Page 32 of Risky Play

Panic coursed through me as I looked down at my ratty Franklin U hoodie. It was fine for going to classes, but not great when the guy you were crushing on wanted to video chat. My hair was in a messy bun, and I didn’t have makeup on. I was so not presentable for a video call.

Why was he trying to video chat with me?

I saw another text come through.

MATT: My eyes! I’m pretty sure I walked in on Noah and Dinah!

I laughed out loud, and my worries about my appearance went out the window because I was nosy and immediately called him.

Matt answered the call right away, his handsome face showing up on my phone screen as I placed it on the stand on my desk. He gave me a pained look. He wore a hoodie from the company we did the ad spot for, but he looked comfy, and I liked that casual look in men.

Before he said anything, I started laughing.

“It’s not funny!” he fumed.

“It’s kinda funny.”

He glared at me.

“How did that even happen?” I asked because I wanted to avoid that, too. I loved that Noah was happy with Dinah, but ew, I didn’t want to walk in on that.

“I came home from training with Benny, and all I saw was Dinah’s head pop up from the couch as I walked in. While your brother looked a little too comfortable with his head resting back against the couch.”

A laugh bubbled up inside me.

“Not funny!”

“I wouldn’t want to see it either, but it is their house.”

“Is this why you don’t want to move in with them?”

I shook my head. “I told you, Noah’s way too overprotective. It would be like living in prison. I’m sorry you had to deal with that, but it might not have been what you thought.”

He vigorously shook his head from side to side. “Yeah, no, it was. Noah jumped up at my footsteps, and his face was beet red.”

I couldn’t contain another giggle. Okay, it definitely was what he thought. My brother couldn’t control the way his pale face reddened when he was embarrassed.

“You poor baby,” I cooed, giving him a sympathetic look.

“I need to get out of the house.”

“You wanna come over?”

If I got to hang out with Matt again, one on one, maybe he’d give in. I heavily put on the flirt when we were together, but he resisted. He was still scared of my brother, but what Noah didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. I knew for a fact Matt didn’t confess what happened the night of my brother’s wedding. Why couldn’t he get behind a sneaky one-night stand? Isn’t that what hockey players like him wanted?

Matt looked uneasy at my suggestion.

“Aren’t we friends?” I asked.

“Yeah.”

“And friends hang out, so come over. We could go to the bar and grab dinner. Or chill and watch a movie.”

“Okay, sure. Let’s do dinner in a couple of hours.”

“Don’t walk in on Noah and D again,” I teased.

He shot me an annoyed look and then hung up.