“Pisces?” Just thinking of their rolls makes my mouth start to water. They have the best sushi around.

  “As if there is any better,” she grins.

  “No, there isn’t,” I laugh. The office phone rings just then, and we wave goodbye as she goes to answer it.

  Putting my sunglasses on, I walk out the front door and am greeted with the warmth of the sun shining down on me. When you’ve grown up here, the humid heat doesn’t even faze you. It’s normal to be covered in sweat within ten minutes of stepping outside. I prefer the hot weather over the cold any day.

  I click the unlock button on my white Supra and slide into the dark leather seats. Ryder’s not the only one in this family who likes fast cars. When he found this one for me, I couldn’t pass it up. It’s not my ultimate dream car, but it’s a lot of fun to whip around in. There’s just something about driving such a powerful machine that gets me excited and makes me feel sexy all at the same time. I get why Ryder is addicted to the feeling.

  Taking the road along the coast, I arrive at Captain Jack’s just a short time later. It’s one of my favorite restaurants in town and sits right on the beach. I practically grew up here and have so many memories.

  I can picture every moment as I walk toward the restaurant…

  My brothers and I, at a young age, running down the steps toward the beach for our traditional after-family-dinner walk to see who could find the most crabs along the shoreline…

  Fun lunches with my friends during our summer breaks, and even some of Tristan and I having fun on Friday nights as we listen to the live band play.

  What keeps people coming back is the fresh seafood they get daily right off the boats and the family atmosphere they’ve created with the locals. It’s one of the best hangouts around on the beach. And they make the best margaritas, which is a major plus.

  I see Olivia right away, sitting at one of the high tops on the back deck overlooking the water and beach below.

  Her honey-colored hair is lightly blowing in the wind, and her cute green sundress matches her beautiful light hazel eyes perfectly. She lights up when she sees me and jumps up for a warm hug.

  “I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever!”

  “I know. I’m sorry.” Slinging my purse over my chair, I take the stool opposite her. “Work has been insane lately.”

  “I’m just glad our busy schedules aligned today, and we can catch up.”

  “Me too,” I smile. “I’ve got a lot to unload, and your fiancé is smack dab in the middle of this crazy mess.”

  “Oh God, what did Miles do now?”

  Even the mention of my brother’s name sends stars to her eyes. Out of all my brothers, Miles was the one I had doubts about ever settling down. He fell in love with his first drum set at a young age and started a band in high school called Southern Tides. They got their big break and began touring all over the world.

  After years on the road, he surprised us all by leaving that lifestyle and coming back home to Blue Haven. He now owns Montgomery’s, a music bar just outside of town. He met Olivia during the renovation of the old dive bar he transformed, and the once noncommittal bad boy was suddenly falling hard. The rest is history as the glint of her diamond engagement ring in the afternoon sun catches my eye when she reaches for the menu on the table.

  “Apparently, he and my other three asshat brothers all agreed I could have a roommate for a few weeks. He showed up last night and scared the shit out of me.”

  “What! Why would they do that? I can’t believe they didn’t ask you first or at least tell you.” Her eyes get big all of a sudden as she leans forward. “Wait. You said, he. Who is it?”

  “Knox.” I breathe the word quietly as I wait for what I know is going to be a big reaction.

  “Knox!” She practically yells, causing a few people at the bar to glance our way.

  “Jesus, tell the world, why don’t you?”

  “I’m sorry,” she giggles, putting a hand to her mouth. “I just can’t believe you are living with Knox Stone. Half of the female population right now would die to be in your position.”

  “Yeah, well, he’s an ass ninety-nine percent of the time, and I’m pretty sure we are going to kill each other before this is all over.”

  Olivia smiles widely, and I furrow my brows at her as her eyes get a mischievous gleam to them.

  “What?”

  “You like him.”

  “If by like you mean how a dog loves a flea, then yes.”

  Her laugh is cut off as the waitress appears to take our orders. I decide to join Olivia and have a margarita to go with our fish tacos. The rest of my afternoon is just paperwork, and Dr. Matthews is on call for any emergencies, so I’m in the clear to have a drink. Besides, I’m going to need one for the rest of this conversation if I’m going to ask for advice.

  Once we are alone again, she immediately diverts her attention back to me, giving me a devilish grin. “Admit it. You like him. I’ve seen you two together, and it’s like watching one of my enemies-to-lovers romance books come to life right before my eyes,” she laughs. “I’m just waiting with popcorn in hand for the fuck-it moment.”

  “You may have to wait a long time. He said no.”

  “What do you mean he said no?” Her hazel eyes search mine, and I sigh as I break the contact and focus on the view of the water. No one but Knox and a few therapists I’ve seen through the years knows the full truth about what happened that night. Telling my family wouldn’t have changed anything and would have only caused them pain. It would have killed my brothers, and I know they would have blamed themselves for not being there.

  I haven’t told my sisters-in-law for the same reason. I couldn’t ask them to keep this secret from their husbands, and Olivia fits into that category, so I weigh my words carefully as I come up with an explanation.

  “I did what you did?” Turning back to her, I shrug my shoulders like it’s no big deal when in reality I’m shitting myself. “I asked for a night, and he said no.”

  Our drinks and food arrive, and I reach for the margarita right away, needing something to take the edge off.

  “Let me get this clear. You asked Knox to sleep with you, no strings attached, and he said no?” She looks just as confused as I was this morning. I mean, he does it all the time, so why is it such a big deal with me?

  “Yep,” I nod, taking a French fry from the basket between us.

  “Hmmm.” She takes a sip of her margarita as she digests what I just told her. “Why did you ask him?”

  “The truth is, I work a lot, and going on multiple dates and trying to find a connection with someone is exhausting. I’m not into sleeping with strangers, so my sex life is nonexistent,” I say, which is true. I’ve been on every date imaginable, and not one has come close to making me feel even a tiny ounce of what I felt this morning when Knox was pressed against me.

  “Been there, done that,” she laughs. “Dating is the worst.”

  “Agreed. The thing is, even though Knox drives me up a fucking wall most days, I trust him. I’ve known him since I was seven, so I’m comfortable with him. Now that he’s literally landed in my lap for a few weeks, I thought I could scratch an itch that desperately needs to be taken care of. He’s not bad to look at, and the ladies seem to love him, so why not have some fun while I have him here?”

  “Not bad to look at?” She laughs and takes a sip of her margarita.

  “Okay, we both know that’s a lie,” I admittedly mutter. “As much as it pains me to admit, he’s a walking god, and he knows it too.”

  I can almost hear the wheels turning in her head as we dive into our fish tacos.

  “He’s scared,” she says, breaking the silence a couple of minutes later with absolute resolve. “I mean, can you blame him? Your brothers aren’t exactly puppy dogs when it comes to you. You have an entire army of rottweilers behind you just waiting to tear into any guy who looks your way.”

  “I don’t think Knox Stone gets scared,” I laugh softly. “Have you seen him play hockey? He’s fearless and almost runs toward the danger like he enjoys it.”

  “That’s hockey,” she says, shaking her head. “Letting someone in is a whole different ball game…or hockey game in this situation.” She ponders for a second whether that even makes sense before waving her hand. “Whatever, you know what I mean. The point is, you mean something to him, and he’s scared to mess that up.”

  “So what do I do? I already asked him once and got turned down. I’m not about to get on my knees and beg that man.”

  “God no. I wouldn’t let you either.” Her grin gets wider as she takes a fry from the basket and plops it in her mouth. “You just keep existing, babe. Show him what he’s missing. Hell, even go out on a few dates and let him wonder what you are doing with other guys. Jealousy is a hard emotion to swallow. It seems like you guys have danced around this sexual attraction for years, masking it with annoyance and anger, so neither one of you had to face it. Fate has brought you together under the same roof, and it’s only a matter of time before he realizes he can’t stay away.”

  “This is crazy. I can’t believe I’m even considering this,” I mumble as I take another sip.

  “Love makes you do crazy things,” she grins. “Trust me, I know,” she laughs, and her eyes light up, which tells me she’s thinking of my brother.

  “Love is not the right word. It’s more like a strong lust and curiosity mixed in with a lot of annoyance and loathing when he pushes my buttons.”

  “God, this is going to be so good,” she beams, looking like a kid who just woke up Christmas morning. “It’s like the buildup of the most perfect storm. The whole town of Blue Haven could quite possibly feel the aftershocks of this one.”

  “You read too many books,” I laugh.

  “Says the girl who has two libraries…one at her house and one at work.”

  “Touché,” I laugh, clinking my glass with hers.

  We finish the rest of our meal as we talk about her wedding plans. As much as I try to remain present, my thoughts only want to focus on one thing…

  A six-foot-four, infuriating ass of a man who I now have to figure out a way to live with, all the while wanting to kill him and be under him at the same time. The scary part is that I have no clue which one will win in the end.

  SEVEN

  KNOX

  “Relax, Stone,” Coach says under his breath as I stare intensely at the ice as one of my team members gets checked hard against the boards. “They are holding their own out there. Your job today, while your ass is on the bench, is to study their techniques and look for improvement. You’re here to teach them, not be their damn babysitter,” he mutters.

  My leg bobs up and down in an anxious state. Every part of my body is begging to be out there with them. I gnaw on my mouth guard out of habit as my hands white-knuckle my stick.

  I get what Coach is saying. It’s not a secret that I’ve always been very protective of my team and have no problem stepping in and kicking ass when I feel someone is stepping out of line.

  Another hard hit has me standing up and gripping the railing.

  “Let me in, Coach,” I say with conviction. “The game is almost over. I’m not letting these fuckers tie us.”

  I know it’s only a preseason game and doesn’t really count, but a win is a win. Our top lineup has barely played tonight, which is normal for a preseason game, but I want us to end it.

  Coach glances up at the scoreboard, and I know he wants this win too, even if it doesn’t count for the season. “McCormick, Hayes, Foxx, and Kane,” he yells, grabbing my guys’ attention, causing me to grin.

  They stand up with eager smiles to match my own.

  “Don’t make me regret this, Stone. I need you all this season, so no taking risks. Just get out there, take control of the damn puck and win this fucking game.”

  “Understood, Coach,” I grin, causing him to rub his hand over his face in agitation. I know I’m unpredictable on the ice sometimes, but I’m not stupid enough to get myself injured right before a season starts. There’s nothing wrong with having a little fun, though.

  The ref calls an offside, and Coach signals the line change as my skates hit the ice. Our crowd goes wild when they see us line up. I take my place at center with McCormick and Hayes flanking both of my sides. Foxx and Kane take their positions behind me as they guard our goalie. I know it’s killing Cayden right now not to be in front of the net, but we need him too much to use him for a preseason game. It doesn’t matter now anyway because if I have my way, our goalie won’t be seeing any more action.

  I can tell the player across from me is surprised I’m out here. He must be a newbie because I don’t recognize him. He’s not the one I want to have a little fun with, anyway. I glance at their left winger and make eye contact with the one who’s been playing dirty this whole game. He scowls back at me, and I can’t help but grin in his direction. I throw in a little wink for added effect, pissing him off even more.

  I hear Hayes chuckle as he gets into position across from the douchebag.

  “Not the best way to start off the season, rookie,” he says, loud enough for me to hear. “You’ve pissed off Stone,” he tsks. “I would skate fast if I were you…very fast.”

  The others on my team laugh as the ref blows a short whistle.

  “That’s enough, guys. We have five minutes left. Let’s keep it clean so we can all get out of here.”

  He skates into position, and I bend down low with my stick to wait for the puck to drop. I get into my zone as the crowd around me disappears, and I focus all my attention on the round black object as it’s dropped onto the ice.

  I quickly take control and pass it to McCormick as he comes up on my right. He handles it with ease and dodges his opponent as he shoots it back to Foxx at the center line, who whips it over to Kane. Kane sees Hayes in the corner and shoots it down the side.

  Douchebag picks up speed, and I know exactly where he’s headed.

  Not on my watch.

  I dig my blades into the ice and tear off across the rink, ramming him into the sides right before he reaches Hayes. He grunts at the hard impact as he struggles to remain upright on his skates.

  “That’s for being a dick to my team,” I throw at him before returning my focus to Hayes, who’s in control of the puck behind the net. Taking my position at center, I wait for the right moment. I make eye contact with Hayes, and he knows the move. We’ve practiced it a million times.

  The other player tries to block me, but I spin around just as Hayes shoots the puck to McCormick, who passes it right back to me as I fake a high shot and slide it easily through the goalie’s legs.

  The red light goes on just as the remaining seconds go out on the clock, giving us a win.

  “Fuck yeah, Stone,” Hayes says, skating over and raising his arms as the rest of the guys surround me.

  “Nice shot, captain,” Kane grins and slaps my back with his glove.

  “I thought the rookie was going to shit himself when you came at him,” Foxx laughs.

  “That was the plan. Damn, it felt good,” I grin. “Nice assist, McCormick.” I hold out my glove as he knocks his to mine.

  “I’m just glad I’m on your side now and not the one you just hit into the boards,” he chuckles. “Can’t say I’m going to miss that.”

  “You deserved every one of them.”

  “Yeah, I probably did,” he laughs as we skate back to the bench to celebrate the win with the rest of the team.

  “Nice teamwork out there,” Coach says, coming over. “Could have done without the hit, Stone.” His eyes narrow at me, but I can tell by the humor in his eyes that he didn’t mind it as much as he’s letting on.

  “Just a little teaching moment, Coach,” I grin as he tries to suppress a smile.

  “Get your asses in the locker room,” he says to the rest of the team. “Stone, Blade…you have press in twenty minutes. Shower and wear something nice. I’ll be in the conference room waiting.”

  Great.

  I know it comes with the territory, but I loathe being in front of the cameras. Especially when they try to dig into my personal life. I pay good money to keep my past buried, and it’s none of their business what I do outside of the rink, even though they love to be thoroughly invested in who I’m seen with.

  After a quick shower, I change into dark slacks and a white button-down dress shirt, leaving the collar loose under my suit jacket. I meet Cayden outside the locker room, looking freshly showered with a similar outfit to mine.

  “Ready?” He asks, shoving his hands in his grey slacks.

  “No,” I reply without hesitation, causing him to chuckle.

  “They wouldn’t be so hard on you if you would keep your mouth shut and stick to the basics. You make good TV when you throw those insults, and now they love to get you riled up just for the views.”

  “Yeah, well, they need to stick to what’s important—the game and the charity. Anything else, they can shove it up their asses.”

  “Exactly my point,” he laughs, opening the door as we reach the end of the hallway. “Let’s get this shitshow over with,” he says quietly as we step into the room full of hungry wolves.

  “Amen to that,” I mutter, following him to the table with the mics set up as cameras start to go off in a hurried frenzy.

  “You have twenty minutes with my boys. Make the questions count,” Coach says into the mic as we take our seats.

  “How does it feel, Knox, to be back in your hometown?” The question is fired at me from the back as I brace my arms on the table and lean forward to answer.

  “It feels good. We have a great team this year, and I’m looking forward to learning from Coach Goldman.”

  “Cayden, what are your thoughts on Redman this season? I’ve heard he’s the new frontrunner for the Vezina Trophy this year.”

  Blade leans casually forward with a smirk on his face. “Come on, Harold. You’ve got limited questions, and you waste it on that?” He asks as the reporters break out into laughter. “I don’t have any thoughts about Redman. The trophy will be mine again, just like it was for the last two years.”