Page 75 of Playoff
“Jess, anyone who thinks knowing your brother is a bigger deal than spending time with you deserves to be booted out of your bed.”
She was quiet for a moment. “Thanks, Alek. I think I needed to hear that.”
I’d never considered what it would be like to be close to someone who was famous for good reasons. I knew all the reasons you didn’t want to share a name with criminals. But with Jess, I could see where people might use her for her connection to her brother. I wanted to shake those idiots, make them realize how lucky they were. They got to be with Jess. I couldn’t.
Fuck, this was not where this conversation was supposed to go. Time to end this on a lighter note. “I swear, cross my heart, that I did not sleep with you to curry favor with your brother.”
“Obviously. But you did talk to my parents.”
“That was for you.” Fuck. I shouldn’t have said that.
Another pause. “Damn it, why do you have to be a hockey player? Saying something like that makes me want to sneak into your place and thank you, and not with more bread.”
“I’d happily accept your gratitude. But…”
“Yeah, but. I should go. Enjoy the bread?”
“I will.”
She hung up, leaving me with nothing but blue balls and some excellent baking.
Chapter 31
Be very sneaky
Jess
* * *
I dithered, staring at my phone.
I needed to talk to someone. After Alek and I agreed that hooking up again was stupid, dangerous and wrong, that should have been the end of it. He was right. I knew it was the thing to do, but damn it, I didn’t want to do it.
I’d passed on the next PAC get-together, making the excuse that I had to catch up on my book club reading in order to miss a game and the post-game hanging out with the players at the Top Shelf. I was afraid my friends would figure out something was going on with me. I needed time to shove all the intimate stuff out of my head before I was around Alek again. Then Katie sent me a photo of the new cocktail one of the puck bunnies had ordered. Looking down the table, I could see most of the team in the background. Fitch was there. Alek was not.
Without thinking, I messaged him to ask if he’d gone home instead of going out with his teammates. He’d responded that he thought it was better to avoid me.
I stormed down two flights of stairs and pounded on his door, ready to point out at length that my absence was mostly expected and wouldn’t be commented on but his would be, so he should go instead of me. But he answered my knock in sweats with no shirt on, and well. Sex. Which was great. But Fitch saw us before I left.
He threw his hands up. “What the hell?”
Alek and I looked at each other and hung our heads.
“Fine. Fuck it out of your systems if you have to. But when this blows up, I know nothing.”
I slunk back to my place, but Fitch might have a point. Alek and I had insane chemistry, but maybe just knowing the other person was forbidden was making it better. Maybe we could fuck it out. Maybe we should.
I did not trust myself. The orgasms were messing with my brain. I needed someone to talk to. Katie was the person I trusted most in the city. If Fitch knew, then Alek had someone to support him, and I desperately needed someone on my side to help me break my sex-with-Alek addiction.
I hit call and put the phone to my ear. Messing this up could impact so many people—I needed advice.
“Katie? I need to talk to you. In person, and in private.”
Katie had me come to her place on Saturday when I wasn’t working, she wasn’t in class, and Ducky was at the practice facility working out with the team.
“Want some coffee?” she asked as she led me to their kitchen.
“That would be great.” I hadn’t slept well last night, fretting over what I should tell her, and if I should tell her. I almost messaged Alek to ask if he thought it was a good idea, and that convinced me I needed some outside advice. “How was your trip back to Halifax for reading week?” I asked.
