Page 74 of Crossing Lines

“Owen shows up at my apartment sometimes.” I freed a ragged breath. I’d only been here a few months and had already made a mess of my life. I snapped my gaze to his. “I’ve given Jonah a key to my place so we don’t walk in together. And, and we don’t go to any places around here. We always go into Phoenix or stay at my place.” I wrinkled my brows. “He’s very close with his friends. They won’t say a word.”

“Shit happens, Ryan.” He breathed in deeply, tipping his head back for a beat, then drew his attention to me. “Next time you see Owen at your apartment, I want you to call the police.”

“But what if it makes him angry and he goes to the head coach?” My chest pinched. I was stuck with nowhere to go until the season was over.

“Then you come home.” He pressed his lips into a grim line. “You forget all this crap and come home to me.” He squeezed my hand.

My eyes widened. Surely, he was speaking to me as my best friend. I nodded and gulped, a lump climbing up my throat.

“You know they’d take you back in the junior league. They loved you there. You’re a legend there.” He shook my hand.

“Yeah.” I picked up my beer and gulped it down. For now, I’d stay the course and see where things fell.

“Anyway, this place is sort of a bust with your clinger hanging around.” He freed my hand. “I’m going to go give Addy my hotel room number, and then I’ll walk you home.” He smirked. “In case the clinger thinks he’s going to try stalking you tonight.”

“Sure, thanks, Laurent.” I freed his hand and sank into the sofa, blowing out a breath and combing my fingers through my bangs. At least we weren’t staying out too late.

Patting his thighs, he stood. “Let me go talk to Addy, and I’ll walk you home.”

The next day,I sat at my desk in the coaches’ office before everyone had arrived, reviewing game footage of the players Hammett had been scouting. I’d wanted to get a head start on judging which ones would work best on our team for next year. Plus, Jonah had texted to say he had an appointment with the team doc, so we’d be able to get some time alone together.

As expected, Jonah appeared in the doorway of the office and knocked on the open door. “Hey.” Stuffing his hands into the front pockets of his jeans, he meandered in.

“Hey.” My heart fluttered as I rose up, then jogged to the door and shut it behind him. I’d been mulling over my discussion with Laurent and all that had happened last night. “Anybody here besides us and the doc?”

“Not that I saw.” He stepped close and kissed my cheek, thentwined his fingers in mine, his lips curling in a warm smile. “I won’t be playing again this weekend, but it’s just a precaution. The doc says I can return to doing normal, low-impact things.” He squeezed my hand.

“That’s good news.” I led him to my desk and hitched my hip up on the edge of it. “Will you still be traveling with the team?” After this weekend’s games, we’d be preparing for the first round of the Frozen Four. By then, Jonah should be well-rested at least.

“No, I’m going to have studying to catch up on and the doc doesn’t want me to overdo it.” He tensed the edge of his mouth and dipped his head. “It sucks.”

I nodded. “Yes, but then you won’t be tempted to sneak into my room, and we won’t risk getting caught.” I chuckled. Only a few more weeks and all the secrecy would be over. Thinking of that… “I have something to tell you.”

“Yeah? What?” He stepped closer to me, standing between my open legs, his blue gaze searching my face.

Heat shivered over my body. It had been too long since we’d been together. “I ended up going to The Club on Mill with Laurent last night.” There, now I’d told him, and he needed to know about Owen.

His eyes grew wide. “You did what?” He wrenched his hand free from mine and stepped back, then twisted around and faced me again. “Why?”

As I watched him, my chest clenched, and I hopped off my desk. Why did he look angry? “Laurent sort of talked me into it. We drove by it on the way home.”

He glared at me, his mouth gaping. “How long were you out? What did you guys?—”

“We were only there for a half-hour, tops.” I stepped to him and grabbed his hands in mine. “Jonah, what’s wrong?” He wasn’t jealous of Laurent, was he?

“I don’t want you going there without me.” He hung his head. “And especially with your ex.” His gaze met mine andsoftened. “I don’t want people thinking you’re available. ’Cause you’re not.” He was jealous.

“Nothing happened. You can trust me.” I kissed the back of his hand. “You do trust me, right?”

Shrugging a shoulder, he said, “Well, yeah, but…” He glowered. “I’m not good at this, okay? This is pretty much my first real relationship.” He twisted is lips. “It was weird being around you with your ex. You two are so close. You have a history.”

“We do, but that history is in the past. My future is with you.” I wound my arms around his shoulders and pulled him into my chest, then kissed the side of his head. “I love you, Jonah. I’m not interested in anyone else.”

“Yeah, okay.” He nuzzled into my neck and breathed in. “Fuck, you smell good,” he said, brushing his hands up and down my back. “I’m sorry. Guess I want you all to myself.” He freed me and stepped back, taking my hands. “You didn’t happen to see Owen, did you?” He tilted his head, eyeing me.

“As a matter of fact, we did.” I rubbed my thumb over his knuckles. Now for the bigger news. “He threatened me right in front of Laurent.”

“Threatened you how?” He pinched his lips. “What the hell is wrong with that guy?”

---