Page 42 of College Hockey Bully

“As long as it doesn’t come back to bite your ass.” She points at me. “And as long as you don’t fall for him.”

That comment earns her a snort. I gather the clothes and rise from her living room couch. “As if.”

“As if what?”

“Even if I have a thing for Aiden, he would never look twice at a girl like me.” It doesn’t matter that I made him hard yesterday. He was only a hot-blooded guy responding to touch.

“You’re selling yourself short,” she admonishes me. “Aiden would be lucky if a girl like you looked twice at him.”

I snort again. “You’ve always been my biggest cheerleader, but that’s way too much. We both know I’m not in Aiden’s league.”

“What, because you’re broke? Oh, please. You’re way smarter than him. Full stop.”

Theresa huffs with surprise when I suddenly throw my arms around her. “What’s that for?”

“For lifting me up whenever I put myself down. Thank you.”

She kisses my cheek before we part. I ruffle her hair that is as thick and long as mine. “I love you,” she whispers. “I’m always going to lift you up. Always remember, you’re not alone.”

“I know.”

“Although, sometimes you act like you are. This burden you’re carrying, it’s all of ours to share. Never forget that.”

“I won’t.”

“And always watch your back.” Her expression suddenly gets quite serious. “You say Aiden has turned over a new leaf, but my gut feeling says be careful. Things might not be what they seem.”

“Are you friends with Tabitha?” I ask jokingly and she frowns.

“Who?”

“A girl from school. We’re friends, kinda-ish. She’s a fake fortune teller who always senses evil around me.”

“She might be right. Who knows?” My sister shrugs. “It wouldn’t hurt to stay on guard.”

“I’m always on guard,” I reply, grabbing up the pile of clothes again. It’s almost one o’clock. “See you when I get back, sis.”

Making the two-minute journey home, I hurry through a shower, then slip on the red leggings and a tank top. Theresa is wrong; I’m not trying to entice Aiden, but I can’t deny how good it felt when he looked at me like that.

Just for a split second, I imagined Aiden being attracted to me.

He’s not. What I saw wasn’t longing; it was surprise that I wasn’t wearing loose-fitting clothes. Now that I’m dressed in something similar to yesterday, he won’t be surprised.

His driver arrives on time and when he drops me off at the Hunters’ magnificent estate, I find the butler waiting on the front steps. Right away, he directs me to the guest house and my face burns as I remember Mrs. Hunter’s cutting remarks yesterday. I lied when I told Aiden it didn’t hurt. I will never get used to people looking down at me.

Aiden throws the front door open and my thoughts come to an abrupt halt. What the hell is he wearing?

“Are those booty shorts?” I ask, holding back a laugh.

It takes a moment to realize that not only is he not answering, his eyes are busy taking me in. That expression on his face is definitely not surprise, and my body’s response to that look is certainly not PG. When his loaded gaze stops betweenmy thighs, it takes everything in my power not to press them together. A guy’s look shouldn’t turn me on this much.

I clear my throat. “Are we going to stand here staring each other down, or are we getting down to business?”

Aiden’s expression clears. “Yeah, sure.” He steps aside so I can enter, and I head across the living room and onto the balcony. Like yesterday, the temperature is a nice seventy, warm and breezy. I’m not a strong swimmer but even the pool looks inviting.

As I throw a towel over the massage bed, Aiden’s hands go to his waist. “No need to take those off,” I say. “They’re literally up your ass, anyway.”

He chuckles softly and I realize how much I like laughing Aiden. He’s very approachable. I squeeze a generous amount of muscle relaxer into my palm as he assumes the position on his stomach.

---