“Team meets in the conference room. HVAC is on the blink. Gear not happening.”
Typing dots appeared then got swiped. “Dahlia wants it clear who you are.”
Those girls knew damn well who he was. “Too hot.”
“You won’t be in there long before we bring you out.”
“You wear the gear then, because we’re not.” He’d set the tone on how this spectacle would go down. He’d get to see her, and he had lined up when he’d see her next without making any commitments. Wednesday couldn’t come soon enough. A victory chant powered through his head.
* * *
The following Wednesday, Mikah sat with his bros in the conference room as requested. They kept the door open so cool air from the hall would reach the room.
The owner’s fiancée, Dahlia, came in followed by Piper.
Holy shit.
Piper had on full hockey gear from helmet right down to ice skates with blade guards. Hell, yeah. A sexy woman combined with his favorite sport. His competitive heart and his libido fought to take her on, shaking him to his core.
Piper took off her helmet, and a tumble of curls fell over her shoulders. She gave Mikah a superior look, like she could take the heat, but he couldn’t.
Mikah wasn’t going to lie, throwing down a look like that stirred the combative beast in him right to the front of his cage, and seeing number “01” on her chest, not his number, made him want to win.
She was sending a message, he gave her the nod.
Piper nodded back with a sexy smile.
He had her.
Dahlia clapped, interrupting his flirting. “Thank you guys so much for volunteering.”
Dahlia had a too-perfect appearance, from her sprayed hair to her polished shoes. Not that he was looking at the owner’s fiancée. She was the high-maintenance type he couldn’t survive an evening with. His gaze drifted back to her lovely cousin. He couldn’t see much through the gear. But he’d had a hell of a full look and a decent feel last week. Soft, pretty, smelled like delicious lemons and sunshine, Piper was his type. Not that he was having shit to do with anyone who organized a purity parade. Still, none of these other jackasses needed to get ideas. He took the seat on the end. He had this.
“We want you focused.” Dahlia nodded. “Phones, please.”
Piper walked around with a pink-and-gold polka dot bag. “You’ll get your phones back when the event is over.”
His bros plunked them over with minimal manly grumbling, except Liam. “I have to call Mum by six, time zone issues, and I’m, uh, busy after.”
“We’ll be done by six.” Piper held her ground, and Liam reluctantly tossed his mobile in.
Liam couldn’t handle her.
Piper stood before him, close but not close enough. “Phone, please.”
“No.” Mikah gave her his try-and-get-through-me look that made grown NHL players re-think their chosen careers.
Piper winked at him. “No problem. If you have special concerns, we’ll accommodate you.”
What did she mean by that? Mikah handed her his phone.
Piper smiled and passed the collection bag to Dahlia.
“Thanks, guys.” Dahlia left.
Given the organization’s push for purifying, he wouldn’t be surprised if those phones came back scrubbed in some way.
Piper moved to follow Dahlia out. “I’m going to give a quick intro speech to the women then come and get you.”