Page 85 of Risky Play

“Noooooo. I’m mad at my brother. Not you. I missed you.”

I set her back down, and all Ty did was raise an eyebrow. “Later,” I mouthed to him.

“Your girl can hang with the best of them,” Ty teased and then knocked back his shot.

Clearly. She smelled like a brewery, and her words were slurring. But still, she had a sadness in her eyes, and I wanted to know what that was about.

“Can you take me home?” she asked. “Please?”

“Where’s your coat?”

“Didn’t bring one. I drank enough to make me warm.”

I sighed. Yup, sweet pea was pretty drunk. I took off my coat and wrapped it around her. We waved goodbye to everyone, and I slipped my hand into hers. I smiled when she swung our arms together.

She asked me how the game was as we walked back to her dorm. I was glad I came to find her because I didn’t want her to walk home alone. Might need to ask Ty to watch out for her while I was on the road.

When we got inside her suite, I helped her get out of her costume, and she drunkenly washed off her makeup. I grabbed her water from out of her mini-fridge and her trash can, just in case.

I pulled back the covers of her bed and helped her in.

“Matt?” she asked, her voice a hushed whisper.

“Yeah?”

She gave me those big, blue, hopeful eyes. “Stay?”

“I will. Gimme a minute.”

I changed into pajamas and crawled into bed with her. I stroked her hair, waiting for her to tell me what was wrong.

“Noah shouldn’t have fought him,” she whispered.

I bent to kiss her neck. “I know.”

“Now it’s worse.”

“Between you and Noah?”

She shook her head.

“What’s wrong?”

“Jaime texted me.”

Rage ran through me. He fucking what? I wished I had fought the guy, too.

“He was taunting me, and he called me…he called me…” She trailed off into a sob. “He said I was just a stupid puck slut. He doesn’t even know I’m dating a hockey player!”

Ah. She looked like she’d been crying when she video-chatted with me, and now I knew why.

I cupped her face. “Sweet pea, you’re not any of that. Nobody, and I mean nobody, makes you feel inferior. You got me?”

“Oh, Matt. How did I get so lucky with you?”

I gave her a quick kiss. “I’m lucky with you. But I’m mad I didn’t rock his shit tonight, though. Fuck that asshole.”

“Please don’t fight some douche on my account.”