Page 12 of Just my Puck (Love & Laughter #1)

STEELE

F uming, I point the Jeep in the direction of home. It’s about a fifteen-minute drive from here, and I hope the time will be used to cool my temper down a bit.

I knew Jason was up to something shady, but I didn’t think he would spy on us.

Feeling terrible because when I spotted them in Jase’s Range Rover, my mood turned sour.

Lucy picked up on it, and she probably thinks she did something wrong.

I’m starting to figure out how her mind works.

It’s dirty but in a really cute and sexy way.

Her constant thoughts of cocks are a huge turn-on because I know she isn’t the type to screw around.

It brings the question of her and Jason back to the forefront of my thoughts.

Obviously, he has decided to go ahead with his plan.

This was more about her than about me. But it still angers me that he went behind my back because there was no need, as I pull into the driveway and slam on the brakes.

Storming past Jason’s Range Rover, already parked up, and into the house, I charge through the sitting room to the outside, where he and Carter are sitting nonchalantly sipping beer.

“Oh, look, it’s Beavis and Butthead,” I growl.

They glance at each other, and before Carter can say anything, Jason points at him and says, “Calling Beavis, you can be Butthead.”

“Fuck you, I’m Beavis, you’re a total Butthead.”

“You are a fucking dick,” I spit out. “And you…” I point to Carter, “…are just as bad. What did you hope to gain by spying on me?”

“Not so much you as her,” Jason says, not denying it now that he’s face to face with my accusation. “Well, kind of you. I’m going to ask her to be my fake girlfriend, but I want to see her interactions with you first so I know how to handle her.”

“Handle her?”

“You know what I mean.” He waves his hand offhandedly.

“No, I don’t. What were you expecting to see exactly?”

He shrugs, a serious expression clouding his features. “I’m not really sure. How did you leave things?”

The slightly higher tone of voice at the end of his question is telling.

“She is coming to the game tomorrow,” I sigh, knowing I can’t keep it from him.

Not that I’m sure I want to. The thought of him with her isn’t a turn-off.

It’s kind of giving me a bit of a warm fuzzy feeling, but in my fantasy, the three of us are together, not him fake dating her and me actually dating her.

If she would even agree to that. If Jase manages to convince her, which I’ve no doubt he will, then I really don’t know where that leaves me.

Especially after I literally went cold on her earlier.

“Is she?” he asks, his tone going warmer. “Is she meeting you after?”

“I guess so.” I mean, we didn’t actually plan that far ahead, now that I think about it.

“Then you can introduce me.”

“Jase,” I growl. “I like her.”

“And? No one said she had to stop seeing you. This thing between her and me will be on the surface.”

“So how am I supposed to see her if all the press wants is to see her with you?”

“Obviously, we have our dates here. Or at least end them here.”

He says it so casually, like he’s really thought it through.

“How do you plan on convincing her?”

“Maybe you could put in a good word for me?” he says with that cheeky grin which, for the most part, gets people to do exactly what he wants.

Shaking my head, I flop down on the wicker chair and grab a beer, ripping the cap off and taking a sip. “Fine. I’ll help you with this, but in exchange, you do something for me.”

He leans forward, all ears. “What?”

“You don’t hurt her, and you don’t make her look like a fool. When the time comes, she dumps your ass, got it?”

He sits back, seemingly happy with that arrangement. “Done. But who says she will want to dump me?”

“That is a discussion for another time,” I say, standing up.

“Wait! What?” His surprise makes me hide my smile behind the beer bottle. “What are you saying? That you don’t want her?”

“Oh, I want her. I want her so bad that my cock has been stiff all night long. I’m saying that if you want her as well, maybe she doesn’t have to choose if she decides to give you a real chance. That’s up to her, though, obviously.”

“Obviously,” he murmurs and slumps back in his seat. “Are you for real?” His pinched face makes it difficult not to snicker openly.

“Very real.”

“Fuck. You’re being serious. So we would both date her at the same time? How would that even work? Separate days?”

“Who said anything about it being separate?” I shrug and walk back into the house, needing to message Lucy so she doesn’t tie herself up in knots about my cool attitude.

Now that I understand Jason’s motivation, it makes it easier to understand why he spied on us.

He wants her. She is the exact opposite of every other girl he has been with, probably in his entire life, certainly from Swann onwards.

Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I bring up Lucy’s number as I head to my bedroom on the first floor and start typing.

I’m a cock.

I wait for her to reply.

The three dots come up.

What did you do?

It’s careful and neutral, which tells me more about her. She doesn’t like confrontation.

I didn’t kiss you goodnight.

There is a big pause. One that puts me into a bit of a tailspin.

Why not?

Smiling, I reply straight away.

Because I’m a cock.

She sends the laughing face emoji.

You’re not a cock. You’re sweet.

You won’t be saying that tomorrow after you see me play.

I might find that a bit sexy.

My heart leaps into my throat.

Oh?

Maybe.

How can I make it sexier?

Pause.

You can meet me afterward.

Thought that was a given of me asking you.

Wasn’t sure. We didn’t make any plans.

No, because, as previously stated, I’m a cock.

You keep talking about cocks. You’re as bad as me.

I send her the eggplant emoji.

She sends a laughing face back.

And then she sends the kitty face.

“Fuck,” I groan.

You’re killing me here.

I don’t let the cat out of the bag before the tenth date.

Then I can’t wait for date number eleven.

Smooth.

Worth it.

I’ll see you tomorrow, Steele. Thanks for messaging.

The brush-off is expected, but now I know even more about her, and I’m falling hard and fast for the girl my best friend wants as well.

Stripping off, I climb into bed naked and stare at the ceiling, wondering what it would be like to have Lucy next to me.

“Damn near perfect,” I mutter to the darkness. “Damn near perfect.”