Page 6 of Pucking Off-Sides With My Brother's Best Friend

A flash of light catches my attention, momentarily throwing me off. I look toward the stands and see someone with a camera snapping photos. Jax must have noticed my interest because he turns to look too. He waves, and I frown.

“You know that person?”

“Yeah, bro. It’s Aurora.”

The hell? I squint, trying to make out the figure. When they stand up, I recognize those curves. I’ve once felt the shape of them, and even if my eyes forget, my hands remember.

“Oh,” I say, trying to keep my voice even. Three weeks of intense practice has me pent up, and I don’t feel right about bringing a girl back to the house, especially since Jax never does.

I assume when he occasionally goes out, he’s seeing someone, though he never really talks about it. “What is she doing here?”

“Getting photos,” he replies simply. Before I can ask more, he slaps my back and gestures toward the exit. “Practice is over, man. Let’s get out of this shit and grab some food. I’m starving.”

I have more questions, but the lure of street clothes and food is too enticing. Since joining the team, I’ve been eating more thanever. Thank God Jax isn’t charging me much for rent because my grocery bill is insane.

Living with Jax and Aurora isn’t as difficult as I was afraid it would be. Jax and I usually carpool to practice and grab food together after. I don’t see Aurora much at home.

I thought living with her would be awkward, but it isn’t. Hell, I don’t even know her work schedule. She’s gone before I wake up and back before we get home. Sometimes, I’ll find meals waiting in the oven. At first, I didn’t touch them, but when Jax said she thought I didn’t like her cooking I started making sure to eat some. Half the time, I have to stop myself from polishing off the whole dish.

I follow Jax off the ice and notice Aurora standing by the hallway.

“You stink.”

Jax laughs, drawing attention. “Nice to see you too, sis. You get good shots of that last goal I saved?”

Aurora rolls her eyes but smiles brightly. She isn’t called “princess” just because of her name. Her energy is like the first sip of a cold soda on a hot day—effervescent and refreshing. It always makes me feel upbeat, though I’d never let her know that.

“I take photos of everyone, not just you,” she replies, glancing at me. She wears a thick green sweater that looks soft and jeans that hug her hips. Her cheeks are flushed from the chill, and her lips are deep pink.

“Hot damn didn’t think the puck bunnies were out already.”

Aurora shrinks at the crude comment, and I feel Jax tense beside me. Shit. Things have been going so well.

“The fuck did you say, Rogers?” Jax snaps, turning to face one of our teammates. Rogers has his helmet off, and I almost tell him to put it back on. Jax is fast and solid, and if he wants to catch you, he will. He’s a good guy unless you mess with Aurora. I’ve seen him go Hulk over her before, and thank God, he only has a few triggers.

Rogers raises his hands, his smile fading. “What? She your girl or something?”

“She has a name, dipshit,” I bite out. “And she’s his sister.”

“Well, damn, how was I supposed to know? I thought she was just another puck bu—“

I step toward him, a growl in my throat. “Call her that again, and you’ll be coughing up teeth.” Aurora stares wide-eyed, but something in me is ready to strike. I don’t have siblings, but this overprotectiveness comes naturally. She’s Jax’s sister, and Jax is like a brother to me. “Choose your next words carefully.”

Rogers backs off, hands up, shaking his head as he walks away. I watch him, ignoring the curious looks from others. After a few weeks around him, I know he likes to run his mouth. At least now he’ll spread the word that Aurora is off-limits.

I stare Rogers down as he retreats, my fists still clenched at my sides. The rage inside me is barely contained, a familiar beast I’ve spent years trying to tame. But seeing Aurora shrink away from his words, something in me snapped. And I was ready to delete Rogers if he didn’t back off.

“You guys didn’t have to do that,” Aurora says, drawing my attention back. She’s looking at her camera, fiddling with the buttons. “I’m sure it’s not the first or last time one of these guys will assume I’m here for… that.”

“Yeah, well, they shouldn’t,” I say, unsure why it bothers me so much. When she looks at me, I keep my face neutral. “I’d have done the same for anyone,” I add, feeling a surge of protectiveness well up inside me. “They shouldn’t assume shit about you or talk to you like that. You’re not some fucking puck bunny, you’re...” I trail off, not sure how to finish that sentence without revealing too much. “You’re Jax’s sister,” I finally mutter, knowing it’s a weak ending but unable to say what I really think. “What are you doing here?”

Aurora looks up, her brown eyes meeting mine. For a moment, I’m thrown back to that night years ago when those same eyes looked at me with trust and desire. I push the memory away. That was then. This is now.

“I work here,” she says, a small smile playing on her lips. “Or I work for the team anyway. Didn’t Jax tell you?”

“I manage their social media.”

“Social media, huh?” I grunt, trying to sound disinterested. But I can’t help but notice the way her eyes light up as she talks about her job.

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