Page 70 of Blocked Shot
Mila arches a brow and waggles a finger like she’s delivering a courtroom argument. “No, seriously. Jesse practically gift-wrapped you for Jake.”
She drops into a mock-deep voice, clearly channeling Jesse. “Hey everyone! Meet my big sis. She’s a five-star chef, a genius with a heart of gold, basically a walking trophy wife. And bonus—she’s single, emotionally stable-ish, and suffering through a tragic dry spell brought on by five long years of chauffeuringmysorry ass to freezing-ass rinks at dawn. Someone give this woman a medal… or at least a date.”
Mila snorts at her own impression and collapses into giggles, eyes dancing. “Honestly, I’m shocked you two lasted as long as you did. The way he was looking at you? That wasn’t ‘let’s grab coffee’ energy. That was ‘I want to pound you into kingdom come’ energy.”
Natalie groans and buries her face in her hands. “Oh my god. You’re supposed to support me.”
“Iamsupporting you,” Mila says, grinning. “I’m supporting your right to be thoroughly and repeatedly ravished.”
Natalie swirls the wine in her glass, watching the way it clings to the sides.
“He won’t even talk to me,” she says quietly.
Mila softens, shifting forward. “Nat, he’ll get over it.” She nudges Natalie’s foot with hers. “He’s being selfish. Give it time, and he’ll realize that he should be happy for you.”
Natalie sighs, finally taking a sip of her wine. It’s rich and spicy, but it does little to dull the weight in her chest. “I hate knowing I hurt him.”
“Look, you can’t control how he feels. You did nothing wrong, and if he’s too caught up in his own misery to see that, that’s on him.”
She lifts her glass in a mock toast. “To baby brothers and their fragile egos.”
Natalie clinks her glass against Mila’s. “To Jesse texting me back.”
Mila smirks. “And to Jake’s amazing tongue.”
Natalie groans, hiding her face behind her glass as Mila cackles.
With a wicked gleam in her eye, Mila leans forward.
“Speaking of which,” she says, waggling her eyebrows. “Howamazing are we talking? Like, good-good? Or life-altering, ruin-you-for-all-other-men good?”
Natalie coughs into her wine, her cheeks heating. “A lady never tells.”
“Oh, come on,” Mila whines, clutching her chest dramatically. “I need details. Was there dirty talk? Was he all sweet and romantic? Or was he—” she lowers her voice to a sultry rasp, “—absolutely feral?”
Natalie’s entire face burns. “I hate you.”
Mila gasps, delighted. “Oh my God. He was feral, wasn’t he?” She claps her hands. “I knew it! I knew he had that in him! The quiet ones always do.”
Natalie groans, pressing her hands over her face. “I’m not talking about this.”
Mila sighs, flopping back onto the couch. “Fine. But just know that I am so proud of you.”
“For what?”
“For living the dream,” Mila says, grinning. “And for finally getting dicked down like you deserve.”
Natalie throws a pillow at her, but she’s laughing now, the weight in her chest lifting a little. Mila is the balm she needs. She feels lighter, like maybe everything will be okay.
But as she glances at her phone, the screen dark and silent, she can’t shake the fear that it won’t be.
CHAPTER 34
PAVEL
Mac - is breakfast tomorrow?
JAKE
