Page 17 of Puck My Heart

I shrugged easily. “Anya has some issues with the hot water in the bathroom we were sharing. Got it sorted. Good to see you made it up here safely.” I held out a hand that he clasped, and he slapped my back.

“Yeah, man. Just got here. Shit drive.”

“Weather sucked. Nearly wiped myself out on the way in.”

Behind me, Anya made a small sound at my lie, but I’d get to that in a minute.

Sol muttered something in my ear I didn’t really hear. I nodded and waved him out, making a show of following him, though I waited until he left my bedroom and trampled down the stairs, ostensibly to unpack his things.

I turned back to face Anya, my explanation of why I needed time to explain the situation to her brother, but all I got was a face full of utter betrayal and abject hurt that rippled across face right before the door to her bedroom slammed shut and she disappeared into the hallway beyond, following her brotherdown the stairs, leaving me alone at the doorway adjoining the bathroom that connected our rooms.

“Fuck.Fuck.” I banged my head against the door frame, closing my eyes.That could have gone better. Now I’d lied to Solace and hurt Anya. One I’d get away with. The other…

Solace’s apology would have to wait. He’d get over it.

Maybe.

I just hoped his sister would be as forgiving.

CHAPTER EIGHT

ANYA

I stormed through the snow, past the girl I hoped was Hallie, otherwise more than one man would be explaining himself to me later, and ignored my brother’s greetings. The boots I grabbed weren’t the best for these conditions, and halfway between the forest and the pond beyond the house I changed my mind when the damn things began to leak.

Pivoting, I headed for the garage. At least there I’d be dry, if not a little warm. Leaving the house suddenly seemed like a stupid decision but I couldn't stay there with Huxley any longer when he lied about us to my brother’s face the moment he turned up.

So much for ‘I’ve waited years for you’.

Or whatever bullshit line I bought into sometime in the last hours with him. Apparently men really did negotiate with their cocks in their hands, and thought with them too. If I took that away from him, what was there left?

Hux was just a really hot hockey player, not the boy I grew up with who I thought was a whole lot more off the ice.

I shoved in the tiny side door to the garage on the other side of the house, and sank ankle deep in half a foot of fresh snow.Apparently my brother and his girlfriend had used the path like any sensible person. Which right now was not me. But I was intent on being stubborn and not going back inside just because I got cold. I barged at the door a second time, rewarded when it opened and pushed it wider, slipping through the gap. My butt pushed it shut.

Post the day long fuck session with Hux, my legs barely worked, but I pushed forward, walking around Solace’s SUV that looked like a black tank, an upgrade from his usual sports car, and headed around to my white city car. It hadn’t been snowing when I arrived a few days earlier, and I hadn't needed snow chains. I also had no idea how on earth I’d get home because my city car wasn’t made to deal with this sort of weather, but I’d deal with that later, too.

Right now all I needed was to get my wet shoes off before I lost a toe, and warm the fuck up. Maybe find some tape to wrap around my heart before that fell into pieces I’d already picked up a few months ago.

Hux was supposed to be the safer option.

I kicked my boots off, left the soggy fabric beside the driver's door and pulled it open, sliding inside. My spare key sat in the glove compartment. I flicked the ignition on and the door up, backing the car out of the garage without running over my boots while I seethed. I might be stubborn, but I wasn’t stupid enough to gas myself.

And ran bang into a hard body with a dark head of hair I’d just spent the last hours wrapped around.

In a second all my anger dissipated.

Fuck, fuck, fuckity fuck. I just backed over the captain of the Jericho Chimeras.

Ten bucks insurance wouldn’t cover that.

“Hux!” I yelped, scooting across to the passenger side. Kicking the door open I peered out, unwilling to put my bare feetin the snow. Hux straightened, rubbing the back of his neck and stared straight at me.

Words tumbled from my mouth as panic flowed fresh. “Oh my God. I hit you! I have to get you to a hospital.”

“You crazy fucking girl,” he growled. His face was a mask of pure rage, his eyes focused before he launched at me.

A squeal left my lips as I scooted backward into the seat I just vacated. Hux climbed right into my car, which, while it seemed to be the perfect size for just me, was dwarfed with his tall frame stuffed inside it. He closed the door behind himself, and faced me.

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