Bobby scowled at me. “He told you about that?” he asked. “How often have you seen him?”
“None of your business,” I gritted out. “That’s exactly what I’m trying to say.”
Bobby frowned at me. “Of all the people in this city that you could fuck, does it really have to be him?” he finally spat.
I winced. “Look, I know I shouldn’t get involved with one of your competitors. I’m sorry. But I’m not going to stop seeing him. I am still going to be rooting for you, even if you did something terrible like rigging the matchups.” I grinned so that he knew that I was only joking.
Bobby rolled his eyes. I could tell that he still wasn’t happy with me, though. Before he could say anything else, I continued. “It’s not going anywhere, okay? We got into a fight and I’ll probably never see him again. But just, stay out of it. Let me make my own mistakes.”
Bobby looked like there was still more that he wanted to say, but our food arrived and we shared an unspoken agreement to let the matter drop.
After dinner, I went back to my apartment and sat down on my bed, feeling restless. I couldn’t help thinking back to when Dylan had fucked me here. The way he had pinned me down with his body while kissing me all over, making me squirm and moan…
Except all of those pleasant memories were tempered with the way he had rushed out of my place at the end. Like a bat out of hell. I had also deleted his number and couldn’t reach him.
I wanted nothing more than to apologize for calling him an asshole at the hospital. I wished that he would give me another chance to explain. Not that there was much to explain: he had insulted my brother, and I had immediately taken Bobby’s side. He couldn’t fault me for doing that, surely. Still, I just wished that I could explain things to him now that I’d had a chance to talk to Bobby.
Would Dylan believe me if I told him that Bobby wasn’t part of a gang? Would he agree to see me again? Surely a misunderstanding, something so silly, couldn’t mean the end for us. And it surely couldn’t stop the delicious attraction that we had for one another.
I would never know, though. I didn’t have his number anymore, and the best I could hope for was to run into him at the arena again. I was sure that he would be avoiding me from now on and it wasn’t like I could get back into the competitors’ area on my own. Bobby could help me get in, of course, but he’d never agree to it to support a relationship he didn’t approve of in the first place. I was stuck.
It was probably best to forget all about Dylan. He’d be leaving town after the tournament anyway and as much as he got me hot and bothered, desperate for his touch, he wasn’t really the type of guy that I pictured dating. What we’d shared had just been a quick fling. It was nothing special.
Besides, maybe it was for the best that I didn’t have his number. Even if I did want to explain, it was pointless. Dylan had seemed only too happy to let me go, anyway…
THIRTEEN
DYLAN
The bar was crowded and noisy tonight. I tried to drown the noise out, but I was having a hard time doing it. Just like I was having a hard time drowning out my thoughts.
I took another sip of beer, scanning the crowd and trying to tell myself that I wasn’t looking for a familiar face, a familiar curvaceous girl with soft blonde hair and an adorable smile. If anything, I was here to find someone else who didn’t look a thing like her. I was here to forget all about Lucy Purcell and her brother and whatever thing he was involved with. I was here to forget it all, drown everything in alcohol with whoever was willing.
Trouble was, I wasn’t remotely interested in anyone else, not even the tall, leggy brunette who was leaning against the bar next to me and made a big show of ordering a whiskey ginger.
She laughed as she turned to face me. “What, no props even though I’m ordering a ‘real’ drink?” she asked, making air-quotes around the word.
I shrugged. “I don’t judge either way,” I said. Besides, Lucy had ordered a beer, and I was much more the beer kind of guy.
She shook her head, a grin on her face, and hopped on the stool next to mine. I guess that was enough of an invitation for her. What could I do? I wasn’t waiting for anyone else and it seemed rude to just brush her off, no matter how much I wanted to.
“So, you don’t really seem the Boston type,” she said.
I snorted. “What makes you think that?” I asked, even though I already knew. Looking around Oceanside, everyone had a more polished look than me. This wasn’t a particularly fancy place, but I still stood out. Not that I cared about that sort of thing, when it was so damn obvious.
Was that why things hadn’t worked out with Lucy in the end? Because I lacked a certain cosmopolitan edge that she preferred? I didn't think that had been the case, but by now I was willing to accept any reason.
“I’m here for the boxing tournament,” I finally said.
The woman shrugged. “Don’t know what boxing tournament you mean, but good for you. That’s not really a sport I’m interested in. There’s just a lot of... violence.”
I shrugged. Well,
