Shit, he felt guilty. Hurt-his-soul guilty.
“Because I’m pretty sure we’ve had a conversation about this before,” Austin continued. “You know my feelings on the subject.”
“Trust me, I know everyone’s feelings on the subject.”
Austin shoved his shoulder gingerly to get his attention. “The difference between me and Drew is I’m asking you, Henrik.” He dropped his voice to a deadly register. “I expect an honest answer, or I’ll make you give me one.”
Austin studied him, his fierce features cool and distant. Henrik worried that he looked as guilty as he felt, even though, technically, it wasn’t a lie. He wanted to sleep with Leila. Again. And again. However, he wasn’t trying to at the present time, but he couldn’t exactly explain their arrangement to Austin.
“No,” he stated with total honesty. “I’m not trying to sleep with your sister.”
Austin’s eyes remained locked on him, his assessment thorough. Finally, he fell back in his seat, dissatisfied, as if he’d actually looked forward to kicking Henrik’s ass, and picked up his cards again. “Whose turn is it?”
“Wait,” Sam breathed, glancing back and forth between the two of them, his nerves obviously shot. “That’s it?”
“What the hell, Sam?” Henrik interjected, shooting him a dubious look.
“Yeah, Sam,” Austin answered. “Is there something else I need to know?”
Sam swallowed loudly. “No,” he lied. Austin looked at Sam harder, and he started to panic. “I didn’t think finding out Henrik is trying to date your sister would go over so smoothly, is all.”
“Again, Sam. What the hell?” Henrik growled, glaring daggers at his confidant.
“Look,” Austin half laughed. “This isn’t the first time this has happened. Henrik tried this shit back in college, and I’ll admit I was a bit of a hard-ass about it back then.”
“A bit?” Henrik challenged, his tone reflecting the outright shock at his friend’s admission.
“I saved you from yourself.”
Henrik rolled his eyes. “You and I both know it had nothing to do with saving me. Leila was only eighteen.”
“Maybe, but she’s always been able to handle your wild stallion ass, no doubt about that.” Austin’s expression smoothed out. Softened. “Your mother hadn’t even been gone a year at that point. You were damn determined to sabotage any relationship where a woman showed you any kind of affection. It wasn’t the right time. So, yeah—I intervened.”
Henrik gaped at him. “You say that like making her hate me for four years was a favor?”
“It was. You’re welcome.”
Henrik rubbed his hand down his face, frustrated. Austin smiled, returning the pat on the back Henrik had given him earlier. “Look, it’s obvious your thoughts about my sister haven’t changed, so let’s stop pretending like the decline in your social calendar is because you’re all of a sudden Mr. Responsible.”
He looked at his best friend through his fingers. “I’m trying to be both.” He sighed. “You’ve heard the rumors. Naming me captain won’t keep them from trading me. I have to do my part. I need to be Mr. Responsible.”
Austin cocked a surprised brow. “Color me impressed.”
“So, does this mean you’re giving Henrik permission to date your sister?” Sam asked, still a little surprised.
“Have you met my sister? Trust me, my permission is the least of his worries.” He laughed, turning to look Henrik in the eye. “Just keep in mind, though, we’re roommates. I know what your ass does twenty-four hours a day. If you screw up, she will know about it. You got that?”
He nodded quickly. “Understood.”
“And if you try and pull some Derek Deroty bullshit on her,” he added, his face showcasing that deadly stare again, “you’ll have more than a broken nose to worry about.”
Again, he nodded. He would never be Derek, but that look in Austin’s eyes still made him nervous. If there was ever a guy to steer clear of, it was his best friend when he was pissed.
“Now, whose turn is it?” Austin inquired gruffly.
Sam continued to stare blankly at them as if still in shock. “What?” They both asked him in unison, though Henrik mouthed curse words at Sam.
Austin let him off easy about the date, but there was a big difference between a fancy team function and a bathroom wall. He was an asshole, not an idiot.
“Nothing,” Sam asserted, waving them back to their card game, “just minding my own business.”
Austin let it pass, and Henrik fell back in his seat with a thud. That was close. Too close.
***
The week seemed to rush by in a blur, but that tended to happen during the middle of the season. Henrik had back-to-back games on Tuesday and Wednesday, which left little time between sleeping and practice to do anything else. However, he made sure of one thing, and that was that Leila knew she was on his mind. They’d been texting each other regularly all week, and to his complete delight, she seemed to have finally relaxed. She was actually semi-flirtatious with him. Compared to the resting bitch face he was accustomed to seeing, it was a grand improvement.
Henrik: Found a dress yet?
Practice just ended, which meant he was free and clear with nothing on his calendar until after the event Saturday night. He left his phone sitting on the shelf in his locker, waiting eagerly for her reply as he changed clothes.
Leila: Maybe. Why so interested?
Henrik: Why so secretive?
Leila: Not secretive. Just curious why you’re so interested in dresses all of a sudden.
Henrik: Because there are only two types of dresses. Conservative and not conservative. A guy needs to be prepared.
Leila: Prepared how, exactly?
Henrik: If you choose a not conservative dress, it might be wise for a guy to wear briefs instead of boxers so he doesn’t embarrass himself.
Leila: You. Are. Ridiculous.
Henrik: The word you’re looking for is HONEST. So, what’s the verdict?
It took longer for her to answer, but when she did, he couldn’t help but laugh.
Leila: I’d go with the briefs.
Austin gave his head a shove from the locker next to him, knocking him off balance. “Stop fucking smiling so much. You look like an ass.”
“How is that different from how he normally looks?” Callen said with a laugh from across the room.
Henrik fell on top of his gym bag before grabbing a glove and chucking it back at Austin’s head. Then he shot Callen the finger. Callen laughed, disappearing into the shower. Austin held his hand out and helped him up. “So, can I assume you’re not joining us tonight?” Henrik smiled, and Austin smiled back. “Good boy.”