Clipped by Love (Bellevue Bullies #2) Read online

  Looking away quickly, I roll my eyes. She may be right, but I don’t care. I don’t have time for a hookup and that’s not how I want my vacation to go. I want to have fun and while, yes, a weekend of sex with door-busting shoulder guy may be fun, it isn’t smart.

  And like my dad said, I’m not a dumb girl.

  Since Delanie was taking forever and a day, I fall back into the sand with Mandie, the water running up and wetting me to my ankles. I try so desperately not to look over at where she is flirting with the three hotties, but it’s hard. My eyes are trained on the taller one, and man, is he a sight. I want to inspect each of the tattoos that covers his chest and back. The middle one has them along his arms with only a few on his chest, and the littlest one, whom I assume is the youngest, has none.

  He’s a baby.

  And Delanie is gonna gobble him up.

  I want to feel bad, but he doesn’t seem to be hurting any. He is giving just as good as she is, and their body language is on the brink of being disgusting. The middle one looks bored and keeps glancing at his phone, while the bigger one is looking off at the ocean, bored too, I think. I want to go over there, but I’m not sure what I would do once I got there. I don’t want to hook up, I don’t even want to know him, so why do I feel this need to go over there? It isn’t like he is going to pay me any mind. Yeah, he was checking me out, but that’s what guys do. They check out and decide if they want some; obviously, he does not want any. Which is fine with me.

  I refuse to admit that may dent my ego a tidbit.

  Just a smidge.

  As I watch him pathetically, I try to act like I’m looking at other stuff so that Mandie doesn’t catch on. I act as if, Wow, that’s a gorgeous bird, when really, I’m like, Holy shit, his shorts are hanging low. Oh look at that, that kid’s got some skills on that wakeboard, but really, I’m thinking Does he have abs on top of abs on top of abs? I think I’m doing well, but when his eyes meet mine, I gasp, obviously caught. We are both wearing sunglasses, but I swear his gaze is boring into mine. Almost like he knows I am drinking in every single detail of him, just to keep in a little vault in my mind for the rest of my life. When I get bored, I can open it and think about the hottie on the beach who wanted nothing to do with me. But then, something inside me tells me I’m wrong.

  I think he might want me.

  But still, he doesn’t move. His mouth pulls up at the side as he runs his hand through his hair before he pulls his gaze from mine and looks back at where Delanie is obviously talking their ears off. She’s good at that.

  “Jesus, I just got hot too,” Mandie gasps from beside me. “That guy is fire.”

  “And I want to be the gasoline,” I mutter and she laughs.

  “I’m telling you, go hook up. It isn’t like you’ll ever see him again. Fun Florida Fling. Ha-ha, the three Fs!”

  I want to laugh, but I shake my head. “No way. That’s all I need. To have sex, get pregnant or get an STD, or worse, catch feelings for the dude. He’s obviously a player.”

  With her face scrunched up, she asks, “How in the world is catching feelings worse than getting pregnant or an STD? And also, how in the hell do you know he’s a player?”

  I smile as I shrug. “Question one, yes. It can throw me off my game, mess with my head. I don’t have time for heartbreak.”

  “Oh yes, one-way ticket into the NHL.”

  “That’s right,” I say with a nod. “Now for question two, that’s obvious. Look at the way he is standing. The way his hair waves carelessly in the air. He probably didn’t put enough gel in his hair just to get that effect.”

  “Oh, of course,” she says with a roll of her eyes.

  Pinning her with a look, I say, “His shorts hang low on his waist to give off that I want sex vibe! Oh, and then look at the way he’s licking those delectable lips. He’s working it. He’s basically a walking billboard for sex, flashing, begging bitches to come get a taste.”

  Looking from the guy to Mandie, I find that she is looking at me like I’m insane, and then she gives truth to my suspicious. “You’re insane.”

  I laugh as I nod. “I speak the truth. He’s a poster boy for an NHL rookie player. He’s ten seconds from doing a keg stand and then taking some girl behind the building for a blow job.”

  “Your view on men is sorta scary,” she comments and I shrug.

  “I am around guys like him every day. I have no problem seeing them for what they are.”

  She shakes her head. “Jason isn’t like that.”

  “He was, before you.”

  She shrugs and sends me a sneaky grin. “See, they change. Maybe you can get a piece.”

  “No, I don’t have time to wait for the change; I have plans.”

  “Plans that are taking over your life. You need to let loose a bit, Baylor. That’s why we’re here, you know. To let loose, relax, and have fun. Sex is relaxing, and I bet sex with him would be very fun.”

  I don’t know why I am glaring at her, but I find myself doing that before she starts laughing at me. “Whoa now, killer, don’t tackle me.”

  I scoff. “I just don’t understand why girls nowadays are all about sex. Why can’t we focus on something else?”

  “Like what? Baking? It’s not 1950—it’s a new generation. We like sex, like men, and we shouldn’t have to feel bad for it or be called names.”

  “Says the person who just called her sister a whore.”

  Deadpan, she says, “Because she is.”

  I laugh. “Fine, whatever. I’m not sleeping with that dude.”

  “Because you’re dumb and selfish. If that guy was looking at me like that, I would forget everything and open my legs so wide.”

  I scoff. “You’re such a liar.”

  “You’re right,” she says sheepishly. “But I’m trying to coax you into a night of naughty, nasty, fun sex with that guy.”

  “Thanks, but no thanks.”

  “I swear you’re gay,” she then says and I smile.

  “I don’t like you,” I decide.

  “Sure you do. You’re just mad I’m right.”

  Rolling my eyes, I look back at the ocean, exhaling the breath I was holding. “Whatever.”

  She giggles, and when I look up, I see that Delanie is coming toward us, sashaying a little too hard in my opinion. With a bright grin, she places her hands on her knees, I know to give smaller dude a great view of her ass while she tells us, “They are so fucking hot.”

  “Duh,” Mandie says.

  “What did you say to them?” I ask even though I don’t know why I care.

  But I do.

  Her face warms, and through her big shades, I see her eyes are glittering with excitement and lust. I haven’t seen her this hopped-up on a guy in a while. It’s sort of cute.

  “Just the basics. You were right—they are all hockey players. The two younger ones play in Nashville somewhere…I was too busy checking out his abs. His name is Jace, the middle-size guy is his older brother, Jude. He just got drafted to the Kings and—”

  “Like the LA Kings?” I say, interrupting her, and she grins.

  “Yup, but he’s taken. About to propose to his girlfriend Callie, or Cathy? Something with a C.”

  “Oh my God, were you even listening to the guy?” Mandie asks.

  “I listened when he told me he wanted me to come to his party tonight at their condo! He invited us over early, just to hang before all their friends show up. They are gonna make steak and shit. I told them we’ll bring sides.”

  “How did we get dragged into this?” I ask, and she waves me off.

  “Because it’s perfect! Mandie and Jude are taken, so they can talk about future boring married life, while we try to hook up with Jace and… Shit, I think his name was Jamie? Jarred? It starts with a J.”

  “I swear to God,” Mandie mutters, and I have to agree.

  Delanie is a complete airhead. One-track mind on that one.

  Looking past her, I see that Jace is watching her li