“Totally agree.”
“Are they a couple? I thought they were only colleagues but seeing them together blows that theory out of the water.” Bryce looks at me confused.
“It’s a long story, but I hope it ends with them as a couple,” I answer and don’t elaborate. Then I remember his stunt earlier and give Quinn a small pat, indicating to go along with me. “Anyway, I’m totally disgusting and can’t wait to take a shower and get out of this sweaty uniform. You agree?”
“Absolutely, I need a shower ASAP.” She fans herself. “Why don’t we clean up here in the locker room and meet y’all at the bar?”
“Perfect idea!” I sing a little too cheerily, smiling at Bryce.
He’s not amused. The heat and energy from his glare surrounds the small space. His body is stiff and rigid. He breathes in deeply, exhaling slowly. The bright blue of his eyes darkens, and I’m suddenly hot all over.
Dean picks up on the tension and grabs Quinn’s hand, leading her away. “We’ll see you later. We’re going back to the apartment.”
I break the trance and start to back away, but he’s quick. Instantly, I’m over his shoulder with my ass in the air, his hands behind my knees. He holds me tighter when I squirm against him.
“Let me down!”
“No,” he growls and slaps my ass hard. “You want to tease me, you’re going to pay.” He stalks over to my bag. Blood rushes to my head, and I beat his back, trying to get loose.
“Stop hitting me.”
“Let me down. You are acting like a barbarian. What if someone sees?”
“We’re practically alone.”
“Bryce, please,” I beg, feeling light-headed.
He stops and helps position me upright then slides me down his body, holding me steady. His eyes now liquid and swimming with desire.
“Bryce, please is exactly what I want to hear out of your mouth about two seconds after we walk through your door. You think it’s funny, knowing I’ve been hard for you in that uniform for the last seven hours, to tease me? Your idea of punishment was to send me to a bar and deprive me from peeling you out of these clothes? Think again.”
My body betrays me, and I lean into him, kissing the underside of his jaw. “It was an attempt at payback.”
“It was a poor attempt. Get over it. I scheduled lunch to surprise you.”
“Sort of like Dean’s surprise for Quinn?”
“Who do you think gave him the idea?”
“She’s going to kill you.”
He turns my chin, forcing my eyes to his. “You two really need to learn how to deal. I can’t speak for Dean, but I truly want to meet these people. Learn more about them, tell them about me. I’d like to know you have a thick support system while I’m so far away. You’ve explained they will most likely be in your life for the next few years. Let me get to know them.”
The scorching sexual tension from earlier is replaced with a deeper intimacy as he speaks. My arms wrap around his neck as my cheek lands on the hard planes of his chest. “It’s times like this that I forget we have so many differences in our lives. It never crossed my mind you’d like to meet Eric, Kenny, and Crystal. But when you put it rationally, I want to meet the people you work with, too.”
“You will soon.”
He pulls me flush against him and kisses my hairline. An idea pops into my mind. The field is mostly deserted and the stands empty. I know the athletic facilities are probably thinning out as well.
“What are you thinking, beautiful?”
“You really dreamed about having sex with me in this uniform?”
“Oh, yeah. As soon as we get home, it’ll be a reality.”
“Why wait?”
“What are you saying?”