Page 48 of Pucking the Team

“Thanks.” He ran his hand over it. “We both got one done after…”

“After?”

“Just, you know, a brother thing.” He shrugged and looked away.

I nodded and took a sip of the sweet malty liquid. It wasn’t so bad.

“The house is gorgeous, and this pool, I mean, it’s really something. We don’t get this in London.”

“Wouldn’t want it, with the weather, like.”

I laughed. “It’s not that bad.”

“But seriously.” He leaned forward, elbows on the table, top lip damp with beer. “You must have a nice place. You have a great career, not that I’ve Googled you.”

“You haven’t?”

“No, not my style. But I can tell from that one picture, in the magazine, and the flight attendant’s reaction that you’re a big deal in your world.”

“Like you are in yours.”

“True.” He shrugged; modesty wasn’t his thing. “We are.” He paused. “Googled us?”

“What? No. That’s not my style either. You tell me or show me what you want me to know about you and Ben. Same goes for Eduardo and Dylan.”

“Got yourself quite a fan club of hockey players, haven’t you?” He took a long drink, eyeing me over the bottle.

“What does that mean?”

He tipped his head. “It means I’m going to have to keep my cool if I want you to myself for some of the time at least.”

“I’m here now, aren’t I?” I couldn’t help a flirty little tip of my eyebrows. Theo was one hell of a sexy guy, that couldn’t be denied.

“We settled on takeout, pizza.” Ben appeared, also wearing nothing but swim shorts and every bit as drop-dead gorgeous as his brother. He also wore a Vipers cap and held his phone. “You’re awake.” He grinned at me.

“And starving.” I smiled.

“I ordered a bunch of different toppings, figured you’d like something.”

“I eat practically anything,” I said. “Within reason.”

Ben grabbed a beer then came and sat in the shade, next to me. His wide thigh brushed mine when he pulled in his chair. A fizz of awareness went through me. Was I dreaming? How the heck had I ended up in Florida with two hockey players who could have their own pin-up calendar? I could feel totally down on my luck after what Steven and Cheryl had done to me, but actually I was pretty good…who the hell wouldn’t be?

“Pippa likes the tat,” Theo said, resting back on his chair and rubbing his hand over his ink.

“Good.” Ben reached for a chip and popped it in his mouth.

“Has it got a story?” I asked, also dipping into the crisps. “Like the picture on the wall?”

“Yeah.” Ben nodded.

“You gonna tell me?” I asked.

“Maybe sometime.”

A ring chimed through the house.

“That’ll be the guys.” Theo stood. “I must have locked the door. I’ll let them in.”