“No. I took you to the game because we both like hockey.”
“Uh huh.” Her sister tapped her nails on the table, studying her, then her eyes widened. “Oh, my God, Stella. Did you have a thing with him?”
“Define ‘thing.’”
Greta rolled her eyes. “Now you’re being coy, and you’re never coy about men. Spill it.”
Having a little sister had always been great. They were only a few months over a year apart, and it had been fabulous growing up together. But it also meant Stella had very few secrets. Though she had managed to keep a couple.
Trick had been one of them.
She waved her hand back and forth. “It was no big deal. We hooked up off and on for a while late last year. It ran its course.”
Greta searched the bar, her attention settling on Trick and his friends. “I don’t think it has run its course at all. Not for him and definitely not for you. I saw your eyes light up when he came to our table.”
Stella tracked Greta’s gaze, and found Trick leaning against the wall, pool cue in his hand. It just so happened right at that moment he looked over. His lips ticked up and she felt the shot of heat all the way across the room.
“See? See? I told you,” Greta said. “God, I can almost feel that zap of chemistry between the two of you. So why aren’t you still seeing each other?”
“I don’t date. You know that. I’m too busy dancing.”
Greta sighed. “Come on, Stell. It can’t always be about work. You’re entitled to have some fun.”
“Believe me, I manage time for fun. I just don’t do long-term fun with one guy.”
“You have weird rules.” Greta stirred her drink. “Why not do a long-term thing?”
She didn’t want to think about how badly that had turned out the one and only time she had allowed a man into her heart. The way she did it now was much better. “Because I’ve been building my career, and men get in the way of that. They’re fun for sex when I need it, and nothing more than that.”
“That sounds cold and lonely.”
Stella laughed. “Honey, I am rarely cold and lonely. I can get a man when I need one.”
“So, random hookups? Bleh.”
“Hey, I don’t see you towing a man behind you right now, sis.”
“And you won’t. After that debacle with Richard, I need a break.”
Stella wrinkled her nose. “Richard was an asshole who didn’t appreciate you.”
Greta raised her glass. “I’ll drink to that, and enough on the topic of my dickhead ex-boyfriend. I’d much rather talk about all those hot hockey players over there. How many of them do you know?”
Stella took a sip of her beer, then smiled at her sister, who could probably use a really fun night. “Uh, all of them.”
Greta slanted her a look of disbelief. “You are lying to me.”
“I’m not.”
Greta pushed her chair back and stood. “Come on. You’re introducing me to them.”
Stella laughed. It was a good thing she and Trick were still on great terms, because she was entering the fray once again.
Not that she minded. She wanted more time to talk to Trick, and this was her way to do it without strings.
And who knows? Maybe her subconscious did bring her to this bar tonight for a reason.
Maybe it was time to hook up with Trick again. She didn’t know why they’d lost touch before, but he was the right kind of man for her—the kind who would enjoy playing, but didn’t want attachments.
She was all for that.
Chapter Two
Trick saw Stella and her sister approaching, so he put up his cue and headed their way.
“We saw you had a game going, and Greta wanted to meet the guys,” Stella said.
Man, she looked good in her tight jeans and black leather boots, and the clingy top did nothing to hide that killer body of hers. He really wanted to gather her up in his arms and take a taste of her. Too bad they were in public.
“We were at the game tonight,” Greta said, motioning to her sister. “Something Stella failed to mention.”
Trick shifted his attention to Greta, before looking again at Stella. “You came to the game? You should have texted me. I would have gotten you tickets.”
“I didn’t want you to think I was going to hit you up again after all these months just for tickets.”
“Why? We’re friends, Stell. I’d be happy to give you tickets.”
Greta elbowed her sister. “See? He’d be happy to give you tickets.” Greta gave him a hopeful look. “I don’t suppose there’s a game tomorrow night.”
“Sorry. I have the weekend off. But once you get that job, you can have tickets anytime you want.”
Greta grinned. “Awesome. Now you can introduce me to all your friends.”