Page 53 of Pucking Off-Sides With My Brother's Best Friend

“Bro, you killed that last fucking shot. You were a beast today.”

His words have me standing taller. When Coach approaches, I force the smile to stay. He looks at me for a moment before nodding, a rare smile curling at the corner of his lips.

“Fucking hell,” Caleb says. “You actually got the man to smile. I thought he popped out the womb scowling.”

“Yeah. I need whatever you’ve been doing to rub off on me,” Sebastian adds as he slides up.

“You had a hell of a practice today, Aiden,” our assistant coach barks, his tone gruff but filled with pride. “Keep pushing like that, and you’ll be unstoppable out there.”

I nod, wiping the sweat from my brow with the back of my glove. “Thanks, Coach. I’ll keep pushing hard.”

As I make my way off the ice and towards the locker room, I let Caleb and Sebastian’s voices wash over me as I think about shit.Practice ain’t just about showing up—it’s about pushing myself beyond my limits and proving to everyone that I fucking belong here.

This practice has been a victory, not just for my skills on the ice, but for proving to myself I can do this shit. I know I’ve got what it takes to make captain, and I won’t fucking stop until I do.

I step into the hallway, basking in the satisfaction of a hard-fought practice when Jake, a veteran defenseman known for being tough as shit, claps me on the shoulder. “Nice work out there, rookie. You were flying around like a bat out of hell. We almost had trouble keeping up with you.”

I grin, grateful for Jake’s words. “Thanks, man. That means a lot coming from you.” I’m not just bullshitting him either. Jake never gives a compliment that isn’t earned. If he tells you your game’s excellent, he means that shit. He’s not a total ass, but he’s definitely not gonna blow smoke up your ass if you don’t deserve it.

Jake nods. “You really brought it today, Aiden. Your shot’s getting deadly.”

Greg, the goalie I faced off against, joins in the chorus of compliments. “You had me diving all over the place today, man. Keep it up and we just might have a chance to bring home the Stanley Cup.”

The encouragement from them has me on a high. Hockey’s a team sport, and knowing that my hard work ain’t goin’ unnoticed by those I respect means everything. I let that boostme up as I hurry down the hallway. I wanna shower and get home to start thinking on our plays. I ain’t content to just settle for one good practice. I want that shit to be a consistent thing.

When I turn the corner, I’m surprised to see Aurora also walking down the hallway in the direction of the locker rooms. It ain’t often she comes this way, and I wonder if she’s trying to get some behind-the-scenes photos.

I can’t keep the smile off my face, grateful for the unexpected chance to see her. “Get lost, princess,” I call out, chuckling when her head snaps up and she glances over her shoulder. She’s looking so fucking good today, though she looks good every day, really. It might be because I know she’s got at least two layers of foundation on her neck to hide the mark I gave her not even two days ago that has me looking at her so closely.

When she turns fully and smiles, I nearly trip over my damn feet. That smile should be illegal for how it fucks up my calm and makes me wanna taste it from her lips. I need more of her, and I need it away from where Jax could appear at any moment. He usually practices for an extra hour when we’re done, but I don’t wanna take the chance of being caught out with my dick in his sister.

“Were you looking for me, or were you here for official business?”

She giggles before holding up her camera. “I was here for official business, but I’m done now.”

I nod. “Well...” I trail off, not wanting to end our conversation. Being with her’s like getting my perfect fix, and I need another hit. “Wanna go somewhere? Jax is practicing for another hour or so.”

Her eyebrows raise, but she nods. “Yeah. I’d like that.”

“Okay,” I reply, trying to keep my excitement at bay. I ain’t a schoolboy with a crush. I’m a grown-ass man. “Let me get changed real quick. Mind waiting for me?”

She shakes her head. “I have a few more pictures to take, so I could meet you at the front entrance when you’re ready?”

“Perfect,” I say, flashing her a smile. “Meet you there in twenty.” When she nods, I duck into the locker room and move quickly to the showers. I don’t bother exchanging more than a few words with my teammates. It leaves me feeling slightly guilty, but we’ve already talked on the ice, and I don’t wanna run the risk of one of them saying something stupid and ruining the buzz I’ve got going from a practice well done.

I shower quickly, scrubbing the sweat off me and ignoring the low-grade arousal I always seem to have around Aurora. It wouldn’t do to be caught with my dick out in a room full of bastards who’d absolutely have something to say about it. Drying myself quickly while thinking of anything that’d make my dick limp is an experience I ain’t looking forward to ever repeating, but by the time I’ve got street clothes on and I’m throwing out my goodbyes, I feel less like I’m about to vibrate out of my skin.

Thank god I don’t see Jax as I make my way to the entrance, but when I get to our meeting place, I frown when I see Aurora ain’t alone. The sun glaring in makes it hard to see the guy, but I can tell by Aurora’s body language that she ain’t happy about talking to him. I move quicker, and by the time I’m behind her, I finally see the dude. He looks somewhat familiar, but I can’t place him completely.

“There you are, babe. I was looking all over for you,” I call out, not missing the way Aurora seems to relax at my voice. I take a chance and walk up beside her, snaking an arm around her waist. I note the way she subtly shifts away from the guy and toward my hold. This is clearly not someone she wants to talk to. I place a soft kiss on her forehead, ignoring her widening eyes. “Sorry I’m late. The guys were talking shit in the locker room, and I had to get them settled down.”

I turn to the guy and tighten my hold on her waist. I know it looks possessive, and when the guy’s gaze flits down and his eyes narrow, I feel a surge of triumph. Whoever he is, he ain’t wanted here, and I’m just enough of a bastard to let him know that.

Aurora looks up at me with relief, clearly catching on to my impromptu act. “Aiden. I’m so glad you’re here,” she responds, playing along smoothly.

The other guy glances between us. “I didn’t realize you were seeing someone now. He didn’t tell me that,” the guy mumbles awkwardly, taking a step back.

I meet his gaze with a cool stare, silently assessing him and trying to figure out who he’s talking about. “I don’t believe we’ve met,” I say with a hint of challenge. “And you are?”

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