prologue
Aloud knocking sound wakes me from my slumber. Turning over, I look at my phone.
Two thirteen a.m.
I groan as I pull myself out of bed. I only have two hours before I have to get up. As I pull myself out of my bedroom, I see my friend and roommate’s door open.
“It’s for me,” I whisper at her.
She gives me a small glare but shuts her door.
I don’t blame her. Sleep is important, and we don’t get nearly enough of it.
When I finally get to the door, I open it to find the ridiculously attractive and charming Brett Woods standing there.
“It’s past two in the morning, Brett. I need my sleep.”
He gives me a small smile. “I missed you, buttercup.”
I roll my eyes at the nickname. It’s what he has called me since we met, and I have no idea why. I used to think it was a term he used with all girls because he couldn’t remember their names, but I have never heard him use it with anyone else.
“Brett,” I growl.
His smile drops.
“I got the all-clear to get back on the ice,” he tells me.
Despite the late hour, happiness rolls through me. I know how badly he’s missed playing. I can’t imagine not getting on the ice every day.
“That’s good. Really good actually. Why are you here telling me?” I ask.
“You wound me, Em.” His smile drops. “I…”
When he trails off, I huff out a breath. This isn’t what we are. We aren’t a couple who shares all of our secrets. We are the secret. The side thing we do to make us both feel better even though we know it’s wrong.
I should be focused on my skating career. I want to go for the gold at the next Olympics. The only way to do that is to forget all the distractions and make it my only concern.
Yet, I find myself opening my door a little more.
“Just come in,” I huff. “You can stay for the night, but you can’t keep doing this, Brett. We aren’t a couple.”
“We could be,” he whispers.
“No. We couldn’t. You are literally the biggest playboy I have ever met, and you have your hockey to focus on. I have my skating. Let’s not make things more complicated than they are,” I tell him.
“Okay.” He forces a smile as he sweeps past me.
I close the door and lock it before following him to my room. He strips as soon as he gets there.
“I said sleep, Brett.” I move around the bed and climb on the side I normally sleep on.
“My balls get sweaty if I sleep in clothes. Does it bother you? I mean, we have fucked before, so it’s not like you haven’t seen it.”
He makes a good point, but I am too tired to deal with him right now.
“Go to bed, Brett.”
I feel him climb in on the other side. A peacefulness that wasn’t there before settles in me as he moves behind me to become the big spoon.