Page 55 of The Game

“Not if you don’t want to lose a limb or two.” Cole strolls into the kitchen, sending his roommate straight to hell with his glare.

I brush my hands down the front of the apron I found in the drawer. “Nobody’s losing any limbs. There’s plenty of food and coffee for everyone.”

He frowns at me, walking up to slide an arm around my waist and dropping a kiss on my forehead. I guess it’s still on,at least for the day. “But he said was going to kiss you. Not allowed. Mine.”

“I don’t belong to you, Cole.” That possessive tone sets off alarm bells in my head, and I shove at his arm. I know it’s just his roommates, and he’s teasing, but I had more than enough of the jealous, possessive, controlling boyfriend bit to last a lifetime. Not looking for any more of that.

He bends down to whisper in my ear. “Not what you said last night. Last night you were all mine.”

“Well, it’s not night anymore. And during the day, I’m my own person, so back off. Don’t worry, you’ll get a treat too.” My shove this time is more playful. I know he’s just posturing around his roommates. That’s the whole vibe of this house.

His smirk is evil. “Really. A treat just for me?”

If I rolled my eyes back any farther, they’d end up in the back of my skull. “No. The scones are for everyone.”

“Scones?” Beau steps into the kitchen, followed by a grumbling Dev. Even the big man lights up a little when he stumbles through the door, rubbing a hand over the closely shorn hair on top of his head.

“Yes, I made blueberry scones from scratch. I hope you don’t mind I stole some of the frozen berries.”

“It’s fine. They’re for smoothies, but we can get more.”

“Perfect. I’ve gotta flip this bacon and look after the eggs before they burn.”

Cole follows me back to the stove, stepping in close and slipping his hands around my waist as if he needs the touch as much as I do.

“I’ve got things to do. If you’re not going to help, then back off.”

“I can think of several things I’d like to do to you.” His breath tickles the back of my neck, raising the hairs. “But if you insist on finishing this cooking, then I can help you.”

I tilt my head up to him. The doubt must be very clear in my expression.

“What? I can totally cook. I used to cook for my younger sisters all the time while my dad was at work.”

“Okay then. Grab the tongs and flip that bacon over. I’ll finish these eggs up.” I toss some fresh chives into the mix as well as some chopped tomatoes.

He gets to work, keeping his hands to himself as we work together, moving about the kitchen with ease as if we’ve done it a million times before. I’m used to a crowded kitchen, and as the youngest of six girls I was always given the mundane tasks like chopping vegetables and tossing salads together, but I actually enjoy the work. It’s soothing and reminds me of the best parts of home. Food has always been an inextricable part of our life.

“I miss my family.”

“Me too. I wish I lived closer, but it will not get any better after I graduate, unless some of my siblings attend a school closer to where I end up.”

“That’s gotta be tough. Not knowing where you’ll end up.”

“It is, but it’s worth it. The things I’ll be able to do for them after I get a contract will all make it worthwhile.”

He yoinks a slice of bacon off the tabletop griddle, dropping it and blowing on his fingers. “Fuck.”

“Serves you right. You should know better. Is that why you want to play professional hockey? To look after your family?”

He nods his head, pulling his burnt finger out of his mouth. A flutter of desire wakes up as if I’m still not satisfied, even after the mind-blowing sex we had last night. Greedy. Now that I’ve had a taste, I’m not sure I’m going to be able to back off.

The oven lets out a long beep to give us the one-minute warning, so I serve up eggs on the pristine white plates I found in the cupboard. Cole adds a couple of slices of bacon to each one and then pulls the perfectly baked scones out of the oven.

The guys are lounging around the big dining room table, but Beau shoots to his feet at my approach. “I’ll grab cutlery and napkins.”

It’s a nice little group. I don’t quite understand why Cole kept to himself after he got here, but it looks like he missed out on so much. They seem like good guys.

Everyone is seated at the table about to dig in when I spin around to head back to the kitchen, but I run straight into Cole in the doorway. He grips my waist. “Sit down.”

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