“Perfect. You can take her home.” Carter cups his gloved hands around his mouth. “Hey, Jennie! Garrett’s gonna give you a ride tonight!”
Give her a ride? That’s exactly what I want to do and what I’m actively trying to avoid. Instead, I attempt to swallow down my entire Adam’s apple as I meet Jennie’s gaze.
At least she looks as terrified as I am about what type of ride I might take her for.
I wonder which one of us has better self-control.
CHAPTER 11
PLAY WITH ME
GARRETT
How the fuck did she get those on?
Judging by the way I’m trying to decide on a plan of attack for getting her out of them, Jennie’s high-waisted jeans appear to be painted over her round ass and wide hips. I’m not allowed to undress her though.
But these fucking jeans. The tight, washed-out denim flares below her knees, and I swear those legs go straight to heaven. I’m already mentally cataloging all the different ways I can wrap them around me （hint: position number one is over my shoulders）。 She’s also wearing this stupid crop top that shows off her stupid belly button, and all I’m thinking about is shifting that shitty excuse for a shirt up and swirling my tongue around the tiny plum-purple gem that dangles there.
I need to get her the fuck out of my system.
“You don’t drink?”
“Huh?” I drag my gaze away from Jennie, unimpressed that it’s Jaxon Riley who’s made me do so.
He gestures at the can of sparkling cherry-flavored water in my hand. “You’re drinking water.”
“I’m driving tonight.”
“Why?”
So I don’t make any captain’s little sister–sized mistakes that have the potential to prematurely end my career via shattered bones?
“Uh, ’cause?” is the intellectual response I give him.
Jaxon’s gaze follows mine as it bounces back to the girl in question, and he smirks. Leaning next to me, he murmurs, “The thing about her being Carter’s little sister is that he’s only my captain, whereas he’s one of your best friends. Where she’s off-limits for you, she’s free game for me.”
I snort. “Good luck walking outta here with that type of logic.”
“Tell ya what. I’ll make you a bet.”
“No.” I’m not entertaining this jackass. “What’s the bet?” I’m entertaining him a little.
“I get her to come home with me tonight.”
My grip on my can tightens. “I think the fuck not.”
“Because you want her?”
“Because you’ll fuck her once and ghost her, and we’ll be short a defenseman when Carter knocks you the fuck out.” I drain my can and crush it between my hands. “Jennie deserves better.”
Jaxon grins, pulling two beers from the ice in the kitchen sink. He tosses his words over his shoulder as he wanders toward Jennie. “I’ll treat her real nice, Andersen. Promise.”
JENNIE
I’m highly unimpressed with the state of Olivia’s bladder. She’s left me here alone, and I’m about to have to be friendly with a fuckboy.
The new trade saunters toward me, a smug grin on his smug face. “Pretty girl like you shouldn’t be alone.” He holds out his hand. “I’m Jaxon.”
I lift my sparkling water to my mouth. “I know who you are.”
Speaking loosely, of course, about having to be friendly.
Jaxon Riley, NHL bad boy, fuckboy extraordinaire, and Vancouver’s newest defenseman, chuckles, taking his hand back. “All right. That’s cool. I know who you are too.” He offers me one of the beers laced between his fingers. “Brought you a beer.”
“I don’t drink.”
I catch a snort of laughter, and my gaze flits over Jaxon’s shoulder, finding Garrett’s amused eyes on us. I’m not proud to say I suddenly become a lot more interested in the man in front of me.
Jaxon’s nice to look at, so it’s not an onerous task. All messy brown hair, hazel eyes, broad shoulders, and a full sleeve of tattoos decorating his left arm, I’m entirely into it. Top-shelf Flickapedia material, without a doubt. A welcome reprieve from the mental image I’ve been flicking it to every single night since Garrett destroyed me after catching his name leaving my lips.
I lean into the new defenseman, squeezing his forearm, and drop my voice to a purr. “But thank you so much for thinking of me. That’s incredibly sweet of you.”
His smirk is too proud. “That’s why they call me Sugar.”
I inwardly roll my eyes, trailing my fingertip over the flowers decorating the cuff of Jaxon’s wrist as Garrett crushes his can in his fist and reaches for a new one. “Really? I heard that was for an entirely different reason.”
Jaxon takes the bait, stepping into me. “Dessert might be my favorite meal of the day.”
“Mmm…” I bat my lashes while Garrett aggressively chugs his water. “Mine too.”
I spy the platter of double fudge cupcakes sitting on the counter, right next to Garrett’s elbow. I walk toward him, his face heating the closer I get.
“Excuse me.” I brush against him, reaching for a cupcake. “Dessert,” I murmur with a wink before heading back to Jaxon. “I’ve been craving something sweet all night long.” I swipe my finger through the fudge frosting, then slowly suck it into my mouth, all the while noticing how Garrett demolishes another can of sparkling water.
Jaxon’s hooded gaze tracks my finger, my lips, the way my tongue darts out to make sure I don’t miss a single bit of decadence. He brushes a lock of hair off my face before his fingertips skim my waist. “Come home with me.”
Behind him, Garrett’s fist ends the life of what I’m pretty sure is his third can of cherry sparkling water in the last five minutes.
GARRETT
Well, that won’t work. Absolutely not. If I can’t have her, nobody else on this team gets her.
“Eh, Carter,” I call across the kitchen.
Jennie’s icy stare widens. She takes a frantic step away from Jaxon, confirming my suspicion that she’s doing this to get under my skin.
Carter ambles over. “What’s up?”
I incline my head in Jennie’s direction. “Nice to see Jennie and Jaxon getting along.”
Carter’s head whips around, and his fist destroys his beer can. “The fuck he is,” he grinds out, tossing his can in the sink and stalking toward the happy couple.
Well, Jaxon’s happy; Jennie’s not.
Jaxon’s about to be broken, not happy.
I’m happy.
JENNIE
I hope Garrett’s had a good life, because I’m about to end it.
I shove Jaxon’s hand away and pin my brother with a grin, extra dimply. “Hey, you! Enjoying the party?”
Carter’s in full grump mode, angling himself toward Jaxon, strategically blocking me from his line of vision and any further physical contact. “Riley. I see you’ve met my sister. Baby sister. Only sister. My sister.”
Oh Christ. Here we go. Garrett’s not even bothering to hide his triumphant grin behind his fourth water. I hope all the bathrooms are occupied when he soon needs one.
Fuck you, I mouth, flipping him the bird behind Carter’s back.