Page 22 of Slapshot Summer
He sat without being invited.“I owe you an apology for last night.”
Her delicate brows knitted together, and her full mouth firmed into a thin line.God, she was adorable even when she was pissed off!But then she leaned back in her seat, drawing his gaze to what she wore: a tiny flowery bikini top in bright blues that tied behind her neck.Covering it was a black mesh cover-up thing that did nothing to hide the enticing swell of her breasts.Maybe her article had been spot-on after all.His dirty mind darted to her in nothing but the black mesh, and his cock roared to life.Suddenly, she wasn’t so adorable anymore.She was sex on a stick.
Words stuck in his throat.He never had trouble chirping players on the ice or talking to women in bars, but this one had a habit of leaving him tongue-tied.
She lifted a coffee cup to her lips and sipped.“Apology for what?”
“A couple of things.First, for not coming clean with you in the first place.”Josh checked their surroundings before continuing in a quieter voice.“I thought youseeinghow Neil operates rather than metellingyou would leave a stronger impression.”
“Oh, it did that all right.Like a puck to the head.I’ve been studying.”
Had she stayed up last night too?Checking out hockey videos?Why this possibility pleased him, he couldn’t say.
He leaned in, his forearms on the table.“I’m really sorry.I should have considered the shock factor and how it might hurt you.”
Her shoulders lowered a fraction, and she looked to the side, her expression softening.
“Second,” he went on, “for lying when I told you the kiss was all an act.”
Her head immediately swiveled back to him.She faced him fully, her expression cloaked.“Why would you do that?”
“Honestly?My intention was to make Neil sorry.Imeantfor it to be fake, but …” Searching for the right words, he fastened his gaze on hers.“Something shifted when I started kissing you, and I kind of … lost it.I think I freaked myself out when I realized how far I’d gone.”
One side of her mouth quirked.Did that mean they’d struck a temporary truce?“Didyou… enjoy it?”she ventured.
“You couldn’t tell?”he snorted.“I enjoyed itwaytoo much.”Weight that had been pressing him down seemed to lift with the admission.“I’m probably going to regret asking, but didyouenjoy it?”
She seemed to fight a smile.“Waytoo much.”
He couldn’t keep a stupid grin from sprouting.An impulse seized him, and as he’d been doing too much around Lexi, he ran with it.“Have dinner with me tonight.”
Her mouth parted in surprise.
“I want to make up for last night,” he rushed to add.“Better yet, have lunch with me.”He pointed at the tabletop.“Or breakfast.”
She giggled.He took it as a win.“I just ate.”
“After-breakfast cocktails on the beach, then.”
Now she positively gaped.“At nine in the morning?”
“We’re on vacation, aren’t we?We can go with mocktails, if you’d rather.”Yeah, he was coming on a little too strong, but he wanted to spend time with her—and see her in that bikini minus the mesh thing.He pulled on his libido’s reins and slowed his advances.“If your girlfriend were here, what would you guys be doing right now?”
“Sleeping in?”
“Really?And waste a gorgeous day like this?”Hand in the air, he made a grand sweep.The gesture brought a waiter running.
“Coffee, sir?”
Lexi pressed her lips together as though fighting a smile.
“Uh, only if the lady’s going to have a refill.”Josh raised expectant eyebrows at her.
She covered her cup.“I’m good, thanks.”
“So am I,” Josh told the waiter.He could have used the caffeine, but he wanted Lexi more.
When the server strode off to a different table, Josh focused all his attention back on Lexi.“So back to what you’d be doing if your girlfriend was here.Let’s pretend I’m her … What’s my name?”
