Power Play (Nashville Assassins Next Generation 2)

“Why aren’t you married? Or scooped up?” he asks, and I think that’s a wonderful question.

“Who says I’m not?” she says, and I don’t miss the way her eyes meet mine. My stomach, it flips, it flops, and I’m pretty sure it blows up. Man, I haven’t felt like this since I first met Julia. That giddy feeling that makes you really stupid.

“Are you?”

See, I say stupid things when I get like this. I just asked my coach if she’s with someone. The same coach I sorta asked out earlier and she totally blew me off. I don’t know what I am thinking here. I can’t get involved with her. That would be a terrible idea. If it didn’t work out, or she continued to blow me off, it would make everything weird. Problem is, I don’t give a fuck about any of that, and I want her. I want her bad. I suspect I may be a glutton for punishment.

I sense her friend look at me and then back to Posey, grinning hard. Posey doesn’t answer at first, her eyes staying locked with mine. “I’m not.”

The friend giggles softly, and then they lean into each other. I feel like I’m in high school at the lunch table. Maybe I should pass her a note. Knowing my luck, however, she’d toss it at my head and tell me to take a hike. Damn, if she isn’t really pretty, though. Her lashes kiss her cheeks before she looks back at me. I realize I’m staring, so I quickly avert my eyes. I take a long pull of my beer. I should leave. This is destined to be a shitshow.

But then I say, “I gotta tell you something.”

Wes doesn’t even look at me. “You don’t.”

“I don’t?”

He looks at me then, mischief in those blue eyes. “I know I’m the hotter one in our bromance. And I know it’s hard, but I promise we are stronger together.”

I just blink. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

He laughs, his whole body making the motion as he looks back at the TV. “I know what you want to say, Boon. You may be an idiot and are trying to fight it, really hard, but I’ve known from the top how you feel about her.”

For someone I’ve only been friends with a little while, Wes sure does know me inside and out. “Do I act on it?”

He still won’t look at me, and while I’m trying really hard not to make it obvious, I’m watching her. I don’t know if I’m succeeding at being subtle, though. They sure are whispering and giggling a lot. It’s moments like these that I think she digs me, but then she blows me off when I offer an abundance of nachos and beer and a hell of a story.

“Depends. Do you think it would amount to anything, or would it cause trouble?”

I think for a moment. “What if the answer is both?”

He nods slowly. “That’s a pickle, my friend.”

“I know,” I say, and then I watch as Posey and the friend hug. She waves before she heads off, leaving Posey there alone. She leans back in the high-back chair, and she keeps her eyes on the TV. She reaches for her glass of water and uses her tongue to get the straw. The thoughts that are going through my mind are nothing but dirty. “I don’t know what to do.”

“What do you want to do?”

I don’t even hesitate. “I want to go over there and get to know her.”

He looks at me and smiles. One of those proud-father ones. Not that I got them when I was growing up, but I saw other boys get them a lot. “Go.”

“You don’t think I’m stupid?”

“I’ve watched you mope and be all butthurt over your ex. Now you’re interested in one hell of a female who I think challenges you mentally and physically. I’m all for it.”

I swallow nervously as I move my gaze across the bar to where she is. She’s completely unaffected by anything that is happening. She’s watching the game, enjoying her evening.

And I want to be beside her.

“Okay, go.”

He makes a face. “Me? No. You go. I’m eating.”

I shake my head. “No, take your plate and go outside. I don’t want her to feel uncomfortable because you’re across the bar staring at us.”

“But how am I supposed to watch the show?” I glare, and he gets up quickly. “Good luck.”

Once he’s away from me, I lick my lips and run my hands down the front of my shirt. I fix my ball cap and then run my hand over my mouth and jaw to make sure I don’t have any food stuck to me. I’m not sure how this is going to go, but I’m committing. I get up, taking my beer with me, and head over to where she is sitting. She doesn’t look at me until I sit down. I tip my beer to her nachos. “If I pay for those, can we share?”