Page 20 of Rebel Secrets (Devils Hockey #3)

Chapter Thirteen

R ebel

I reached out and wrapped my hand around her neck, the braid containing her bright hair brushing against my skin. Electricity sparked up my arm and throughout the rest of my body. Pulling her against me, I sucked in air at the crush of her breasts against my chest.

So fucking soft. I wanted to put my hands all over her. Wanted to run them up and down her body and feel her naked skin, warm against mine.

She gasped, and her lips parted, and I couldn’t pass up the chance to taste her.

She must have seen the intent on my face. Her blue eyes widened even more than they already were, her hands tightening on my shoulders. As I bent my head, her eyes closed and ? —

Shooting straight up in bed, I woke from the dream with a hard on, lungs hungry for air and skin full of goosebumps.

Fuck.

Throwing my legs over the side of the mattress, I sat with my elbows on my knees and my head in my hands, trying to will my erection away and not having much luck with that.

What the actual fuck ? There was no fucking way in hell I should be having sex dreams about Erin.

Sure, we’d kind of buried the hatchet the past couple of weeks. And last night we’d reassured everyone around us that we weren’t going to ruin the wedding with our bickering.

But this …

Maybe it was something I’d eaten.

Forcing the dream to the back of my mind, I headed for the kitchen, remembering at the last second not to walk out of my room naked.

I grabbed a pair of gym shorts, pulled them on and headed to the kitchen.

The sun had barely cleared the horizon, as I stood at the floor to ceiling window and looked out at the woods.

I loved waking up to this view, had missed it badly when I’d been away all those months.

Con No. 1: Missing this view.

Pro No. 1:

I’d have to think about it.

Since I’d always been an early riser, and I knew Ian was not, I was surprised to see him emerge from my spare room about half an hour later. He looked like he’d had a rough night.

Join the club, kid.

“Coffee?”

Yawning and running a hand through his bed head, he nodded and shuffled over to the counter where the coffee maker sat. Then he just stood there as he realized he didn’t know where the mugs were.

Looking over his shoulder, Ian’s brows rose in a question, and I pointed to the cabinet in front of him. Of course, he managed to pick the wrong cabinet the first time. I smiled as I watched him pause, his hand frozen in midair for several seconds before he shut the door and opened the correct one.

It took him at least a full minute after he poured himself a cup of coffee, drank it then poured another before he turned back to me, leaning back against the counter and looking at me through barely open eyes.

“You’re gonna stunt your growth drinking that much coffee.”

Holding my gaze, he lifted the mug and took another healthy smile while he gave me the finger with his free hand.

This is why we got along so well.

“Wanna get some ice time in this morning?”

His brows arched, mug halted halfway to his lips as excitement sparked in his eyes.

“Really?”

“Yeah. I could use the exercise.”

Especially after that dream, which I definitely didn’t want to think about.

“Must be nice to have ice whenever you want.”

I didn’t hear an ounce of jealousy or envy in his voice. Just that big-puppy energy, ready to bound out the door and put on his skates. And he was right. It was great. I’d grown up privileged, and it hadn’t occurred to me until I was nearly a teenager that other kids didn’t have what I have.

Not that my parents would let any of their kids think they were better than anyone else. I’d had a job at the arena by the time I was thirteen. And so had my brothers and sister.

I nodded. “It is. The arena doesn’t have anything booked this week so we should have the place to ourselves. Most of the guys take the month off, and my family’s pretty preoccupied with the wedding, so…”

“Absolutely. When do you wanna leave?”

“How about we get dressed, get some food and then head out?”

Ian paused for a second. “Is Erin’s bakery open? Can we stop there?”

For a second, I had the stupid thought that Ian knew about my dream. Then I came to my senses and realized the kid had a crush on her. My jaw locked for a split second against an absolutely ridiculous surge of possessiveness.

What the actual actual fuck?

First the dream, now this. I had Erin on the brain. But if I said no, Ian would want to know why I didn’t want to go to Erin’s place for breakfast, and I didn’t have an answer. At least, not a good one.

“Sure. No problem.”

Which is how I found myself walking into Erin’s bakery at seven in the morning.

Ian wore a huge grin, which would probably make this all worth it.

I still didn’t know what had happened to blow up his plans.

I was hoping he’d have told me by now, but I also knew if I just kept my mouth shut, eventually he’d spill. He knew I was safe here.

“Erin. Hey.”

She caught sight of Ian before she saw me, and her smile did stupid things to my blood pressure.

I knew what was going on. I just didn’t know why.

Why, after knowing her for all this time, was she making me fucking dream about her?

Maybe I really did need to get laid. I just knew it wasn’t going to be her. We didn’t even like each other.

Not true.

“Hey, Rebel, you’re getting food, too, right?”

I snapped back to reality, where Ian was staring at me, confused, and Erin watched me with an expression I couldn’t read. I stepped closer to the counter, her gaze stuck to mine. Ian must have already ordered.

“What can I get you, Rebel?”

She smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes, which were guarded. Why? I thought last night had gone well. Actually, I thought the last couple of weeks we’d managed to declare a truce.

What the hell had changed since last night?

I ordered what I always did, her cherry almond scones, watched her nod and retreat to the kitchen.

At the moment, we were the only customers, though I knew the café did a pretty decent business most mornings.

“Grab a table,” I said to Ian. “I’ll be back in a second.”

Not waiting for him to respond, I headed into the kitchen.

“Erin?”

She stood at the large table in the center of the room, with her back to me, throwing what I assumed was dough on the surface and kneading it like she had a vendetta against it.

“What did the dough do to piss you off?”

She let out a little scream and spun around with a little jerk.

“Rebel! What the hell are you doing back here?”

Pink flushed her cheeks, and she had a smudge of white on her chin that looked like flour.

Her blue eyes flashed even brighter than normal, her lips parted as she breathed in heavily.

I couldn’t help but notice the rise and fall of her chest, and the dream I’d had this morning replayed itself in my head with every detail in full color.

Jerking my gaze back to her face, I noticed how the freckles on her nose stood out just a little more. And how her hair seemed to be trying to escape her braid. My fingers curled into my palms. I wanted to set it free.

I had to swallow before I answered.

“Are you okay?”

She blinked at me. “What?”

“You seem…upset.”

“I—You—What are you talking about?”

She looked genuinely puzzled, like she had no idea what I was saying. And maybe I was reading the situation completely wrong. Maybe she just hadn’t wanted to see me this morning.

Then I saw her gaze slip to my mouth before snapping back up to meet my eyes.

I knew I should turn around and walk out. I also knew I wasn’t going to.

“Did I do something to piss you off last night?”

Now she looked at me like I’d just asked her to make me a peanut butter sandwich with pickles and dirt.

“No. Of course not. I just have a lot on my mind.”

That made sense. Especially with the wedding now less than two weeks away.

Still…

“Do you need help?”

“I think I can make a few breakfast sandwiches.”

The small barbs in her tone felt like familiar territory. But they hit a little harder today for some reason.

“I meant, do you need help with the wedding? I know it’s a lot?—”

“What?” Her lower lip stuck out, and I had the absolutely insane urge to want to lick it. “You don’t think I can do it?”

“Not what I said.” My arms crossed over my chest, what I was beginning to realize was an automatic response when she said something I didn’t like. “I just don’t want you to not ask for help if you need it.”

“I’ve got it under control. Thank you.”

Those last two words seemed like an afterthought, but they also sounded a little softer. “Good.”

I didn’t move right away, and she nibbled on that bottom lip before she said, “Is that all you wanted? I need to get your food together.”

No, that wasn’t all I wanted. I just didn’t know what I wanted. Or why I’d followed her back here.

Bullshit.

“Yeah. Sure. Make it to go. Ian and I are heading over to the arena for some ice time.”

Her expression softened when I mentioned Ian. “Sure. It’ll be ready in a few minutes.”

That was my cue to leave. And I took it before I did something really stupid.