She snorted. “There’s nothing like a man with a healthy ego.”
“I like it when you snort. It’s cute.”
“Don’t call me cute.”
“Why not?”
“Because I hate it. Babies and bunny rabbits are cute. I’m a grown woman. And stop looking at me like that.”
“Like what?” he said, blinking innocently.
“Like you’re imagining me naked.”
“I can’t help it. I am imagining you naked.”
His eyes darkened to a sensual glitter, and liquid heat promptly pooled between her thighs. She tried not to squeeze her legs together. She didn’t want him seeing the effect he had on her.
“Have a drink with me tonight,” he said suddenly.
The word no slipped out more quickly than she’d intended.
His features creased with what looked like frustration. He stepped closer, causing her to dart a glance in her father’s direction. Presley was standing at the end of the hall, engaged in deep conversation with Stan Gray, the Warriors’ head coach. While her dad seemed oblivious to the sparks shooting between her and Brody, Hayden still felt uncomfortable having this discussion in view of her father.
It didn’t help that Brody looked so damn edible in gray wool pants that hugged his muscular legs, and a black button-down that stretched across his chest. And his wet hair... She forced herself to stop staring at those damp strands, knowing that if she allowed herself to imagine him in the shower, naked, she might just come on the spot.
“One drink,” he insisted with a charming grin. “You know, for old times’ sake.”
She couldn’t help but laugh. “We’ve known each other for all of twenty-four hours.”
“Yes, but it was a very wild twenty-four hours, wouldn’t you say?” He moved closer and lowered his head, his lips inches from her ear, his warm breath fanning across her neck. “How many times did you come again, Hayden? Three? Four?”
“Five,” she squeezed out, then quickly looked around to make sure nobody had heard her.
Her entire body started to throb from the memory. That she could experience arousal in a hallway full of people—one of them her father—made her blush with embarrassment.
“Five.” He nodded briskly. “I haven’t lost my touch.”
She resisted the urge to groan. He was too damn sure of himself, which gave him a definite advantage, because at the moment she wasn’t sure of anything.
Except the fact that she wanted to tear off her clothes and hop right back into bed with Brody Croft.
But nope, she wouldn’t do it. Sleeping with him again had Bad Idea written all over it. It had all been much simpler last night, when he’d just been an exciting stranger.
But now... Now he was real. Even worse, he was a hockey player. She’d grown up around enough hockey players to know how they lived—the constant traveling, the media, the eager women lining up to jump into bed with them.
Not to mention that Brody was so...arrogant, flirtatious, bold. Yesterday it had added to the allure of sex with a stranger. Today it was a reminder of why she’d decided bad boys no longer played a part in her life.
Been there, done that. Her last boyfriend had been as arrogant, flirty and bold as Brody, and that relationship died a fiery death when Adam dumped her on her birthday because the whole “fidelity thing” cramped his style. His words, not hers.
She wasn’t sure why she had such terrible judgment when it came to men. It shouldn’t be so hard finding someone to build a life with, should it? A home, a solid marriage, great sex, excitement and stability, a man who’d make their relationship a priority—was that too much to ask for?
“Why are you so determined to see me again?” she found herself blurting, then lowered her voice when her father glanced in their direction. “I told you this morning I wanted to leave things at one night. I came home to support my father, not get involved with someone.”
“You were pretty involved with me last night,” he said, winking. He uncrossed his arms and let them drop to his sides. “And you can’t deny you liked it, Hayden.”
“Of course I liked it.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“The problem is I wanted one night. Seeing you again wasn’t part of the plan.”
“Plan, or fantasy?” he drawled, a knowing glimmer in his eyes. “That’s it, isn’t it? You fantasized about indulging in one night with a stranger, right? I’m not judging you, just pointing out that the fantasy doesn’t have to end yet.”
The word fantasy sounded intoxicating the way he said it. Before she could stop herself, she wondered what other fantasies they could play out together. Role-play? Bondage? Her cheeks grew warm at the latter notion. It turned her on, the idea of tying Brody up...straddling him while he lay immobile on the bed...
No. No, she was so not going there. She seriously needed to quit letting this guy jump-start her libido.
“The way I see it, you’ve got two options,” he said. “The easy way or the hard way.”
“I can’t wait to hear all about it.”
“Sarcasm doesn’t become you.” His cheeks dimpled despite his words. “Now, the easy way involves the two of us heading over to the Lakeshore Lounge for a drink.”
“No.”
He held up his hand. “You haven’t heard the rest.”
“Fine. What’s the hard way?”
