Page 57 of Blocked Score

Lane wasn’tmy typeback in Chicago, when he gave me the best summer of my life.

He’s notmy typenow, while we’re living together.

But in both situations, my body and my heart have never responded to anyone the way they do to him.

“I think four guys and one girl still definitely counts as a sausage fest. Maybe just not a sausage factory.” Sebastianchuckles at my joke. “And you guys are the ones doing me a solid by letting me stay here. I’m your guest. So don’t change your habits because of me. Eat breakfast naked at the dining room table if you want,” I say with a casual shrug.

“Nah, don’t give me that. This is your home now as much as it is ours. We want you to feel comfortable. It’s gotta be weird living with a bunch of jocks you just met.”

Even though I don’t feel uncomfortable at all, I can’t deny the sheer bizarreness of standing here having a conversation with a butt-naked hockey player who’s hiding his junk with his bare hands.

“Not as weird as I would have expected, honestly. It’s—” My words catch in my throat when another door in the hallway opens, and Lane steps out.

He’s wearing a loose cotton t-shirt and a tight pair of boxer briefs that cling to his hips and show off the long, muscular columns of his legs. His hair is tousled, and in the pale blue light of the moon that filters through the hallway window, I notice that his cheeks are coated with more stubble than I’ve ever seen on him before.

NowI have that physical reaction that even a full-frontal view of Sebastian didn’t spark. Heat throbs at the height of my thighs, and a thrill shoots up my spine and expands through my chest, tightening my nipples into firm nubs.

Nubs that I’m one hundred percent sure are pointing through the thin fabric of my tank top, because Lane’s gaze drops to my chest, and his jaw ticks.

“Hey, Lane,” Sebastian drawls casually, “you’re overdressed for this convo.”

Lane’s gaze slices to Sebastian. In the dim light, I can see his nostrils flair, his brow lower, and his features harden.

“Why are you naked in front of Scarlett?” The edge in his voice is sharp enough to cut glass.

“I was just going to the bathroom when she happened to step out of her room.” Sebastian’s shoulders shrug, both hands still cupped in front of his pelvis. “You know I like to sleep naked.”

Amusement makes my mouth twitch. “He knows that? Hmm. I’m now imagining a very provocative cuddling situation.”

Lane folds his arms over his chest. The way the pose makes his forearms look even thicker than usual does nothing to loosen the tightness coiling low inside me.

“I’ll have you know, Rhys is the only man in this house I’ve shared a bed with.”

The naked man’s eyebrows wiggle playfully. “Yet,” he says archly to Lane.

Lane’s brow lowers some more. “Get some fucking clothes on, Seb. New rule: no traipsing around the house naked now that we have a girl living with us.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Sebastian says as he casually saunters back to his room and shuts the door. I resist sneaking a peek to find out just how tight and firm his backside is.

Even if said backside is an eleven out of ten, it’s hard to direct my gaze to anything else when Lane is standing here in a short-sleeve shirt and underwear, radiating waves of protectiveness.

I’m about to say something to him, but he steps back into his room and closes the door behind him. A cold sprinkle of disappointment douses the embers that were flickering in my chest.

After using the bathroom, I decide to go down to the kitchen and get a drink of water. Maybe a little snack. I just know that I don’t want to get back into my bed and toss and turn, trying flutily to grasp at sleep.

Downstairs, midway to the kitchen, I smack into another chest—this time, it’s Lane’s.

I gasp and step back, my eyes adjusting to the darkness and making out the outline of his form in the dim moonlight.

“Lane,” I say his name with surprise. “What are you doing down here?”

He shrugs. “Karate contest.”

I roll my eyes at his joke. “Well, I hope you won.”

“Fourth place, actually.”

I laugh. “Well, that still sounds pretty good.”

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