Dec and Cole are sitting on the floor on large cushions in front of the TV.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” he mutters.
“A party sounds good, man. We haven’t partied in weeks,” Cole adds.
I scoff. “It’s maybe been a week, not weeks.”
“We don’t play Harvard until Monday night. We can party Friday night and use the rest of the weekend to recuperate. You used to be fun, you know,” Cole says.
“What is that supposed to mean?” I shoot back, unable to keep my defensiveness from my tone.
“You’re spending all your free time with that Rebel chick. That is so not like you, man. If you need to talk, you know I’m here,” Cole says.
“I’ve seen her around. She’s fucking hot, though,” Dec says, like he’s coming to my defense.
“Shut the fuck up,” I growl.
“Oooh, did I hit a nerve?” Dec asks, being an ass.
“I’m done.” I stand from the couch.
“Oh, come on, don’t be that way,” Cole whines. “I get it. You’re into her. I thought she was nice and easy on the eyes, but let’s be honest—”
“Fuck this. I’m not asking for your honesty,” I snap at my best friend.
“Just chill the fuck out. I don’t want to fight. Just come to the party. Let’s have a chill night, get drunk, enjoy ourselves,” Cole says.
“Fine,” I say. “Tell the guys from the team to come too. They might as well sow their oats, because after Friday night, we’re all training hardcore, eating clean, and no drinking. We aren’t only making it to the Frozen Four, we’re taking the championship.” I back up my little speech with a steely look at my two friends.
“Fuck yeah,” Cole says. Then he stands and throws his remote on the ground. “I’m done. My stomach is grumbling.”
“You’re on dinner tonight,” I remind him.
“Fuck me,” he curses as he walks into the kitchen. If it were up to Cole, he would just order in and charge up his father’s credit card. It’s Dec and me who are tighter on money. I had to convince Cole that eating in was healthier for our overall diet and performance on the ice. Not just better on our wallets.
I can’t help but laugh as I hear Cole cursing in the kitchen once he sees the ground meat in the sink. He’s supposed to make a meat loaf.
Dec laughs too. “He’s such a spoiled ass. I bet he’s going to make burgers and just plop the potatoes in the oven and bake them instead of making a meatloaf.”
“You’re probably right.” I laugh even harder. “Although, I have to admit that last meatloaf you made was damn good.”
“I can hear you, assholes,” Cole shouts from the kitchen.
“Thanks. My mother was on FaceTime with me when I was making it. Got to give her the cred.”
“Fuck you both,” Cole continues to shout. “Hi, Granny Mae, I need some help.” Cole’s voice flows through the kitchen door.
“Shit. He called his grandma,” I whisper, because I don’t want Granny Mae to hear me laughing. I love that woman. She was more like a parent to me than my own.
“Isn’t she like a chef?” Dec asks.
“No, but she enters cooking competitions all the time. We are going to be having ourselves a good meal tonight,” I say, and my stomach grumbles just thinking of Granny Mae’s cooking. She lives in Georgia, which is where Cole’s mother was from. She is the epitome of a southern gentlewoman.
“Finally,” Dec says.
“We should have been riding him all along,” I say, and I can’t stop laughing.
Twenty-Six
Rebel
Wolfe: I want to see you
I look down at my phone as it lights up and see four words that make my heart skip a beat.
“Who is it?” Blossom asks.
“No one,” I say, turning my cell over facedown on the kitchen table.
“It sure doesn’t look like no one with the way you’re blushing.”
“It’s Wolfe.” I sigh happily.
“Things are that good?”
“Better. I mean, I don’t really understand it. Talk around campus is that he’s a player with no heart, but that’s not the side he shows me.”
“Well, maybe you’re lucky enough to be the girl who tames the bad boy. Isn’t that every girl’s fairy tale?”
“Not mine, not really. Wolfe is so not my type,” I say.
“Liar, liar pants on fire,” Blossom sings. She taps her chin. “If I remember correctly, your last boyfriend was on the football team. You must have a thing for jocks.”
“I don’t have a clue. I’ve been working so hard on being invisible these past few years, I never bothered to look around and see what’s around me,” I admit and then bite into my lower lip. This whole thing with Wolfe is getting me nervous because I’ve gone and developed real feelings for him.
“Well, glad your eyes are finally open, baby girl. It’s about time you experience life. Walking around invisible is not a way to live. I hated seeing you that way.” A hint of sadness crosses her features.
I swallow back my own emotions. “We need to get you on track too,” I say.
The doorbell rings and Blossom flinches. “Who on earth can it be at this hour?” she asks.
“It’s only six o’clock. And I ordered us Thai food. It’s about time we treat ourselves a little bit,” I say as I head to the door. I pass the delivery guy some cash and a tip and he passes me a bag that smells so good my mouth waters.
“You really went all out.” Blossom eyes all the containers I place on the table.
“We could both use a break.”
We sit back in the chairs and open the containers full of steamy food.
“This looks like a million calories,” Blossom says as she piles coconut shrimp on her plate.
“Stop complaining and just enjoy. We’re trying something new,” I say as I lift the lid off another container. “Eww, what is that?” I wince.
Blossom bursts into laughter. “Don’t you know what you ordered?”
“Not a clue. I just called and told them to give me their most popular dishes,” I say.
“Well, dig in,” she says, going for something that looks like chicken with cashews. “This one is pretty good.”
“The soup thing is pretty good too. I think this is eggplant.” I stab at a piece of something on my plate.
She shakes her head and looks at me, but her features don’t show disdain. Rather, her eyes are filled with admiration. “I’m liking this side of you. It’s like it’s been dormant for years.”
Back in high school, I was considered adventurous, and I always liked trying new things. A part of me was fearless too. Maybe that’s why I went after Dad the way I did. I thought I was invincible, or worse, I was naïve and thought he could never hurt me in a lasting way, even after all the times he already had.
“Yeah, well, I’m awake again. I’m probably setting myself up for some serious heartbreak, but right now I can’t help myself,” I say.
“Ooh, this one is delicious. Tastes like spicy chili chicken.” Blossom makes a noise of approval.
I pop a piece into my mouth. “That is good.”
“You’re brave, is what you are. I could never be as brave as you.” Blossom lowers her head in what I think might be shame.
“Cut that talk out. What happened with Preston is still fresh, but you are going to move on from this,” I say resolutely.
My phone pings again with another text.
Wolfe: ???
Blossom looks down at my phone. “Stop ignoring him.”
“I told him I’d be spending the night here with you.”
“I appreciate that, but I don’t need a babysitter. You can go to him.”
“And what if I don’t want to?” I ask stubbornly.
“I’d say you’re a bad liar, but we already established that,” Blossom says. “Seriously though, after we eat, I just want to have a bath, get into bed, and maybe Google some college programs. You’re right
, I need to look to the future. You inspire me.”
My heart bursts with love. I may have had shit luck in the parent department, but having a sister like Blossom has been a life saver. “I don’t know what to say.” Tears prick my eyes.
“Just go to your beau,” she says.
“He’s not my beau.” I frown. “It’s complicated. He doesn’t do relationships.”
“Well, then someone should give him a memo saying he’s acting like the perfect boyfriend,” she says, forking another piece of chili chicken into her mouth.
“Right? I mean, it’s like he’s scared of the title but everything else is so perfect.” I shake my head.
Wolfe: Are you ignoring me?
Wolfe’s message lights the screen again.
“Just answer the boy,” Blossom coos.
“Fine.”
Me: I don’t want to leave Blossom alone.
“Seriously?” Blossom asks, crossing her arms in front of her.
“What?”
Wolfe: Can I come to you? I can hang out with Blossom too.
My cheeks burn at his words.
Blossom gazes at my phone and her dark eyes turn round. “The boy has it bad.”
“Do you mind if he comes here?”
“You don’t need to ask permission, but I get why you are. I never should have allowed Preston to stay here, especially when I wasn’t here. I made you uncomfortable to be in your own home and I feel terrible,” she says.
“Don’t, okay? You’ve been going through a hard time. I should’ve seen it sooner. Don’t feel guilty.” I give her hand a squeeze.
“Okay,” she says quietly and nods.
“I love you,” I tell her.
“I love you too,” she replies. “Ima go take a bath now.” She stands and begins to clear the table.
“Don’t worry, I got it. And Wolfe may want some leftovers,” I say.
“I’m happy for you, Rebel.” She gives me a sweet smile, then leaves the kitchen.
She may be happy, but I’m terrified. Yet, I still text Wolfe back.
`Me: When can you come?
Wolfe: Finally.
I laugh.
Wolfe: Be there in 20.
If I’m right, Wolfe has one thing on his mind. At least I hope that’s what he’s thinking, because the thought of having my hands all over that fine body of his sends tingles to my core.
I take a quick shower and slip on a pair of blue yoga pants and a Westfall sweatshirt I bought when I was a freshman, sans bra and panties. I don’t know when I became so brazen, but I can’t wait to see Wolfe’s eyes blaze when he realizes how ready I am for him.
Twenty-Seven
Wolfe
I pull into Rebel’s driveway.
What am I doing? I’m here too much. She’s falling for me. I can feel it. And I can’t get her out of my head. We’re spending too much time together, getting too close, and yet I’m too weak to stop it. Anxiety bubbles inside me, but I’ve been alone since my family’s accident. When they blamed me and shredded what little confidence I had left in myself. Just thinking of the disdain in my father’s gaze makes me feel fidgety and like I’m not good enough to be with anyone, let alone a girl like Rebel. I will disappoint her and let her down. It’s what I do.
And what if I tell her the truth? Bare my secrets. Will she accept me? Dump me? We aren’t even together. I don’t owe her anything. Then why does it feel like I do? Shit, I feel like I’m losing it. All I wanted was to see her face.
Man up, Wolfe.
The girl got under my skin and I can’t risk her discovering the truth any other way.
I leave my Mustang parked on the street in front of her house. Each step I take makes my chest feel tight, but when she opens the door and smiles, my anxiety melts away like an ice cube on a scorching hot day. That smile. Those warm eyes. She’s happy to see me. Genuinely happy, and it’s not because I’m captain of the hockey team or she knows who my family is and has something to gain. This girl sees me. Me.
“Hey,” she says, leaning into the door frame. “You plan on coming in or staying out there to freeze your ass off?”
“When did you get such a potty mouth?” I ask, stepping into the warmth of her house. My arm wraps around her waist and I pull her into me. The way her body melds with mine is pure perfection. She kisses me and the sweet taste of her gets me all riled up.
“You smell good enough to eat,” I growl in her ear.
“I was hoping you’d say that. I got a new coconut body butter.” She smiles seductively.
“What is this body butter you speak of? Is it something for your pussy?”
She swats me in the chest. “Don’t talk like that.” She blushes. “Blossom is upstairs.”
“Sorry.” I flinch. “Forgot we aren’t alone when you gave me those seductive eyes at hello.”
Her cheeks turn a healthier shade of pink and so does her neck. “You’d think after everything we’ve done you wouldn’t blush.”
“Yeah, I’m working on that.” She grins. She moves away from the door and I walk farther in. I slip off my shoes and hang up my jacket.
“Is your sister around? I thought we were hanging out,” I say, since the house seems quiet.
“Nah, she was tired. She went upstairs,” she says. “Do you want some Thai food? We have tons of leftovers.”
“Thanks, I’m stuffed. Cole made dinner.”
“Didn’t you say he doesn’t know how to cook if his life depended on it?”
“He was on FaceTime with his grandmother. Made us a southern meatloaf. Was mouthwateringly good.” I rub my stomach.
“Okay then.” Rebel stands and watches me. This is her being shy. “Should we sit in the family room? You wanted to tell me about entering the draft and my life was so crazy we never got to talking about it.”
“I’d like that,” I say and I follow her into a little room with brown couches and one of the oldest TVs I’ve ever seen.
“Hope you don’t mind watching television on this ancient thing.” She snickers and takes a seat on the couch.
I sit beside her and take in her fresh floral scent and my mind goes to ideas of having her writhing beneath me on the couch. Not now.
“So, the draft,” she starts.
I rub my hands up and down my thighs, feeling nervous. I remind myself that this is Rebel and we’ve had more intimate talks than I can count. “Coach thinks I should enter this year. I always thought about getting my degree and going to law school, but the more I think about it, the more unappealing that life is to me.”
“I can see how passionate you are about hockey.” My gaze diverts to her distracting lips as she speaks.
“I am. I’ve been playing since I was five. My parents hated me playing, but I insisted on it and they just let me do my thing. They always had someone driving me to practice and games. They were never supportive, but it didn’t make me love the game any less,” I explain.
“Sounds like you were lucky to have hockey. You and the team seem really close.”
“We are close, but it’s more than that. When Coach talked to me about entering the draft, I felt this current of energy running through me.” I can hear the awe and wonder in my voice.
“I think it’s called excitement, Wolfe. Just watching you speak of hockey right now has your blue eyes lighting up like Christmas lights,” she says. “I think you know what you want in your heart of hearts.”
“I wanted to not be a disappointment to my father,” I say and pause. I should tell her the truth now, but… “But I can’t base my life on making that man happy. Where will it leave me? He’s impossible. At the end of the day, I don’t even know if me becoming a lawyer would appease him.”
“You need to mark your own path in life. I don’t think you should do something to make your father happy. I mean, maybe I’m a bad person to get advice from. Neither of my parents did the parenting thing very well. I just know what I want and I go after it,” she says.
“That�
�s what I admire about you.”
Of course she blushes.
“I didn’t mean it that way. I just meant that I want to be a physical therapist. I can see myself doing it for the long run and I think it would be a good career path for me, so that’s been my focus. I definitely don’t have my shit together. I’ve basically been a monk for the past three years,” she says.
“Don’t go being hard on yourself now. You’re a hard worker. That’s something to be proud of,” I say. “Now, get over here, because I don’t know why, but I have a feeling you aren’t wearing anything under that top.” I pull her gently toward me and she climbs on my lap so she’s straddling me.
“How can you tell?” She giggles.
I groan. “You aren’t wearing a bra, are you?”
“No panties either.” Her mischievous gaze holds mine. She watches me with a bold look in her eyes and I feel like the air has been sucked from my lungs.
“Dammit, woman.” I slide my hands under her sweatshirt and cup both her breasts. They feel soft but firm in my palms and I feel her nipples pucker to hard points.
“Your hands are cold,” she whimpers. “But don’t stop, that feels nice.”
“Oh yeah,” I say suggestively. My dick has gone from half-mast to full erection in seconds and it presses painfully against my zipper.
Rebel feels it and she rubs herself against me. “I’d be careful unless you’re comfortable getting naked here.”
“Riding you on this couch is seeming like a very good idea” She grinds against me harder.
“I like the way you think,” I say and slide my hands from under her shirt and palm her cheeks as I bring her lips to mine. I can’t think of anything else, even though in the back of my mind I know there is something I wanted to say.
Rebel pops the button on my jeans and I pull the sweatshirt over her head. She shivers.
“You’re cold,” I say.
“So do something to get my blood pumping,” she sasses, batting her lashes. This girl.
“On it.” I close my mouth over her nipple. Her arms wrap around me as I pay each of her breasts the attention they deserve. Licking, slowly sucking. She grinds herself against me and I slip my hand into her yoga pants to find her soaked. She moans.
Heartless Player: A College Hockey Romance : (Westfall U Series) Page 17