Page 96 of Desperate Pucker
He aims a lethal glare at Bobby.
Bobby’s smile fades, and his eyes widen. “Oh hey, Ryker.”
Ryker doesn’t say anything. He just stares at the guy. Then he plants his massive hand on top of Bobby’s and moves it off of me, setting it on the bartop with a thud.
Bobby shakes out his hand, wincing slightly like he’s in pain.
I look at Ryker, stunned by the move he pulled…and intrigued. I really didn’t like Bobby touching me. I guess Ryker didn’t either.
“Um, do you two know each other?” I ask.
Ryker’s sharp gaze doesn’t budge as he nods. “Bobby’s a sports reporter. He follows the team.”
“Oh…” I look between them, sensing the tension in the air between them. Bobby pulls at the collar of his shirt.
“I didn’t know you guys would be here. I was just getting a drink,” Bobby says.
“And chatting up our skating coach?” Ryker says, his tone on the edge of a bite.
“Nah, man. I just saw a pretty girl at the bar and struck up a conversation.”
I don’t miss the way Ryker’s gaze sharpens at what Bobby’s just said. He looks…wait, is he jealous?
Well. This just got very interesting
Chapter 33
Ryker
This fucking guy.
I’m not sure what drugs Bobby is taking to make him delusional enough to think that a guy like him would ever have a chance with a woman like Maddy. They must be out of this world.
I narrow my gaze. “So you were hitting on her?”
Bobby frowns and crosses his arms over his chest. “Yeah? So what? She’s not your girlfriend. Why do you care?”
I glance at Maddy. Her eyes are big and curious as she looks at me, then Bobby.
“You’re right. She’s not my girlfriend. She’s my coworker though, and I’m here to look out for her.” I turn to Maddy. “Don’t talk to him anymore. He’ll use what you say as an out-of-context quote on his podcast or his show.”
A protective feeling surges through me. When I saw Bobby talking to Maddy at the bar, jealousy fired through me. I had no right to feel that way. Yeah, we’re having fun, but we’re not together. She can talk to whoever she wants.
Technically, she can hook up with whoever she wants too. We’re not exclusive.
My stomach churns at the thought. I’d rather take a puck to the dick than think about Maddy being with anyone other than me.
I silently scold myself. I shouldn’t be thinking that way about her. I can’t have a relationship right now. And if I can’t be a boyfriend to her, then I can’t be acting like one, getting all territorial over her when another guy shows interest.
I take a slow, silent breath in an attempt to ease the tension riddling me right now. It doesn’t help.
He’s still standing too close to her. He’s still looking at her too much. He touched her. Twice. That’s already way too fucking much.
I grab her drinks and head back to our table.
She follows me. “What was that about?”
Thankfully her tone is curious, not upset. I’d hate for her to be mad at me right now, even though she has every right to be. I just shut down her conversation and acted like a possessive caveman.
