3. Let the Games Begin

LET THE GAMES BEGIN

EVERETT

I trudged down the sidewalk, freshly showered and changed, but still feeling like I'd just gone ten rounds with a heavyweight champ instead of playing four quarters of football. Sure, we'd won, but I'd played like I was a rookie in high school. Missed catches replayed in my head, each one a reminder that, for the first time in as long as I could remember, I wasn't playing like an all-star athlete.

I needed to blow off steam, and somehow, I doubted video games were going to do it. I was just about to turn on my heel and ditch my brothers to go find some female companionship for the night instead, until I heard the sweet singsong of, "Ev, wait up."

I turned and saw Penelope jogging to catch up with me, her cheeks flushed and a smile on her face that made my heart... and my dick, do a little stutter-step. Dammit.

"Hey, Pen," I said, keeping my tone very purposefully casual. "Heading to Hayes's?"

She nodded, falling into step beside me. "Yeah, Kelsey and Declan are... uh... celebrating the big win today. So I planned to crash your boys' night. That okay?"

"Course," I replied, maybe a little too quickly. "I mean, you know Hayes and the twins. The more, the merrier."

I stood there for a whole-ass minute like I'd forgotten how to walk or talk. Really fucking similar to how I played today. I'd been hyperaware of everyone, including Penelope, watching the game from the Kingman suite today.

Never in my life, not on the football field, doing a photoshoot, and never, ever in the bedroom, had I ever had any kind of performance anxiety. Because I insisted on always being absolutely true to myself. I was always unapologetically me, because anything else was the path to heart break.

So why the hell was I feeling like an untried schoolboy who didn't have a lick of rizz in front of Penelope?

Dumb. I was the motherfucking love guru, and I had moves on top of moves that made any woman melt in my arms. I needed to remember that and engage that charm so Penelope didn't decide I was anything less than the sexiest of all Kingmans.

Shit. No. Pull that the fuck back. I needed to use only about ten percent of my charisma, because I didn't want her thinking I had a thing for her, or worse, have her falling for me. Because there would be no denying those big brown eyes if they ever asked me for a goddamned thing. Like my heart.

And I was saving that for the woman I'd marry someday. My one. The lightning strike.

I extended my arm to Penelope and gave her a wink. That should be enough. "Let's go show the boys how to have some fun, shall we, sweetheart?"

The slightest, and cutest, splash of a blush flashed across her cheeks, but she smiled and took my arm. "Let's do it, Mr. Charmer."

"Ooh." I gave her the side-eye and raised an eyebrow in a way that had melted more women's panties than I could count. "That's not a snake charmer joke, is it?"

She gasped and pressed her hand over her heart. "I would never."

She seemed so sincere, until she flickered her tongue at me like a sexy snake-woman. Argh. Snakes aren't sexy. They're scary.

"You are going to be the death of me." If I wasn't incredibly careful.

No more lingering looks, knock it off with the flirty comments. Just friendly, brotherly behavior. Yeah, like her big brother. That's the right attitude. That would help me get through until I could find some way to get her out of my system.

We made our way up the driveway, where Hayes's car sat, windows slightly fogged. I couldn't resist. Grinning, I knocked on the window. "Quit making out and bring your girl inside already."

Penelope stifled a laugh beside me as we headed into the house. We found Gryff, Flynn, and Isak already set up in the living room, controllers in hand.

"Well, well," Flynn drawled, raising an eyebrow. "Look what the snake dragged in."

I shot him a warning glare. "Smartass."

Flynn and Gryff exchanged a look that I didn't like one bit. Even Isak, my baby brother, was giving me a smirk, and I had a feeling it was more about arriving with Pen on my arm than the snake shenanigans from earlier in the week.

I needed a distraction and fast. I pointed at my youngest brother, Isak. "Aren't you forbidden from playing video games?"

He shrugged, unrepentant. "What Dad doesn't know won't hurt him."

I snorted. "Because you think he doesn't watch these live streams?"

Isak smirked, but I saw that flicker of worry. "Dad was born before the internet. He's not interested in watching video games online."

"Keep telling yourself that kid." I have him a slap on the back. Isak loved to push boundaries, and it was good for him. He was still finding his place in the world, trying a little of this and a little of that. "It's your ass on the line."

As soon as the words left my mouth, they rang right back at me in my head. It would be my ass on the line if anyone knew the thoughts I'd been having about Penelope all week.

I really needed to get laid.

To get Pen off my mind.

Which was a dick move. I may have a high body count, but I didn't use women. Each and every one of the ladies I'd been with could have been the one. I gave them each my heart, if only for the night. I was eternally the hopeful romantic, hopeful each woman I met would be the one who I could give my love to forever.

Just hadn't happened yet. Maybe that made me the hopeless romantic?

A few minutes later, Hayes walked in with the cute neighbor girl who was all grown up now. And he was smitten as a kitten. Lucky bastard.

"Hey, guys," he called out, greeting everyone. For the first time, my kid brother embodied the king of his castle. "I brought new talent."

"Well, well," I said, grinning, "if it isn't the infamous Willa Rosemount. Nice to finally meet the girl who's got Hayes all twisted up."

Hayes shot me a glare, but Willa just laughed. "Twisted up, is he? Good to know."

He rolled his eyes at me, gesturing to the others. "You know Flynn and Gryff. And if I'm lucky, you won't remember Everett. And that's Isak."

As Hayes made introductions, I settled onto the couch, hyperaware of Penelope sitting next to me, our shoulders brushing. I needed to focus on something else—anything else.

Hayes would probably be coming to me for advice about Willa later, so I should be paying attention to how the two of them were interacting.

"And this is Penelope," Hayes was saying to Willa. "She brings in the big numbers to our live streams when she's in town."

Willa gave her a friendly wave. "Hi, Penelope. Nice to have another girl at this testosterone fest. Have you known these yahoos long?"

Flynn straightened up as if that raised his hackles. "Hey, who you calling a yahoo?"

Willa wrinkled her nose and glared right back at him. "You."

"Right you are," Gryff interjected. "Carry on."

Pen laughed and threw some popcorn at the twins. She really was just one of the guys around us. "Just a few months. My boss is engaged to Declan."

As the conversation continued, I found myself stealing glances at Penelope. The way she effortlessly fit in with my brothers, her infectious laugh, the sparkle in her eyes when she did her signature "Hey, Besties" intro for Willa... I needed to stop this. Now.

Willa gave me an easy out when she shoved me aside to sit next to Penelope.

I blurted out, "These two are practically family at this point."

As soon as the words left my mouth, I wanted to swallow them back down. Family. Right. That's exactly what Penelope was. Off-limits.

When Hayes started setting up for the livestream, I gratefully accepted a controller. Maybe focusing on the game would keep my mind in my own damn lane.

Hayes did the introductions for the live stream. "Tonight's matchup is guest star Everett Kingman and Isak playing as, you guessed it, the Denver Mustangs, against big time rivals, the twin terrors, Flynn and Gryff playing everyone's favorite losing team, the LA Bandits."

We all played our parts, cheering and booing like the competitive dorks that we were. Yeah. Spending time with these guys was going to be good for my mindset. Family, fun, and football video games.

Almost better than sex.

"We've got some special guests with us in the announcing booth tonight. Say hello to everyone's favorite Bestie, Penelope, and... super-secret sneaky guest announcer—" Hayes snort laughed. "Please welcome... Patty Meowhomes."

Willa smacked her lips and said, "Thanks, Kingman, good to be here, looking forward to a watching you all play with your balls."

We made it just into the third quarter when Willa's phone buzzed and she and Hayes went into panic mode.

The boys went into Kingman SEAL mode and bolted into the backyard in some crazy ass escape to avoid Willa's shitty brother discovering she and Hayes were seeing each other.

Pen and I watched in awe from the back door. The twins and Isak were stacked like human steps and Hayes was dragging Willa over the fence into her uncle's yard.

I liked her and the effect she was having on Hayes. He needed to live a little. That girl was going to be family someday. Maybe I should be going to Hayes for love advice instead of the other way around.

"Why do I have a feeling your brothers have used this escape routine before?" Pen shook her head and laughed. "I guess I'm not surprised given the way you all pulled off the great diversion when we helped Kelsey and Dec escape the paparazzi at the hospital."

"Comes with the territory when you've got six brothers and a baby sister who has us wrapped around her little finger." Our eyes met, and for a moment, I forgot how to speak, to breathe, to think.

Penelope fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, a nervous energy radiating off her that I hadn't noticed before. She took a deep breath and stared up at me like I was a Greek god and she was a swan.

"This was fun tonight, wasn't it?" Her voice was soft and unsure, which was not like the Penelope I knew. "It was a great distraction. I've been... well, I've been on edge this week about going to the Grampys with Kelsey."

I raised an eyebrow. "You should be excited."

She nodded, but her smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "I am, it's just... the red carpet, the cameras, all those people who'll be staring at me, taking my picture, and... needing a date."

My heart rate picked up. Was she working up to asking me to be her date?

The idea of seeing her all dolled up, walking the red carpet in some kind of bombshell dress that showed off every single one of her curves was the stuff of fantasies.

I'd have to turn her down. Shit. How was I going to say no to her?

"Listen," she continued, interrupting my spiraling thoughts. "Declan mentioned something to me the other day, and I've been trying to figure out how to bring it up."

Oh god. This was it. She was going to ask me to be her date. I braced myself, not having a fucking clue how I was going to let her down gently.

"He said you're kind of the love guru of the Kingmans," Penelope said, her cheeks flushing slightly.

I was murdering my brother later... but probably after we won the bowl game.

"And, well... God, this is embarrassing." She laughed nervously. "I was hoping, I mean, would you consider being my... dating guru?"

I blinked. "I'm sorry, what?"

Dating guru. Not date.

Penelope's blush deepened. "It's just, I haven't been in a relationship in a long time. And if you haven't noticed, I'm kinda awkward, and I'm definitely out of practice talking to guys, besides, you know, Kingman brothers. With the Grampys coming up, I thought maybe if I could get some pointers, some confidence... maybe I could find an actual date, you know? I really don't want to walk that red carpet looking like I couldn't find anyone to go with me."

I stared at her, completely blindsided. Of all the things I had expected her to say, this wasn't even on the list.

"You want me to be your... dating coach?" I repeated, still not quite processing the request.

She nodded, looking both hopeful and mortified. "I know it's a lot to ask, and if you're not comfortable with it, I totally understand. It's just, you're so good with women and advice, and I thought maybe you could help me figure out how to be... I don't know, more dateable?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out. My brain was short-circuiting, trying to reconcile the idea of helping Penelope date other men.

"Ev?" she prompted, her voice small and uncertain. "Say something? Please?"

I looked at her, this woman who had been occupying my thoughts for...okay, fine, I'd admit it, since the day I met her, who I had just convinced myself was completely off-limits, like a sister.

This was the best thing that could happen, and I hated it.