Page 2 of Second Goal

With his gaze diverted, I steal a good look at him. The dark scruff that coats his perfect jaw. The palescar that cuts into his left brow. My fingers tingle, wanting to run across it, to tangle in the dark hair that hangs over his forehead.

Energy buzzes around me, a charge of lust and electricity that has my cheeks burning, and my belly clenching with need.

Off limits,my brain warns again.

The last thing I need is another reason for my brother to hate me. And sleeping with his best friend is not going to get me any brownie points.

I divert my gaze and glance toward Kane who has one arm slung protectively over Brynne, the other one now cradling their sleeping son against his chest. “They’re ridiculously perfect, aren’t they?”

Blake gives a small grunt, and even though I don’t look at him, I know his gaze is back on me. “Yeah.” He drags a hand through his hair and sighs. “They are.”

And so is he.

My brother may be the golden boy of the Annihilators, but Blake is the quintessential knight in shining armor, always looking for the next fundraiser to attend or canine to save.

He’s been on the cover of GQ and Men’s Health Magazinemore than once posing with his rescue dogs, his perfect ladder of abs always exposed and flashing the cocky grin that he saves for the camera - and his female fans.

I don’t know what kind of player he is off the ice. I’ve heard the rumors about his past relationships, but as long as I’ve lived across the hall from him, I’ve never seen any early morning walks of shame. Maybe he saves those for his away games.

Brynne let it slip once that he’d been hurt in the past. Of course I googled him, but other than pages and pages of articles about all hisgood deeds, there wasn’t much about his personal life.

If I want photos of him visiting Children’s Hospital, posing with one of those giant cardboard checks, or getting a sloppy kiss from his latest rescue, the internet is full of them.

Yeah, Blake Starowics is that kind of perfect.

And he’s also my brother’s watchdog.

It may sound sweet - older brother watching out for his little sister. But I know Kane isn’t really worried about me. He’s afraid of me.

Afraid that I’ll embarrass him.

Afraid that I’m like our mother.

The horrifying truth is, the woman was a saint compared to me.

A shiver runs down my spine as memories threaten to surface. I start to turn away from Blake, needing to escape from all this...perfectness, but before I can bolt, a hand grasps mine, stopping me, and Blake’s warm breath is on the back of my neck, his voice gravelly when he says, “I told Kane I’d make sure you get home safe.”

Warmth shoots up my arms, even as anger forms a knot in my stomach.

He moves closer. Too close. His scent infusing my senses, making my core clench. It’s freaking unsettling, the way he makes me feel. Like I want to kiss him and push him away at the same time.

“I’ll... uh.” I clear my throat. “I’ll take an Uber.”

His gaze holds mine, the cocky smile he gives to everyone else, replaced by a look I can’t interpret. “I’m driving you home.”

Frustration mixes with desire. And it terrifies me. Especially when I know his only intent is to keep an eye on me for Kane. Like I’m one of his stray dogs he needs to rescue.

“I—” My voice breaks on the word. “I don’t need you babysitting me.” I tilt my chin up at him, wanting to defy him, butknowing even as I do, that I’ll give in.

Because I want to be with him.

At first, I tried to sum it up to a childish crush. But I know it’s more than that. Lust or love, I don’t know the difference. But I do know that my body turns to molten lava every time he walks into a room. And it’s not just that he’s gorgeous. He is. His body isMichelangelo-worthy. Even under his suit, I can see the muscles that bunch and tense, tempting me to run my fingers over them. And his eyes, a stormy gray that seem to pierce straight through me, tearing down the walls I’ve so carefully constructed.

Like he sees me.

But I recognize something in him too. The same thing that haunts me - fear. I don’t know what his damage is, but I see the pain that he hides behind the mask of control he always wears. A control that slowly starts to erode the longer I hold his gaze.

His right eye twitches, and his lips thin, but before he can argue with me, Tyler Slade, one of the forwards for the Annihilators, places a hand around my shoulders, pulling me against his side and causing Blake to drop my hand.

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