Page 86 of Don't Puck His Best Friend
Cole:Miss you already. Rex is sulking without you here.
Me:Just Rex?
Cole:Okay, fine. I'm sulking too. Happy?
Me:Very.
Cole:Good night, beautiful. Dream about me.
I'm about to set my phone down when another text notification pops up. My stomach clenches when I see a photo of Cole’s body.
Me:Sending nudes now?
Cole:For you to dream about tonight.
I roll my eyes.
But as I drift off to sleep, I put my hand down my pajama pants and touch myself to the thought of Cole. Right when I’m at the edge, my mind jumps to Liam’s eyes. I immediately stop, panting. I’m on the verge of an orgasm, so I try again, trying hard to think about Cole. I rub faster, and it's Cole's face I see. Cole's voice in my head. Cole's arms I imagine around me. And as my body trembles, it’s Liam’s eyes that pull me through.
I stop, panting. Why is my mind doing this to me?
I grab my phone and look at Cole’s body. I smile. I like him a lot.
38
Falling Deeper
Cole
I'msittinginthecampus coffee shop waiting for Harper to finish her class when Sirus drops into the chair across from me with his usual lack of subtlety.
"So," he says, grinning like he knows something I don't. "You bringing Harper to game night?"
I look up from my phone. "Was planning on it. Why?"
"Just making sure you're not going to bail on us now that you're all domesticated." He's teasing, but there's genuine curiosity underneath. "Marcus was wondering if you'd forgotten how to hang out with anyone who isn't your girlfriend."
"Tell Marcus he can survive one more week without my sparkling personality." I take a sip of my coffee, checking the time. Harper should be out in ten minutes. "But yeah, she'll be there. That okay?"
"More than okay. Maddie's been dying to see you two together in a group setting. Says she needs to verify you're actually good for Harper and not just putting on a show."
I raise an eyebrow. "Pretty sure Maddie was the one who set us up in the first place."
"Yeah, well, now she's gone full protective mode. You know how she is." Sirus leans back, studying me with that look he gets when he's trying to read my mood. "You're different lately. Happy different."
"Is that a bad thing?"
"Nah, man. It's good. Just weird seeing you this..." He gestures vaguely at my face. "Relaxed. You're usually wound tighter than Coach before playoffs."
He's not wrong. For years, my life has been hockey, school, planning for the future—everything compartmentalized and controlled. Harper disrupts that in the best possible way. She makes me want to be spontaneous, to care about something beyond my next game or assignment.
"She's good for me," I say simply.
"Yeah, I can tell." Sirus grins. "Just don't forget about your teammates when you're off being disgustingly in love."
The word hangs between us—"love"—and I don't correct him. Because he's right, even if I haven't said it out loud to Harper yet.
“Like you have room to talk,” I tease. “You and Maddie? Hmm?”
