Puck Performance: BTU Alumni Series Book #4

by Ciz, Alley

  “I can’t believe you just said bestie.”

  “I’m confident enough in my manhood to use it.”

  “I bet you are.” She snorts. “I feel like I need to meet these Covenettes you talk so much about.”

  “You will, but not yet.” I press deeper into her personal space, bringing my face to the curve where her neck meets her shoulder. I catch the faint scent of bubble gum as I inhale, my lips brushing her skin when I speak. “For now, I want to keep you to myself, because once you meet them, the girls will adopt you as one of their own. They like to collect friends like Ariel does trinkets for her hidden cave.”

  “First bestie, now a Disney reference.”

  “What can I say?” I continue to speak against her soft skin. “I’m a good time. They’ll tell you that too.” My teeth nip at her neck. “For now, I want to enjoy you being just mine for a little bit longer.”

  “I-I’m not yours though,” she stutters as I drag the metal ball of my tongue ring up her neck. She can deny it all she wants, but there is no way for her to hide the way I affect her. Her skin flushes a delicate shade of pink, goose bumps are visible on the skin her sweater has exposed, and her breathing is as labored as mine after blue line drills.

  “Oh, but…baby, you are.” I press one last kiss to the soft spot behind her ear, straightening back in my seat before I can take things further.

  I will find out if she tastes as good as she smells, but if I learned anything from book club, it’s that chicks can’t resist a slow burn. I’ll take this so slow we’ll burn like incense.

  A minute—a full sixty seconds—of silence passes before she clears her throat, her onyx eyes blinking up at me from beneath thick black lashes. Shiiit, the hazy glaze in them makes me want to say fuck the slow burn and reach for the kerosene.

  “You know…all night you’ve asked me about work, but we haven’t talked about you being picked for the All-Star Game again.”

  Her question is a bucket of cold water on my raging libido.

  Yes, I was selected to represent the Metropolitan Division at the All-Star Game for the second time in the four years I’ve been playing in the NHL.

  And yes, one of the two years I didn’t make the team was my rookie season, when it is statistically unlikely for a player to make it—Ryan notwithstanding—and the second time there was no game because of the Olympics, for which I was selected.

  But, her poor taste in hockey teams aside, she has a good base in terms of hockey knowledge. I love my brother dearly, but I don’t want him encroaching on my date. The last thing I want is for the subject of the Metro’s captain to be brought up.

  “I was picked—what else is there to say about it?”

  “Are you kidding me?” Her eyes widen so there’s a full circle of white around her dark irises. “It’s a major accomplishment, and you should be proud.”

  Well, I’m an ass.

  “I am.” My thumb traces patterns on her thigh, the denim material heating more the longer I touch it. “The whole weekend is a good time. Most of my family will fly out, and it usually turns into a mini BTU Titan reunion even if we aren’t all on the same team.”

  “But you get to play on the same team as your brother and brother-in-law. That’s gotta be fun, right?”

  Yes, I love teaming up with my brother. It isn’t Ryan’s fault people credit him with his team’s success.

  I may keep a grueling training program to prove I can stand on my own merits outside of the great Ryan Donnelly, but even I know what I feel has nothing on the pressure he must feel to live up to the hype surrounding him. It’s the biggest reason why I’ve never said anything about my own insecurities.

  “Of course I enjoy getting to play with my brother. He’s like the all-star—there was never any doubt he would get selected.”

  Her brows pucker and she looks at me like I just grew an extra head. “As a Boston fan, I will deny this if ever asked”—she holds her hands up in a pledge—“but you are the top defender in the league. Why wouldn’t they pick you?”

  My lips twitch at her unknowingly taking a dig at Bastard Bishop. “You mean to tell me you think I’m better than your boy Bishop?”

  She stills, her eyes darting back and forth as if looking for an escape.

  “The Olympics was my favorite, though.” I throw her a bone with the quick subject change, knowing what it’s like to be possessive about the teams you root for.

  A shadow passes over her face so fast I’m not even sure it really happened. Not the reaction I was expecting.

  One of her hands lifts to twirl a section of hair around her fingers. “Why?” The playfulness is back.

  “About a third of the roster was made up of BTU alumni, with five of us from the same playing years.”

  “Who were the five?”

  “Me.” I point to myself, shooting her a wink, and I don’t miss the blush it causes. Note to self: Hey, self. Make sure you wink at her—a lot. “Ryan, obvs, Jake, Tucker Hayes from Chicago, and Wade Tanner from LA.”

  “I can’t believe you just said obvs.” She giggles. “I think that’s worse than totally, bestie, and the Disney reference combined.”

  “Thinking I should turn in my man card, huh?”

  “Maybe a little.” She holds her pointer finger and thumb barely an inch apart.

  “All right, smartass.” I give her side a playful pinch. “Before you have me doing one-armed push-ups to prove how much of a man I really am, how about I give you your Christmas present?”

  Her eyes light up like Times Square.

  “You can do them with only one hand?”

  I chuckle.

  “Oh, baby.” I squeeze her thigh, pulling her a fraction of an inch closer. “I can do a lot of things with only one hand.”

  Chapter Nine

  You know that GIF where Charlie Sheen is pulling at his collar and steam comes out? Yeah, that’s me right now.

  The last hour and a half has been a crash course in teasing and sexual frustration. I don’t think there’s been a minute since I stepped inside the apartment that Jase hasn’t been touching me in one way other another.

  The way our knees knocked together under the table, how his hand would constantly reach out to touch me…and don’t even get me started on what it felt like when he dragged his piercing down my neck.

  He’s tossing sexual innuendos out like Reese’s Pieces to draw me to his side like Elliot did to E.T. And like the alien, I willingly follow him to the living room, letting him guide me to the large leather sectional, my hand once again held in his.

  The callouses earned from years of shoving his hands into hockey gloves rub across my skin, and all I can think of is what they would feel like on the rest of me. He may have been touching me all night, but it’s only been over my clothes.

  “Shouldn’t we clean up the dishes?” I ask, letting him pull me down to sit.

  “I’ll worry about them later.” He angles his body to face mine, our knees once again touching, then reaches for a present on the coffee table I didn’t notice earlier.

  It’s roughly the size of a shoebox, though slightly wider, and… “Are there elves playing hockey on this wrapping paper?”

  “Gotta be festive.”

  Gah! When he does things like showing his playful side, I can’t help but fall for him a little bit.

  Falling for him is a mistake, Mels. Fucking hell. It would be really helpful if my subconscious could pick a side already.

  His finger is back to tracing those maddening figure eights on my thigh, and I’ve officially lost count of how many times I’ve told myself not to sleep with him on the first date.

  There have been a few close calls, like when he ran his tongue ring down the length of my neck. The cool metal was a direct contrast to his warm mouth, and I was stupid close to saying Fuck it and asking him to take me right there on the table.

  Zoey and Ella would be proud if you did.

  Shaking off those lustful thoughts before they can
take root, I refocus my attention on the box in hand, letting out a startled laugh as the present comes into view.

  “Did you really get me a Mr. Potato Head?”

  “Yup, and I got myself a Mrs. Potato Head. This way we each have something close by to make us think of the other.”

  Swoon. Dammit.

  “Did you push them together and make them kiss before you wrapped mine?”

  “Duh.”

  “You speak like a fifteen-year-old girl.”

  “Guess I should blame JD for all the times she used to dress me up growing up.”

  My jaw hits the ground. “Seriously?”

  He throws his head back, his blond hair flopping, catching the light in golden waves, and he full-on belly laughs. It takes him a while to get himself back under control enough to speak, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye as he brings the now swirling green and gold irises back to me.

  “You have no idea how badly I want to say yes, but no, JD did not dress me like a girl growing up.”

  “Well that’s a little disappointing.” I pout.

  He lifts a hand to stroke a thumb across my protruding bottom lip, his other fingers hooking under my chin and holding me in place. His thick blond lashes grow heavy as his eyes lock onto my mouth.

  He’s going to kiss me.

  It wouldn’t be the first time his lips were on my body.

  Cheek.

  Temple.

  Top of the head.

  Across the knuckles.

  Behind the ear.

  And who could forget the neck? I sure as hell can’t, not with the wetness in my panties.

  Jase’s head lowers.

  My eyes drift shut.

  The moment charges.

  He shifts closer, the heat of his body radiating to mine more and more intensely the nearer he gets.

  His lips are about to touch mine when the sound of three beeps sounds in the distance, followed by a door opening and closing. A gorgeous blonde walks into the room speaking on a phone.

  A girl who has the code to the apartment.

  Chapter Ten

  I spent the night building to this moment.

  Every touch, brush of my lips, and drag of my tongue was leading to finally discovering what Melody’s lips taste like.

  Slowly, so slow I’m practically a slow-motion replay, I lower my face, the scent of bubble gum intensifying the closer I get to the promised land.

  I’m a hairbreadth away when I hear the three beeps of the front door’s lock disengaging. Cali is a dead man for choosing now to drift across the hall. I turn to tell my meddlesome teammate to get the hell out, only to let out an audible curse when I see it’s Maddey striding into the room.

  “No way, Jor.” Of course she’s on the phone with my twin, because I’ve obviously done something to piss off the man upstairs. “I swear these boys will never le—” Her words and steps abruptly stop when she spots Melody and me on the couch.

  I barely hold back a scowl when I see the green pallor of Melody’s skin. She looks like she’s going to be sick, and I’m sure my girl is drawing all sorts of incorrect conclusions. Every time she’s been faced with or heard of another female, she’s assumed I’m sleeping with them. My wombmate and I need to have a serious discussion about the rumors circulating about me.

  “Um, Jor?” Maddey’s wide blue eyes bounce between us. “I know I’ve been in my writing cave this week, but is there something you need to tell me about Jase?”

  She’s too far away for me to overhear my sister’s response, but her excited squeal is hard to miss.

  Without missing a beat, Maddey disconnects the call without a goodbye, striding over to pick up the remote on the coffee table to connect to the video chat system our entire squad has installed.

  Within seconds, hazel eyes that match mine are blinking at me from my flat-screen television.

  Well this should be interesting.

  I cup one of Melody’s knees in an effort to offer comfort, but her body has more tension in it than my hockey stick. Fucking one step forward, two steps back.

  “Jason.” JD levels me with one of her mom looks.

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa. What’s with the use of my legal name?” I hold the hand not on Melody up in surrender. I’m not giving up contact until she relaxes—and maybe not even then.

  “I think it’s warranted in this situation.”

  “Besides, it’s not like she middle-named you or anything, Trip.” Maddey perches on the arm of the couch closest to Melody, propping elbows on her bent knees and leaning forward, settling in for a good story.

  “Trip?” Melody’s voice is small as she asks, and I hate it. I don’t ever want her to be scared to ask me something.

  “It’s short for Triplet,” Maddey answers. “Since these two”—her finger bounces between me and where my sister is displayed on the screen in high-definition glory—“are twins, and Jordan and I”—now her finger bounces between herself and JD—“look like we could be twins ourselves, we like to say I’m their triplet who was separated at birth.”

  “Plus it drives Ryan batty,” JD adds gleefully.

  “Yes. An added benefit for sure,” Maddey agrees, looking back at JD.

  I shake my head at how ruthless these two can be when they want to be.

  “So…” Maddey’s attention once again comes back to us, and I swear it feels like my balls try to crawl back inside my body.

  Better prepare yourself for epic embarrassment, Donnelly.

  “Tell me all the things.” Mischief I’m more than acquainted with dances in Maddey’s icy eyes.

  I swear, tell me all the things should be The Coven’s mission statement.

  “How are you being so cool about this?” Melody asks instead of answering. She moves to rise from the couch, but I tighten my hold on her, keeping her in place. No running away, baby.

  “Cool about what?” Maddey tilts her head like her yellow lab, Trident, is known to do.

  “Finding me in your boyfriend’s apartment.”

  Sonofabitch I was right. I want to find every person who ever put these misconceptions in her pretty head and punch them in the face.

  Maddey laughs so hard she falls off the couch, and when I look toward the TV, my twin is in a similar state, arms curled around her pregnant belly.

  “Babe, you okay?” I can hear Jake call out before he, too, joins the call.

  Perfect, another witness to the shit-show.

  “Jase.”

  “Jake.”

  “What’s up with these two?” he asks me instead of addressing the two hyenas.

  “Ja—Ja—” Maddey struggles to speak through her laughter, clambering back onto the couch. “Jase’s girlfriend thought I”—a hand flattens on her chest—“was his girlfriend.”

  “His girl—” Jake spots Melody amongst the chaos of the two blonde she-devils. “Oh. Hi.”

  She gives a half-hearted wave, confusion written all over her face and still fucking tense.

  “I don’t know if I should be offended or not by how hysterical you find the idea of me being your boyfriend to be,” I grumble. “I’ll have you know I make an excellent boyfriend.”

  Any girl would be lucky to have me as their boyfriend. I earn expert-level achievements when it comes to the whole significant other thing. Not really the point here, Donnelly.

  “Oh yes, we know. Rocky sings your praises.” Sarcasm practically pools on the floor Maddey’s words are so heavy with it. “The idea of us being a couple is just even funnier to me since I almost married your brother.”

  “Yup.” JD finally has her own laughter under control. “That’s a little too incestuous, even for our group.”

  “Family,” the girls say in unison as Jake says, “Coven.”

  “These are the Covenettes you talk about?” Melody asks as her eyes dart between me and everyone else in this ridiculous conversation.

  “Two of the eight,” I answer reluctantly.

  “Okay, okay.” My sist
er settles herself on her husband’s lap. “Before you go off on one of the Coven tangents you and Vince love so much, how about you tell me why you kept the fact that you have a girlfriend from me, oh wombmate of mine?”

  “I’m not his girlfriend,” Melody says.

  “We’ll see about that.” I give her knee a squeeze, trailing a finger down to rub inside the bend of it, a tremble finally breaking her rigidity. “And you.” I bring my attention back to my twin. “Hi Pot, I’m Kettle, nice to meet you. Or did you conveniently forget you kept your relationship a secret from me when you two started dating?” I point to the couple on the screen.

  For months, the two dated behind all our backs. It was the only time either of us had kept something from the other. There was a point I thought I was going crazy as the secret messed with our twin connection. It doesn’t happen often, but I do enjoy when I get to use it against her.

  What? Trust me, JD is the queen of revenge plots. I have suffered quite a bit at her hands.

  “He’s got a point, babe.” Jake buries his face in the crook of JD’s neck.

  “Whatever. That was only because Tweedledee and Tweedledum made me promise not to date one of their teammates.”

  “And look how well that turned out.” I smirk. I couldn’t be happier for them, but I’m not going to sit here and take shit in front of the woman I’m trying to impress.

  “Oh wait—is that a baby crying?” JD cups a hand over her ear as if trying to hear better. “Gotta go. Love you Jase.” She jumps from Jake’s lap and runs away like a coward.

  “Love you too, JD,” I call to her retreating back.

  Conversation pauses as Jake turns to watch his wife walk away, and I bite back the urge to gag over him checking out her ass. He’s lucky he loves her unconditionally, otherwise I’d be kicking his ass, especially with how blunt my sister tends to be about their sex life.

  There are just some things a brother doesn’t need to know.

  “Well, seeing as you have your hands full there”—he gestures to us—“I’m going to go take advantage of my wife. Gotta stock up before the next road trip.”