He completely misses the barb. “I’ve never heard of that grocery store. Kind of a messed up name.”

“What are you doing here? Other than grocery shopping in my fridge.”

“I thought I’d stop by and see how your little holiday went. I’d like to thank you for scarring me for life with the locker room fuck-a-thon.” He finds the one healthy food item in my fridge—an overly large cucumber—and takes a massive bite.

“That’s disgusting.”

“No shit. Imagine how you’d feel if you walked in on me boning some chick.” He jabs the cucumber in my direction.

“I’m talking about the phallic vegetable you’re eating.”

“So you’d be fine walking in on me boning some chick?”

A chunk of chewed food flies out of his mouth and lands in his beard when he snorts. It looks like snot. He wipes it away and it lands on the floor.

“I don’t think that’s something you should joke about, considering the chick you’re currently boning is Alex’s little sister. I won’t stand in the way if Alex decides to kick the shit out of you.”

“I’m not boning Sunny.”

“Call it whatever you want. Fornicating is still fornicating no matter what slang term you use.”

“I haven’t slept with her.” He has the decency to look horrified for lying.

I give him my best bitch face. “I’m not an idiot, Buck.”

“You can’t tell anyone.” He’s gripping the cucumber so hard it starts leaking out the top, juice dripping down his fingers.

I process his stance and his expression. He’s legit terrified. “You’re seriously serious?”

“I know it’s hard to believe, but I haven’t even tried to bone her.”

“Yeah, right.”

“I’m telling the truth! We’ve made out and I touched her tits, and I may have tried to . . . never mind.” His face contorts as he thinks. “I love talking to her. She gets me.”

This is so not the Buck I know. His eyes are wide, and he keeps swallowing. It’s so loud I can hear it from where I’m standing. Buck is freaked out. I feel bad for him. He has no idea what it’s like to want more than sex and maybe the occasional snuggle.

“I mean it, Vi. You can’t tell anyone.”

“Is it such a bad thing if people know you’re not trying to get into Alex’s sister’s pants? It might help resolve some of the tension between you two.”

“I will try to get into her pants, just not right away because . . .” He scratches his beard. “Well, I don’t know why exactly. The guys can’t know, though. They already think I’ve slept with her.”

“Did you tell them you slept with her?”

I’ll be pissed at him for making Alex’s sister look slutty. I’m lucky Alex isn’t the bragging type. Even when the only things he knew about me were how loud I am in bed and my love for his monster cock, he still didn’t soil my reputation. I’m well-equipped to do that on my own—see locker room for details.

“Not really.” He takes another bite of his cucumber.

“Care to explain?”

“I didn’t tell them I did. I also didn’t tell them I didn’t.” He has the good sense not to look me in the eye.

“So you lied to them.”

“No.”

“Yes you did.”

He still looks confused.

“Alex’s sister isn’t some random chick you’re sticking your wang in. She’s one of your teammates’ sister, kind of like I’m your sister.”

The lightbulb appears to be flickering, so I figure it’s safe to continue.

“There are hundreds of pictures of Sunny and Alex together. It’s no secret they’re close. She spends a lot of time under the scrutiny—” Buck frowns; maybe I’m using words he doesn’t understand. “The watchful eye of the media. If you make it seem like you’re all up in that, how do you think it will look?”

“I know what scrutiny means. I don’t want people to think Sunny is a puck bunny.”

He continues to stroke his beard as he ponders what I’ve said.

“I’m sure you don’t. Just like you don’t want people to think I’m one for sleeping with Alex, even though I’ve done a good job making myself look like one, anyway.”

“I thought we agreed not to talk about that. It was bad enough catching the end of it. I don’t like that you’re with him. Just because Waters isn’t taking puck bunnies home right now doesn’t mean he’s a changed man.”

“That’s like the yeti calling the Sasquatch hairy.”

He runs a hand self-consciously over his forearm. “What?”

“You do realize Alex thinks you’re after his sister to get back at him for me, right? Imagine how he feels believing you’re doing his sister, knowing the number of girls you’ve put your doodle into.”

“Yeah, ’cause Waters’ rep is so much better.”

I roll my eyes. “He’s not really a manwhore. It’s all just public misconception.”

Oh God. I don’t think I should’ve said that. Alex’s non-whoriness is probably something we should discuss, which is absolutely insane.

“Where did you hear that?”

“Never mind. Forget I said anything.” It’s the wrong thing to say because it evokes curiosity.