by Anna B. Doe
Before I could take ten steps toward her, I was stopped by half a dozen people. There were old acquaintances from school who were home for the holidays, and younger kids who’d watched YouTube videos of me back when I used to compete. I kept waiting for Naomi to come over and save me like she sometimes did in these situations, but when I finally spotted her again, she was skating out of the park. Yeah, she was definitely avoiding me.
I told the crowd forming that I’d be back later this afternoon, and got back in my car to chase her.
She was skating fast, already on the street to her parents’ house when I caught her and rolled down my window.
“Naomi,” I called.
She glanced over at me but didn’t stop skating. “Hey, Griff.”
“Can we talk?”
“I have to get home to help my mom cook.”
“When can we talk? Because our conversation the other day wasn’t finished.”
She slowed and hopped off her board. I pulled over and parked a few houses from hers before jumping out of the driver’s side. If she was giving me an opening, I’d do it right here on the sidewalk. But the look on her face made me slow my steps. She looked resigned, and sad.
“The conversation was over, Griff. I think we should both forget it ever happened.”
“Forget? I’m not going to forget. I don’t want to forget.”
She pressed her lips together and I saw her fists clench at her sides. “Griff, please. I don’t want to ruin our friendship over this. We have to pretend it never happened.”
I studied her, trying to remember what she’d said about risk assessments. Did she really believe that? Now that we’d both acknowledged the pull between us, how could she simply walk away from it? But that’s exactly what she was doing. She walked backward, clutching her board to her chest like a shield. Her eyes pleaded with me to let it go.
But I wasn’t going to let it go. No, I was going to have to convince her to give us a chance.
Naomi
Airwalk was empty on Christmas Day, and it was a treat to have it all to myself. Christmas morning with my parents was awesome but without Beck and Jordan, it wasn’t quite the same. The Perrys would be joining us in a few hours though, and then we’d have a full house.
I skated around the park, carving up and down the ramp a few times before hitting the lower rails. My mind wasn’t on trying any new tricks and I was content to flow through the ones I’d mastered years ago. I was thinking about Griffin, as usual. Griffin, who had been the one to coach me at this park on most of the tricks I could now do with ease.
I didn’t think he understood how deep my feelings for him ran. Throughout my teen years, Griff had never had a girlfriend, only flings. I knew he wouldn’t treat me like a one-night stand, but being another short-term girlfriend to him would be just as devastating. He’d started dating more seriously about five years ago, and it’d been painful to watch. They never stayed together for longer than a few months though. I couldn’t become another one of Griffin’s ex-girlfriends.
Not to mention, what would Summer think? Beck? Jordan? Would they hate us together? Would they be pissed we were throwing off the family and friendship dynamic for a shot at… What exactly?
I heard another skateboard behind me and before I could turn around, I felt him at my side.
“Merry Christmas, Naomi.” Griff’s voice washed over me, and when I glanced at him and saw his warm smile directed my way, I smiled back. Maybe he was doing what I asked, and we’d go back to the way things used to be.
“Merry Christmas, Griff.”
We skated around the park together with minimal talking. I loved just being with him, sharing space, and I was grateful that our exchange last week hadn’t ruined that, at least. When I watched Griff grind the highest railing by a set of stairs, I switched mindsets and took on some more challenging tricks. Pushing myself felt good with Griff at my side. I didn’t mind falling on my ass when he was there to help me up.
There was a set of ten stairs that I always tried jumping and rarely landed. Griff caught me eyeing them, in the mood to tackle something hard. He gave me a little push between my shoulder blades. “Go for it,” he urged, his voice soft but sending a ripple through me.
I circled back to the edge of the park to get a little more speed. My heart raced as I got closer, knowing the odds of falling and getting some nice bruises were higher than landing. I crouched low right before hitting the top stair, pressing my back foot down to lift the front of the skateboard. My feet remained planted on the board as I caught air, soaring over the steps.
When my board hit the ground on a flat surface, I knew I’d made it past all ten steps. A happy sigh left me as I glided forward, swerving in little arcs and shimmying my hips like I always did when I landed a difficult trick.
I looked over my shoulder and found Griff was in the air, riding over the same set of stairs. He zoomed forward as he landed, until we were inches apart, face to face.
I found myself studying his expression through the new lens of his confession. A hot rush flew through my veins at the way his eyes shone back at me, and I tried once again to remember why it didn’t matter. The risk was too high.
Griffin
I was usually good with women; it was easy for me. With Naomi? I was a train wreck.
She broke eye contact and started to skate away but I reached out and grabbed her hand. “Naomi, you didn’t do the calculations right.” It wasn’t smooth, but this was the angle I’d decided to take. Maybe if I spoke her language, she’d pause and listen long enough to hear me.
She stopped and look at our joined hands. “Calculations?”
“Your risk assessment, you didn’t do it right.”
“I didn’t?”
“You aren’t weighing the potential benefit heavily enough.” Her eyes snapped up to mine. “And you definitely aren’t accurately assessing the likelihood of success, of how good we’ll be together. If you’ll let me, I’ll show you how perfect we’ll be.”
Naomi swallowed and slipped her hand out of mine.
“I like to be conservative in my assessments, and those particular points are difficult to measure. What if it doesn’t work out, Griff? If we do anything about these non-sibling-type feelings we have, it can’t be something quick and light. For me, it can’t be one kiss, one hook-up. I need a promise from you that we’ll really try. I’m not going to risk our friendship for an impulsive short-term thing.” Her eyes darted away as the words tumbled from her mouth.
I moved closer, reached a hand out to cup her chin and turned her head back to face me.
“If you want this, Naomi, I’m yours. Just say the word. I don’t think it will be hard being together the way we want, but if it is, I’m not going to give up. Do you really want me the way I want you?”
She tilted her head to the side and eyed me skeptically.
“That depends. How do you want me?”
My hand dropped from her face as my pulse quickened. Did I go all in and tell her exactly how deep these feelings went, or would that scare her off? My instincts told me Naomi didn’t want to hear I was simply attracted to her. That wasn’t even close to enough to give me a chance in her risk-benefit analysis.
Before I could figure out how exactly to articulate my response, she beat me to it.
“Griff.” Her hand now moved to cup my cheek like I’d done to hers a moment ago. “I’m asking because I’ve been in love with you as long as I can remember. Way before it was appropriate. And that doesn’t mean the way I feel for you hasn’t matured as I’ve grown up. It’s only gotten stronger. So if you aren’t ready for that, if me telling you this scares you, let’s just forget any of this conversation ever happened.”
I shut her up by slamming my mouth against hers.
Naomi
Griffin’s lips on mine were better than I ever imagined. And I’d imagined them a lot. He kissed me like he’d been dreaming about it for years too, like he wanted to do it over and over ag
ain for the rest of our lives. His hands moved to my hips and he held me like he cherished me and he would cherish me forever. My feet were still on the skateboard, and I didn’t realize he was rolling me backward until my calves hit a bench. Griff turned us and sat down, pulling me over his lap.
When I shifted against the hardness beneath me, he groaned and tightened his grip. His lips and his touches were as hot as they were precious. They made me want to continue with my confessions of love, no matter how embarrassing they were, while also making me want to roll my hips and dry hump right here on the picnic table in the neighborhood skate park. Remembering where we were, I pulled back to catch my breath and get myself under control. Griff looked as dazed as I felt. Our chests rose and fell as if we’d been skateboarding a half pipe for the last ten minutes.
Catching movement out of the corner of my eye, I turned and found Summer standing a few feet away, skateboard in hand, jaw halfway to the ground.
She opened and closed her mouth a few times, pointed a finger at us, jutted out a hip, crossed her arms. Finally, she threw her hands in the air and looked up at the sky before shouting, “This is the best fucking Christmas present ever!”
Griff and I exchanged confused and worried glances and I forced myself to slide off of him to stand on shaky legs.
Summer ran over and hugged me. “When did this start? How long? Tell me everything. Maybe not everything. And maybe wait until my brother is gone since, you know, he’s still my brother.”
Griff chuckled, and as I glanced at him from over Summer’s shoulder, he discreetly adjusted himself. “Guess we don’t need to have another risk analysis discussion about how the family will react or how to share the news.”
Summer turned her bright smile on her brother. “I have a feeling everyone will be just as happy about this as I am.”
I was so filled with joy that I didn’t even recognize my own voice when the words tumbled out of my mouth. “Summer, I’m in love with your brother. You’re really okay with this?”
She nodded with way too much enthusiasm. “And he’s totally in love with you.”
Griff let out a noise that was half-laugh, half-choke. “How do you know?”
“I knew before you did,” she said with a shrug. Then she dropped her skateboard and hopped on, skating away with a little wave. I watched her hit the ramp before turning to Griff.
He stood up slowly and walked toward me with a happy and relaxed smile. One of my favorite Griffin Perry smiles. “She’s right, in case that kiss didn’t make it clear.”
“Right about what?” I wanted to hear the words.
“I love you, Naomi. Not like a brother. I’m totally in love with you.” His hands slid around my hips as he used the same words his sister used. But I appreciated the emphasis. Precision was necessary when it was never a matter of if there was love between us, but the type of love that needed clarification.
“Totally worth the risk,” I told him with a decisive nod.
There were some things that couldn’t be assessed and analyzed by risks and rewards. Sometimes you just had to let all that go and trust your gut, your heart, and the people you loved most.
“I’ll fight for you, for us, for this. Got it?” The determination in his tone made my eyes fill up with unexpected tears.
“You better.”
He leaned down for one more kiss, a brush of our lips to seal the promise.
Books by Ali Dean
Brazen Series
Brazen Rush
Brazen Steele
Brazen Girl
Brazen Tricks
Defiance Falls Series
Defiance Falls
Defiance Falls Revolution
Defiance Falls War
Pepper Jones Series
Stark Springs Academy Series
Spark Sisters Series
Standalones
Elusive
Doubles Love
Chasing Indigo
About the Author
Ali is a USA Today Bestselling author of sports romance books. She has always loved to read, especially when there's a happily-ever-after, but found that there weren't enough books out there featuring girl athletes. So, she decided to work on that. Like the heroines in her books, Ali is an athlete, with running and skiing her favorite sports these days. Ali hails from Vermont and now lives in her own happily-ever-after in Colorado with her husband, two sets of twins, and golden retriever Pancake. When she's not pursuing an outdoor adventure, Ali's less healthy passions include ice cream, coffee, and beer.
For more about Ali check her webpage: www.alideanfiction.com
Christmas Puck
A BTU Alumni Short Story
Alley Ciz
Author’s Note
Christmas Puck is a short story about my OG characters from my BTU Alumni Series Jake and Jordan. It is their first Christmas together and takes place after Power Play. This story was particularly fun for me to write because it was the first time I’ve gotten to write these two in 1st POV.
Hope you enjoy them!
XOXO
Alley
Chapter One
Jordan
“Anyone with the last name Donnelly better make sure his dong is put away,” I call out as I pull open the door to the locker room inside the BTU hockey arena.
I’m not a prude or anything. I like a good-looking peen as much as the next girl—except if it’s an unsolicited dick pic; no one wants that—but having to come eye to eye with my brothers’ one-eyed trouser snakes is not a life achievement I need unlocked.
“Ugh, JD,” Ryan, my older brother, complains. “What the hell are you doing in here?”
I glance over my shoulder and meet his blue gaze with a wink, happy to note I waited long enough that he’s had time to dress his lower half. Next to Ryan, Jase, our other brother and my twin, snorts as I continue walking past the rest of their teammates dressing without further comment.
I don’t see why Ryan is so scandalized. It’s not the first time I’ve been in one of their locker rooms.
A crack rips through the air a second before I feel a towel smack my right butt cheek. I smooth a palm over the now stinging skin and level my best death glare at Tucker Hayes, my boyfriend’s best friend and my self-proclaimed third big brother, or BB3 for short.
There’s another burst of snorting laughter from Jase, and I flip him the bird behind my back as I continue down the row to the puck head I came here for.
A smile that feels like it’s going to split my face in two breaks free when I find him, sitting on the bench inside his locker space, bent over to pull on a pair of classic white Nike Uptowns…shirtless. *le sigh* The broad, muscled torso that helped earn him the nickname—and text handle—The Brick Wall is bared, and I oh-so-shamelessly take in every dip, valley, and bulge.
The sinews of his thick forearms twist, biceps popping, and the curved balls of his shoulders flex as he pulls the sneakers over his heels. His chest expands and his washboard stomach ripples as he straightens up and stretches.
For as delicious—and yes I mean that in the literal sense too because I’ve licked them—as his muscles are, the effect they have on my girly bits is nothing compared to the way his look-fake-they-are-such-a-bright-emerald eyes light up when he sees me walking his way.
Fuck me! He had to bust out the dimples too. My poor brothers never stood a chance of me keeping my promise not to date another one of their teammates, because Jake Donovan is not the type of guy a girl doesn’t fall for.
And fall I did—hard.
Not that they can really complain because, outside of dear sweet Captain Ryan—at least according to my bestie Maddey (his girlfriend)—you won’t find a man swoony-er than my boyfriend.
“Hey, baby.” Jake reaches for me as soon as I’m in touching distance, one of his large hands cupping me at the nape and tugging me down to cover my mouth with his.
Without breaking the kiss, I shuffle forward, Jake’s knees spreading wider for me to step betw
een them, my arms falling to drape loosely over his shoulders. My hands rise to thread into his dark brown still-wet-from-the-shower hair.
“Get a room,” Tucker bellows seconds before a damp towel hits me in the back of the head and falls open to cover half my face.
Reluctantly, I pull back, but Jake refuses to let me go far and pulls me in until my butt is firmly planted on his thick, hard, goalie-earned thigh. One of his arms loops around my back and I do the same with one of mine, scrunching my nose at his cockblocking best friend.
“Truth,” Jase says, covering his eyes. “A wombmate does not need to be seeing these things.”
“Agreed.” Ryan nods, and I narrow my eyes into a glare that typically has them shaking in their hockey skates.
“Hypocrites,” I say before getting distracted by the way Jake’s abs contract as he laughs. Like a moth to a flame, my fingers find their way into the grooves of his six-pack.
“Lies,” the three idiots cry in unison.
I swear these boys never learn.
Soft lips brush along the side of my neck, warm breath tickling me as Jake buries his face against me to whisper, “Get ’em babe.” I love that he knows me so well.
Dropping a quick kiss to Jake’s smooth cheek, I bring my attention back to the Three Stooges. I lift an arm and, moving from right to left, point to Ryan, Jase, then Tucker. “Dating my best friend (Maddey), adopted your girlfriend into the fold (Rocky), was fuck buddies with my oldest bestie (Skye).” I arch a brow, resting my case and daring them to challenge me.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t care that they date—or in Tucker’s case, bang—my friends. That would make me the same hypocrite I accused them of being, because when one of their closest friends isn’t playing between the pipes protecting the net, he’s laying his pipe into me. No, all I’m doing is reminding them that I know far more details about their own sex lives than any sister should.