Dump and Chase (Nashville Assassins Next Generation 1)

“Yeah, I think there is a space above me, like directly above me, that is coming up for sale in a week or two.”

“Really?” I ask, but then that means that I have to be a part of the Stella and Emery madhouse for a bit longer. Plus, I’ll need to get a fridge for my room for beer and ice cream. I can hang if I get the fridge.

“Yeah, Willy’s girl is moving in with him, and she lives there,” he says, pointing to one of our forwards, William Bacioretty.

Willy turns, looking over his shoulder as he washes his pits. “Yeah, she’ll be out tomorrow, I think. You can come check it out for sure. I didn’t know you were looking for a place, or I’d have offered. My girl is nervous about selling.”

“For sure, dude. If I can come check it out today, that would be awesome.”

“Yeah, I’ll call Caitlin after I get out.”

“Appreciate it.”

Wes nods. “Hey, come by my place afterward. We’ll have a beer.”

“I’d appreciate that,” I say as I shut off the shower. I head out to get dressed just as Wes and Willy do. We trade numbers once we’re dressed, and I’m pretty happy when I have an appointment to do a walk-through with Caitlin and Willy later that afternoon. All goes well, and I could be out of the no-carb zoo, also known as the Brooks household, in no time.

I pull out my phone to text my mom when Wes says, “You dating anyone?”

I shake my head as my mom asks what time she needs to be there. “Nope. Got a lead for me?”

He smiles. “The pickings are great here. Lots of honey-sweet females.”

“Just what I want—” Before I can even finish, Wes pulls me to the side with more force than I expected. I glance up to see what the hell is going on, and I find myself looking down into a familiar pair of sparkling blue eyes that have been haunting me for the last four days. Her hair is in a high ponytail, and by God, she’s only wearing a black sports bra and the tightest yoga pants I have ever seen in my life. Not much of her stomach shows, just enough to remind me that my tongue has been in her belly button. I suspect she just got done working out, because her face is blotchy with red spots.

She looks fucking delicious.

“Sorry about that, Shelli,” Wes says with a grin. “He’s new.”

“No problem,” she says as she goes to walk around me, but I step in her way.

“I need to speak to you.”

Wes’s brows pull in, and I point my finger to him. “I’ll call you.”

“See ya.”

But Shelli is walking past me. “Don’t have anything to say.”

I step in front of her once more. “No, seriously, we need to speak.”

She looks me up and down, and she seems bored. “If I let you speak, will you leave me be?”

I should very much leave her be, and I will—once we talk. “Yes.”

“Great,” she says, and then she opens a door to her left. When the door shuts behind her, I realize it was the door to the hallway that leads to the ice. I forgot how all the rooms lead to one another. She leans on the wall, pulling her leg up under her as she crosses her arms, making her breasts even plumper than before. I don’t get why she is acting as if she doesn’t have time to talk to me. I’ve known this girl her whole life, and she’s always been pleasant. Where is all this hostility coming from? We had a damn good time.

With her lips pursed, she demands, “Talk.”

I swallow hard, my mouth going dry. Focus, Brooks. “Listen, what we did can’t ever happen again.”

She shrugs and laughs softly. “Okay?”

“I’m just making sure you know this.”

She glares. “Oh please, don’t you worry. I’m not asking for it.”

I narrow my eyes. “Well, you weren’t saying that last week.”

“Because I was lied to. I was told that you were expecting me, that you wanted me, and that I was in for the night of my life. All of that was false,” she snaps, her eyes a little crazy as she looks up at me.

I blink. “We had a great night.”

“Great is a stretch. Maybe okay. But sure as hell not the night of my life. The night of my life would include the guy knowing who he’s fucking.”

I really hate how offended I am. Why am I so pissed? Good. She didn’t like it, so she won’t want me again. This should be a good thing. My hands slam into my hips as my voice rises. “That’s not my fault. As soon as you realized I didn’t know you, you should have stopped everything.”

She lowers her brows, her eyes narrowing to slits. “I didn’t even get two words out before you had your tongue down my throat.”