“How did you— Oh. JJ.” Figures.
“Yeah. JJ likes to talk, but I told him to keep it to himself if he has any hopes of playing with the big dawgs. K-man won’t take very kindly to his spreading that kind of stuff around. I think it’s safe to say it stopped with me.”
“JJ is a good kid, but probably best not to piss K-man off, just in case.”
“I thought you were going to let this go, for your own good.” Sam revisited his first thought. “She’s Kaden’s sister.”
“I told you, I am.”
“Yet you were at Mario’s with your hands all over her? You’re not very smart, dude.”
“My hands weren’t all over her.” Maybe they were, but Sam didn’t need to know that. “I saw she was there, and she was drinking a little too much. So, I kept an eye on her as a favor to Kaden. When I saw some guys getting a little too friendly, I acted. Then I made sure she got home safely. Is that a crime?”
“No.” The unchanged look on Sam’s face wasn’t very convincing.
“See, there’s no problem.” Luc sat back in his chair, relaxed and pleased with himself.
Sam shook his head slowly. “Not buying it. You forget how well I know you, Marcella. You’ve taken more of an interest in her than you do in anything. I hope you realize this can’t go anywhere.”
Luc sighed. “I’m just hanging out and having fun. I won’t do anything stupid.” He wanted to add, “I promise,” but even he knew better than to make a promise he couldn’t keep.
“And I don’t believe you one bit. What’s your real angle here?”
“No angle. I like her. She’s fun, she has spunk. She’s not out looking for status; she’s happy being herself.”
“What exactly is going on in that brain of yours?”
“The usual.” Luc flashed a smirk.
Sam groaned. “That’s what I’m worried about.”
“You worry too much, Morris.”
“What are we worrying about?” Trina wobbled into the dining room.
“Luc’s new love interest.”
“Oh?” Trina cocked an eyebrow at Luc. “What’s wrong with her?”
“Absolutely nothing,” Luc said, his chest puffed out.
“She must be special, because you are beaming, Mr. Rock-Star,” Trina said with a laugh.
Sam let out a loud laugh. “Too bad she doesn’t know about it yet!”
“Aw, are you in love from afar?” Trina stood next to Luc and put her arm around him. “That’s so cute.”
“Babe, you shouldn’t encourage him,” Sam joked.
“If you want any help with this girl, you just let me know, Luc,” Trina offered.
“Nope. He doesn’t need any help with this one. He just needs to keep looking.” Sam shot him an annoyed look.
Trina saw it all. “Well, I don’t know what that look is all about, but I’m sensing some tension. So, I’ll leave you two to it. But my offer still stands.” She gave Luc a friendly slap on the back before going to the kitchen.
“I’ll give you a holler if I need you, Tri,” Luc said with a smirk.
“Dude, you need to back off this one. It’s not worth the trouble it’s going to cause. You like your job, don’t you?” When Sam set his empty beer bottle down on the table, it made a loud clunk.
“Very much. First of all, I think you’re wrong. And second, I’m not doing anything yet, just admiring from afar. She’s pretty set on the code shit, and she doesn’t date athletes.”
“So, you’re going to let this go?” Sam’s eyes were hopeful.
Luc hated to crap on his friend’s high expectations, but he did, and with a smirk. “I never said that.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Kassie
Getting a text from Luc this morning surprised Kassie. When she gave him her number, she was sure he either wouldn’t call, or she’d get a creepy booty call. And she was no puck bunny, so a booty call would’ve been frowned upon. Telling him to take a hike for a booty call would’ve been too easy, and she got a more complicated, maybe even a high-maintenance vibe from him. So, getting a casual, let’s hang out text, was unexpected.
Even unexpected, reading it made her excited, almost giddy.
Luc: Meet for lunch today?
It had been five days since their uncomfortable encounter at Kaden’s house. Her body reacted to her memories with butterflies dancing in her stomach and a ball of warmth forming in her chest. The way Luc had cornered her twice. The way he towered over her. His large, muscular body, and those dark eyes staring at her.
She couldn’t deny that he was kind of cute. Who was she kidding? He was extremely good looking. He had dreamy, brown eyes and an adventurous smile, one that effortlessly turned deliciously wicked.
And that was why she should ignore him.
She typically avoided all of her brother’s teammates. Why did I give him my number anyway? It had been a momentary lapse of judgement, and probably partly the fact that his sinful grin gave her butterflies. And a momentary bit of bratty-little-sister logic that her big brother couldn’t tell her who she could and couldn’t talk to.
Knowing Luc was a Renegades player, and knowing how her brother would react to her spending time with him, was somewhat exciting. It all seemed so fun at first. But now it was looking like such a bad idea. She wasn’t a child, and she knew it wasn’t solely to get a rise out of Kaden. Luc was attractive, and he seemed to like her. Scratch that, if the way he acted at the club the other night was any indication, he was definitely into her.
She’d spent so much time taking care of her mom and concentrating on school to get her degree, that she had put her social life on the back burner. She longed for a little excitement in her life, and she kind of liked Luc, too.
And that was the exact reason she should avoid him at all costs.
But instead of listening to her instincts, she quickly typed a response.
Kassie: Meet you at the Café on Fifth at twelve thirty?
She knew it was a bad idea the second she hit send. Her stomach flipped around excitedly, while the butterflies dancing in her middle took charge of her actions. It was a ridiculous feeling. This wasn’t middle school. She was an adult, and she was just testing the waters, anyway. Trying to shake the weird feeling, she knew how this might play out, and she knew better than to mess around with a teammate of her brother.
At the thought of Kaden, nerves made her stomach ball up. Is this a bad idea? Probably. But meeting up for a bite to eat or a cup of coffee never hurt anyone. Plus, Kaden didn’t need to know her every move. He didn’t have to approve of her friends. He wasn’t thrilled with Quinn, and that never mattered. Kassie was her own person and could make her own decisions. Even if her brother did sit in the back of her mind, nagging at her.