Page 18 of Risky Play

I tried to go back to my conversation, but the guy grabbed my arm. Before I could push him away, a dark shadow crossed over his face.

“Hey, sweet pea. Sorry to keep you waiting,” a familiar voice said from behind me.

Sweet pea? What?

Before I could even register what was going on, muscular arms spun me around, and soft lips pressed against mine. I melted into the familiar kiss, not even thinking about who they were attached to.

Chapter Six

MATT

Damn, her lips on mine felt good. Forgetting this was a ruse, I slid my hands through her silky dark locks and deepened the kiss. She let me taste inside her mouth and pressed up against me like she yearned for it. It was the kind of kiss that had my body tingling and desperate for more.

I had only walked over and ambushed her with this kiss because I saw that guy bothering her. I might not have noticed her if it wasn’t for her friend’s bright purple hair. Once my buddy Ty pointed it out, I stilled at the sight of the gorgeous brunette, salivating at her painted-on jeans and sun-kissed skin peeking out from her off-the-shoulder top.

Then I saw that guy put his hands on her, and my resolve buckled. I forgot why I needed to stay away, but instead, I needed to mark her as mine. Forgetting that her brother would kill me if he ever found out about this.

The thought of Noah was the blood-chilling reminder that forced me to tear my mouth from hers. Her eyes fluttered open, and once the shock wore off, her mouth turned into a hard line. Yeah, she was pissed at me.

Her eyes scorched across me, putting distance between us and silently telling me where to shove it.

Despite Local Hangout being a college bar, I hadn’t expected to run into her tonight. It surprised me when Ty said he wanted to go to the bar rather than join the rager his teammates were throwing. But he knew I preferred it here because it was more chill, and I rarely got recognized. Now if Noah or TJ walked through the door, it would be a different story. Not for a rookie like me struggling to get ice time.

I looked over Maddie’s shoulder, and that creepy guy had moved on to another girl already. “He’s gone.”

“Good. You can go,” she said, dismissing me as she took a sip of her beer and turned back to her friend.

“Hey, asshole, you gonna introduce me, or what?” Ty asked me.

Maddie’s friend laughed, her colorful hair bouncing with her motions. Now that I looked at her, her hair wasn’t exactly purple. It was a collage of blue, pink, and purple. I think chicks called that ‘mermaid hair’ or some shit. She was tiny next to Maddie’s statuesque figure, but she was cute in that art school kind of way.

“I’m Ari,” she introduced herself.

“Matt. This is Ty,” I told both girls and gestured to my friend. Ty was a pale guy with short king energy and the life of the party.

Maddie squinted at Ty. “Aren’t you dating my captain?”

Captain?

Ty hung his head. “Who Elsa? Nah, she dumped my ass.”

Oh. Right. Ty’s ex was the captain of the women’s hockey team here. I had no idea Maddie played hockey.

Maddie’s eyebrows rose at Ty’s downtrodden expression. “Umm.”

Ty bellowed out a laugh. “Don’t worry about it, dude! E’s great, but she’s too serious to keep this player tied down.”

I rolled my eyes.

Ty could be such a douche, but he was my best friend, so I let him slide. Also, it was one hundred percent a front.

“I got dumped, too,” Ari said with a frown.

“Let me buy you a beer in solidarity,” Ty said and gave her his signature grin. Ari smiled back at him, leaving Maddie and me standing there, pretending not to notice the tension surrounding us.

Maddie crossed her arms over her chest. “Sweet pea? Really?”

I grinned. “Sorry, that slipped out. It worked to get that asshole to leave you alone, right?”