18. Playing It Safe
CHAPTER 18
PLAYING IT SAFE
COLE
W hat the fuck just happened?
One second I’m dancing with Bay and I almost fuck up three years of friendship by giving in to my feelings and kissing her. One second later, she’s kissing our new teammate Ryker.
I can’t even explain how that makes me feel.
Angry. Jealous. Hot.
So fucking hot.
My fists are clenched at my sides as I watch them kiss like their life depends on it and when they eventually part, all hell breaks loose.
I can’t quite make out what they’re saying at first, but it looks like they’re having a heated argument.
Then the music stops again and Ryker’s angry words are loud enough for pretty much everyone on the dance floor to hear.
“I saw you today in the locker room. You are the one who gave Jagger his good luck blowjob. I don’t know what kind of fucked up game you think you’re playing, but I’m out.”
What the fuck did Ryker just say? That can’t be true.
But I have no time to dwell on the shock caused by Ryker’s accusation because the argument heats up with every passing second.
I watch them like you watch a tennis match as he calls Bay a puck bunny and she demands he apologize.
When he refuses, things get physical. I don’t condone violence in any way, shape or form, except on the ice where it comes with the territory.
Now I know this is a double standard and if it was Ryker to lift his hand with the intention to slap Bay, I would have been on him faster than lightning.
It’s not because he’s a man and she’s a woman. It’s because Ryker is a foot taller than Bay and must have a hundred pounds on her, so I doubt she could do much damage.
Besides, he just called her a puck bunny and I’m about to lose my shit on her behalf.
The thing with violence however is that, no matter what, it always causes any situation to escalate. This time is no different.
Everything happens so fast that if I blinked I would have missed it.
Ryker blocks Bay’s strike by grabbing her arm and she struggles.
She loses her balance and ends up in the pool with a huge splash.
I lift the hem of my t-shirt, ready to jump in to her rescue but when someone ends up into the pool during a party full of inebriated people, things can get out of control extremely quickly.
I almost end up in the pool, run over by the stampede of people who must think this is some kind of party game.
Before I know it, the pool is full of people laughing and splashing each other without a care in the world.
My pulse skyrockets as I struggle to locate the only person I’m concerned about right now .
I spot Bay as she hoists herself out of the pool, strutting toward the house with her head held high.
“Bay,” Topher calls out.
“Whatever you have to say, Toph,” she says with a death glare in her ex’s direction. “I’m not interested. I’m sick of your entitled rich boy games. Get this message once and for all, you and I are over. Now, fuck off. I’m going to bed.”
This is one of the many reasons why I fell for Bay.
She’s the sweetest, kindest, most compassionate person I’ve ever met but she takes no shit from anyone.
The way she puts that douche in his place makes me hard, and makes my heart sing with love at the same time.
It also floods my adrenaline saturated system with relief that I don’t have to break every bone in Topher’s body just yet. Because trust me, had he said anything offensive to her, I would have made him regret it.
I take off after Bay, but I’m surprised when I realize that someone else is hot on our heels.
Heavy footsteps sound behind me as I climb the stairs in pursuit of my best friend.
I hear more than see the door to Bay’s bedroom slamming shut and, satisfied that she’s safe in her room, I turn around to face Jagger.
He’s my best friend in the house and the team, but right now I’m struggling with the urge to plant my fist in his face.
I know how this looks but believe me, I’m not a violent man unless you try to shoot a puck in my team’s goal or you touch Bay.
Touch her and die, it’s that simple.
“Is she ok?” Jagger asks before I can say anything.
“I’m not sure. I was just about to go check on her. Can I know what the fuck you think you’re doing here?”
Jagger takes an instinctive step back, his hands raised defensively in front of him. “I just came up here with the same idea, Cole. I just want to check that Bay is ok. ”
I don’t know if what Ryker said out there is true, but jealousy causes bile to burn in my throat at just the thought of Bay and Jagger hooking up.
“I’ve got her. You can go back to the party.” I dismiss him with a warning scowl.
Jagger doesn’t move. “I just want to talk to her. I feel responsible for what happened. I thought I had done a good job hiding her from Ryker when he walked in on us in the shower, but?—”
“So it’s true?” my voice goes up several octaves. “Bay was the one who blew you before the game?”
Jagger flinches but it’s not because he’s scared of me, even though he should be. “Dude, do you want to make sure that if anyone didn’t hear Ryker earlier, they hear you now? This is not the place for this conversation.”
He ushers me into his room and I follow him, struggling to calm down.
“What the fuck were you thinking?” I go on the offensive the second his bedroom door closes behind us. “Did you seriously hook up with Bay?”
Jagger looks way too calm for my own liking. “She offered and I needed help, so yeah.” He says with a shrug.
“Are you fucking insane?” I raise my voice. “First off, I don’t believe you. Bay is a relationship kind of girl. She doesn’t hook up. There’s no way she offered to blow you to help us win the game. Second, she just came out of a long term relationship with practically Satan. I swear to God, if you hurt her?—”
The threat hangs heavily between us but again, Jagger remains as calm as he does on the ice when the opponent skates toward us at breakneck speed.
“I’m not going to hurt her, Cole. Bay and I talked about her situation and she told me she’s still reeling over her breakup with Topher. She needs a rebound and I need help with our good luck stuff without letting Candace trap me into dating her, so we made a deal.”
I still have problems coming to terms with what he just told me. “You made a deal? Just like that?”
Jagger looks me in the eye and I see nothing but honesty in his gaze. “I’m her rebound guy and she’s going to help me before each home game. We realized that there’s lots of chemistry between us after you put me on the spot at the fair and we kissed. I can’t believe I had never even looked at her other than to notice that she’s hot. But now I’m starting to understand why you care about her so much. Bay is really cool.”
Fuck.
I don’t know how to feel about this.
On one hand, I want to kill Jagger because I’m fucking jealous. Just the thought that he touched Bay… my Bay.
On the other hand, maybe this isn’t so bad after all. Jagger is my best friend and he might love to hook up but he’s the most decent guy I know. He never lied to his hookup and it sounds like he was upfront with Bay too.
After watching the woman I love throw her life away with a loser like Topher, maybe some no strings attached fun with Jagger is what she needs.
Especially if she isn’t over that breakup.
The thought hits me that if I had kissed her earlier, I might have ruined everything like I always feared.
Tension leaves my body as I realize that maybe letting Bay rebound with someone I trust is the lesser of two evils.
It keeps her from dating another asshole and it helps her get over her ex.
Waiting this phase out won’t be easy, but I’ve been watching her dating Satan himself for two years, so what’s another few months?
“Just treat her right, man.” I tell him, still semi pissed off. “She isn’t a puck bunny.”
“I know. Like I said, I really like Bay as a person. I see why you’re friends with her.” Jagger sounds sincere and that helps me calm down.
“I should go check on her.” I say, heading to the door.
He moves to follow me. “I was going to do that too.”
“Please, let me handle this.” An idea forms in my head. “Let me make sure Bay is ok. I’ll tell her you asked about her. There’s something you could do though. You and Ryker go way back, right?”
Jagger nods. “We went to high school together. We lost touch when he went to South Carolina and I came here, but yeah I’d say we’re still friends. Why?”
“Would you mind asking him what happened earlier? Bay told him to apologize and then he pushed her into the pool. I think regardless of what they were fighting about, that was fucked up.”
He considers my words. “Sure. I can go see him tomorrow morning. I was wondering what the fuck happened too.”
Bay’s bedroom door is unlocked when I try the handle after taking a shower and changing into some loose sweatpants and a clean t-shirt.
I use the torch on my phone to move into the dark room.
My best friend is curled up in bed, hugging her pillow, her tear stained face relaxed in her sleep.
I move the covers, getting into bed behind her.
Her sweet, floral scent invades my nostrils as I pull her into my arms.
She snuggles into me, her perfect ass pressed against my crotch, her silky hair tickling my face.
It isn’t the first time Bay and I share a bed. It’s happened before after a night in binging on all our favorite snacks and watching movies that we fell asleep together.
It’s in times like these that I let myself dream what it would be like if we were together.
If I was more than her best friend and I could act on the desire that burns at the base of my spine .
If my fingers could slip under Bay’s camisole and touch her perfect tits, teasing her nipples until they ached for my mouth.
If I could lower her tiny sleep shorts and explore the soft space between her legs.
I would touch her slowly, gently. But I know what to do, I know how a woman’s body works, what it craves. Before I stopped wanting to hook up, I had been paying attention whenever I went home with someone.
Maybe all of that was just in preparation for the only woman I want.
I would find her wet for me and trace the edges of her slit with my fingers. I would tease her, listening for her breathing speed up, avoiding her clit until she ground her round, beautiful ass against me.
That’s when I would finally touch her there. Lightly at first, letting her need grow, skyrocket.
Then I would work her the way I know would drive her crazy. I’d alternate between rubbing her clit and pinching it, feeling her getting wetter and wetter, listening to her soft moans.
She would pant and beg for more and I would be there, my touch relentless until she reached breaking point.
I would kiss her neck and hold her close while she rode her orgasm.
And then, after she calmed down, I’d grind my hips against that perfect butt, making her feel what she does to me.
I would tease her again until she told me that she wants me just as much as I want her.
She would only have to ask once and I’d give her everything. My heart has been hers from the first time I saw her, all she’d need now is my body.
I would lower my sweatpants, freeing my hard, aching cock.
I wouldn’t enter her straight away, I would rub my shaft against her gorgeous, wet pussy from behind until I couldn’t take it anymore.
The second I plunged into her… Jesus.
I’ve been imagining the way she would feel around me countless times. Every time I jerked off in the past year, if I have to be honest.
Bay would be warm, soft, wet and so fucking tight.
Her pussy would fit me like a snug, silky glove.
I would savor the feeling of being inside her for a few moments, resisting the urge to move.
She would protest, grinding herself against me and that would make me lose it.
I would withdraw from her almost completely and then take her again and again.
Just at the thought of that, my cocks throbs with painful awareness that we’re so close to her and yet so fucking far.
But in my fantasy, I’d fuck her slow and deep at first. She would beg me for more, moaning my name, squeezing me so tight that I’d be scared of coming too soon.
I would keep that slow, intense pace until we both couldn’t take it anymore and then…
Fuck, then I would slam into her hard, over and over. Balls deep, so fucking deep that we wouldn’t know where she ends and I begin.
My hard, relentless thrusts would cause my balls to hit the outer walls of her pussy.
Every hit would reverberate to her clit and oh my God.
Bay would pant and gasp, writhing against me, begging me not to stop until she snapped again.
The second I felt her coming all over my cock, I would go with her.
My movements would still and I would fill her with my release, giving her every last drop of my pleasure while she rides hers.
Usually after I come, all I want is some distance between me and my partner. That’s where disposing of the condom is the perfect excuse to get up and walk away.
Bay and I wouldn’t use a condom, we would want nothing between us. With her, I’d have no desire to get away. I would stay inside her while my body allowed me to.
Then I would kiss her and hold her and tell her that I love her.
We would fall asleep together, wrapped up in each other.
“Cole?” she murmurs, stirring in her sleep. “I love you.”
It isn’t the first time she says it to me and I just wish she meant it in a different way. Not as her best friend. I wish her ‘I love you’ meant I’m everything to her like she is to me.
“I love you too, baby.”
JAGGER
When it comes to making people do my bidding I learned from the best.
My Nana is the sweetest, gentlest lady you’ll ever meet and yet she will have the entire family do what she says without one single complaint.
How?
The power of breakfast.
Bring any asshole something cheesy and greasy—especially after a night partying—and they’ll eat from the palm of your hand.
So when I park in Ryker’s apartment complex right off campus, there’s a bag from Joe’s Shack dangling from my fingers.
I look around the tidy, well maintained apartment complex that caters mostly to students and faculty who prefer to live away from campus.
I was in the athletic department dorms my first two years, before I was eligible to move into the Gamma house last year as a junior.
The thought of living off campus never even occurred to me. The frat house was the place to be, where the party never ends and the bunnies are always welcome.
Last year I had a ball. Not only did we win the championship, that was definitely the highlight of the year. But even for someone like me, who never had a problem getting laid, pussy was offered to me on a silver platter. To the point, I had to turn girls down.
I thought life couldn’t get any better and the idea of slowing down never even occurred to me.
As long as I don’t make promises I don’t intend to keep and I use protection every time, what’s wrong with having some fun?
That was all true until that kiss.
Bay Woods got under my skin in a way I never thought possible. And that was before I got to see her naked. Before I got to feel her perfect little pussy with nothing between us.
Just the memory of the way she felt yesterday in the locker room shower gives me a semi.
I stop in front of Ryker’s door, and exhale a shuddering breath trying to pull myself together.
I’m glad Bay is happy to rebound with me in exchange for good luck bjs. My obsession with her was starting to get concerning and like this, I can fuck Bay out of my system and then we can stay friends. Because, like I said to Cole, Bay is really cool. She’s funny, kind and sensitive and really smart. Anyone would be crazy not to want her around.
I knock on Ryker’s door after ringing the doorbell twice doesn’t result in any noise that signals movement inside the apartment.
It’s one of those quiet doorbells that can be heard inside but don’t make a sound when someone presses them from the outside .
I roll my eyes, frustrated. Ryker has always slept like the dead. I used to have to practically kick his door down at boarding school to make sure he wouldn’t be late to practice.
Another knock seems to finally cause some kind of stir. I hear noises of stuff being knocked around and falling over and I wait.
Finally, the front door opens just enough to see a sliver of one of my oldest friends standing behind it.
“Jagger?” he asks with a yawn. “What are you doing here?”
I show him the bag. “I got us breakfast and I was hoping you and I could talk for a second? There’s coffee too.”
The door opens completely and Ryker steps aside to let me in.
His apartment is neat and tidy, the furniture pretty high end for student accommodation. I’m not surprised though because Ryker definitely isn’t hurting for money. His family is as affluent if not more than mine.
“Do you still take your coffee black, no sugar?” I ask, as I’m ushered into the living room and offered a seat on his dark brown leather couch.
“I sure do,” he nods, his voice still gravelly from sleep. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome, Grandpa,” I snort. “Only old people drink black coffee.”
We’ve had this argument countless times when we went to school together and it sounds like nothing has changed since we were high school seniors.
“Whatever.” Ryker smirks, taking a sip of his coffee. “Coffee is supposed to wake you up and give you energy. You don’t need all your syrups and whipped cream. Your coffee order is just a poor excuse to have dessert. Besides, black coffee tastes amazing, if you use great quality beans. I grind my own special blend.”
I take a pull from the straw in my Frappuccino with chocolate hazelnut syrup, whipped cream and a dusting of Swiss chocolate on top. “This tastes too delicious to resist. Why not make the most of my morning coffee and enjoy it?”
“One day you’ll regret all the extra calories,” Ryker teases me.
“I know I like candy and sweets,” I admit. “That’s why I work extra hard in the gym, so I can afford to indulge my sweet tooth.”
Ryker shakes his head, his expression amused as we both dig into our breakfast sandwiches.
I got two each because we tend to be hungry in the morning and we have practice soon.
“So,” he says as he unwraps his second sandwich. “Not that I’m complaining about the tasty breakfast, but to what do I owe this surprise visit? What’s so important that you couldn’t wait to talk to me about at practice?”
I see that another thing that hasn’t changed about Ryker is that he’s very direct. I’ve always liked this about him. Beating around the bush is an unnecessary waste of time, especially between friends.
“I was just wondering what happened between you and Bay last night,” I say, taking a page from Ryker’s book and going straight to the point.
“That kissing game seems to have gotten a little out of hand.”
Ryker’s jaw pops, the muscle working as he grinds his teeth. “I guess it did,” he says carefully. “I didn’t mean to throw her into the pool, that was an accident.”
That’s good. It means I don’t have to kick my teammate’s ass or keep Cole from murdering him. “Glad to hear that. But you two seemed to be having an argument moments before. What was that about?”
I mean, I have an inkling about it because Ryker basically yelled at her that he saw her in the shower with me. What I’m trying to understand is why that caused an argument to begin with.
Ryker’s gaze hardens as he looks me in the eye. “Maybe I should apologize to you, Jagger.”
He doesn’t look the least bit apologetic, but I decide to play along. “What for? I have no beef with you. But even if it was an accident, Bay is the one who deserves an apology for being pushed in the pool.”
His jaw pops again. “Yeah, I don’t think so. I can apologize to you for flirting with your girl, but Bay could have told me she was seeing you rather than lying to me about not wanting to date another hockey player.”
Hearing Ryker call Bay my girl is strange. It should make me rush to deny it, like I’ve always done whenever anyone assumed that one of my hookups was something more.
A part of me actually likes the way that sounds. My girl.
I shake my head to banish the crazy thought.
“That doesn’t make any sense. Bay and I are just friends.” I don’t even know if I’m saying that more for Ryker’s benefit or for my own.
“Really?” Ryker snorts. “That’s some friendship, or are you denying that she was the one hiding behind you in the shower yesterday?”
Bay and I had agreed to keep our business on the DL, but since the cat is out of the bag, I confirm it. “Yeah, she was with me yesterday. What I don’t get is why that resulted in an argument between the two of you.”
Ryker balls up the sandwich wrapper, his knuckles turning white with the effort. “Bay and I met before I arrived on campus.”
He tells me how they almost had sex in an aircraft toilet and how Bay got cold feet practically leaving him high and dry and even changing seats to avoid talking to him.
I’m not gonna lie, I’m a little jealous at the thought of them getting it on during a flight. I’m not a member of the Mile High Club and that sounds fucking hot.
“When she ran out of that bathroom, she said she didn’t do hockey players. I was fucking disappointed, but I sorta couldn’t blame her after I saw her again. I understood why she didn’t like hockey players after dating that asshole. I even felt sorry for her. Then I saw her shoes last night, and I recognized them. It was the only thing I could catch a glimpse of behind you. That made me realize that it was nothing but bullshit and I admit I lost my shit. This is why I don’t fucking date. Women are nothing but drama. But I didn’t mean to push her into the pool. Things just got out of hand.”
Good.
That means neither Cole or I need to kick his ass. As long as he apologizes to Bay of course.
It’s also interesting how Ryker felt an immediate attraction to Bay. I definitely can’t blame him for that.
“Bay isn’t like that,” I say. “She isn’t into drama and she isn’t a puck bunny.”
Ryker levels me with a skeptical look. “Look dude, I don’t want to be one of those guys who can’t take no for an answer. Like I said, yesterday things got out of hand. But I’d be careful if you care about her. She was definitely flirting with me even after that bathroom incident.”
“Thanks for the heads up,” I say carefully. “But it isn’t needed. Bay didn’t lie to you about not dating hockey players. Our thing is just a little bit of fun that, right now, serves us both pretty well. She gets to rebound from her ex with someone who won’t hurt her, and I get my lucky bj without caving to the bunnies.”
He considers my words. “No shit,” he says after a beat of silence. “So she wasn’t dissing me or playing games with me.”
I nod. “She wasn’t. And after what happened, she was pretty hurt. I think you should apologize to her. ”
There’s another beat of silence.
“I guess you’re right,” Ryker finally relents. “I didn’t mean to push her and I didn’t mean to air your dirty laundry.”
I shrug. “Don’t sweat that too much. Everyone was definitely drunk enough at that point that they either didn’t hear you or they’ll have forgotten by the time they wake up today with a hangover. The proof is that when Bay landed in the pool, people followed her in, thinking it was another party game.”
Ryker looks convinced.
“Hopefully that’s the case. I probably should apologize to Bay.”
Good. My mission is a success.
“I know she’s gonna be home today, she wanted to study. How about we go see her after practice?”
A smile forms on Ryker’s face. “You coming with? What, you don’t trust me I’ll apologize?”
I don’t sugar coat it. “From what you say, you and Bay have been pushing each other’s buttons since the second you met. I just want to make sure this’ll go well. I’m gonna bring donuts too.”
Ryker laughs. “I’ll never understand why you always feed people.”
“Because people with an empty stomach tend to be way more aggressive.” I shrug.
I also felt the tension between him and Bay on a few occasions and I’ll never admit it out loud but I thought those two should fuck. To put it in plain and simple terms, I’m fucking jealous.
I’m not done exploring the attraction between me and Bay and I’m not going to let Ryker get in the way of our deal.
“Come on,” I say, rising from my seat and collecting our trash. “Let’s go to practice. If there’s one thing Coach Harrison hates more than anything is tardiness. Especially when he knows we must have partied the night before.”