Page 23 of The Sweetest Risk

Shit. All the blood drains from my face. “Um, just a moment!” I jump down from the counter and frantically grab my clothes from the floor.

“Should I go answer it?” Tristan says, grinning.

I jump into my jeans. “Don’t you dare!” I whisper and give him a death glare. “Do you want to die tonight? Because that’s what’s going to happen if my brother ever finds out about…”

Tristan crosses his arms, clearly amused by my flustered state and awaiting the next words that come out of my mouth.

“About whatever just happened.”

I start to put my arms through Dean’s jersey and just as quickly, it is snatched from my hands.

“I never want to see you in this jersey ever again. It belongs in the fucking garbage. Not on your gorgeous body, Cupcake.” He throws the jersey in the trash.

“Brooke, what the hell is taking you so long? Wait, ew, is there a guy in your apartment? Should I come back?”

My mouth slacks open as Tristan is covering his mouth, attempting to stifle a laugh. I place my headband back on my head and say, “Yes… I mean no!” My voice goes up an octave as I panic. Tristan needs to hide now. “Just a second!” I yell back at my door. My neighbors probably hate me.

I turn back to Tristan. “You need to disappear.”

“There’s no way out of here, Cupcake. Unfortunately, I am not a Navy Seal. I can’t scale the walls of the building and make it down safely.”

“Fine. But stay behind the door and I’ll get rid of my brother.”

We both walk over to the door and I silently instruct Tristan to stand behind the door. Surprisingly, he does as he is told. Maybe he doesn’t want to die after all. I take a deep breath, flatten out my hair as much as I can and pull down my crop top as low as it can go and hope to God Bradley leaves as soon as possible.

I finally open the door and only expose my head in Bradley’s sightline. “Hey Bradley, what’s up, bro? What are you doing here at 11 p.m.? Isn’t Jen waiting for you?”

“Why did it take you so long to answer your door? And why are you so flushed?”

That’s when I feel a hand slowly slide up my leg. What the hell is Tristan doing? He clearly has a death wish. Even if Bradley doesn’t kill him, I might.

“Um I was…baking.” Not a complete lie. Tristan’s hand keeps creeping up my inner thigh and he grasps it, stopping short of where I want his hand to end up. I have to keep a straight face. If Bradley knew that his best friend and teammate was right behind this door, touching his sister in ways that made her feel alive, it would be a bloodbath.

“What do you need? I was about done with baking and am so tired.”

“Just wanted to check in with you. You kind of bolted after the game and you weren’t answering your texts. Sorry, I’m just protective of you and I was honestly kind of surprised you were at the game in the first place. And wearing Hastings’ jersey.” He has an accusatory look in his eye. What if I was starting to date Dean? What would Bradley do?

Tristan’s hold on my inner thigh tightens.

“Yeah. I just want to support you a little more. You know hockey isn’t my thing but it’s yours and you’ve always supported my dreams of becoming a baker full-time. And as for the jersey, Tess had an extra one in her car because I forgot yours before I left for work this morning. But you don’t have to worry about me wearing his jersey anymore.”

“Okay, well, thanks I guess. About time you come to more of my games! It means a lot that you are supporting me. I know how much you hate hockey.”

I shrug. “It’s not as bad as I thought.”

Tristan’s hand inches dangerously close to where his tongue was earlier. I need Bradley to leavenow!

“Anyway, Brad, I am so tired. I am heading to bed. Thanks for checking up on me. It means the world.”

“Okay, I’ll let you go to bed. Love you sis!”

“Love you, too.” I close the door, lock it and smack Tristan’s hand away. “What the actual hell? Why would you touch me like that?”

Tristan grins. “Like what, Cupcake.”

I squint my eyes and scoff, “You know like what. I don’t have to tell you.”

“I think that you do.”

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