Page 38 of Puck My Stepbrother

“Sure. It happened to two players last year. Kayden Preston and Erik De Ruiter were drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs. I’m every bit as good as them.”

“Which means…?”

“If they can do it, so can I.”

I detected notes of bravado just like what I’d heard from him since we were kids. It was the tone that said Levi had decided he’d have me and never take no for an answer.

“But you don’t want to hear about hockey,” he said.

“Yes, I do.”

“Bullshit. You’ve never once asked me about hockey before. There’s got to be a reason you’re bringing it up now.”

I shrugged, watching my last line of defense crumble.

“Let’s not talk about me,” he said. “Let’s talk about you.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re my favorite subject, you know that. How have things been going with Jeff?”

“Perfect. Never been better.”

“You don’t really mean that.”

“Of course I do.”

He crossed his arms, never losing that sly look that seemed to claim he knew me better than I knew myself.

“So, how was it?” he asked.

“How was what?”

“Jeff, I mean. How was he?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Of course I did, though. Levi Dunn was no mystery. In fact, I swore the guy had a one-track mind. I deferred to my stubborn side that told me to hang tight and not give in to his stupidity.

“Jeff, the guy of your dreams.” He spoke in a mocking tone I knew all too well. “The guy who’s supposed to be so incredible. How was it the first time he made you squeal?”

I said nothing. How could I? Forget how stupid he sounded, I had a dilemma: I could either admit that Jeff and I still hadn’t done the wild thing, or say nothing, which would reveal everything my stepbrother-to-be needed to know.

When Levi’s eyes didn’t leave mine, I made my choice.

“We haven’t had sex yet,” I said.

“What was that?” He cupped a hand to his ear and leaned in.

“We haven’t had sex yet, Levi. We haven’t torn off our clothes and made the sheets burn. Not that it’s any of your business.”

Levi remained stoic, seeming unperturbed that I’d just tried to put him in his place, maybe because it represented another (failed) attempt at bravery. I still hadn’t succeeded in standing up to my old bully… maybe I never would.

I wondered if he liked that.

And then I realized he’d drawn closer to me, like he’d shifted so gradually to my end of the couch that I hadn’t even noticed.

Again, he was Levi Dunn.