Page 32 of Wild Love
Maverick is chuckling under his breath, and Jack has an amused smirk. Holy hell, he’s good-looking up close. The same height as Maverick, but broader and sporting just the right amount of scruff. His dark hair is slicked back. He’s sex on legs. I retract my earlier words because I can see exactly how he might make a young girl go crazy and toss her sanity and job out the window.
“How much of that did you hear?”
“Enough to want to buy you a drink.” Jack lifts his hand to signal the bartender.
“I’m going to hang up now.” Reagan’s voice draws me back to her smiling face on the phone. She singsongs, “Have fun.”
She disconnects, and I have no choice but to face Johnny and Jack.
Maverick takes the seat next to me. “Jack, this is my friend Dakota. Kota, I’m guessing you know Jack.”
“No,” I say, then shake my head. “I mean, yes, I know who you are.”
Jack extends a large hand. “Nice to meet you, Dakota.”
11
Johnny
“You should see your face?”I bite back a laugh as Dakota stares slack-jawed at Jack moving across the bar to Dec and Lohan. “I so didn’t expect you to be starstruck.”
“I…” Her mouth opens and closes a few times before she continues. “I was just caught off guard. Jesus, he’s a lot.” She shakes her head, making the long, red strands fall over one shoulder. She composes herself and hits me with a killer smile. “What are you doing here?”
“Jack called and said a couple of the guys were here.” I lift a shoulder and let it fall. I spent the day unpacking and getting settled into the apartment. Hearing from the captain of my new team was a welcome interruption. “Do you think you can handle yourself meeting a couple more of my teammates?”
She rolls her eyes. “Of course I can.”
We stand, and I lead her over to the guys.
“Johnny Maverick,” Leo Lohan addresses me from his perch on a barstool. “Good to see you again, man.”
“You too.” The last time I was here, I met most of the team, but only a few are still in town during the off-season.
Declan tips his head in greeting. I’m not sure I’ve heard him speak yet, but he has a friendly mug.
“Guys, this is my friend Dakota. She’s interning with the Wildcats this summer.”
“Hey.” Kota smiles and waves to the guys.
“How do you two know each other?” Jack asks her.
I toss an arm around her shoulders. “Oh, we go way back.”
Jack’s brows lift, and he nods slowly. “Magical vagina… I think I’m following now. She’s the reason you got a hat trick in the championship game.”
Dakota groans, and her body wilts under my arm.
“That’s right,” I say. “We didn’t sleep together, but she did wear my number in the final period.”
“So magical boobage.” Jack grins and puts out a fist for Dakota.
She taps her knuckles with his, though not very enthusiastically. “Well, this has been mortifying. It was so nice to meet you guys. Let’s forget this conversation ever happened, yeah?”
“Done,” Leo says and adjusts the Wildcats hat on his head. “Ignore Jack. We do.”
“She should be good at that if she’s friends with Maverick,” the quiet Declan pipes in. I’m rescinding that friendly mug comment.
“If they were handing out degrees for it, I’d have a doctorate,” she confirms and knocks me with her elbow. “Can I steal you? I want to introduce you to someone.”
