Chapter 6
SIX
LAINEY
If I thought going to the hockey game was a feat of madness, walking into the after party to celebrate Heston’s win holding Alex’s hand is a clear sign I’ve lost it.
The noise is deafening once the people hovering inside the entry hall see us.
Alex responds with equal enthusiasm, receiving back slaps and fist bumps.
He doesn’t let go of my hand, keeping me tucked against his side, providing me with a buffer between me and everyone else.
I search for the girls I met at the game that sat in the same row as me.
Even though I was there by myself and not part of their group, they were surprisingly nice.
Once they realized I was alone, they included me, celebrating every great play with me like we were friends.
My stomach sinks when I don’t see them on our way through the house where most of the team lives.
Maybe they’ll come later. I cling to the hope of something familiar to latch on to. It’s the only way I’ll get through a party with the hockey team.
Alex squeezes my hand and leads me to the kitchen where we congregate around an island. “Want a drink?”
I shake my head. He accepts a bottle of water from the freshman who warmed up with Alex and Theo.
“Thanks, E.”
I watch Alex’s throat bob as he chugs half of it, transfixed by the corded muscles. “You don’t drink?”
He shrugs. “I do. I have to keep a pretty strict diet to stay in peak condition. Coach doesn’t let us get too wild. Somehow he always knows.”
Easton snorts. “He’s psychic. Either that, or he’s got the house bugged.”
Alex pulls a face. “The shit we get up to here? I hope not.”
I swallow, curious if he means how many girls have been in his bed. Then my brain helpfully supplies that my brother lives here, too. I grimace.
Easton covers a laugh with his fist and nods to me in greeting. “Hey, I’m Easton.” He offers a lopsided grin. “Number twenty-four.”
“Hi.” I remain glued to Alex’s side.
“This is my girl, E.” He drops my hand in favor of sliding his arm around me, his large hand encompassing the dip in my waist. I’m distracted by the way he massages it with a little squeeze before dragging his hand down to rest over my hip. “Lainey, this is one of our rookies.”
“You left off very promising.” He dodges the empty water bottle Alex chucks at him, ending up circling the island to my side. He tilts his head. “You look sorta familiar.”
“Ever heard of twins?” Theo enters the kitchen from behind us and shoots Alex, then me a tense look.
A muscle jumps when he locks his jaw before rummaging in the fridge for a sports drink. Alex’s arm tightens around me.
Easton snaps and points between me and my brother. “Oh shit, yeah. That’s wicked.”
“Is that Keller in the kitchen? Get in here!” someone shouts from the next room.
Alex peers over my head. “Want to come with me, or hang out in here?”
“Go ahead.” I accept the water Eason gets out of a cooler for me. “It’s less people-y in here. I’m acclimating.”
The corner of his mouth kicks up. He spares Theo a glance before leaning in to kiss my cheek.
His lips brush the edge of mine, the same as the first time he kissed me.
I squash the urge to stiffen—and the temptation to press against him, intoxicated by the heady, masculine scent he surrounds me with.
PDA. Right. That’s a thing couples do.
His lips linger longer than a quick peck. He pulls back far enough to meet my gaze.
“I don’t want to leave you alone, sweetheart,” he murmurs. “I won’t be long. If you feel up to it, don’t be afraid to find me before I come back for you.”
“Okay.”
He closes the distance between us once more to kiss my forehead. This kiss only lasts a moment before he leaves. I hear the boom of his voice and his laughter when he enters the next room. Easton follows him, leaving me alone with Theo.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were hanging out with Alex?” He stares at me. “You didn’t have to go behind my back.”
“How am I going behind your back?” I stall, unsure what I should say about the cover story. Screw it. I’ll go with what’s closest to the truth. “It just happened with Alex. I didn’t know I needed to tell you anything about it.”
He sighs. “Look, Lainey, he’s—”
“Your best friend,” I snap.
“Yeah, but that’s not what I meant. I just don’t want you to get hurt because he sleeps around with a lot of girls.”
I narrow my eyes, tearing at the water bottle label. “I’m well aware of his reputation. And his sexual history, since I’m his girlfriend.” Only one of those statements is true. I roll with it since it makes my brother’s face pale. “It’s not really your business, Theo. So back off.”
He holds his hands up. “I just want to know why neither of you thought you could say anything to me.”
I open my mouth with another fierce retort ready to defend my made up actions with Alex, then close it. “I didn’t want to make anything awkward if it didn’t last.”
Because it won’t last. This is only for two weeks until the benefit.
Theo’s brow wrinkles, but he seems to accept the answer. Annoyed, I spin on my heel and march into the next room to find Alex. He’s leaning over the back of a couch facing a large flatscreen TV, laughing. I stop once it occurs to me I walked willingly into the crowded party.
He spots me and holds out an arm in invitation. Keeping my head down, I put one foot in front of the other until I’m within reach. He guides me to stand in front of him, his chest pressing against my back as he braces his hands on either side of me on the couch.
“Why play virtual hockey? You just played a game,” I point out.
He chuckles in my ear. “Love of the game. Losing team has to stay sober and cook breakfast tomorrow.”
I feel like the center of attention situated in the middle of the room with only the couch and Alex as my shields, but no one’s staring at me like I’m out of place.
This isn’t as hard as I pictured, though. All we’re doing is standing around while attached at the hip. He hasn’t made me sit on his lap or actually kissed me. I can do this whole fake girlfriend thing.
My stomach dips when his arms wrap around me in a hug, his chin resting on my shoulder.
He’s warm and I’m aware of the hard lines of his body everywhere he touches me.
I don’t know if he’s doing it on purpose, but his hand splays against my torso and caresses me every few minutes.
He doesn’t move lower or higher, but every brush of his fingertips makes my pulse pound between my thighs.
“Excuse me,” I blurt when my entire body tingles with overstimulation. “Bathroom.”
Alex holds on for a beat longer before releasing me.
“Upstairs, to the left,” Easton says without breaking eye contact with the screen while he smashes buttons. “Damn you, Reeves. That was a cheap shot.”
His teammate chuckles. “It worked, didn’t it?”
I slip away and find my way to the front door to catch my breath. Cool air hits me when I step out on the porch and lean against the door. My eyes close and I sigh.
A soft meow sounds at my feet. I peer down to find a cat stretched out in front of a bowl of water. It gets up and twines around my legs with another faint cry.
“Hello.”
The cat presses into my ankle, purring louder while it rubs against my calf. It calms the rapid pace of my anxious pulse until I breathe easier. It’s chilly out, but I like the stillness of the night air.
“I’d rather be here with you than in there,” I murmur to the cat when I take a seat on the porch steps.
It responds with a talkative trill that makes a smile tug at my lips. I’m not seated more than a few seconds before the cat helps itself, climbing on my lap. It bumps its head against my chest to ask for more attention. I oblige, stroking the cat’s back.
“Your fur’s very soft for a stray.”
“It should be. Easton is always out here brushing her.”
I jolt at Alex’s deep voice behind me. Rather than drag me back inside to his party, he sits next to me, offering his fingers to the cat, holding still while she sniffs him.
“She keeps coming around because he feeds her,” he says. “He’s got the rest of us doing it, too. She’s basically claimed this place as hers now.”
As he explains, he gives the cat plenty of affection. She flops on my lap to show him her belly, purring so loud that I feel the vibrations in my legs.
“I didn’t hear you come out,” I say.
“Did it get to be too much in there? You can tell me if you need a break.” His eyes lift to meet mine.
My stomach dips from his unwavering attention. “I told you I don’t go to parties.”
“I’m glad you came.” He nudges his knee against mine. The warmth cuts through the cold night. “Did you like the game?”
My usual refusal of all things hockey sits on the tip of my tongue. Instead I swallow it back because it’s not true. Once upon a time, I didn’t mind hockey so much. Until it stole all the good things from my life.
“I had fun. You’re really good at it.”
He smirks. “I train hard. I love the game. You should come more often.”
“Maybe.” I’m not ready to cross that bridge.
“Lainey.”
I look up and tense at the sight of Mike and his buddies coming up the walkway to the porch. The cat jumps off my lap and bounds to the edge of the porch.
“Mike.” Alex’s tone is as even and friendly as always, but there’s a hint of something harder lurking beneath.
“Good game.” His hard gaze slides back to me. “I guess you’re celebrating.”
“All night long.” Alex hooks his arm around me.
I bite my lip at the implication, peeking at him from the corner of my eye. He stares Mike down while kneading my hip and thigh. Some strange, unspoken masculine battle goes on between them.
“You going inside?” he prompts.
When Mike doesn’t move, Alex squeezes my hip twice to signal he’s about to do something.
I’m impressed I don’t make a peep when his fingertips graze my chin to guide my face to his.
He smiles before ducking down to kiss the corner of my mouth.
Unlike before, his lips move to mimic a deeper kiss.
I gasp, and I suppose it sells it because Alex cups my face, emitting a low, gravelly sound that pierces into my stomach.
Mike mutters something, stomping up the steps to go into the party. Alex pulls away with a smug expression once they’re inside.
“I’d say our trick play is a success,” he rasps.
“You keep doing that,” I say when my heart rate slows.
“What?”
I point to the corner of my mouth. “Kissing my cheek instead of kissing me for real.”
He grins, planting a hand behind me and dipping his head close to mine. His attention flicks down to my mouth. “You want a kiss, baby? All you have to do is ask.”
My lips part and my cheeks grow hot. I almost ask, swept up by the sound he made when he was fake-kissing me.
Then he laughs and I want to swallow my tongue.
“Do you want me to take you home?” Alex offers, holding out a hand once he gets up. “Or do you want to go back inside?”
I stare at his palm as I consider what to do. This hasn’t been as hard as I thought it would be to pretend with him. Will a little longer hurt me?
I put my hand in his and allow him to help me to my feet. “Let’s go back inside.”
If I can pretend to be Alex’s girlfriend, I can be a girl who belongs in his world for a little longer.