Page 27 of Pucking Only

He moves past me and weaves his way to the bathroom. Once he’s out of sight, I release a long breath and lean against the bar. I try to get the bartender’s attention again to order another drink.

Just as I start to relax, a figure moves to stand next to me. He’s a little too close for comfort. Turning my gaze up, I open my mouth to tell the guy to back off. The words die in my throat when I meet Carson’s icy gaze.

“Having fun?” he snaps.

“As a matter of fact, I am,” I hiss.

“So glad to hear that,” he grumbles.

“What’s your problem?” I demand to know, turning so I’m facing him fully. “Why are you bugging me?”

“I’m bugging you?” He lets out a humorless laugh. “That’s rich, considering that you’re like a canker sore I can’t seem to shake.”

“You’re infuriating,” I declare, waving my hand dismissively as I begin to turn away from him.

Before I can take a full step, he grabs my arm and yanks me away from the bar. I gasp, stumbling as I'm pulled through the crowded bar. Carson's grip is firm, his face a mask of fury.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I snap, but he ignores me. He’s too strong to resist and I don’t want to cause a scene. I go with him without fighting his hold. He drags me to the back door of the bar, out into the alley behind the building.

"What the hell are you doing, Skyler?" he hisses.

"Carson, let go!" I snap, no longer worried about causing a scene since we’re alone.

Releasing my arm, he backs me up against the brick wall of the building. "Messing with my teammates now, huh? Is that your game?"

My heart is pounding, partly from the suddenness of it all and partly from the intensity in his eyes.

"Jesus Christ, Carson!” I snap. “Are you serious? I knew you were going to do this! It’s like high school all over again, you asshat! You can’t tell me who I can and can’t talk to!”

"Talking? That's what you call it?" he scoffs, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Looked like you were doing a lot more than talking."

I glare at him, anger bubbling up. "Why do you even care? It's none of your business who I talk to or how I do it. And why does it matter if I flirt with Zander? He’s nice, he likes me, and we’re grown adults! What the fuck has gotten into you?"

His eyes narrow, and he steps closer, his presence overwhelming. "It is my business when you're messing with my team. You think I don't see what you're doing? Flirting with Zander just to get back at me."

"Get back at you? For what? You're the one acting like a jealous ex, Carson. Newsflash: you are not my brother, you arenot the boss of me, and you are not my ex! We’ve never kissed, held hands, and honestly, we barely have any contact with each other, so where do you get off thinking you can tell me what to do?"

Unbelievable! When we were in high school, he was always pulling this bullshit with Grace and me. He’d throw a hissy fit whenever we even glanced at one of his teammates. It wasn’t such a problem for Grace, since she’d sworn off dating hockey players. I didn’t have the same hang-ups as she did. I liked to flirt, and most of the guys on his team were hot.

I hadn’t expected him to act like an overprotective big brother again. Since we’re adults, I foolishly believed he’d realize I was a woman with wants and needs that were none of his business. Frustration burns through me. Why can’t he see me as anything other than the little girl who’s a nuisance that gets in his way and annoys him at every turn.

“Stay away from my teammates, Skyler,” he hisses, his eyes flashing.

I glare up at him and growl, “You can’t tell me who I can and can’t hang out with! It’s none of your goddamn business!”

“None of my business?” he snarls. “You messing with my life is none of my business?”

“I’m not messing with anything!” I insist, stomping my foot in frustration. “Jesus Christ, Carson, do you really think I spend all my time just thinking about how I can make you miserable?”

He slaps his hands on the wall on either side of me, trapping me in place.

“You don’t even have to try,” he hisses. “You just do it naturally.”

My jaw drops as I stare up at him.

“Carson, you’re not making any sense.”

“Nothing makes sense when it comes to you,” hemurmurs. His face is flushed and his eyes are flashing as he looks down at me. I’ve never seen him like this before. I’ve never seen him look so… intense.

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