Sleet Sugar by S.J. Tilly

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

ZACH

Crashing Izzy’s date was the plan for tonight. Well, that was the general idea, there was no real plan. When I found out what she’d be doing, I knew I couldn’t come alone. So I asked Ash.

Ash knows the story between us, mostly. He knows that I met Sugar before I met Coach, and that I’m going to pursue her. Hard.

What I didn’t prepare for was how it would feel to see her on a date with someone else. I should’ve known. Just seeing those losers talking to her at that speed dating night was enough to throw me into a jealous fury. Sugar just affects me. I thought I got over my rage issues years ago, but I’m starting to second-guess that assessment. Yeah, I still fight on a nearly weekly basis, if you call throwing punches in games fighting, but I’ve built a pretty sturdy lid on my emotions over the years. But now Izzy is testing that lid. And she’s testing it in ways she doesn’t even realize.

When we first arrived, I spotted her immediately. I was able to request the lane that was open a few down from hers. I wanted to be close enough for her to spot me, but not so close that it seemed planned. Of course this was planned, but I won’t be admitting that.

I was a little bummed that she couldn’t just sense my presence the moment I walked into the room. I’ve read enough romance novels, something else I don’t ever plan on admitting, but they all talk about how the main characters just know when the other enters a room. I guess we still need to work on our connected energy. But when she did look over, it was like a physical hit to my chest. Only instead of pain, it was like I could finally take a deep breath again. Like I’ve been waiting in a cage since I last saw her. Touched her. And I really fucking need to touch her.

I see her at the practice facility sometimes, but she always sneaks away. I’m pretty sure she thinks she’s being nonchalant, but it’s obvious that she’s avoiding me. So seeing her isn’t enough. I need to feel her. I haven’t touched her since my birthday outing last week. That’s too long. And I won’t leave here tonight without some sort of physical contact. I’ll settle for a brush of her arm against mine, but I’m getting something.

After she broke that initial eye contact, I watched her roll her ball down the lane and turn away, like she wasn’t expecting to score. And when that puny little motherfucker gave her a high-five, I had to grip the back of my chair to prevent myself from walking over there and tossing his dumb ass down the lane, scoring a strike with his skull.

As time went on, I took a hard look at her date, and the tightness in my chest started to loosen. The guy is just a kid. I have no idea what the hell Izzy’s doing on a date with him, but he’s no competition for me. Meghan’s acting interested in the friend, but even that looks surface-deep at best.

Ash and I have played mostly in silence. Me busy with my thoughts and stalker-like watching of Izzy, and Ash in some sort of grumpy funk. He was fine when we got here, but his mood shifted to surly. I can tell a few people recognize us, but our standoff vibe has been keeping them away.

I’m wondering how best to approach the end of tonight when I see Izzy’s date walk up to the lane with her. My jackass-radar is on high alert as I watch him first demonstrate how to line up a throw, then hand off the ball and step up right behind Izzy. My Izzy.

Then his hands are on her shoulders, and I’m standing. Ash is standing next to me, and I swear I can feel the anger wafting off him. I’m too caught up in the moment to question why Ash is so pissed on my behalf.

When the kid leans in and talks into her ear, I’m moving. He’s lucky he stepped back and let her do the actual throw on her own. If he had put his filthy hands on her hips, or tried to wrap around her like Patrick Swayze in Ghost, I’d have picked up the closest bowling ball and lobbed it straight at his head. Then he’d have died, and I’d have gone to jail. Which would’ve been a lose-lose situation.

Izzy’s ball hits the pins, rewarding her with a strike. I reflexively smile at the look on her face when she spins around.

Her happiness is like a drug to me, and I’m rooted to the floor, overwhelmed with emotions.

Then he hugs her.

“Easy, brother - ” Ash’s words as I stride towards Izzy help me to harness my inner beast.

I want to bite her. Mark her as mine. But Sugar is the soft gentle herbivore to my carnivorous monster. I can’t scare her off. That’s the opposite of what I’m here to do. So I slow my steps and stop directly behind the guy who’s hugging my girl.

“Nice toss, Sugar.”

Izzy reacts immediately, jumping away from the hug while letting out an adorable little squeak. I hold her gaze and read shock, but it’s heavily diluted with lust. Lust that I know is meant for me and not the twerp standing next to her.

“Holy shit. I mean, hey man! I’m a huge fan.”

The kid’s words remind me that I’m a public figure, and that I shouldn’t be a dick to him.

But I really, really want to.

“Thanks, I appreciate it,” I tell him, without looking away from Izzy.

She smiles and licks her lips.

“Hey, Zach. This is Zander.” She gestures to the guy still standing at her side.

“Cool.”

She rolls her eyes at my response, so I cave and turn to greet Zander. What a dumb name.

“Hey man. It’s nice to meet fans. You probably know Ash LeBlanc, rockstar goalie - ” I turn to where I left Ash.

Only I find Ash, Meghan, and the other kid all standing there staring at each other, in some sort of weird silent stalemate.

“Ash! The fuck you doing, man?”

He looks over and I nod towards Zander, my eyes telling him to distract this asshole so I can talk to Izzy.

Taking the hint, he extends his hand and introduces himself.

Roadblock removed, I level my gaze back on my girl.

“So… come bowling often?”

She narrows her eyes. “How did you know I’d be here?”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, don’t play innocent. There is no way this is a coincidence.” Sugar puts her little fists on her hips, as if to convey her seriousness. But it just makes her look even cuter.

“It could be,” I shrug.

“Right. You being here by chance is as likely as me going home with Zander.”

I know that means she’s not going home with him, but just hearing those words strung together in a sentence is like swallowing a hot coal.

I step forward until we’re nearly touching, and Izzy has to tilt her head back to look up into my eyes. “That little fucking man-boy is not putting his tiny hands on you. Ever. Again.”

My voice is low and serious. I don’t mean to be so intense, but I can’t help it.

Then Sugar giggles. Just a little at first, but it quickly turns into a full-fledged fit of laughter. I’m sure it’s at my expense, but it’s still the best sound in the world.

When she leans towards me and rests her forehead on my chest, every muscle in my body relaxes. Here it is - my contact, my touch, my addiction. My Sugar.

I put my hands on her shoulders, to hold her steady. I just so happen to put my hands right where Zander’s were. Physically erasing his touch on her and replacing it with my own.

Straightening, she wipes tears off her still smiling cheeks.

“What’s so funny?” I ask.

“Little fucking man-boy with tiny hands.” She chuckles a few more times. “That’s playing pretty petty with your insults, don’t ya think?”

“Hey, if the child-sized shoe fits.”

The smile she gives me is a gift, and I burn it into my memory.

Tightening my grip on her, I prepare to lean down, so I can seal my lips to hers.

“Would it be okay if we got a selfie with you?”

I clench my jaw. I’m about to growl at him when Izzy lightly smacks my abs. Having her hand that close to my cock has my growl turning into a groan.

“He’d love to!” Izzy answers for me.

Zander looks back and forth between us. “You guys know each other?”

“Yes.” I say.

That one word is full of meaning and it only takes Zander a moment to understand. Watching him deflate, I feel a little bad for ruining his dreams of dating my Sweets, but not that bad.

I thud him on the back in consolation. Perhaps harder than necessary, since he stumbles a little and nearly falls forward.

I drag Ash into the selfie with the guys, which unfortunately unlocks the dam that was holding people back earlier. The wave unleashes, and suddenly we’re wrapped up in a series of photos with fans. It’s nice to be recognized so quickly after moving here, but Ash is definitely boosting our celebrity status.

I do my best to keep an eye on Izzy, but I lose track of her.

Taking an opening to step away, I spot Meghan.

“Where’s Izz?”

“You mean Sugar?”

“Cute. Where is she?”

“Why did you bring Ash with you tonight?”

The change in topic catches me off guard. “Because Ash is my friend. I couldn’t very well show up at a bowling alley by myself. Looking like a complete loser isn’t the goal.”

“Hmmm.” Meghan hums.

“Meg, where’s Izzy?” I look around. “And where’s Zander?”

“They’re not here.”

The visual of them walking out together wraps around my throat.

“What do you mean they’re not here?”

“Cool your man pecs. Izzy asked Zander to walk her to the rest rooms.”

“Why the fuck would she do that? Isn’t it usually you girls that always go to the bathroom in packs?”

“Nice generalization.” Meghan huffs. “If I had to guess, I’d say she wanted a moment to talk to him alone.”

“Why?”

“Oh my God! Men are such thick headed morons sometimes!” With that, she walks away from me.

Obviously, I’m hoping that Izzy wanted privacy so she could tell Zander to fuck off. But Meghan’s right, I am a moron, so I don’t want to jump to any conclusions.

The bathrooms are located down a short hallway in the back of the arcade. The room itself is dimly lit and filled with retro pinball machines, a wall of skee ball, and one of those creepy fortune teller machines that always end up cursing kids in movies. I give it a wide berth as I pass, and nearly collide with Zander.

We stand there, a bit awkwardly for a moment, before Zander speaks.

“I never had a chance with her, did I?”

I shake my head. “Nah, sorry.”

He sighs. “Fuck, man. She’s quite a woman.”

“Yep.”

“She your woman?”

“She will be.”

He cracks a smile. “Good luck.”

I sigh. “Fuck, man. I’m gonna need it.”