Page 115 of Daring the Hockey Player

"Are you never going to talk to him again? Because that's going to be hard to do when you play hockey with him like every day."

"It's not every day, and we fight. Whatever," he says dismissively, sitting up in bed.

The phone rings again.

"He's persistent," I say.

"Do you want to answer it?" he asks, shoving the phone at me.

I shrug and hit accept. "Jasper is a bit busy right now," I answer before so much as offering a warm greeting or even a hello.

A soft, feminine sigh exhales a breath. "I wasn't calling for Jasper," Emerson says. "I was looking for you. You didn't answer your phone. I thought I might try your roommate."

Jasper is watching me attentively. "Tell my brother he can suck my—" I cover his lips with my hand.

"It's my sister," I say to Jasper, glaring at him to watch his mouth and his tone.

His eyes light up, and his shoulders relax. "Oh, well, then tell her I said hello and that her fiancé is a—"

I grab the nearest pillow and smack him with it to shut him up.

"You did not just hit me with a pillow," Jasper deadpans.

Emerson clears her throat. "Do I need to let you go? You sound busy with your roommate." The way she keeps calling Jasper my roommate is annoying me, like a pesky mosquito bite that won't stop itching.

Jasper sits up in bed, watching me attentively.

"Listen," I say and press my lips together, trying to decide how I'm going to word this without making a fool of myself in front of Jasper.

"We're dating!" Jasper shouts, making it known without so much as a hint of guilt on his face. His tone settles, but he's still obnoxiously loud. "Did she hear me?"

I snort. "Of course, she heard you. I think half the apartment complex heard you."

"Only half? Should I go outside on the balcony and shout it for all of the city to hear?" Jasper asks. He wags his eyebrows, and I reach for the pillow. But he's faster than I am and snatches it before I can retaliate. Besides, he has two free hands, and I'm still holding his cell phone with my right hand. He's at an advantage.

"Well, I'm happy for you, but can I talk to him?"

I inhale a deep breath through my nose. "Why?" I ask. I'm reluctant to hand over the phone. Is she going to give the 'big sister, if you hurt her, I'll kill you' speech?

"Jasper and Kyler need to make up. We can't let it affect their practice or their game."

"What do you propose?" I ask.

"Whose proposing?" Jasper asks. "Are you going to ask me to marry you? Because I think I should be the one doing the asking."

I yank the pillow from between his hands. "Go get ready for bed," I say and point at the bathroom. He's still naked from our earlier festivities, as am I, which I don't mind, but I'm trying to keep him from overhearing whatever my sister is scheming.

"Fine, but if you're proposing, I expect flowers, a ring, and you to get down on one knee. I want the whole package,babe." He climbs off the bed, and I roll my eyes, watching as he saunters into the bathroom, giving me a nice show of his ass. I'm fairly sure it's on purpose.

And I'm not wrong or disappointed because when he turns around, he blows me a kiss before shutting the bathroom door. I can hear the sink run and assume that he's brushing his teeth. He didn't take any clothes into the bathroom with him, which means in a minute or two, he'll be back in the bedroom, and I won't have much time to talk to Emerson in private.

"Be quick," I say. "He's out of earshot."

"The boys have off tomorrow. You're bringing Jasper over, and we're going to make both boys apologize and make up."

"And if he doesn't agree to it?" I ask. I don't know how I'm going to convince him to accompany me to Kyler's house, not if they're still fighting.

"Use your womanly charm. He made it abundantly clear that he has feelings for you."