Page 51 of Always Yours

Unable to handle my inner monologue, I snap the shit out of my wrist and blurt out, “Why aren’t you at the rink?”

“Morning skate was canceled. You didn’t get the text?”

I shake my head. “I didn’t.”

“I told you, you gotta give me your number.”

I press my lips together as I sigh deeply, my eyes drifting shut. Much to my dismay, Dimitri knows I’m dying inside, and he grins like he just scored a fat trick. No, a hat trick. Thank goodness I didn’t say that out loud. He wouldn’t let me live that down.

But that is the least of my issues. Like I knew she would, Louisa speaks up. “So, I’ll say it. Who are you?”

Dimitri looks at my older sister. “Janie didn’t tell you? I’m her roommate.”

I don’t open my eyes; I don’t even move. I just stand there and feel everyone’s gazes on me. Maybe if I don’t move, they’ll think I went to sleep and leave me alone.

“Her roommate. A guy,” Louisa draws out. “A good-looking guy, at that.”

Dimitri chuckles as I die slowly. “Thanks. You’re very beautiful yourself.”

Yup. I don’t like that at all.

“Though, I wouldn’t expect anything less, with you being Janie’s sister,” he adds softly, knocking his shoulder into mine.

Is he calling me gorgeous?

I don’t know. I don’t react since I’m playing dead.

“Hermuch more experiencedolder sister,” Louisa supplies, and my eyes whip over so I can cut her a glaring look.

Ireallydon’t like that.

Dimitri chuckles as Eliza’s brows are in her hairline. “Is this your boyfriend?”

I gawk at her, and soon I’m stammering, “No. No. Absolutely not. There was a mix-up with housing, and we both got assigned here.”

“And you didn’t ask for another assignment?” Louisa asks, surprise swirling in her gaze. “He’s a guy.”

“I’m so glad everyone knows I’m a guy,” he jokes, sending me one of those easy smirks.

They must not be affected by his smirk, because they just grin, while I want to melt into a puddle of goo and die.

“We grew up where men and women weren’t allowed in the same area unless they were married,” Eliza informs him. “Hell, even on your wedding night, you didn’t move in together. It was a week after—” Her voice breaks off when I shake my head, begging her to shut the hell up.

Dimitri’s gaze moves to me, and I refuse to meet his eyes. He probably thinks we’re weird—or hell, I don’t even want to know what he thinks. Instead, I distract myself with his tight shorts that are cutting off the circulation along his thighs, or even his tank. His biceps are in abundance, and I know my sisters are checking him out. Hell, I am.

“I didn’t know that. Janie hadn’t told me about it.”

Louisa shrugs. “We really don’t talk about it with other people. It wasn’t the best part of our lives.”

I meet her gaze. “Are you done?”

She looks as if I’ve cussed at her. “I’m just telling him not to be in his feelings that you didn’t tell him about it because of all the—”

“Louisa,” I say, my tone harder than I wish it were. “Just drop it.”

“That’s unfortunate, Janie, but I’m excited to discuss it further with you.”

“I’d rather be a goalie without the equipment, thank you,” I snap, glaring at him.

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