Page 64 of Playing to Win

Sean shot me a worried look. Right, I should be a little happier to see my boyfriend. I still had one job, and I sure as hell couldn’t afford to lose it. I reached a hand up to Braydon’s shirt and tugged him down. Before he knew what I was doing, I’d pressed my mouth to his.

He twitched. And for a moment didn’t respond. I tugged on his shirt again, and then he moved his hand to the back of my head, threading his fingers through my hair the way he liked to do and sending a different buzzing through my body as he committed to the kiss.

He pulled back. I almost fell against him and his hands moved to my arms.

“Okay?”

I smiled dreamily, forgetting my problems and my location for a few heady seconds.

“Come on, babe.”

Babe?Did we have pet names? I didn’t remember pet names. Could I live with babe? I could try. “Okay, babe!”

Braydon blinked and gripped my hand. He tugged and I slid to my feet. I wobbled a little, so he released my hand—boo! And wrapped his arm around my waist. That was nice.

I leaned into him, like I could let my problems go for a few minutes. I didn’t do that. I had to depend on myself. But we were still in the bubble, not dealing with real life, so I relaxed and let him lead me away.

Braydon had pulled his truck into a loading zone not far from the Pub. His blinkers were on, and he hadn’t been towed.Lucky bastard.

He led me to the passenger door and unlocked the car. “Need help to get in?”

Did I? I wanted it, so I nodded. He wrapped his hands around my waist and lifted me up. My ass landed on the seat, and he helped me tuck my legs in before closing the door.

Once he was behind the wheel, engine running and welcome heat coming through the vents, he turned to me, the worry lines back on his forehead. “Where do you want to go? Your place?”

I shook my head, hitting it on the passenger window. “Ouch.”

His lips twisted. “Um, my place? Not for, you know, but…”

I let my head lean against the glass. Some “you know” would definitely keep the real world at bay, but I was too drunk, too drained to make “you know” any good.

“Yeah, let’s go to your place.”

Braydon’s place wasn’t part of my world. I didn’t have to worry about my problems there. It was easier to focus on his.

He stretched out his hand, gave my leg a light squeeze. “Whatever you want.”

Chapter20

Better out than in

Braydon

Jayna fellasleep on the way back to Oakville. She didn’t look totally comfortable, her neck twisted against the glass, but it was probably easier to sleep than deal with whatever her doctor had told her.

It obviously wasn’t good. How bad was it, to have her drinking in a bar alone? My brain shied away from the thought, because it couldn’t be that she wasn’t going to play hockey again. Hockey was Jayna’s whole reason for life. The videos of her playing? She was incredible. It wouldn’t be fair if she couldn’t play. Probably they’d told her there was going to be more delay. Maybe another surgery. That would be upsetting enough, right?

I’d texted Luke to let him know I was coming back with Jayna, and that she wasn’t in a good space.

This is your fake girlfriend you’re bringing back?

Yeah

And she’s not dealing with this with her friends?

I got what he was saying. It didn’t make sense to him that Jayna would want to be with me instead of her friends if she needed support. But her friends were her teammates, and this must be something she didn’t want to talk about with them. My stomach clenched as the implications of that tried to make themselves known, but I shoved the thought back down.

At least Luke wouldn’t say anything to Jayna when we came in. I’d take her to my room, let her talk, or not. I’d make her drink some water and take some painkillers so she wouldn’t feel as bad tomorrow. Then I’d leave her to sleep.

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