to fully understand that she can wield that power over me day and night, while getting to know that I’m far from the bad guy she instantly pegged me for.

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