That explained his height and good looks. “Men like to marry their Mommas.”
He winced. “You’ll do better if you don’t say things like that.”
“Fair.” Piper could definitely craft a stronger slogan to promote the hookup app. She poked her memories of the best parties ever. “Chauffeurs and free drink tickets will be part of the package.” Yeah, the guys were rich, but she’d met rich guys before. She’d dated billionaire Warren Applebaum. The richer they were, the cheaper they were.
Mikah gave a small shake of his head. He was buying none of this. “In exchange for?”
Piper placed her hand on his knee. The position promoted friendly brainstorming. She was being engaging and treating him like a comrade. His thighs were so thick. Her fingers wanted to widen and measure them. She resisted. “Limits. Two drink tickets. Reduced outings to the bar.” Was this even allowed? Sure, contracts had morals clauses. What amount would guys agree to? Just weekends probably. “Like monthly bar trips.” Super reasonable.
“Weekly.”
She bit back her smile. Got ya. “Tips on how to treat your woman.” That pamphlet should be handed to every man before his first date. This idea was brilliant.
Mikah lifted his chin. He laid his hand atop hers, big and warm, nice. “I don’t need those.”
Sure. “Because you don’t have a woman …”
His thumb rubbed her wrist, setting off a chain of tingles. Nice. Now put that on her bare knee for mutual rubbing as they brainstormed. Piper dragged her mind back from that image, shifted and crossed her legs under the jersey. Resisting impure thoughts was hard. She needed a raise.
His thumb on her wrist continued creating ripples. “That’s not why. But no, I don’t have a woman.”
Good. Piper kneaded his thigh just above his knee, keeping the motion friendly and encouraging. “I heard you say you lost your girlfriends. All of you. You need romantic help to make those commitments stick.”
His jaw tightened, and his circles slowed. “I’m twenty-five. Not aiming for a promise or a distraction.”
Age didn’t matter, commitment was a mindset, ask her ex-boyfriend Warren Applebaum. They’d only broken up seven months ago, and Warren had already moved on and stuck an engagement ring on her replacement’s ring finger. Although, there was some comfort there actually. Sure, Warren had cheated, but he’d found “the one” for him and was sealing the deal. Shame Mikah was looking for less of a relationship. “You’ll be able to use the treasured tips to your advantage later then.” When he was ready for a life partner.
Mikah glanced down her body, and his cobalt eyes heated.
Piper weakened, ready to yank the jersey back off and let him dictate his terms. No. She was more than a bouncing boob. She gave his knee a pat and stood up. Commitment’s fun, give chase, hot stuff. “Okay.” She used a deeper voice. “Thanks for your time. You’ve given me a lot to think about.” She walked out without looking back. Was he watching her leave? She added a sway to her hips.
* * *
A week later, Mikah received an email from the Snowers’ organization. The headline recommended a new dating app that promised well-vetted dates. The first paragraph simply showed pictures of supermodels. The last paragraph listed three competitor hookup apps. Superimposed on top of those were a gold digger, a stroller, and an STD results panel.
He was man enough to admit he flinched. And, because Piper had run the team’s dating app by him, he read the fine print before heading out to join his bros at a team meetup.
Beer hops hung thick in the air of the team’s local bar, the Snow Puck. Rock music pumped from the speakers. Even for mid-week, the party atmosphere was a fraction of what it would be later.
Mikah grabbed a booth with Liam, Kiernan, and Rookie. This bar was their favorite given the puck theme, but their conversation was on next weekend and the Canadian bar they’d go to after their away game.
“Mer-bar. I can’t believe the Canadians have the coolest drinking spot.” Kiernan ribbed Liam about his country with fair regularity. He’d keep the pressure up, deservedly so, until Liam took the oath and became an American. Liam had yet to agree to those terms.
Liam nodded. “Craft beer at the perfect temperature.” He made wave motions with his arms. “Chicks swimming in aqua tanks. You pick them out, like lobsters.”
Kiernan’s eyes glistened. “Lobster Chick. Lobster Chick.” He singsong-ed the last bit.
The waitress swayed over dressed in an icicle-shaped dress, carrying a bucket of iced beers. She flashed them all an inviting grin and edged the bucket onto the puck-shaped tabletop. Rookie flashed his dating app bar code and took his free drink.
Mikah was trying to show the new guy the ropes, but Rookie didn’t give him much to work with. His other two bros held up barcodes too. Dang. They all needed a slapshot upside their heads.
Mikah was the only one who gave the waitress cash. He took a swig of the cold beer and nodded at his bros’ phones. “Did you read the terms and conditions on your hookup app?”
Kiernan shrugged. “No one reads those.”
Sloths. “That app limits you to one bar a week. Going to the Mer-bar Saturday would make two bars, therefore, no Mer-bar.”
Liam stopped making the wave pattern with his arms and held up his palms. “Eh, no, man.”