The Keeper (Playing to Win #1)(4)

I look over again at Lindy and see red.

She’s laughing at something Pace is whispering in her ear.

Fucker.

She might feel like mine, but that girl deserves more than me.





Day drinking and soaking in the sun seemed to keep our girls tame today. But rest assured, this reporter has it on good authority they’re hitting up a club tonight. And we all know how these girls like to party. Stay tuned peeps. #KroydonKronicles





LINDY





“Don’t people usually celebrate twenty-one in Vegas, baby Kingston?” Pace’s hot breath tickles my ear.

“Lay off the baby Kingston thing, Pace.” I laugh and push him back.

“You’re two years late, aren’t you?” He spins me around to face him, and I catch Everly’s wink over his shoulder.

“Is that my friend asking or my former agent?” I tease.

“Fuck former,” he argues and grabs my hand. “You’re my favorite gold medalist, Lindy. If you’re really sure you don’t want to compete anymore, there are other options. Did you get the offer I sent you from ESPN? They want you, baby—”

I glare, and he stops before using that stupid nickname.

“I’m retired, Pace. You and Andrew have to accept that at some point.” I lean in and kiss his cheek, then glance at my best friend and whisper, “Now have some fun tonight, but don’t break any hearts, okay?” Giving him a little shove toward Everly, I step back.

“I’m not the heartbreaker here, Kingston.”

Brynlee grabs my hand and tugs me behind her over to the table where Maddox and Callen both sit, legs spread wide, taking up as much room as possible. Two girls sit on either side of Callen, and another sits on Maddox’s lap.

“Seriously . . .” Brynlee grabs the bottle of champagne chilling in a bucket and takes a big drink before she refills both our glasses. Champagne sloshes over the top as she points at Callen and Maddox. “You two look like you’re one tiger away from a really bad night,” she tells the guys, and I choke on my champagne.

Gracie moves next to Bryn and lifts her glass for a refill, then looks at the guys and scrunches her face. “They both look like they’re one night away from having to get a shot of penicillin.”

I giggle. “I don’t know. Maddox could rock the whole Mike Tyson tattoo thing,” I tease. “But no losing Doug. Got it?”

Bryn snickers and sips more champagne. “Pretty sure you’d be Doug, Lindy.”

I think that makes me the boring one. “I could be worse things.” I shrug, and Charles, who’s standing a few feet behind us, catches my eye. His thick arms are crossed over an even thicker chest. Not exactly blending in here. More like screaming bodyguard. He looks at me with a warning, and I turn away.

Whatever.

Tonight is for the girls, and I’m going to ignore my babysitter and have as much fun as I can squeeze into the remaining hours.

I lift my glass and tap it against Brynlee and Gracie’s. “Cheers, girls.”

“Cheers.” They tap back, and I can’t help the smile spreading across my face when Kenzie moves next to the table with Easton by her side. He looks . . . better than good. He looks incredible. Easton’s a big guy, at least six foot four with broad shoulders and a thick chest that tapers down to a lean waist. He makes Charles look small.

He’s mouthwateringly delicious, and he knows it. And when he smiles at me, I melt a little inside.

Without hesitation, I move around Kenzie, and step into Easton.

He slowly wraps me in his arms, and I bury my face in his chest.

I never feel as safe as I do when I’m with him.

“Hey, princess. Happy birthday,” he whispers, and a chill skates down my spine while I breathe him in. This man . . .

I don’t say anything.

I can’t.

I just enjoy the moment for what it is, knowing it’ll be over all too soon. And like a dream you wake up from before you get to the good parts, Easton pulls away and bro-hugs Maddox and Callen as Pace and Everly join us. The waitress stops by and drops off another round of shots, then hands a bottle of expensive tequila to Maddox and tells him it’s on the house before smiling and walking away. Lucky for her, she moves quickly because the girl on Maddox’s lap looks like she’s got claws and isn’t afraid to use them.

Kenzie and Brynlee pass out shots before Everly raises hers high in the air. “Happy birthday, Lindy.”

“Happy birthday, Lindy,” is echoed by our friends, and my eyes momentarily find Easton’s before I make my wish and swallow my shot.

Gracie takes my hand in hers and guides me out onto the dance floor as “In Da Club” by 50 Cent plays over the speakers, and the DJ announces, “This song is for the birthday girl, Lindy.”

Gracie holds my hand high above her head as the girls join us, and we get lost in the music. We move together with ease, laughing and smiling. Hands wandering. Feeling eyes on us and not caring because Charles is here. So is Maddox. And he’s a badass in his own right, even if we don’t ever talk about it. But it’s the other set of eyes on me that burn straight down to my core.

I add an extra sway and bounce that might be just for Easton, but fuck it. It’s my birthday, and I don’t care. Maybe that’s the shots talking. Oh well.