Page 127 of Rush the Edge

I quickly try to cover my tracks with my brother. “I’ve dated guys with brown hair,” I admit.

“Hooking up isn’t dating,” River says under his breath.

I scoff. “Says the guy who hooks up with a new girl every time he goes out.”

One of his female co-workers furrows her brow. “You do?”

I smile deviously at my brother, who shoots me athanks a lotlook. I scurry down the stairs to get back to the Blue Devils’ bench because now that it’s almost intermission, I unfortunately have to get back to my job.

The buzzer sounds right when I make it to the opening in the ice. The team stands to head back to the locker room for their last break. I stay out of their way, smiling at the few that glance in my direction.

Until Kane comes into view.

Butterflies swarm my stomach.

He steps off to the side casually. “Friend?” he questions.

“Hmm?” I murmur.

He sighs impatiently.

Sweat trickles down the side of his face from his damp hair, and the most erotic thought pops into my head.I wonder what he’d do if I licked the little bead?

The end of the line is quickly coming to a halt, and we both know that he has to go into the locker room while I skate out onto the ice. I give him a playful smile while he relentlessly glares at me.

Once the last player passes, Kane steps in line with him.

I try to move past with my foam tridents trapped in my arm, but Kane stops me at the last second. His arm wraps around the front of my belly, and his warm breath coats the side of my face. “Feels like you’re daring me to do something, Daisy-Petal.”

My heart pounds. “What are you going to do, Kane? Claim me in front of everyone in attendance?” I laugh softly because the thought is completely outlandish.

“I could.”

I roll my eyes playfully. “You will not. My brother is here. Not to mention, we’d be on national television.”

“Seems like you’ve forgotten who you’re dealing with.” His voice is tight, and my grasp on the situation starts to slip.

My confidence starts to waver with the seriousness of his tone. Someone calls his name, and he slowly slides his arm away. I let out a breath that I didn’t know I was holding as he flicks his chin to the ice, silently telling me to get out there.

I blink several times and move toward the rink. With the tridents still trapped in my arm, I skate quickly in an attempt to untangle my thoughts, but the entire time I’m skating and throwing merch to fans, I circle back to my biggest worry: that the thought of Kane claiming me in front of every single person in attendance, including my brother, makes me giddy.

Forty-Four

KANE

I’m acting irrationally.

The thought of sticking my tongue down Daisy’s throat in front of everyone does wild things to my body.

My fingers itch with the need to touch those perfect curves, possess her, and show her that I’m not playing around. The more I have her, taste her,lookat her, the needier I become.

I’d be in deep shit if I went through with my plan of pushing her to center ice and kissing her in front of everyone during a game of this magnitude. We’re two points from a spot in the playoffs, and I’m over here, picturing Daisy’s parted lips with my name slipping off the end instead of focusing on winning.

Not to mention, River is only a few seats behind the glass. I’m man enough to know that this isn’t the way to go about this. He’s the longest friendship I’ve ever had. I respect him too much to declare my claim over his sister in front of millions without so much as a warning. Then there are his parents to think about too.

A streak of loyalty runs through me.

Fuck.

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