"Rhys Reid."
"I know." She smiles warmly. "I’m going to go check on Tilly. She’s six and thinks she should have the independence of a sixty year old."
I laugh and turn back to the circle of wives and girlfriends.
Conversation has come to a stop and we each take a sip of our drinks. A heat flashes through my body at the embarrassment that I am somehow letting them down with my lack of dazzling conversation. I can navigate well enough for a few initial interactions and then I stall out. If people aren't gushing about my work, or my show, or how much they love me, I'm lost.
Fuck, am I a narcissist?
"So, Rhys, how do you feel about being a mole?" Caroline says as she looks past me. I turn around and see Duncan throwing his head back and laughing with his teammates and a small smile cracks my lips.
"A mole?" I ask as I turn back to her. "I'm not exactly your guy for going undercover."
"No, I mostly need you to feed me information."
My brows furrow, "about what?"
"Okay, so I have a lot on my plate, and we all know soon Laila and Crosby are going to take some of my attention off the rest of the guys." She gestures to the girls as Harper rejoins the circle. "I know they'll tell me what's happening in their guy's lives but I don't have a source for Duncan."
"You want me to spy on Duncan?"
"I want you to tell me if I should be worried about him. He's going to start the new year with his linemate and best bud out for a few paternity leave games and I'm worried he's either going to go totally bat shit crazy or he's going to hermit."
"I'm not really sure I should do that." I don't feel right about it. I glance over at Duncan again and he's looking at me. He mouths "you okay?" and I nod so he smiles.
When I turn back to the girls their eyes are wide and Caroline looks like she wants to say something but doesn't. Ivanna shifts her weight to one hip and crosses her arms as her eyes narrow on me.
I glance to Harper, hoping to find some answers or some solace there because I have a feeling these girls all justshippedDuncan and I and are planning our engagement party.
But Harper only has the biggest heart eyes I've ever seen in real life.
Yeah, one look at her and they’ll know we're together.
But like, also, not together.
Before I can say anything or try to change their minds, Ivanna reaches into her purse. She pulls out a green ball and hands it to me.
"This is my own formula." I glance down and on the outside it says "Kiss Like Vodka Burns" and I open it to find a lip balm.
"It's the best lip balm ever." Caroline says as she eyes her husband from across the room.
I'm not sure what's in this lip balm but Harper is licking her lips.
"Uhh, thank you." I slide it into the sporran I’m wearing around my hips. It’s the traditional bag worn over a kilt, and mine is a family heirloom. "I'm going to go talk to Duncan."
"Great meeting you Rhys Reid!" Harper says loudly as the other girls say nice to meet you and bye.
I rub my sweaty palms down the flannel fabric of my kilt as I cross the kitchen to where Duncan and his buddies are standing in the living room. He looks comfortable where he's perched on the end of the sofa in his Ginger Ale Can costume. He's so at ease I get the sense he's never had a conversational lull. No one would ever think he's not as dazzling as he seems.
He is simply brilliant all the time.
Our eyes lock and he stands as I approach. Even though he is dressed as a can of fucking soda, my mind runs with our first meeting in Scotland on the side of the road, his easy banter and immediate flirting. Then, god, the way he looked washing the mud off his body.
My knees almost give out remembering him behind me stroking my cock. Our more recent activities become less visual memories and more a feeling of warmth that pumps through my veins.
"Hey Rhys." He says with a playful tilt of his head. Does his mind play our times together on an infinite loop like mine does?
"Hey." I reply with a sandpaper tongue.
