“Myles needs to go for his teammate, but I’m scared I’ll drown in a house filled with drunk hockey players and puck bunnies,” I admit selfishly.
Sloane grumbles, “We’re taping the show late tonight, but I can probably cab it over around midnight. Does that work? Hot hockey players… I can’t just leave you hanging,” she says, her tone mocking me.
I chuckle.
“Great, I’ll text you the address later.”
I end the call and lean back in the chair, enjoying my foot massage.
…
The party at Nils is in full swing when we arrive. Oli left the apartment earlier, and Myles and I took an Uber. It turns out this isn’t a house party but a mansion party. It makes me realize how much money my brother and Myles make. It also makes me proud they don’t spend their money on frivolous things.
I’m wide-eyed as I gaze around. The roof of this house is made of glass, and it feels like we are under the stars. Myles stops to speak with a couple. I remember Dave, his teammate, from the Christmas party, and his wife Kelsey. She reaches up to give me a hug since she is much shorter than me.
“How are you?” she asks. “Did Myles do a good job of sweeping you off your feet the night he took you to the yacht?”
My cheeks flush as I remember the night. “He definitely did. It really is a dream.”
She sighs. “Yeah, you could imagine how I felt when Dave took me there the first time blindfolded and showed me what he’d bought me for my birthday. I mean, it’s not every day a girl gets a yacht with her name on it.” She laughs.
“No, definitely not,” I agree and take a quick look around the party, gaging my surroundings. My throat is dry.
She laughs. “You look a little awestruck. The Christmas party was in a hotel with the media present. This is a private house party,” she explains. This place seems like some kind of playboy mansion with the half-naked girls and all the PDA.
“Am I that obvious? And yes, the Christmas party was very different.”
“I’m here if you need me.”
“That’s sweet. Thank you. I’m completely out of my league. I was never a party animal.”
“I was working as a librarian before we moved out here. It doesn’t get any quieter and laid back than that.” She laughs. Myles and Dave seem to be on a tangent about hockey plays. Kelsey gives me a knowing look. “You’ll get used to that, too.” She pauses. “Wait a sec. Dave mentioned something about you playing hockey, too.”
“Nah!” I wave her off. “Not really, anyway. Just grew up around Myles and, of course, Oli, so I played as a kid, but I’m an attorney now. I hung up my skates a long time ago.”
“Life can get busy with one professional athlete in a relationship. I can’t imagine two athletes dating.”
I nod in agreement.
“It’s still early in the evening. I tend to stay close to Dave at these things, which works because he isn’t much of a party animal himself. I’m glad you’re here,” she says with a shy smile.
“Thanks. I actually wouldn’t mind getting a drink or something. You know, to take the edge off,” I suggest.
Kelsey turns her head and points. “There’s a bar over there. I can join you if you want,” she offers sweetly.
“Thanks, that would be great.” I smile and rub Myles’s arm to gesture that I’m going to the bar. He smiles and nods. He and Dave seem to be planning a play for the game next week.
We stop at a bar set up in what looks like a living room. I glance at my watch. Sloane should be here soon. The bartender gives us a list of drink options, but he sells us on the homemade punch. We hang around the bar and chat a little while drinking the citrusy, sweet punch. I definitely taste vodka, but there seems to be a hint of rum, too.
“See that girl over there?” Kelsey points to a redhead in the corner of the room. She’s tall and stunning. She looks like she could model for Victoria’s Secret.
I nod.
“She’s a bunny, comes to all the parties. She’s basically slept with the whole team.” She pauses. “Except my hubby, of course.” She realizes she just included Myles in that list and probably my brother, too. I’m not sure if I show my disgust, but internally I’m definitely cringing. I take a large gulp of my punch as Kelsey places a hand over her ample chest. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for it come out like that,” she apologizes.
I wave her off. “No, it’s totally fine. I know Myles had a life before we got together,” I say, as if I’m really not bothered.
I am.
Seeing things on Twitter versus getting a real-life picture of what his life was like is a slap to the face. Rationally, I know I can’t hold it against him. He’s a guy, and these girls throw themselves at hockey players. I gulp down more punch.
My phone vibrates in my pocket. It’s a message from Sloane. She’s here. I text her back that I’m beside the bar. A minute later I see her coming through the door wearing a fitted dress that stops mid-thigh. She looks hot.
“That’s my friend,” I say to Kelsey as I wave down Sloane.
“Nice.” She nods. “Brought the girlfriend in for backup. All my friends are still back home,” she admits with a little frown.
“Well, Sloane is great. You can hang with us.” I wink.
Sloane crosses the room, sashaying her hips. I can already see a bunch of needy eyes on her. I want to tell all the douchebags to scram.
“Hey, babe.” She leans in to give me a hug.
“I’m glad you made it,” I whisper against her ear. The music throbs in the background with scattered conversations.
“Me, too,” she says with a wide grin. “This house is something else.” Her gaze travels all around the room.
“Sloane, this is Kelsey. Her husband plays with Myles and Oli,” I say, introducing them.
“Nice to meet you, Kelsey.” Sloane smiles, then her gaze drops to our glasses of punch. “I think we need to spice things up,” she says, rubbing her hands together.
“The punch is amazing. You should try it,” I suggest, feeling a little warm and buzzed after drinking one large glass.
Kelsey nods in agreement.
“I say we do shots. This party is only getting started,” Sloane says.
I roll my eyes and tell Kelsey, “This girl is as much a party animal as I am.”
She doesn’t seem convinced.
“Come on, ladies. We need to have fun. Look at this place. If you don’t have fun and get loose at twenty-five, then when?” Sloane asks. Myles’s words reverberate in my mind. I need to start acting my age and having some fun. My brother is so intent on living life to the fullest, but I’ve been doing a half-assed job.
“I’m in.” I nod, surprising Sloane.
A moment later, Kelsey places her finished glass of punch on the bar and says, “I’m in, too.”
The three of us turn our attention to the bartender. He grins in appreciation. Kelsey is a beautiful girl with light brown hair and hazel eyes. Her body is smokin’ hot in a black miniskirt and tight black tank top.
I’m wearing a black dress that’s fitted and hits mid-thigh. It’s one of the dresses I bought with Myles the day we mauled each other in the department store. I matched it with a pair of heels that make me one of the tallest chicks in the room… Well, except for that Victoria’s Secret model.
“More punch, ladies?” the bartender asks.
“We’d like to do some shots. Any suggestions?” Sloane smiles seductively at the handsome bartender.
“What would you like? I’ve got it all here,” he says with a flirtatious smirk.
Sloane looks back to me and Kelsey for a minute before saying, “Three shots of vodka, and we’ll need some lemon to chase it down, if you have it.”
“Sure thing,” the bartender replies as he begins to set up the drinks.
“Ready? We go at the same time,” Sloane says, lifting her glass. Kelsey and I follow suit. “Go,” Sloane shouts, and the three of us throw back the shot. We then turn to the bart
ender for a refill.
We’re three shots in and feeling very giddy when I feel a hand on my shoulder. “Flynny?”
Shit! It’s Oli, and I’m swaying after that punch and three shots.
“Don’t drink too much here. Watch yourself. Where’s Myles?” He looks around for my official watchdog.
“He and Dave are deep into discussing plays.” Kelsey breaks into a fit of laughter.
“Jesus. You two got Kelsey drunk,” he scoffs, but he isn’t really mad. He’s just acting big brotherly.
“Yes,” Kelsey hisses, and it’s too damn funny.
“I’m headin’ to the backyard. Watch yourselves.” He grins, but his tone carries a warning. Typical Oli. His attention lands on Sloane, and his eyes rake hungrily over her body. “You, too, shrimp. Let me know if you want to go for a swim later.” He winks before he jets off. I want to chide him for hitting on my friend like that, but I can tell he’s pretty tipsy himself. When Oli stalks off, Sloane melts into me, fanning herself.
Crap!
“You have the hots for Oli?” Kelsey asks, grinning like a schoolgirl.
“She does,” I confirm with defeat for Sloane.
“It’s weird for her that I have a crush on him,” she mumbles, pointing to me.
“Yeah, I can see that.” Kelsey laughs. “Oli is a standup guy, but he’s nowhere ready to settle down, and he seems to be a top pick for the bunnies and having fun. Although, I could have said the same thing about Myles not that long ago,” she says. I get the feeling the alcohol has caused Kelsey to lose her filter. I completely understand because I suffer from the same affliction.
“My brother will settle when he meets the right girl, even if he has some growing up to do. I just don’t want you to get hurt, Sloane. That’s all I care about.”
She wraps her arms around my waist; that’s her version of hugging with our height difference. “I love you, Flynny.” She smiles, using my brother’s nickname for me. Then she pops her head up. “Let’s do another shot and go dance.”
We all nod and turn back to the bartender. He’s waiting expectantly but instead of doing one shot we do two. We head over to another dark room where people seem to be dancing. We pass Myles and Dave along the way, and I stop to give Myles a kiss while Kelsey stops to give Dave a kiss.
“You’re drunk,” Myles says into my mouth. I wrap my arms around his neck. “I am.” I grin mischievously, and he shakes his head at me and his lips press to mine. I hear Sloane clearing her throat behind me.
“I didn’t get you drunk so you could bang him. I got you drunk so we can have some fun,” she whines.
Myles chuckles. “Hi, Sloane. Nice to see you again.”
She smiles. “You, too.”
We wait for Kelsey. It seems that Dave’s pretty surprised to see his wife drunk. The men give each other a knowing look. The music is rocking, and the party is wild. There are people bumping and grinding on the dance floor, but there are also people practically fucking on the couches. Jeez!
Kelsey, Sloane, and I wave our hands in the air and sashay our hips to the beat of the music. We even have a little fun and begin to do some bumping and grinding against each other, too. Kelsey gets in on it, and we are all having fun. As sweat trickles down my neck, I sing the words to the song loudly. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Myles and Dave staring at us with grins from the entrance to the room.
Sloane stops dancing for a minute, out of breath. “Babe, I’m going to find some water, and I may jump into that pool in the backyard.”
As much as I’m feeling my drink, my brows furrow. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. I think we should stick together here.”
Sloane waves me off. “Don’t be ridiculous. This place is totally safe. Besides, you have Mr. Handsome there waiting for you, and he looks hot and bothered,” she says, and she turns out of the room. Kelsey has looped her arms around her husband’s neck and is kissing him deeply. Myles’s blue eyes are smoldering.
From the large windows in the family room, I have a clear view of the backyard. It looks more luxurious than the house with large wooden cabanas that have heaters attached to them. I notice a lot of people are outside, laughing, dancing, swimming. It’s the second week of December in Chicago. Nights are freezing, but steam rises off the pool water, so I’m sure it must be heated.
Myles loops his arm around my waist and pulls me close. “You having fun?” he asks.
I nod. “I actually am.”
He chuckles. “Good. You need to let loose more often.” His brows wiggle up and down suggestively.
I place a palm on his chest. “I felt very loose last night, thanks to the phone sex. I just need more of the real thing.” I place a chaste kiss on his lips, since I’m not one of those people that gets off on public displays of affection.
He presses his forehead to mine. “I can’t wait to get you in bed. I’ve had a hard-on since I walked in the door, and watching you dance like that has me thinking all kinds of things.” His eyes have a wicked gleam to them as the words caress my skin like an aphrodisiac, sending warmth between my thighs.
As if he’s reading my thoughts, or maybe the heat crawling up the apples of my cheeks, Myles whispers close to my ear, “How about we find a room?”
With wide eyes I say, “Really? This is someone’s house.”
Myles lets out a deep chuckle. “You’re so damn cute, Tink.” He takes me by the hand and pulls me up to the glass window facing the backyard. Now that I’ve taken a closer look, I can see what’s really going on out there. Holy crap, there are lots of naked girls and lots of people making out in general. I look back at Myles, jaw dropped and a little shocked.
He grins devilishly. “Your look says it all.”
“Funny.” I swat him.
“Are you still against the bedroom thing? I can probably get you to come in two minutes. We can be fast,” he pleads with pouty lips.
With his heated look and the thought of him being hard, it doesn’t take long to convince me. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but yes.”
Before I even finish the S, he’s guiding me through the house, holding my hand. He clearly knows his way around. Only, he takes me to the front door, and we leave and head around the side of the house. “Uh, Myles, where are we going? I thought you said bedroom. Wouldn’t those be upstairs?”
He looks back to me. “Trust me.”
“I do,” I mutter as my teeth chatter. He pulls me along an interlocked pathway covered in leaves. The alcohol coursing through my veins makes me unsteady in my stilettos, and although it warms my body, it isn’t enough to keep me warm against the winter chill. We walk down a pathway, past the festivities in the backyard.
“There is a guest house just down the way,” he says.
I’m cold, so we stop by one of the heaters to warm up. I grab a water from the fridge out here and drink it a little too quickly. We walk by the hot tub, and he whispers in my ear, asking if I want to take a swim later. I focus a little closer, so I can gauge if it’s something I’m comfortable with. Most of the girls are naked, on closer look. I also notice Sloane.
“Myles, wait.” I stop walking. “I think we need to save our sexy times for later.”
“What?” he asks, confused.
I squint. “That’s Sloane.” I drop his hand, and my feet are two steps ahead of my thoughts when I stop at the edge of the hot tub. She’s wearing a bra; it’s practically see-through, but at least she isn’t naked. I’m hoping she still has her panties on, because she’s a virgin for goodness sake.
“Sloane!” My voice is a little louder than I intend it to be, but I’m also pretty drunk.
Her eyes snap up to mine.
“Hey, Flynn.” She smiles brightly. Oli’s sitting next to her.
I cross my arms. Myles snakes an arm around my waist to steady me, but he remains quiet. Smart move.
“Sloane, we need to talk,” I say, hoping to get her out of that germ cesspool they call a Jacuzzi.
&n
bsp; “I’m having fun, Flynn. Relax.” She waves me off, and my idiot brother erupts in laughter, placing his arm on her shoulder.
“Relax?” I repeat, incredulous. “Sloane, this is a bad idea.” I now feel responsible for corrupting my clearly confused friend.
Oli leans in and presses a kiss to her lips. “Relax, Flynn, you’re dating my best friend. It isn’t the end of the world if I kiss yours.” He waves me off, mumbling his words, which are barely coherent. By the hazy look in his eyes, I know he is well past drunk. I’m more worried for Sloane than Oli, since I know my brother is used to getting around. I just don’t want Sloane to do something she isn’t comfortable with, and I sure as hell don’t want her to hand her V card over in that hot tub.
A loud growl escapes my mouth. “Oliver Russell, you’re acting like a child.” A few guys in the pool chuckle under their breath, and a few begin to mimic me. It’s infuriating, but I get it. I sound like an obnoxious sister or mother. A drunk, obnoxious sister. Even Myles is chuckling quietly behind me.
When I look to Myles for some reassurance, he looks sympathetic, but says, “Tink, he’s a grown man. Let it be.”
I’m itching to tell Myles that Sloane’s a virgin, but I can’t break her trust that way, so I keep quiet. Maybe I’m overreacting from the alcohol and this night in general. He’s right. I can’t keep tabs on my brother. He envelops me in a hug, and my nerves settle, and I feel a little foolish for my outburst.
A wet tap on my shoulder makes me turn. My brother is standing in front of me in a pair of dripping wet boxers. Thankfully, he isn’t naked. He’s swaying, though, when he says, “I’m sorry. I know I said I wouldn’t touch her. I hate to keep secrets from you,” he slurs. “Fuck! I hate to keep secrets from you,” he repeats more softly, and something about his demeanor and the way he’s apologizing tells me he isn’t just apologizing for Sloane.
Something bad is coming. You don’t just share a womb with a twin; you’re attached at the hip, and something about my brother is off.
“What is it, Oli?”
Sloane climbs out of the water. I’m relieved to see she’s wearing panties. They match her bra, so it looks like a bikini. She’s shivering when she walks up to us. “What’s going on?” She sounds concerned as she looks between Oli and me.
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