Page 67 of Daring the Hockey Player

Charlotte is smirking, and that grin has me concerned because she always seems to cause trouble when she's scheming. "So, tell me, have you two kissed yet?"

When the words leave her lips, the hard lemonade leaves mine, spitting it out and right at Jasper, spraying him mercilessly. I curse under my breath, and I'm certain my cheeks are crimson. There is no mistaking my humiliation for what it is or hiding from it.

He takes his shirt, lifts it to wipe his face, and then removes it completely from his torso, tossing it at me.

It lands on my face and falls to my lap. I wasn't expecting him to disrobe in front of me or Charlotte.

"I'm not putting this on," I say, pointing at the sprayed hard lemonade on his T-shirt. The last time he took off his shirt and tossed me it to wear, it was his sweaty jersey.

It sits in my lap as he runs his fingers over my feet delicately, trailing a path from the top of my foot to the bottom.

And that's when he tickles me. His fingers dance with a featherlight touch over my insole, and I'm squirming on the sofa, attempting to break free, but he doesn't let me.

"Your punishment," he says with a sly grin.

"For what?" I shriek with laughter, and he continues to torment me as I try to move my feet away. He pulls me farther down on the sofa, straddling me, tickling my stomach, and making me squirm under his touch.

The only escape is to retaliate, and I attempt to tickle his hips. He squirms just a bit, enough to rock his center over mine, and it feels deliciously good.

"Charlotte, help me!" I squeal between fits of laughter.

I glance at her, and she's sipping her drink, watching the show that we're putting on for her. "I am helping you," she says with a wink and stands.

"Where are you going?" I shout.

"To get myself lost in the kitchen," Charlotte says.

"It's just you and me," Jasper says, staring down at me.

I'm gasping as he momentarily stops tickling me, letting me breathe. Staring down at me, his brown eyes are a darker hue, and his breathing is thick and heavy.

He shifts, and I feel his cock twitch against me.

I want him to kiss me, but if I move up, if I reach for him, he'll push me away like he's been doing all along. I know he wants me. I canfeelthat he wants me.

Jasper clears his throat and climbs off the couch. "I should grab a clean shirt and check on dinner."

Charlotte steps aside as I glance at her in the kitchen. "Dinner still has fifteen minutes on the timer," she says. With his back to me, as he heads down the hallway for his bedroom, she mouths something unintelligible.

I shrug, unable to read her lips, and gesture her closer.

She tries again as he emerges from his bedroom, and when I can't figure out what she's silently mouthing, she gives up. Charlotte grabs another hard lemonade from the fridge. "Do you need another, Amber?" she asks.

"I'm good." Two is definitely my limit tonight if I want to keep things from getting any more awkward between us as roommates. My feelings for Jasper need to be buried.

"Are you free tomorrow night?" Charlotte quips, bringing her hard lemonade with her as she crashes on the sofa beside me.

"I don't have anything planned," I say. "Why?" I can already see the cogs going in her head, and it makes my stomach bubble.

"There's a party on campus, and I want you to come with me."

"There's always a party on campus," I say.

"Trust me, there will be," she lowers her voice to keep Jasper from hearing us, "hockey players."

"What?" he barks. Her version of whispering is about as bad as my version. "Who the hell from the team is going to a frat party?"

"College hockey," Charlotte emphasizes. "I figured with the unresolved sexual tension around here, if she has a thing for hockey guys, maybe she could hook up with one on campus."