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CHAPTER 4

RUSS

S carlett is the last woman I should be kissing, but I can’t help myself. She’s beautiful—that’s undeniable—but even if she doesn’t have a boyfriend, she’s Coach North’s sister.

She’s wearing my number—and now I know what her lips taste like. I’m so fucking screwed.

“This is a bad idea,” I mutter, unable to break away from her.

“The worst,” she confirms, and I still can’t stop tempting fate as my tongue sweeps across hers. Maybe we can be friends? Friends kiss. It’s a thing…

No. It’s not.

I’m a willing and able participant, desperate for more of her. Then again, so is she. This siren is only here for a night, asking her to stay with me would be the mistake of a millennium. I’m still sore from the game, and had every intention of going home alone. Why the hell do I suggest, “My place or yours?”

The burger certainly didn't do its job preventing this from happening.

“I don’t have sex with guys on the first date,” she whimpers into my mouth.

“Neither do I,” I tease, making her chuckle against my lips. “Your call, Red.”

“The hotel.” She pulls back, lips swollen and eyes wild. “That way I don’t need a rideshare in the morning.”

My brows pinch. “You think I wouldn’t drive you?”

“I… I don’t know. Athletes have a reputation. Puck bunnies? Isn’t that what you call them in hockey? Don’t you have a new girl every night?”

“Some do.” I shrug. “But if we spend the night together, we’re not having sex. I’m not hooking up with my coach’s sister—it’s too messy—but I also don’t want to say goodnight yet.”

She huffs a small laugh and bites her lip. “Does that line work on all of the girls?”

“I don’t know. Did it work on you?”

“Yes. But you’re serious? You don’t want to sleep with me?”

“I never said I didn’t want to,” I chuckle, unable to hide my smile. “There’s just something about you. I can’t explain it. The moment I saw you, it’s like time stopped. And when that guy tried to touch you, I wanted to rip his arms off.”

“I don’t believe in happenstance. People come into our lives for a reason—either they are going to change your life, or you’re going to change theirs.”

I shift my car into reverse and check the rear window before exiting the parking space. “Are you going to change my life for the better?”

“That remains to be seen. It’s not like we can date. You live here, and I’m three thousand miles away. And you’re one of my brother’s players. If things didn’t work out, it could strain on my relationship with him or jeopardize your career. They wouldn’t trade you, but he’d make your life a living hell.”

“Well, when you put it like that, it’s downright depressing.”

“So… what do you say we become best friends for a night, and in the morning, we pretend we never met?”

“Then I probably shouldn’t have kissed you.”

“I practically begged you to,” she laughs, sliding her hand onto my thigh, squeezing once. My cock twitches at her touch, a reminder that this is a bad idea. I wasn’t lying when I said I wanted to get to know her, but keeping my hands to myself will prove to be difficult when a simple thigh grab is making me hard.

“Friends don’t kiss,” I counter, covering her hand with mine.

“Says who?”

“Name one other friend you kiss.” We pull up to the stoplight and I glance over with a cocked eyebrow.

“Well, you’d be the first.”

The light turns green, and every fiber of my being wants to pull over and taste her again. As much as I would love to lick every last inch of this woman, I continue driving while my cock protests, throbbing against my jeans.

We arrive at her hotel, and I’m able to find a parking spot near the entrance. I hop out, rounding the car to open her door before she dares to. It earns me a smile, and I swear my heart leaps out of my damn chest at the sight. As I shut the door, Scarlett slides her hand into mine, interlacing our fingers. It feels more intimate than any sex I’ve ever had. I don’t know anything about her—aside from my brief internet stalking—but from the moment I laid eyes on her, I’ve felt this pull. Maybe she’s right, and for some inexplicable cosmic reason, I was always supposed to meet her.

She leads the way through the lobby and up the two floors to her room. The hotel is older but recently renovated, with new carpets and updated fixtures. The moment she swipes her keycard against the sensor, my breath catches—are we really doing this? I can’t remember the last time I went home with a girl, let alone someone I wanted more than a quick fuck with. A small part of me worries she won’t like what she sees. Everyone knows me as Russ the athlete, not Russ the man behind the jersey.

We step inside, and the click of the door seals my fate. Scarlett drops her purse and keycard on the small table by the door and spins to face me. “I’d offer you a glass of wine, but the best I can do is water.”

“Water’s fine.” I stuff my hands in my pockets, rocking back on my heels.

“Make yourself comfortable.”

If I actually wanted to be comfortable, I’d have her naked in bed with me, but that can never happen. She strips off her jersey, revealing the Cougars tee she wore to the game, and kicks off her shoes. I remove my own shoes and leave them by the door, then help myself to a glass of water before she can.

“Hey!”

“Hey, what?” I say into my glass, but as I’m about to retrieve a second for her, she snatches it from me and takes a sip.

“So, tell me, why hockey?”

“Why not?”

“That’s a non-answer,” she laughs and makes her way onto the dark gray loveseat, bringing the water with her. I prep a second one and join her. “I’m serious. You probably know how my brother wanted his own career but wasn’t good enough to go pro. Apparently, you are. So, how did you decide being a goalie was for you?”

We’ve all heard the stories about Coach North. He was incredible on the ice but never had his chance. I’m grateful for all that he’s done for our team, but I can’t imagine that kind of disappointment. “I’ve played since I was old enough to stand,” I reply, blowing out a long breath. “I haven’t known anything else. My parents encouraged it when coaches saw something in me. I played through college—even though I barely graduated—and have played professionally ever since.”

“What did you go to school for?”

“Business. I figured it would be the most versatile if hockey didn’t work out. I was on scholarship and could’ve picked any subject I wanted. My parents wanted me to be practical, and I’m grateful for it. I was never supposed to be a doctor or a lawyer. I was always supposed to be on the ice. What about you? Why soccer PT?”

“Well, my family loves hockey but I hardly follow it. I loved my sports medicine courses, and even though the injuries are predictable, I like that they are still interesting. In soccer, there are lots of knee injuries and pulled muscles, but it’s not as aggressive as other sports. I did apply for a position with the Québec Dynasty, so maybe hockey is in my future after all.”

“You know they’re a rival team, right?” I laugh and take a long gulp of my water.

“It’s just a game.”

I sputter a cough. “Just a game? Please never say that in front of your brother.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

“So, if you got that job, you’d travel with the team, and when they play here in Vancouver…”

Scarlett lightly licks her lips, and I can’t take it a moment longer. She may want to be friends, but I can’t help my desperate need to kiss her again. I cautiously lean in, and she closes the distance, bringing her lips to mine. If she gets this job, I’ll be able to see her again. Fuck this being one night. Her lips part, letting me tease and taste her, but as I nip at her bottom lip she climbs onto my lap, straddling me.

“What are you up to, Red? I thought you said you don’t have sex on a first date?”

“Well, this isn’t a date, and last time I checked, we’re both fully clothed.”

I grip her ass and pull her flush with me, my now painfully hard cock straining against my jeans. “You’re right, but I bet if I stripped you out of these pants, you’d be wet for me.”

“Oh, I absolutely am, but we’re not sleeping together.” She leans in and whispers beside my ear, “I have to know—are the books right?”

“Books? What books?”

She pulls back, laughing, “You know, romance books. The star goalie with a Jacob’s ladder, or even just a Prince Albert.”

“Is that really in books? You’re full of shit.”

“I’m not!” Scarlett climbs off of me, and I stifle a groan. Once she’s retrieved her phone, she climbs back onto my lap, swiping and tapping for a minute. “See? Here are four books with pierced cocks.” She turns the phone to show me her book app, all of them featuring “puck” in the title. “So, you’re not pierced? Such a shame. You should get one.”

“Just because you read a bunch of hockey romance books with goalies who have pierced cocks doesn’t mean I’m going to fulfill your fantasies, Red.”

“Fine,” she playfully groans. “That nickname is sticking, isn’t it.”

“Yup,” I reply, popping the ‘p.’ I’m so gone for this girl, and I don’t even know her.

“Well, as disappointed as I am that your dick isn’t christened with barbells, it’s getting late. Do you want to stay over?”

“Do you want me to?”

“I normally hate sleepovers, but I’ll make an exception for you.” She winks and climbs off of me. As she struts over to the bed, she strips off her tee, and the sight has my cock leaking precum. There’s no way in hell I can stay the night and not touch her. She rummages in her suitcase and takes out an oversized tee, then pulls it over her head. Glancing over her shoulder, she teases, “Are you going to wear that to bed? Or do you need to borrow your jersey?”

I stand and tug off my shirt, tossing it to the floor. “I sleep naked. Hope you don’t mind.”

Her jaw drops, but she quickly schools her expression. I fucking love that her eyes darken at the sight of me. “Fine.”

“Fine?”

“Fine,” she confirms and unhooks her bra, letting it fall from under her shirt. She watches me intently as I unbuckle my belt and strip out of my pants. With my fingers in the waistband of my underwear, about to drag them down my legs, she rushes out, “But maybe keep your boxer briefs on.”

“Why? Because my cock isn’t pierced?”

Scarlett lets out a full laugh as she unbuttons her pants. “No! It’s because we’re just friends .”

“Friends who kiss,” I correct. “And sleep in the same bed together.”

“Yes.” She clears her throat, stepping out of her pants. “But not friends who sleep in the same bed naked .”

I close the small distance between us and brush her hair off her shoulder, exposing her delicate throat. As I press a small kiss to her neck, I whisper, “If we’re friends who kiss, am I allowed to kiss you anywhere I want?”

“Wh-where do you want to kiss me?”

I nip at her earlobe, making her suck in a breath. “What’s off-limits?”

“I don’t know. Nowhere?”

I grip behind her thighs and toss her onto the bed. She lets out an adorable laugh, and I can’t help the stupid grin on my face. Her shirt rides up, revealing her black lace thong. As much as I’d love to rip it off and bury my face in her pussy, I want her to be comfortable first. With a featherlight touch, I glide my hands up her smooth thighs, wanting to trace behind my fingers with my tongue. Swiping my knuckle between her legs, the lace is already damp, and I lose all resolve. “Tell me to stop.”

“No,” she breathes. “Don’t stop.”

This has to be the stupidest idea I’ve ever come up with, but I can’t remember the last time I wanted someone as much as I want Scarlett. She wants to be friends? Fine. But every time she hears my name, I want her thighs clenching at the thought of what we did.

I take my time pulling down her thong, and she’s fucking glistening for me. I spread her wider, loving the small trail of curls at the top of her otherwise bare pussy. I lick once up her slit and swirl my tongue around her clit, unable to help the groan that escapes me. Her thighs might clench at the thought of me after this, but my cock will be hard as fucking quartz at the memory of tasting her. I flick my tongue, making her gasp, and I drive two fingers inside her. She’s tight, but as I curl my fingers, I add another. She cries out, and her whimpered moans spur me on. I find the perfect pace and pressure, building her up until she comes hard on my tongue, drenching my beard and fingers. I’m fucking ruined and need more. Her pussy pulses around me as I slow my movements, and her breathing slows.

“Just a little goodnight kiss between friends,” I chuckle against her swollen clit.

“Yeah,” she manages through her laboured breaths. “Just a… yeah.”