Page 45 of Pucking the Team

Chapter Eleven

“You all live here?” I stepped from Eduardo’s SUV and looked around. “On this cul-de-sac?” I gestured at the five enormous modern houses that circled the wide end of the street.

“Yeah, three were for sale when we were looking to buy. Made sense. We can carpool.” Ben laughed and gestured to the yellow painted house to the right. “That’s mine and Theo’s.”

It had a huge garage, vast double front door, and a pitched roof. The windows were dark and the lawn a glossy green. Two white cars sat on the drive. One Porsche and one Jeep.

“And that’s Dylan’s.” Ben nodded to the one next door. The walls were white, and the huge bay window had palms planted in front of it that swayed in the gentle breeze. There was no car on the drive.

“And mine.” Eduardo waved his hand at the house we’d just parked in front of. “Mine has the biggest pool.” He shrugged. “So you might want to stay with me,ma choue,you will have the most fun.” He winked.

I laughed. “You think so?”

“I know so.” He took my hand and kissed my knuckles.

“She’ll stay with us,” Ben said. He jerked his head toward their house. “It makes sense.”

“Why does that make sense?” Eduardo frowned.

“Because there’s two of us,” Ben said stiffly. “Two of us to help her settle in and watch out for that creep, Steven.”

“Plus you guys spend most of your time lounging on our sofa and drinking our beer,” Theo added, then, “You did turn off any location stuff on your iPhone, right?”

I nodded. “Perhaps I should get a hotel,” I said, raising my eyebrows. “If it is going to cause problems.”

“It is no problem.” Dylan reached for my case from the back of the car. “The matter is decided. You are staying with me.”

“I don’t think so.” Eduardo snatched my case from him. “You cannot be trusted, Dylan, she will stay with me. So she is safe from you and your hard-on.”

“Icanbe trusted.” Dylan yanked the suitcase back. “You are the Casanova of the team.”

“Huh, and it was me who woke up naked with her,espece de joueur ruse.”

“I don’t know what you just said but I take offence.” Dylan’s face darkened, and he again grabbed my case.

“Give that back.” Eduardo balled his fist. “Now.”

“Make me!” Dylan straightened.

“Hey, hey, guys.” I placed myself between them. “Stop.”

Dylan was glowering. Eduardo appeared ready for a brawl.

“I like each of you, equally, okay, and last night…well, I needed a fuck. I told Dylan that, and he was up for it.” I shrugged and looked between them all. “I felt safe with him the way I feel safe with you all. Please, don’t argue over me, because I really will go and get a hotel.”

“Forgive us.” Eduardo’s expression changed in an instant, and a smile lit his face. “We just want the best for you and we all think we can give you the best.”

“I know, and you can. It’s so kind of you when you’ve already done so much.” I smiled at him then turned to Dylan and set my hand on his chest, right in the center. “And I appreciate every little thing and every big thing you have given me.”

A flash of amusement crossed his eyes. “Yeah, you know it, Pip.”

I winked at him. “So now that’s settled, I have no favorites. I’m going to stay with Ben and Theo, because as they said, there’s two of them.”

Ben and Theo shared at triumphant glance at each other.

“What…you can’t just…” Dylan said gruffly. “Because there’s two of them!”

“I can.” I began to walk toward their house. “Because as Eduardo told Steven last night, I’m an independent woman and I can make up my own mind about things.”