3. Ace

three

Ace

W e move closer to Cassi, who sits at the dining room table, playing some weird drinking game with Fin and Tarek. I recognize the two women they're talking to as Teagan, one of our teammates, and Britt, the team's social media manager. All eyes are on them as they seem to be having a disagreement—all eyes except Dalton, Maverick, and my eyes, that is. Ours are laser-focused on Cassi, who seems a little unsteady in her chair.

Moving even closer to Cassi, I can finally hear what they are talking about when Teagan says, "Still talking out loud, Cassi. I think it's time to get you to bed."

"We'll do it." Maverick, Dalton, and I say it at the same time as we each raise a hand in the air.

"Yes." Cassi sways to her left as she quickly stands up. Britt leans over and whispers something into Cassi's ear.

"I know." A cute little smirk crosses Cassi's face as she weaves her way to stand in front of us. "It looks like we have a Dalton, an Ace, and a Maverick." She trails a finger over each of our lips as she says our names. But where's Goose, the big stud?" I glance at Dalton, and he shakes his head with a shrug. But when I look at Maverick, he has a big smile on his face.

"I got this, " he says as he slides next to a wobblily Cassi. I'm right here, Honey." He flips a piece of her hair over her shoulder.

"Take me to bed, or lose me forever."

"Show me the way home, Honey." Maverick slides his arms underneath Cassi's back and knees, swooping her up in his arms as she throws her arms around his neck and promptly passes out.

"Okay, you did not just recite dialogue from the original Top Gun movie?" I ask when I realized why those words sounded so familiar.

Maverick gives me a big smile reminiscent of Tom Cruise in the movie, "Growing up with a name like Maverick, I have to be able to recite any of the dialogue at any given moment. It's either that or sing 'You've Lost that Lovin' Feeling'." When I just shake my head at him, his smile gets bigger. "Don't tell me you don't have all the lines to Ace Ventura memorized. I bet Dalton can rattle off every line from Road House." When neither of us says anything, he continues. "That's what I thought. No help me get sleeping beauty into bed."

Maverick takes two steps before a swarm of females block our path. "You better not do anything funny with our friend. You're new to the team, so I'm not sure I trust you yet. I'd hate to have to cut your balls off and risk not making the playoffs."

"Jesus, Teagan, never threaten to cut off a man's pride and joy," one of her brothers says. I'm not sure which one since they're identical triplets.

"I'm just saying, if they try anything funny with Cassi, they're dead meat." Teagan makes a slicing motion across her throat.

"I'm not sure that's any better." Coulter, one of Teagan's boyfriends, drapes his arm across her shoulders, squeezing his way between the angry pack of women. "Their good kids. They won't do anything to harm Cassi. Besides, she told Fin she was going to sign them on as clients. They won't risk going against someone as powerful as Cassi Masterson." Coulter might be saying the words to his girlfriend, but his eyes are flashing between Maverick, Dalton, and me. 'Isn't that right, guys?"

"Yes." We say at the same time, trying not to cringe at being called 'good kids' by someone only a year older than us.

The rest of the guys retrieve their girlfriend, saying their goodbyes until it's just the four of us left in Cassi's house. "Let's get her to bed." Maverick shifts her in his arm, accidentally jarring her awake.

"Hmm, are we in bed yet?" she wiggles in Maverick's arms. Afraid that he'll drop her since he has been holding her for so long, I slide my hands underneath her and take her out of his arms, only to find she's light as a feather in my arms. Her eyes roam from mine to Maverick and finally to Ace. "Oh, good. It's the three of you. I have something I want to show you in my bedroom."

I know I should be strong and set her on her bed and walk out the door, taking Dalton and Maverick with me, but I'm desperate to see what she wants to show us. I slowly lower her to her bed, letting her curves slide down my body. She feels so good in my arms I hate to let her go. I take a step back until I'm standing between Dalton and Maverick.

"Are you ready for me?" Before we can answer, and faster than I thought, someone in her intoxicated condition could move, she's stripped off all of her clothes except for a tiny pair of lace panties.