Tilting my head, I lean into him and press my lips against his. When I pull back, I whisper, “No repercussions. I’m just your girlfriend right now…not Gray’s sister.”

Roman’s eyes bore into mine, perhaps trying to see if I’m bluffing, but he must believe me because he lays it right out. “Gray’s pissed for that hit I put on Nick Schultz, especially since it was all kinds of illegal and is suspension material. She didn’t care to hear my reasons and said there was no excuse for it. I pointed out that the way I play is standard for enforcers in this league. She didn’t want to hear it. Oh, and she fined me five thousand dollars.”

I jerk in surprise. “She can do that? Fine you money?”

“Yup,” he says. “But that’s not something I’m mad about. It’s not the first time I’ve been fined and not the last.”

“Then what’s really bothering you, because if I remember our conversation about the first time she chewed out your ass, it doesn’t sound much different this time.”

“It’s not,” he agrees. “Not really, except I did ask her point-blank if she was coming down on me because she didn’t like me dating you.”

“And she denied that,” I guess.

Roman nods. “She also didn’t care for my reasoning for going after Schultz, which sort of speaks to the fact she’s keeping business from personal.”

“You went after him merely because he stuck his tongue out at me?” I ask in wonder.

“We had some minor skirmishes during the entire game,” Roman says.

“I know. I watched you two whacking at and lipping each other,” I tell him.

“Yeah, that shit goes on all the time. Every game. But then he started talking about you. He—”

“Me? He doesn’t even know me,” I butt in.

Roman chuckles. “He’s apparently observant and must have seen me interact with you during warm-up, or maybe he caught me looking at you when play was dead.”

My chest fills with pride and happiness as I think back to the several times that I’d catch Roman’s eyes on me. It was a pure ego booster and I wanted to stand up and yell out that he was my man.

“Anyway,” Roman continues. “He said something lewd—”

“Like what?” I blurt, because I’m fascinated another player would use me to rile Roman up.

“Never mind what he said,” Roman clips out. “But then he skated up to you and did that gesture—”

“What gesture?” I ask with a smirk.

“Jesus, Lexi,” he grumbles. “Did you even watch the game at all?”

I smile sweetly at him and slide my arm around his waist so my fingers can rub along his back. “I was watching you. What else was there to see?”

“So fucking cute,” Roman mutters, kisses me quickly, and continues. “But anyway…he made a lewd gesture that I won’t describe to you and I’d just had enough. I had to teach him a lesson.”

“You defended me?” I ask in wonder, my voice sounding all sappy and mushy.

He rolls his eyes at me. “Of course I defended you. And I told Gray that’s what I did, but it didn’t matter to her.”

Oh, well that kind of hurts. “She didn’t care?”

“I’m sure she cares about you,” he admits somewhat grudgingly. “But she didn’t think what Schultz did warranted my reaction.”

My gaze drops down to his chest while I chew on this information. It presents a sticky situation for sure.

“Do you agree with Gray?” Romans asks quietly. “That my reaction wasn’t warranted?”

My eyes shoot back up to his. “I can’t speak for how that made you feel, Roman. But if you tell me that you have no regrets over your actions knowing what the consequences are, then I don’t see how your reaction could be anything but warranted.”

I hadn’t realized how tense Roman was awaiting my answer, but the minute it’s out, he relaxes all over and squeezes me tight. “Thank you for saying that.”

“My pleasure,” I say as I wiggle my body, burrowing in closer. I tilt my head, press my lips to the side of his jaw, and lightly graze his stubble as I murmur, “But I think we’re done talking about this.”

“What are we going to do next?” he asks gruffly, but because his hand slides down to palm my ass, he knows the answer to that.

“Turn over on your back, and I’ll show you,” I whisper back. “I’ll make sure your night ends on a good note.”

I see a flash of a smile on Roman’s face before his mouth is on mine and his tongue dives deep. He rolls to his back, taking me with him, and then we both end the night on a good note.

Chapter 23

Brian

I honestly can’t remember a night when I’ve had more fun.

Well, night before last with Georgia was pretty spectacular, and I’ve found out that I still got it going on between the sheets. I’m pretty sure Richard Gere, Bruce Willis, and Pierce Brosnan have taken a backseat to me, at least in Georgia’s eyes. I wanted to see her again last night, but she was covering Lexi’s shift at The Grind so she could go to the game and watch Roman. I didn’t mind too much, as she promised to come to a game next week with me, and I can’t believe how much I’m looking forward to having her in the owner’s box with me.

By my side.

My lips stretch into an involuntary grin as I think about Georgia—that crazy, crazy woman—and how much I just really like her. I only wish I’d met her sooner, because damn…she makes me feel young and alive and happier than I’ve been in a long time.

Lexi’s on the stage now, finishing up her first set of the evening. Georgia reserved one of the pub tables right in front and we moved the stools so we all grouped around just half of the circular top so everyone could have a good view of our newest member of the Brannon family.

“Here you go, sugar,” I hear Georgia say near my ear, then she’s putting a fresh cup of tea in front of me. She also lets her shoulder linger against mine, then I’m positively rattled when her hand snakes around my back and down to the top half of my butt, which she squeezes lightly.

My eyes shoot to my left, and I see Gray watching me with a smirk. I ignore her and turn back to Georgia, tipping my head her way. “Thank you,” I tell her softly.