“Fight! Yeah, let’s go,” someone yells in the crowd near us.
“Maya, wait!” Reagan grabs hold of me to stop me from racing out of my seat the minute the gloves come off.
We’re all on our feet with the rest of the arena—me, her, Hana, and Corinne. Phones are out and people eat up my brother and my boyfriend colliding. I clutch the front of the jersey I’m wearing.
Maybe it would’ve been better to tell Ryan about us.
Within moments, both teams spill onto the ice. The brawl between Heston and Elmwood turns the ice into complete chaos. It takes the referees several long minutes to get the fighting under control, then they take an eternity debating with the players. Ryan gets in the ref’s face and Easton yanks him back.
At last, the referee announces, “Numbers twenty-nine from Elmwood and twenty-four from Heston, penalties for misconduct. Ten minutes in the penalty box.”
“There, see? It’s all good.” Reagan encourages me to sit down, patting my leg. “I thought you grew up around this watching Ryan play all the time?”
I sigh. “It’s still my brother and my boyfriend attacking each other. I didn’t want them fighting. They’re seriously lucky they only got penalties instead of getting kicked out of the game. Usually the college league is really strict about the no fighting policy.”
“I can’t lie. It’s hot.” Reagan shivers with a smirk. “All that pent up emotion exploding. Really gets a girl going, y’know?”
The breath that huffs out of me is tinged with wry amusement. “Yeah, I do know.”
She’s not wrong at all. Beneath the uncertainty, there’s a current of warmth pulsing between my legs from seeing Easton go wild like that. I bite my lip, seeking him out as he takes off his helmet and shakes out his thick messy brown hair on his way off the ice.
The rest of the period plays out with Easton and Ryan glaring at each other from their respective penalty boxes, separated only by a wall of plexiglass. When the teams break before the last period, I rise to my feet again and text Easton, unsure if he’ll check his phone. I stare at the screen until the three dots pop up.
Maya: Are you okay?
Easton: Yeah all good. We just have some shit to work out.
It sets me at ease through the break. Then my heart leaps back into my throat in the final when Easton crashes against Ryan with another fierce check. Whatever he says leaves Ryan stunned when he speeds off with his teammate to make a play that earns Heston the winning goal of the game.
Once the game lets out, I tell the girls I’ll meet them by Reagan’s car and hurry through the building. Reporters for sports blogs and podcasts crowd the way to the locker rooms and equipment area. The arena’s security isn’t letting anyone through.
“Damn.”
I head outside to see if I can go in through the door the guys entered when the team bus arrived, whipping my phone out to try to reach Easton.
Maya: I’m trying to get to the locker area to see you but it’s totally locked down.
Easton: I’d come out to get you but Coach is on a rampage. I’m risking life and limb to text you. I’ll meet you back at campus.
Maya: Okay. Going to ride back with the girls, see you soon.
The green heart he responds with makes my lips twitch. Changing directions, I head off to meet back up with Reagan and the girls. They’re raving about the excitement of the game through the traffic jam of fans leaving that makes it take forever to leave Elmwood U’s campus.
When we reach the highway, I pull up Ryan’s contact and FaceTime him during the drive back to Heston Lake to check on him.
“Hey,” he answers.
It’s dark, but it looks like he’s in an alleyway between the old brick buildings of his campus. I frown.
“Where are you?”
“Outside.” A commotion behind him interrupts us. “Yo, shut up for a minute. It’s my sister.”
When he turns to them, I spot some of his teammates in the background. Including Johnny.
My eyes widen. His face is red and mottled, one eye swelling shut with the beginnings of a black eye. Two big guys that have to play on defense have him pinned to the wall.
“Um…”
“Don’t worry about that piece of shit,” Ryan says through his teeth.
I blink, startled at the complete one-eighty from his friendship. His hard expression cracks and he stares at me sadly through the small screen.
Oh. My stomach clenches.
Ryan knows. There’s no question about the angry hatred that blazed in his eyes a moment ago.
I don’t know how he learned what Johnny did to me, but my intuition has a strong guess.
Ryan scrubs a hand over his face. “You know you can talk to me, right?”
“I—yeah.” I swallow. “You didn’t have to—”
“Yes I did, Maya. I’m your brother.” He blows out a breath, lifting his brows. “I hope next time I don’t have to hear about important shit from your boyfriend.”
A wet laugh leaves me as a knot that’s been tangled for far too many years finally loosens in my chest. I wish I was still at his school so I could hug him. Damn Johnny for twisting my belief in my brother. I should’ve been able to trust that he’d be on my side if I’d had the courage to tell him sooner.
“Okay,” I promise.
His throat bobs. “I’m sorry. I should’ve seen through that asshole right away.”
I shake my head. “I didn’t have the guts to tell you, so it’s not like you could’ve known.”
“It doesn’t matter. I should’ve had your back.”
“Thanks.”
He sighs, mouth lifting at the corner. “What a way to end my college hockey career.”
“What? Come on, you could still make the playoffs.”
“Doubt it. We’ve had a really shitty season.” He snorts. “It’s fine. Buffalo sent a contract with their official offer. Once I sign it, I can’t play in the NCAA league anyway.”
“Oh my god, Ry! You didn’t tell me, dick,” I say in excitement. “Congratulations. Are you going to sign with them?”
“It just happened before yesterday’s game. I’ve been busy.” He gives me the same smile that he’s always had when he lured me into something mischievous when we were growing up. “Come see your brother in the NHL.”
“You bet. I’m proud of you.”
“Thanks. Oh, shit. Coach is calling. I’d better go before he kills us.”
“Bye.”
“Later.”
I rest my head against the window, a weight lifted from my shoulders that I’ve carried with me since the moment I ended my joke of a relationship with Johnny. He created a rift between me and my brother that I know I’ll be able to repair. With Easton’s help, Ryan started the bridge that will bring us back together.
Reagan reaches from the driver’s seat to squeeze my hand. “You good?”
“Yes. Thanks.”
She gives another supportive squeeze.
The rest of the ride is spent with all four of us belting out songs with the windows down despite the brisk late February weather. It doesn’t matter to us. Nothing can touch us when we’re having fun.
By the time we make it back to Heston Lake, Easton lets me know the team bus isn’t far behind us. He invites me to let myself into the hockey house with the spare key he gave me after our ice skating date.
“Thanks for dropping me off here,” I tell Reagan when she parks out front.
“Of course. Tonight was wicked fun.” She winks and shimmies her shoulders. “All that excitement.”
“Hell yes,” Corinne cheers from the back seat. “I’m so glad I came out for this. Now I want to go see a professional game.”
“I think we’ve converted a new fan,” Hana says through laughter.
“What are you guys going to do now?” I ask.
“Dance around at our place and drink the box of wine in the fridge,” Reagan says. “You’ll be missed while you get dicked down. Enjoy that.”
I smirk at her saucy tone. “Thanks, I will.”
“Bring me all the dirty details when you come back,” she calls after me as I get out of her car. “Don’t leave anything out, we want to know everything!”
I grin and wave to my friends while they drive off. On my way inside, Easton’s cat gets up from her napping spot on the porch to rub against my leg. I fill her bowl with food and get her fresh water before heading upstairs. She follows me, hopping on the bed when I sit down with the overnight bag I dropped off earlier before we left for the away game.
She explores my stuff when I put the bag on the floor, trying to climb in when I get the latest romance book I borrowed from Reagan.
I take a photo of her head poking out of my bag to send to Easton. “You fit. Is that your new spot?”
She hops right back out when I stretch out on the bed to read, purring as she curls up at my side. It’s peaceful getting lost in reading with her company.
“I like coming home to this. You in my bed.”
Easton’s leaning in the door with a handsome crooked smile. A warm glow echoes within my chest, spreading through me. He pops off the door frame and I save my page, setting the book on the nightstand.
The cat gives a faint trilling sound in greeting without moving from her spot. He chuckles, strolling to the bed to let her sniff his hand.
I clasp it, examining his busted knuckles with a frown. “You shouldn’t have fought during the game. What if you’d been suspended? There aren’t many games left before the season ends. You’re working so hard to stand out when you play so you can achieve your dreams.”
“This isn’t from the game.” He laces his fingers with mine, gazing at our joined hands. “I was blocking your brother’s hits more than hitting him back.”
“What do you mean?”
The cat grows bored with us when we stop paying attention to her. She jumps off the bed and pads from the room.
Easton sits beside me, bringing my hand to his lips for a soft kiss. “Ryan came to find me before the bus was due to leave, wanting me to go with him. We worked things out between us.” His blue eyes pierce mine. “I got my moment alone. Your ex knows not to even look at you ever again.”
The gritty, protective tone he uses sends heat racing through me. With my worries about the game gone, all that’s left is the sensual need this wild side of him stirs in me.
I want to feel what his fiery savageness is like when it’s unleashed on my body. My desires are reflected in his darkening gaze as it drops to my mouth, then rakes over me.
“Maya,” he rasps.
I move first. He catches me in his arms and we collide in a passionate kiss. We’re more desperate than we’ve ever been for each other, yanking and tugging at our clothes while teeth nip at lips and nails scrape across skin.
A moan flies out of me when he roughly flips me over, body covering mine as he reaches around to squeeze my breast and work my jeans and thong down. He gets them off, then his palm pushes on the middle of my back.
“Head down, ass up, baby,” he grits out.
Arousal throbs in my clit as the tip of his cock glides against my folds. I grip the sheets, pushing back to get what I want.
He squeezes my ass. “Oh, you want it, huh? Did you get all hot and wet from watching me tonight?”
“Yes.”
A rumble sounds from him. “You want to get fucked hard, Maya?”
I cry out in response as his cock begins to stretch me. He stops at just the tip, driving me crazy. I wriggle, attempting to take more of his length. He holds me steady, outmatching me for strength.
“Come on. Fuck me now.”
“How do you want it? Tell me.”
“Rough.”
The pleading admission makes me hot all over, my core pulsing with excitement.
A scream catches in my throat when he slams into me, fingers gripping my hips firm enough to leave marks. I shiver at the thought of finding proof of this moment later. The angle is divine, each thrust lighting me up from his cock hitting me deep.
He takes a fistful of my hair. It’s just tight enough to add pressure, keeping my head where he wants it. My mouth drops open with another moan.
“Fuck, you take my cock so good. You’re my good fucking girl, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” I chant breathlessly over and over.
Every inch of my body is taut with pleasure from my nipples to my clit to my pussy until I explode. The orgasm blindsides me, making my thighs quiver from the intense force of red hot waves of ecstasy crashing over me.
“Jesus—fuck, Maya,” he grits out. “That’s it. Come all over my cock.”
He releases my hair and leans down so he’s braced over me, holding one of my wrists in a possessive grip. It makes his cock reach even deeper as he drives inside me.
“Oh god,” I choke out.
“Give me another one,” he growls in my ear. “I want your pussy soaking my cock.”
My insides clamp around his dick as another overwhelming bolt of arousal spears through me. His fingers find my clit, circling it with a firm touch. Combined with the consuming sensations of everything else, he sends me right to the edge.
The scream trying to escape me catches in my throat. My back arches as I unravel, giving myself over to oblivion.
I’m faintly aware of his hips stuttering and the throb of his cock filling me with his come.
He collapses next to me for a moment, leg pressed against mine. Panting, he rolls to his side and finds my hand.
I’m too worn out to move, still shivering and tingly all over as the orgasm ebbs away.
“That was—amazing,” I get out between heaving breaths.
“Yeah.” He slings an arm over his eyes. “Holy shit, baby.”
A tired laugh leaves me. We catch our breaths in comfortable silence. He traces random patterns on the inside of my arm. I close my eyes, relaxing from the soothing feel of his fingertips gently grazing my skin.
He recovers first, lifting me into his arms with ease. My thighs slide together in response to his incredible strength and stamina.
“Where are you taking me?” I manage.
“I gave it to you rough. Now it’s time to worship you,” he explains as he takes us into the bathroom.
“You don’t have to. I asked for it because I wanted it like that.” My lips twitch. “And I enjoyed every second of it.”
He gives me a soft smile, kissing my temple before setting me on the counter. “I know. So did I. It was hot as hell. But I want to do this now. This is my way of taking care of you every way you need it.”
Once he turns on the shower, he kneels between my legs. I bite my lip as he scoots my hips to the edge of the counter and pulls my legs over his shoulders. Then his mouth descends on my pussy and I’m lost to his skilled tongue.
Steam fills the room while he takes me apart all over again.
I tip over the edge from the slow build up, pleasure rolling through me in delicious ripples. He peers up to watch me come, caressing my thighs.
Nudging him up to his feet, I loop my arms around his neck for a kiss, tasting both of us. His palms trace my spine before he hugs me tightly. Both of us say how we feel without words.
The hot water feels amazing while we shower. He washes me, big hands mapping every inch of my skin with reverence.
When we’re done and dried off, he takes me to bed, pulling me close to rest my head on his chest. His hands thread through my damp hair.
“I’ve got you, baby,” he whispers before I drift off.
