“Dude, shut the fuck up,” I barked at him.
Some strange surge of protectiveness came over me. Yeah, I barely knew the chick, but she was all kinds of cool and spunky. I liked the way she swore and wasn’t ashamed to be her clumsy self. Fuck Sonny for backing me into a corner and making me go cold turkey on the ladies. This one was soft and supple, and had a mouth on her. Not in the way most men like to think about a mouth, but still good and sassy.
What’s up with her acting all helpless with Sonny? I knew he was a cocksucker, but to make her call him some stupid name? And she went along with it? I couldn’t get behind that shit.
Then there was also the tiny fact that she’d witnessed Sonny’s bullshit dare with me.
“What?” Ashton interrupted my private rant, whipping his head around so fast I was concerned he might have whiplash. “You calling that? That’s not your type. I thought you’d be wanting to meet Ava’s roomies.”
Calling that? As if.
The way Caterina had challenged me at the studio proved she wasn’t the woman for me. I did kind of like it, though. No one but my mom had ever done that before. Not even my cousin Gigi, until recently when she started to harp on me about my future.
“No fucking dibs,” I said. “What are we? A bunch of lame chicks sitting in a coffee shop?”
I tried to distract Ashton, but knew it was a lost cause. We were seconds away from him calling attention to the oblivious woman, and then we would relive the entire throw-down with Sonny.
Just what I wanted . . . to be mortified. Again.
“Uh-huh, who’s the girl?” Narrowing his dark eyes, he leaned close and whispered, “Did you go and bang someone already? Not even twenty-four hours after your deal with Sonny?”
“No. Stay out of it, Ashton. She works for Sonny and saw the whole thing.”
“No shit!”
This time he slapped the table. His cappuccino went flying in the air, causing everyone—including Caterina—to turn our way.
Catie
After Intro to Porn, I’d spent an hour in the computer lab writing an essay for English Composition. My stomach growled the whole time, and I quickly realized I needed something to eat and some major caffeine before I finished it and went in to work.
As I headed toward Mean Beans, my favorite coffee place, I decided not to chase down Blane Steele. The night before, I’d been firm in my resolve to make him swear to secrecy, hyped up on Tori Amos and sensually scented shower gel.
Today was a different story. If it got out, it got out. At least I’d be doing a favor to all women who would work with Sebastian later in life. He’d be forced to treat them like legitimate human beings. That was my first step in regaining my confidence and self-control with the class-A asshole.
After I placed my order for a full-fat cappuccino with an extra shot and a cranberry orange scone, there was a huge commotion. The whole place erupted into laughter, and I scanned the cozy interior for the culprits. Seated in the corner were none other than Blane Steele and one of his teammates. Ashton Denube, I was pretty sure.
Yes, I was a fan, but I’d deny it if asked. Women’s studies majors typically weren’t sports fans, but I was. My classmates liked documentaries on saving women and children from HIV in third-world countries, and my sisters watched reality TV and shopped.
Me? I sneaked into sporting events on the weekends, grabbed popcorn, and enjoyed the action. It reminded me of my dad, of his warm hugs and soft eyes. We’d enjoyed many a game together.
Standing a few feet from me was the man who’d dominated my thoughts for the last twenty-four hours. I’d been ready to beg him not to say anything about Mr. Boots; then I’d decided to flat-out ignore him.
Now, my pulse twitched in my wrist and my nerves twisted up my spine at the sight of him. Embarrassment flooded my cheeks. Not only because of what he’d witnessed, but because of the way I’d allowed myself to think of him the night before.
Accessible. Even if it were only for a matter of seconds, I’d allowed myself to dream for a moment—in the shower, no less—about what he would be like. To kiss. To date. To sleep with.
A deep voice came from behind me. “Damn, Ava, my girl. I spilled.”
I turned and found myself eye level with Denube’s chest. When I lifted my chin, my eyes met his dark brown ones, and his smile widened.
“Hey there, little lady,” he said with a wink.
“Um, hi.”
“One sec, Ash baby, let me help her,” the barista purred, “and then I’ll get you a new drink.”
Ava, I presumed. Oh God.
Then I heard, “Why don’t you let me buy you all a round of coffee, and I’ll take a bottled water?”
Ava turned and her eyes went wide, but clearly not because of me. “You’re Blane Steele!” She clapped her hands. “My roommate, Vicki with an i, loves you. She was so depressed this morning after your radio show last night. Oh. My. God. Wait until she hears you were here!”