“Fuck off.”

He shoved me back, and I stumbled into Alix’s feet, over them, and almost landed my ass on the floor before I slammed a hand into the locker.

“You dick.”

Dom was smiling though. It was good to see it on him.

“You going to get ready?” I asked Alix and kicked his shoe with my foot.

“Yeah.” He shoved to his feet and tore off his shirt. “It is time I embarrass all of you old men.”

“It’s like you’re just looking to get your ass kicked,” Joey said from his other side.

“That blonde,” he muttered. “I cannot stop thinking of her.”

“Get her number?” Joey asked and propped a shoulder on the locker.

“No.” Alix scowled. “As soon as I mentioned I had practice today, she kicked me out. Got all… weird? Is what you say? Wanted nothing to do with me.”

I threw my head back and laughed. The poor fool looked so confused. “Not all women are bunnies.”

“Shame.” He kicked off his shorts and started pulling on his gear. “They are the fun ones.”

Speaking of…

“No flirting with Emmersyn either, Alix. I mean it.”

“Emmersyn?”

“Heather’s friend. She’s staying at my place until she can figure out her next steps.” So I didn’t upset Dominick again, I leaned in. “Her ex is a complete dick, in the worst ways. She’s here to figure out what to do next and get away from him. Let her heal without you muddling her head.”

“Muddling?”

“Confusing. I know how you are. Hell, you just talked about sharing my sister.”

“I would be offended if you were not right.” He grinned and slapped my chest. “Okay, okay. She is safe from me.”

“Good.” I grabbed my helmet.

“But is she safe from you?”

I scoffed and took off, but the question lingered.

I hadn’t been with a woman since Ava left me. I hadn’t even had the desire to get involved with another woman. That was how messed up I still was over her leaving, over the kind of husband I’d been.

But Emmersyn… I was attracted to her. For the first time in years, my dick was working just fine around the opposite sex, and that was a fucking bummer.

Heather would kill me if I screwed her friend or screwed her over.

Seven

Emmersyn

I brushed sweat off my forehead and shook out my T-shirt. Sweat clung to me in all sorts of disgusting places.

The air was stifling. I was never walking outside again after nine in the morning while I stayed here.

It was still well over a hundred degrees and the morning’s breeze was non-existent. My face probably looked like a dripping tomato as I neared Kane’s front porch.

I needed another shower and dinner. And then what?

A full day with nothing to do might have been relaxing in my own apartment, but I was already going stir crazy. No friends to see, no one to talk to, and I had yet to find a single paperback in Kane’s home, not that I’d looked too hard. But after hours of sitting around and re-watching my favorite Netflix show where Vikings try to conquer England, and doing some shopping as instructed, I had no sit left in me.