Dirty Rebound
by Mira Lyn Kelly
Published by Mira Lyn Kelly
Book 3 in the Slayers Hockey Series
I care too much about Cammy Wesley to marry her…
Yeah, I know what you’re thinking. But hear me out.
Cammy’s my best friend. The one person I can’t live without. The girl with the sunshine smile, the loaded fridge, and the most awesome kid I’ve ever met. She’s also the hot AF single mom I’ve made it my mission to protect from guys like me. I won’t risk ruining our friendship by pushing for something more.
I can’t be her forever.
I’m not that guy. I’m the good time. The class clown. The hockey stud. I’m the happy for now, not the happily ever after.
I stay in my lane, but when Cammy’s ex needs a lesson, the rash overprotective part of me jumps the boards and I go from best friend to fake boyfriend in the span of a kiss. And that’s just the beginning. Because when it comes to Cammy, there’s nothing I won’t do for her.
Even if it’s guaranteed to wreck me.
RATED: 18+ CATEGORY: MOOD:
Steamy Romance Fun
Dirty Rebound by Mira Lyn Kelly is the third book in her Slayers Hockey Series, and features Rux, assistant captain on the fictional NHL Slayers team, and his best friend (and also his other best friends sister-in-law), Cammy, a devoted single mom to her seven year old son. When a guy dumps her and gives her a blow to her confidence, a surprise kiss to show up her ex between the two best friends take them both down a road neither of them expected.
So, taking a small break from the fantasy/romance genre for a hot minute, I decided to get caught up with Mira Lyn Kelly's Slayers series, and it didn't disappoint. If there is one thing I can count on from this series, is it will make me smile. Whether its the hilarious banter between teammates, and one liners, or the happily ever after romance, this series will lift me out of a funk, and Dirty Rebound did just that. It's fun! While the plot itself is as old as time (best friends turn friends with benefits turn lovers, throw in a misunderstanding or two, and self-doubt), but Mira Lyn Kelly does a good job injecting the plot with a level of sweetness and humor that makes you forget about that. And the steam level? Yup, Mira Lyn Kelly can write sex, and write it good.
Unoriginal plot aside, Mira Lyn Kelly's strength is her skills at writing characters you will like. You can't help but admire Cammy, a young, single mom to a seven year old boy, who makes sure he comes first and a stable childhood, unlike herself. She puts her feelings aside when his father moves back and wants to be in his life, she pays attention to him, and even has a job where she can work from home so she can be with him as much as she can, while still supporting them. She is a total sweetheart, and I really enjoyed her. Then Rux. What a teddy bear. Well, all the Slayers guys are just big, muscled teddy bears, who know how to treat a woman right. I loved his devotion to Cammy and her son, to making them happy. Honestly, the only thing that drove me nuts about his character is that (spoiler)-----------> he didn't actually realize his feelings till the end. The entire book he refers to her as his girl. Admits he loves her, and her and her son are the most important people in his life. He loved her from the start, and didn't realize it. <----------. I loved the added element of Cammy's ex coming back into the picture. It does add a dynamic to a romance you don't often see. It can't be easy entering any kind of relationship when children and the other parent is involved (on both sides), and I liked that by the end we --------> get the picture of an ideal blended family. <---------
Dirty Rebound is a sweet, fun, sexy as hell romance that I am sure you will make you smile, laugh, and if you are a sap like me, cry a bit. And it has an adorable bonus scene you can download at the end (a bonus epilogue, you might say) that you will not want to miss. The next Slayers Hockey book is expected February 2021.
Favorite Moments
Rux kissing Cammy to make her ex jealous
Lip Pics lol
Their kiss/make out
The underwear
Greg knowing what Rux is trying to tell him and playing around
Cammy sending Rux the picture of them in their matching underwear when he was on the plan
The first time they have sex
Matty telling Rux he wants to be like him
Cammy telling Jeremy there is no chance of them getting back together
Matty drawing the picture of Rux, Cammy and him
Jeremy punching Rux and telling him that Cammy loves him
Rux telling Cammy he was in love with her
The epilogue
Where to Buy
Paperback (Amazon Canada)
Favorite Quotes
Rux: "Where's what's-his-name?"
George: "You mean The Blip? Probably jerking it to a selfie from your seats."
Rux: "Sunshine, you're better than fine. So you don't date much -"
Cammy: "I'm choosy."
Rux: "Hell, yeah you are. And you're also an awesome, hot-as-fuck mom with an incredible kid, a sister who would lay down her life for you, and kickass friends who love you. Plus, you're rocking a great job that lets you work from home, your fridge always has the best snacks, and you score Slayers tickets on demand. Babe, you're killing it."
Cammy: "Rux, you just kissed me!"
He winks
Rux: "You're welcome."
Julia: "He's hot. Not like Greg, but if you like them just a little wild."
Cammy: "Yeah, see, right there. That's the issue. I don't want wild. I want stable. Reliable."
Julia: "You don't want wild?"
Cammy: "Not for anything more than a date with Bob."
She snorts, rolling her eyes
Julia: "Bob, your battery-operated boyfriend? You have to stop calling those dates, Cammy. It makes me sad."
Julia: "How's he looking these days, anyway?"
Cammy: "He looks like ... Jeremy. But like a grown-up Jeremy."
Her shoulder sag, and her mouth twists into this dissatisfied little frown.
Cammy: "What did you want me to say?"
Julia: "I don't know. I guess I was just hoping the guy would've lost all his hair or gotten plugs. Bad ones. Grown some benign but inoperable hump on his back."
Clicking my tongue, I smile
Cammy: "You're sweet to want that for me."
Julia: "I want the best for you. And the best would mean that Jeremy had an outside that matched his rotten, selfish inside."
Cammy: "You should probably run. Julia's here."
I'd give my left nut to live in a place like this - okay maybe the right nut, no, the left. I give the sac a lift. Screw this place, you boys are keepers.
Greg: "Dude, Cammy says you kiss for shit."
Rux: "Ha-ha. Try again. What did Cammy really say?"
Greg: "Said your mouth was disappointing as fuck. Took a Sharpie to the ladies' room wall at the Five Hole and dropped a one-star review."
Rux: "Bullshit. No way she said I was a bad kisser. I'm the fucking best .... Your mom told me so."
Greg groans, his head falling back on a laugh.
Greg: "Dude, you did not."
I lick my finger and touch the air above my head, adding a little sizzle sound effect.
Cammy: "Wow. You have got some serious game."
He nods
Rux: "I know, right?"
Cammy: "I mean, my belly feels like I just stepped off the Eagle up at Six Flags and do you see this?"
Tipping my head to the side, I show him my neck
Rux: "Chills? You're a sensitive little thing."
Rux: "So how was I? I was a stallion, right? Rocked your world right off its axis."
I huff out a laugh
Cammy: "You were a freaking tease."
He stills and then pulls back
Rux: "Huh?"
Cammy: "Yeah, it was all that same business you were giving me last night, except times ten. And then you were giving me these sexy eyes that, I'm not going to lie, were pretty potent."
Rux: "The same business like we didn't even kiss?"
Cammy: "You wouldn't give it up. I wanted it, bad. But no. You weren't accommodating."
The big arm clamps around me again and he smiles into my hair.
Rux: "Total bullshit on my part, Sunshine. Sorry."
Cammy: "It was BS, but I forgive you."
Rux: "Dream Rux sounds like a dick. Pretty uncool considering ..."
Cammy: "Considering what?"
Rux: "Dream Cammy always puts out."
Julia: "What the hell is a lip-pic?"
Cammy: "Like a dick-pic but featuring his dirty mouth instead of his package. Here, sending you one now ... At first I though he'd accidentally fumbled the phone, somehow snapped the picture, and sent, but then I got the next one."
I wait for it, and yeah, my sisters squeal says she got it.
Julia: "Hello, he's biting his lip."
Cammy: "But just a little."
Julia: "Yeah, sort of tasteful but still sexy."
Cammy: "That's what I told him!"
Vaughn: "You two holding hands under the table?"
Rux nods
Rux: "We're a couple. Totally into each other on a more than physical level."
Natalie: "Wow, so this is getting serious then, huh?"
Rux: "Hell, yeah it is. Three-week anniversary tonight. Figured I'd bring her back to where it all started."
I almost spit out my beet and looking to the guy who makes me laugh like no one else, cock my head.
Cammy: "He's so sentimental."
Rux: "She's got it bad for me. Thinking about those three little words."
Rux: "What's with that look? You still think I suck at kissing?"
Cammy: "What? Umm ... no. You definitely don't suck."
Rux: "So what's with all ... this?"
I wave my hand in front of her face.
Cammy: "God, like your ego really needs any more inflating."
Rux: "It really does. Just one more pump, please."
Rux: "What's one more, right? A last little bit of kissing fun between friends, yeah?"
Cammy: "Yeah. Wait, give me a second. I don't want to be giggling when you do it. If this is the last one, I want it to be good."
Rux keeps his gentle hold on me, his gruff laugh sounding as I try to push that smile off my face, but it won't quite died. I sigh.
Cammy: "You're the best, Rux."
Rux: "The best kisser?"
Cammy: "No. Just the best. Okay, I'm ready. Gimme, gimme, gimme."
Rux: "Okay, Sunshine. Last one."
Rux: "I keep telling myself to stop, Sunshine. Not to take this too far. That I shouldn't want you like this ... but one taste and I'm dying for you. Tell me I'm not making a mistake with you. Tell me I'm not risking us here, because if I am - Tell me to walk the hell away. I'll show up with coffee and donuts tomorrow and we'll yak it up over what a douche I was tonight."
Cammy: "No risk, and you're not a douche. You're perfect."
Rux: "Better than Bob?"
I give up a breathless laugh. Everyone knows about Bob. But only Rux would bring him up now.
Rux: "You better say yes, or I'm going to make him watch what I do to you next."
Cammy: "So much better than Bob."
Raising a brow, I look up to Cammy, who's beet-red, covering as much of her face as she can.
Wonder Woman seeking Man of Steel. Apply within.
Rubbing at the smile that's not going anywhere, I shake my head.
Rux: "The arrow pointing down is a nice touch. Really clarifies things. Cammy, babe, you're not going to believe this."
She peeks through the vee of her fingers as I undo my fly and drop my pants.
Her hands move from her eyes to that sexy mouth as she gapes at my man of steel, straining against the Superman boxer briefs he's ready to burst through.
Cammy: "Shut the front door."
Rux: "I know, right?"
Cammy: "Condoms? You don't have one?"
My brow presses against hers as we lay naked together.
Rux: "Baby, I was out with you. Why would I need condoms?"
Our eyes hold for a beat and then we fall back on the bed together laughing until we can't breathe. Damn, I love this woman.
Rux: "Cammy, if you're going to watch me get dressed, you got to stop biting your lip while you do. It's fucking hot and blowing holes in the 'just friend' firewall I'm trying to reconstruct."
Greg: "You about to pop the question, big man? Because I like you a lot, but as a friend. My dick belongs to Julia, fucker."
Greg: "For one, you didn't tell me jack shit. You started rambling about dicks and assholes. I was thinking maybe it was just another Saturday until the whole laying you out business. For two, why the hell would I lay you out? Cammy's a grown woman and you're the most stand-up guy I know. We've already been buddies and teammates, there's no one else I'd rather call ... brother-in-law."
I'm nodding, doing my damned-est to let his words sink in before I reply, but that last thing ...
Rux: "Dude. You've got the wrong idea, man. This is what I was trying to tell you. It's not like that. We're friends. Just friends. I guess I mean not just just friends but mostly just friends who have this thing that we're doing, but in a friendly kind of way. Dammit, man, why are you laughing? I'm standing still. You can just hit me. Just don't fuck up your shoulder any worse."
And then Greg is doubled over a few feet in front of me, he looks back over his shoulder, honest-to-fuck tears streaming down his face.
Rux: "You fucking fucker. You knew already!
Greg: "Of course I fucking knew."
Rux: "Hey, we good? You okay about everything today?"
Cammy: "I'm good, Rux. A little distracted. People keep asking what the smile's about and where my head is."
I rub at that spot in the center of my chest, grinning.
Rux: "That so?"
Cammy: "Oh my God, listen to you. Is there even room in the cabin for that ego of yours or are they going to have to put it down in the cargo hold with all the other big sticks?"
Rux: "Sunshine, if you start talking about big sticks and whether things will fit -"
Cammy: "Rux!"
Rux: "What?"
Rux: "So, what's on today's panties?"
Cammy: "Excuse me?"
Rux: "Come on. It's just a friendly questions. Innocent."
Cammy: "Innocent?
Rux: "Mostly innocent."
...
Rux: "About the panties. What do they say today? 'Wrong way' across the ass? 'Slippery when wet'? More superheroes?"
Rolling my eyes, I sigh.
Rux: "I hear you debating over there. Just tell me. Or you could snap another picture. That would be totally okay too."
Cammy: "Rux!"
Rux: "Tell."
I mumble my answer, burying my face in my hands even though he can't see me.
Rux: "What was that? I could swear you said, 'happy meal.'"
Cammy: "They were from a bachelorette party!"
Rux: "May have to take a tour of the panty drawer when I get back tomorrow. Eleven work for you?"
Cammy: "Straight from the airport, huh."
Rux: "Hell, yes. And would I be right to assume I'll get to meet the much-revered Bob during this tour?"
I gasp, but mostly laugh
Cammy: "You would be wrong. Bob lives in the back of my nightstand."
A sort of strangled sound comes through the line
Rux: "Cammy, you can't tell me that. You tell me 'no' and call me a perv."
Cammy: "What? You brought him up!"
Rux: "Yeah, but then you told me where he lives. And now I'm going to be thinking about it. And I really shouldn't be thinking about how very close to your bed he is. How easy it would be for you to roll over and get him. What you'd do with him."
Rux: "Fuck, just this once ... and I won't ask again ... after I left, did you?"
I open my mouth, but Rux cuts me off with a sharp
Rux: "No! Don't tell me. Don't tell me. I don't want to know. Double fuck, you know I want to know. But Sunshine, I think we're in agreement it's better I don't, right?"
Cammy: "Rux?"
Rux: "Cammy."
Cammy: "Bob and I are on a break."
Another lower groan
Rux: "Tell me why."
Cammy: "I think you know why."
Rux: "Say it."
Cammy: "Because after what happened with us, it wouldn't be enough."
Rux: "I've been accumulating a list of the dirty things I want to do to you since I walked out of your place two days ago. Actually from before I even left."
Cammy: "Two days worth? Sounds like quite a list."
Rux: "I've got it in Google Keep."
I blink. He's not - This is Rux. Of course, he's serious.
Cammy: "There are a bunch. They're all kind of a blend of cute and sexy. And super comfy. No thongs."
Julia: "Really? I would have thought he'd be a thong guy."
Cammy: "Me too, actually, and maybe he was with the other women he's been with. But with me, it's like he only buys me stuff that fits exactly who I am."
Julia: "Because you're everything he wants, just the way you are."
Cammy: "It's going to come together. One way or another. Just give it time. I believe in you."
Rux: "Hey, Cammy. I will never let that little boy down. I'd crawl over hot coals for him. You know I'll always be there for the both of you, right?"
I nod, my eyes filling with tears
Cammy: "I do. It's one of the reasons I love you so much."
Rux: "Funny, it's one of the reasons I love you too."
Rux: "Okay, so Popov and O'Brian both sport chubs in here -"
O'Brian: "Jesus, one fucking time."
Rux: "So if you feel something graze your thigh ... my money's on them. Vsev is not the guy to go to for advice on birth control. You want to stay out of jail, probably better keep your distance from Bowie, Static, and Diesel. Got a picture of your mom on your phone?"
Danny nods, his mouth caught between a smile and frown.
Danny: "Yeah?"
Rux: "Don't show it to Bear. Tucker's prickly. If Grady here looks like he's feeling you out, don't get excited. His brother's getting married this summer and it's looking like there's no line he won't cross to make sure he's got a fate when he goes home."
Grady: "Come on, man. Loan me Cammy for the weekend and I'll leave the rookie alone."
Dude. Did not.
Grady: "Whoa, kissing, Rux. Kidding."
Better be.
Vassae: "So in case you missed it, don't joke about Cammy."
O'Brian: "Words to live by."
Rux: "And Kellog ... Kellog's good people. We should hang out more."
Matty: "I've been practicing jumping the boards so I can be like you."
And hell, my heart melts right there, my mind blinking back to that night right before Jeremy moved back. It had been him and me while Cammy was out with the girls. He'd looked up at me with those solemn little eyes and told me he wished I could be his dad.
I'd had to take a couple of breaths before I could answer. Before I could tell him the truth, that I would have been the luckiest guy in the world if I'd gotten to be his dad. But that I was happy I got the next best thing - which was being his friend.
He'd wrapped his arms around me while my heart fucking broke.
There are not words for how much I love this kid.
Jeremy: "I want them back."
Rux: "What?"
Jeremy: "I know you're together and you can take my head off without batting an eye. But this is Cammy and my son. This is the family we should have been. I have to try."
Rux: "This time. That's what you're saying, right? You have to try to man up to your responsibilities and commitments to Cammy and Matty this time. The way you didn't the first time or at all through the last seven years. And since we're clarifying, you want Cammy back, but Matty you never had. Because you were gone before he was born? Left a note or something, right?"
Jeremy: "I was a coward. A kid. And you're right. I missed years with my son that I'll never get back. I'm ashamed of what I did. It was the worst mistake of my life, but I'm ready to make it right."
Rux: "A mistake? It was her life, Jeremy. You had your chance to be a part of it, And you pissed it away."
Jeremy: "Cammy."
He reaches for me, but I bat his hand away
Cammy: "Don't. I don't want your comfort seven years too late. And so we're clear, there wasn't someone else, because you lost me the day you left. And a little more every day after that. Until finally I wasn't waiting for you to come back at all, I wasn't hoping and wondering and wishing, because I'd let you go. So, I'm sorry, because I know what it feels like to love someone who doesn't love you. But what we had is over. I'm with someone else now."
Rux: "I don't want to lose you, Cammy. I don't want to lose Matty."
Cammy: "You won't."
Rux: "So, friends?"
Cammy: "Of course. Friends. Always."
Rux: "This isn't goodbye. You know that, right?"
He's wrong. This is goodbye to a dream that I'd only just started to believe in. To a hope that had quietly, stealthily wound it's way into my heart. It's goodbye to the idea that I might have finally found the one man I could trust with me whole heart again. That I could let myself love completely and know that, with him, I would be safe.
Stroking the side of his face, I shake my head.
Cammy: "It's not goodbye to us, but ... it's goodbye to something that was pretty good, right?"
Rux: "So good."
Why the hell did I ever think walking away was the right choice? That giving them up was even fucking possible?
I can't lose them.
I can. I love them.
I love them more than my own life. For once my eyes are open, and I'm praying for the chance to tell them. To beg Cammy for another chance to show her that I can be the man she deserves. That I want her in that white dress, smiling up at me. I want her today, tomorrow, and every moment of her forever.
Cammy: "I love you."
Rux: "Like, love, love?"
Cammy: "Like I've been dying without you, my heart breaking a little more every time I saw you and knew I needed to let you go."
Rux: "I wanted you to have more. I thought I couldn't give you the kind of confidence and security you deserved in your forever. But Cammy, I swear, I'm never going to stop working to become the man you deserve."
I shake my head.
Cammy: "Rux, do you love, love me?"
Rux: "So fucking much."
Cammy: "Then you've already given me everything that matters, more than I ever dreamed of."
Rux: "I love you, Cammy. I love Matty. And I'm going to ask you to marry me, but not yet."
Rux: "Uh, Sunshine, I didn't mention it earlier ... but umm ... we should probably check on Jeremy."
My brow lifts
Cammy: "Why?"
Rux cringes
Rux: "Okay this is going to sound bad, but I'm pretty sure my face accidentally broke his hand."
Cammy: "What are you thinking?
Rux: "Sunshine, I'm thinking I love you."
Check out the rest of the Slayers Hockey series
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