Page 19 of Catch
“Mind your manners, Sugar,” Ethan quips. “Everyone else needs to take a shot.”
There’s a round of jeers and whistles. I shake my head at that stupid nickname and offer Ethan a rude gesture as my reply. We let the hockey team grab their shots, one in each hand, and then the rest of us take ours.
“Are we ready to do this?” Dane asks his teammates.
“Ready, Cap!” they reply in unison, and everyone downs their shots.
We slam the empty glasses on the counter and reach for more.
“Marshall, you may start filming,” Dane adds with a dramatic wave of his hand. “Crew, you may grab your razors.”
Ethan’s frat brother pulls up his phone and starts to record. There are four stools set up, and one by one, the Cougars line up and sit down. First up is Dane, of course, followed by Kayden, Maddox, and Axel. I reach for a razor, and so does Hudson, Archie, and our crew captain Felix. There’s a lot of laughing and jokes as the room fills with the telltale buzzing sound.
Felix starts with Dane, and the hockey captain is cool as ever, not even flinching when the razor hits his scalp. Archie gets Maddox, who looks pissed off as usual. Thankfully, I’m tasked with Kayden, who’s all smiles, and Hudson gets Axel, who’s too busy blowing kisses to his boyfriend to notice his haircut.
“Take it all off, baby!” Jace calls out to Axel.
One round of shaving and most of their hair is gone, but it takes a second round to get their buzz cuts just right. All the guys are good sports about it, even Maddox, despite his scowl.
Kayden nudges Maddox.
“You look fucking hot.”
Maddox holds up his phone to take a selfie.
“I look like a fucking hedgehog.”
“A hedgehog with an earring.”
Kayden laughs so hard he nearly falls off his stool.
Maddox turns the phone to his boyfriend.
“Laugh it up, Kaybear.”
Kaybear?
“One more pass and you’re good to go,” I tell Kayden.
I finish Kayden’s shave, then motion for the next player in line. It’s Ethan, of course, and he gives me a glare that tells me he’s never going to forget me or today.
“Come on, hockey boy, you can do this,” I taunt.
“Fuck you, Jett.”
“Nah, you’re not my type.”
This time, it’s his turn to give me the finger. He struts over and sits down in front of me, but his knees are popping so hard he’s rocking back and forth. If he moves any faster, he’s going to knock himself over.
“Stop moving,” I caution him.
I stare at his thick, shiny black hair, and for a microsecond, I feel guilty about destroying it.
“Are you going to stand there and drool over me, Sugar, or are you gonna get shaving?”
His sarcasm makes my guilt disappears faster than his hair. Hair that’s so fucking soft and honestly, gorgeous. It smells as heady as the rest of him, like vanilla and something spicy. Cinnamon? He offers me a side-eye, and my hand starts to shake.
“Next time we’ll grow it out really long so we can donate it,” Ethan offers, and the comment surprises me.
