BLAZE: Enemies to Lovers College Hockey Romance by Eddie Cleveland (ebook reader macos .txt) 📕

“Excuse me?” Player’s nostrils flare, and he stands taller, jutting out his jaw.

“This isn’t the time or the fucking place,” Griz booms, and it shuts up the room.

Player sniffs loudly, walking away to the other wall. He looks disgusted by Blaze’s presence. It’s a presence I don’t want to notice, but I can’t help it. When he stands with his back to me like that, it's too easy to check him out. He was right, hockey butt is definitely a thing.

One of his roommates, the one from Canada, stands next to him. “Don’t mind Player. He’ll move on, eventually. It wouldn’t hurt if you apologized about the birthday party.”

“I already did,” Blaze answers. “To Kaylee. Fuck Player.”

“Stop making it hard to be on your side. You don’t need to keep provoking him.” Canuck gives him a look. Blaze returns it. They both just stand there, stiff, unmoving. I’m not really sure where this is going, then all of a sudden Blaze sighs. They both deflate a bit, their shoulders dropping as they seem to relax. “So, tell me, where’d you go last night?”

Now I’m the one who is stiff and unmoving. I tighten in my seat. My ears are strained. Everything is a blur. My heart beats too hard in my chest. What will Blaze tell him?

“Did you bring in twenty-one with a bang?” Canuck laughs. They both do. I don’t laugh. I hold my breath.

“Yeah. I met a girl at the bar.”

Technically, true.

“Was she a bunny?” Rookie sneaks in next to Blaze now that the showdown between the big dogs is done.

“No, I don’t think so. If she is, I don’t remember her.” His voice has an edge in it. An edge meant for me. He knows I’m listening in.

“She was already with another guy. I was just sitting at the bar when she ambushed me. She practically begged me to join her and the guy.” He might be remembering things a little differently than I do now.

“Like a threesome?” Rookie sounds like he just saw a magic trick that blew him away.

“Someone got spit roasted!” Canuck humps the air and a bunch of guys who were pretending not to listen give themselves away by laughing.

“That’s what I was thinking. I figured this girl wants it dirty. The old double dicks.” Blaze is clearly fucking with me now.

“Aww, man, I can’t imagine fucking a girl with another guy.” Rookie sounds stressed by the idea.

“Just work on fucking one chick first. Double dicks are advanced level material. It’s like beating the Grand Poobah of bad guys in the last level of the game. You still haven’t beaten the first level.” Canuck gives him a hard time. It’s a cheap shot, but Canuck doesn’t care. He just grins like a comedian who laughs at their own jokes.

“He still hasn’t even played the game!” I don’t see who called it out, but this time Rookie burns up with shame. It sucks that the guys ride him so much about his virginity. It’s weird, if girls show up to college as virgins, it’s seen as a challenge. When guys do, everyone assumes there’s something wrong with them. Being a college virgin doesn’t mean he’s a social reject with a neckbeard. Rookie is a good-looking guy… he’s just not cut out for one-night stands.

The guys turn their attention back to Blaze. “So, any Eiffel Tower action?” Canuck pretends to high-five his invisible threesome partner.

In a way, I’m grateful this has gotten so far from the truth. No one would expect me and Blaze to hook up under normal circumstances, let alone ones that include terms like spit roast and Eiffel Tower.

“No. She kissed me and the other guy left.” My heart leaps into my throat when he brings the conversation back to reality.

How did I let this become my reality?

“Are you for real?” Rookie blinks in disbelief.

“I swear.”

It technically is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, but I still wouldn’t be comfortable swearing on a bible about any of it.

“Then we went back to her place, and the details are blurry, but I know two things for sure. One, I gave her the best fuck of her life. Hands down.”

Even though I can’t deny the truth in that, I don’t like that he’s so cocky about it.

“And the second,” Blaze continues, “she has the best ass I’ve ever seen. Period.”

Everyone stops talking as Coach Wilson walks into the middle of the floor. I can’t hide in my office anymore. I refuse to look over at Blaze, even though I can feel his eyes on me. Even though I can feel his stupid smug smile.

“Sorry I’m late. I’m juggling a lot of balls right now, and I’m not a great juggler.” When Coach starts talking, any mumbles or murmurs that were still coming from the group stop.

The hockey boys might not always respect each other, or themselves, but Coach Wilson is another story. Every mouth is shut. Every pair of eyes are on his face. Every pair of ears are listening.

“The powers that be on the board seem to be calming down. Ms. Stevens, everyone is impressed with the work you’re doing. You’ve been doing a hell of a job keeping our PR issues under control.” He gives me credit, but it just makes me cringe.

“Being Blaze’s babysitter,” someone mumbles. I have guesses about who, but I didn’t see.

“Thanks.” I hope my smile doesn’t look as painful as it feels on my face.

If it looks suspicious, Coach Wilson doesn’t care. “Listen, I know it’s been rough out there playing with such a strong member of the team sitting out. Tonight’s game is going to be tough, but this team is bigger than any one person. This team will rise to the occasion. This team will succeed.”

The space booms with the cheers and all the “fuck yeah” being yelled.

Coach Wilson lifts his hands, and the noise dies immediately. “That being said, it’s no secret we