Page 23

Kirk groaned. “The Internet is a double-edged sword. You should only use it with adult supervision, Finn.”

“Yes sir.” Finn nodded. “I only look at Hattie’s profile. I promise.”

“And exactly how did Hattie get her own profile?” Sheridan asked although she had a sneaking suspicion she already knew the answer.

“Sloane set it up. She’s an influencer,” he said as if he knew what that meant. “Dad had lots of photos of Hattie even from when she was a puppy. Look. She made this cool video. It’s got over nine thousand likes.”

Peri put an arm around Finn’s shoulders and leaned down to watch the video. Her face softened before she glanced back up at Sheridan.

“It’s very well done.”

“That doesn’t matter. It’s an invasion of our family’s privacy. She had no right. And you should have asked me about this first, Finn.”

“Alek said it was okay,” he argued.

How dare he.

Sheridan wiped her hands on a dish towel trying to contain her pique. It was no use. She didn’t care if he was resting before the game. They were dealing with this right now.

“Excuse me,” she said to no one in particular as she stomped up the stairs.

Light was shining beneath the door to Alek’s room. She hoped that meant he wasn’t sleeping. Although she was furious enough that waking him seemed a justified punishment.

“How could you?” she demanded when she charged into his room.

Alek stood next to his bed neatly piling clothes into his equipment bag. Clothes he probably should be wearing. The only thing he’d bothered to put on was a pair of navy joggers slung low on his waist.

Her eyes darted from his dark nipples to the happy trail of hair stretching from his belly button to below the elastic of his pants.

She jerked her gaze up only to collide with his surprised eyes.

She swayed slightly before refocusing her stare to a spot on the wall a foot above his very sculpted shoulder. It was safer.

“How could I what?” he asked a bit too calmly for her.

“How could you let Sloane set up an Instagram for the dog?”

“Really? That’s what got your panties all up in a wad?”

She tore her eyes from the wall and glared into his patronizing ones.

“Finn is too young to be scrolling through social media. Not before he has a good handle on what behaviors are right and which ones are wrong.”

“Like not knocking before entering someone’s bedroom?” he mocked.

He had her there. Except that wasn’t the point. She crossed her arms beneath her breasts and soldiered on.

“I told Sloane I didn’t want Hattie to have an Instagram account.”

“You did?”

She picked at her sleeve. “Sort of. She might have asked if she could set one up. But I didn’t say yes.”

He chuckled. It made the muscles in his chest dance provocatively.

“I see. I should have consulted with you first. My bad.”

“Yes, you should have.” She all but stomped her foot. “It’s important that we stay on the same page where it concerns Finn. Have you seen what social media does to kids?”

“Duly noted. Give me the ground rules you want followed, and I will follow them to a tee.”

The easy way he folded took some of the satisfaction out of her victory.

He sighed. “In my defense, I was aggravated with all the shit people were posting about you, Finn, and Hattie. In hockey, the best defense is a good offense. Taking charge of the narrative made sense. Sloane may be a bit flakey, but she knows what she is doing. I thought you might be a little more appreciative.”

Well, when he put it that way.

“I am appreciative.”

So appreciative that I want to lick you from your throat to your navel right now.

She started as if she’d said the words out loud. Thankfully she hadn’t. Even more maddening, Alek didn’t seem to be as affected as she was. But then, what had she expected?

“Sloane’s plan is working. Everyone is in love with Finn’s dog.” He pulled a tattered T-shirt from his laundry basket. “Me, not so much right now. I thought you said you’d keep her out of my stuff.”

“I promised to keep her away from your tighty-whities. I didn’t say anything about ratty old T-shirts.”

He stalked across the room to where she stood admiring the view. “This was a favorite.”

Up close, she recognized the logo from the Ivy League championship. She gently fingered the cotton, buttery soft after years of washing.

And years next to Alek’s body.

“Jamie had one just like it,” she whispered, surprised at how hard the memory was hitting her. “Hattie used to sleep on it.”

She didn’t realize she was crying until he reached in to brush the tear off her cheek. His bare chest was now inches from her. He smelled like soap and temptation. She gulped in a breath.

He must have mistaken it for a sob because he gently cupped her face with both hands.

Her eyelids fluttered closed on their own.

She felt him hesitate before he pressed his lips to her forehead.

They lingered there before his palms slid back to his sides and he stepped away.

She pried her lids open just in time to catch him dragging in a ragged breath. He gestured to the T-shirt.

“Keep it. Give it to the dog. It makes sense that she’s taking my things because she misses Jamie.”

He walked over to his equipment bag, plucked a Henley out of it, and shrugged it over his shoulders. The muscles in his back put on a show, flexing seductively before the fabric slid over them.

Feeling very much like the voyeur she was, she hurried to the door before his words stopped her.

“Sheridan. Next time knock.”

Shame washed through her. She nodded before softly closing the door behind her. Caressing the shirt between her fingers, she carried it to her room and tucked it beneath her pillow.