Page 14 of Three Pucking Ex's Brothers

Just silence. He didn’t chase me or even call. He just…left.

Was it for another woman? I don’t know. It’s highly suspect, given I found him with his cock buried inside some other woman, but I don’t know if he was seeing her or if it was a one-night stand or…

I want to know, because I want answers, but…would they help settle this anxiety or make it worse? As badly as I want to know, I kind of alsodon’twant to know.

So instead of focusing on Brett and what happened, I focus on Russell’s warm hands on my waist. I let him move me back and forth and I close my eyes. Awkwardly, I don’t know what to do with my hands, so I hold my drink in one and work on draining it while the other swings by my side.

Almost as if he can read my mind, Rush grabs my hand and settles it on his shoulder.

I open my eyes, my gaze settling on him. On his bright green eyes that shine underneath the blue neon light. The shadows that fall over his face make him look like something straight out of a romance novel. Tempting as all hell.

“I’m sorry about my brother,” he says, his voice full of bitterness. “He’s a fucking idiot.”

His words are as sharp as his tongue and I can’t deny that hearing him like this—angry, bitter, and bitching about his brother—is way more validating than it should be.

“I—”

“Believe me when I say I’m going to fucking beat his ass,” Rush says, but I can hear the faint drippings of alcohol on his tongue. And I can smell the beer on his breath, mixed with his heady cedar cologne.

God, he smells good.

And looks good…

“Rush—”

My gaze roves over his face, over his body. He’s decked out in a fadedLed ZeppelinT-shirt and dark jeans, looking every bit like he’s ready for his damn close-up in a magazine. His blond hair hangs in his eyes and I have the strangest feeling that I could get lost in them if I let myself.

“I’m serious, Nora,” he says, his voice dark and inviting. “He was raised better than that. And just because he’s family doesn’t mean he gets a pass.”

Russell looks down at me with a heady softness that makes my insides hot. “And I can tell you if you weremine, I would never be able to even look at anyone else.”

His words settle on me, making my stupid heart flutter. I have to remind myself he’s not talking about me. He’s talking in general.

There’s no way Russell Sterling wants me. For God’s sakes, up until forty-eight hours ago, I was his brother’s girlfriend. Not to mention he’s never once given me the impression he feels differently than he should.

But still, I can’t deny the way my heart skips a beat and my damn pussy flutters at those words on his tongue.

If you were mine.

I have to force myself to look away from his verdant gaze, and when I do, I see Freddie across the way. Watching us. Intently.

His dark green gaze catches mine like a shadow and I don’t miss the way he adjusts his cock through his jeans, the sight sending another fresh jolt of electricity right to my groin. My cheeks heat and I tell myself it’s just a coincidence that I looked up atthatmoment. It has nothing to do with me and certainly nothing to do with Rush.

And it certainly doesn’t mean what my mindwantsit to mean for some odd reason.

The desire to hold his gaze like a challenge festers in me.

Just what is in these freaking Highline Hitters?

Russell’s hands slide over my hips softly as he rocks us back and forth, pulling my attention from his brother. “You can relax, youknow.” He leans closer to whisper in my ear. “I don’t bite,” he says. “Promise.”

I know this. I know Rush and Flash are good guys who aren’t the type to make waves or make women feel uncomfortable. Even if they’ve been single for a while. Part of me is a little jealous of that notion. At least, right now.

Because while I was off creating little vision boards and manifesting my perfect life with an up-and-coming athlete, gettingcheated on—they were off doing whatever and whoever they pleased without the repercussions. No commitments, no attachments. I’m not obtuse, and while I don’t believe all the gossip I hear in this town, it’s impossiblenotto know about the Sterling brothers, seeing as they’re a family of hockey players and some of the town’s most eligible bachelors.

Though if that label or spotlight bothers them, they don’t seem to show it.

Instead, they lean into it. Being absolutely perfect and opening doors and taking out pretty women and then doing whatever they feel like. Ah, the life of a single man. If only being a single woman was that freeing, but I digress.