Page 21 of Bracing the Blue Line (Bracing for Love 1)

I lift my head with a smile in hopes that this goes how I want. “Hey, Paula. How have you been?” I ask my ex-girlfriend.

“Good. You? You seem to be playing well. You certainly look good.”

Grinning, I nod. “Yeah, you too. Are you seeing anyone?”

She shakes her head, and my smile grows. “Why are you looking at me like that?” Reaching for her hips, I tug her closer to me. I slip my thumbs underneath her tank top. Before I can speak, she shakes her head. “Winston, no. No, no, no, no.”

“Oh, c'mon.” I pull her into my lap and she comes easily. As I begin kissing her neck, she wraps her arms loosely around mine. “Just once, right now.”

“You're a dick,” she breathes, and I know I've hooked her. Paula can't resist a kiss to her neck. “Why do you want this so badly anyway? We both know you're choosing me only because I'm right here and I won't come crawling after you when we're done.”

Maddie flashes in my mind, but I shove her back out. “Yes or no?” I ask, ignoring her question.

“Answer me and it's a yes. You aren't the only one wanting something.”

We stand. I take her hand and begin leading her to a private bathroom one floor up. “I need to get laid, Paula. I'm sick of being so damn frustrated.”

“Who is frustrating you?” She asks as I pull her into the room, locking the door behind her.

I don't even answer. Instead, I tug our shorts off and within seconds, I'm inside her. It's quick, but I feel so much better once we're done. As we redress, I mumble a thanks.

Paula laughs. “Don't make this a habit, Winston. Might as well go after the girl.”

I groan as I open the door, just as Maddie walks by. Her eyes widen with surprise, but she gives us a tight smile and keeps on walking. What in the hell? Is she going to show up everywhere now?

“That her?” Paula whispers.

“Go to hell.”

Her laughter follows me as I go back downstairs to finish my workout. It doesn't matter that Maddie saw us or could figure out what we were doing in the bathroom together. I can do whatever I damn well please.

“THAT WAS A shitty shot, Neil,” I taunt. He’s been trying to score on me for the past ten minutes, and he hasn’t yet.

“Shut the fuck up.” He nods to Bo and a couple of others before they all come at me at once.

There’s no way I can block them all and they laugh as I scramble in an attempt to do so. Practice ended thirty minutes ago, but a couple of us stayed back to hang out for some relaxed fun.

“Those were some shitty saves, Grant,” Neil mocks as he laughs.

I shrug. “Don’t worry. I’m leaving. You have an empty net and nothing but your bad shots to keep you from scoring.”

He glares, sending a puck my way hard and fast, but I glove it and grin.

“Bastard,” he mumbles.

Feeling satisfied, I skate off the ice, calling see-you-later’s out over my shoulder.

“Hey! Wait up. I’m coming with you,” Bo yells from behind me.

We walk to the locker room, change, and then head out to my truck. Bo is in the middle of a joke when we hear a pissed off male yell, “Grant Faison!”

We stop and turn around. I immediately recognize Patrick. He's with a guy who has to be his other brother, Jonathan. What do they want from me? It’s been a few days since I’ve seen Lucy, not that I would run into her, and I don’t know why her brothers would want to talk to me. They walk up to me, folding their arms over their chests, and I hope they don’t mean to intimidate me. I mean, Jonathan is a big football player while Patrick is still built, but smaller. That’s what it feels like they are trying to do though. It doesn’t help that they both look pissed.

“Hey, Patrick. Jonathan, I’m assuming?” I look towards the taller of the two, and it’s clear they are related. They share the same black hair, although their eyes aren’t blue like Lucy’s.

Jonathan nods curtly. “What did you say to our sister?” He’s accusing me of something, but I don’t have a clue what he’s talking about. Bo stands next to me awkwardly.

“Excuse me?” I question, confused.

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