Page 6 of Power Play with My Brother's Irish Friends

Patrick’s smile widened. He made matching finger guns and shot them at me. “Oh, so that’s what has your panties in a twist. If you wanted the girl, you should’ve said so. Not my fault she climbed in my lap.”

“Only because you patted your dick and told her it would look nice up her ass.” I ran at him, jumped, and grabbed his neck, holding him in a headlock and dragging him toward the shower. “Quality over quantity, man. You think you’re winning some kind of game, but it’s all for nothing if there’s no feelings involved.”

Patrick grabbed me behind the knees and lifted. My entire body spun sideways, my hands letting go to smack on the ground and push me into a cartwheel. We might be big dudes, but muscles only get us so far on the ice. Athleticism kept us from getting injured. I landed in a half-crouch, laughing, and launched at him again. “Don’t run away from your feelings.” I pitched my voice high like the girl who’d giggled in his ear two nights ago at the bar.

Patrick ducked my second attempt, kicked out a leg, and swept it at my feet. I jumped over the clumsy move and darted into the locker room ahead of him.

His cursing blistered a blue streak that burned my ears. I’d heard it often enough to ignore almost everything he said, except for the last line. “At least I’m out there getting some. When’s the last time you chased a pussy?”

“If you have to chase it, you’re doing it wrong.” I chucked my gear into my locker and stripped.

A collective “Daaaaaamn” echoed around the room from the rest of the team. They looked back and forth between us, the rookies getting their first taste of how things worked in the locker room.

I sauntered into the shower, shutting out whatever insult Patrick hurled at my back. He had no idea the effect his words had. I’d never chased a girl. Mostly because the one I wanted was so completely off limits that I’d lost the ability to consider anyone else. I showered and slung a towel around my waist. No sense being shy around the team. Half of them strolled around with their dicks out, not giving a shit who saw.

Running another towel over my hair, I slung water from the dripping ends.

“What the hell, Austin?” The feminine voice stopped me in my tracks the instant I rounded the corner.

My heart skipped, then thudded painfully against my ribs as it sought escape. No way. I closed my eyes. No fucking way Miranda was standing in our locker room. I shook the voice away and opened my eyes.

Austin crossed the room in two strides and grabbed his little sister around the waist. He lifted her off her feet and swung her around. “You made it.”

Her laughter spilled out in waves.

I fisted my hands in the towel and dragged it back and forth over my head. Miranda fucking Lake was in our locker room, looking for all the world like a runway model in her sleek black pants, white shirt, and adorably girlish polkadotted bowtie. With her long, dark hair swept up in some kind of fancy twist, she belonged on the cover of some business magazine, not in front of me while I wore nothing but a towel. A towel that would never hide the surge of heat filling my cock.

I’d always had a soft spot for Miranda. She was my best friend’s little sister. I was supposed to watch out for her and protect her, not wish for one chance to make love to her and show her how much I really cared about her.

“You could have warned everyone I was on my way.” Miranda smacked Austin’s shoulders and he lowered her to the floor.

“Ah.” He waved a hand. “Nothing you haven’t seen before.”

The hell it wasn’t. Didn’t matter. Austin ensured everyone knew Miranda was off limits. I shifted my weight, suddenly uncertain about where I belonged in this situation. Did I go say hi or give her space? Austin told me about her breakup with that dick Luther. He said she’d been pretty torn up over it. Stupid pretty boy prick. I’d like to get my hands on him.

“Where’s Duncan?” Miranda smoothed her white shirt where Austin’s hug had created splotches, turning the material transparent in places. She frowned at the sight. “I’m supposed to meet him.”

The fuck? Why was she supposed to meet with Duncan?

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