Page 14 of Double Pucked

Her eyes widen with worry. Like I’m about to get on her case for lambasting a straying man when I am not at all. So I quickly add, “It was a total baller move.”

She dips her face, maybe a tiny bit shy over the praise. Great. Just great. That’s sexy too—the way she’s got a bit of a shy side to go with her outgoing, badass personality.

Don’t get any ideas. Don’t start thinking about taking her out. Nope. She’s just a fan and that’s all.

I reach across the seat and offer a fist for bumping. There. She’s just a fan, not a cutie I want to take home, strip down to nothing, and lick everywhere till she’s begging for more. All night long.

She bumps back.

Not to be left out, Chase joins in, the three of us knocking together.

When Trina lets go, she leans back into her seat, but she doesn’t seem as playful as she was seconds ago. Or as saucy. Maybe she’s thinking about her jerk of an ex.

And that won’t do at all. “Trina, we’re going to help you make him regret every single second of hurting you.” I shift my gaze to my buddy. “Isn’t that right, Weston?”

Chase nods, his expression intensely serious, like he is on the ice. “We fucking are.”

Trina smiles again, and my chest feels a little strange when she does that. A little good. “I’m liking hockey more and more,” she says.

“You’ll love it by the end of the night,” Chase says, then flashes that winning smile her way again.

Oh, shit.

I know that smile.

That smile is so damn dangerous.

That’s hisI like a girlsmile.

And I need to shut down any more inappropriate thoughts of her, stat.

Chase’s my guy. He’s been there for me since we were kids. He was there when my dad spiraled into the bottle when I was in grade school, when Dad came home drunk and mean, then when he messed around with anyone in a skirt, till my mom—who felt terrifyingly dependent on him—finally kicked him out. Likewise, I was there for Chase when he was in college and his dad—his hero, his idol—died after a long illness.

There’s no way I’m ever letting a girl come between us again. Once was enough and it damn near killed me.

As much as it pains me, I don’t even look at Trina when we reach the bar and get out of the limo.

And it’s painful because I’m desperate to stare at her smackable ass.

But I don’t. Instead, I pull Chase aside for a few seconds and tell him my plan for the night.

“Hell yes,” he says.

Glad we’re in agreement on that. I just wish we weren’t in such obvious unspoken agreement over how delicious our VIP guest clearly is to both of us.

And I know we’re going to have to deal with that problem very, very soon.

5

TELL US EVERYTHING

Trina

Look, Ryker’s still an asshole.

And Chase’s definitely still a playboy charmer.

But Chase also seems like a legit good guy.

---