Mine to Take: A Brother’s Rival, One Night Stand New Adult Sports Romance (Western Wildcats Hockey Book 5)

“I’m sorry…let me get this straight. You’re sleeping with Maverick McKinnon, and he still has no clue that your brother is none other than River Thompson.” Holland’s wide eyes stay locked on mine. “And he asked you to go watch him play tonight?”

I release a steady breath. “Is there a question in all that?”

“Yeah, I’m wondering where my best friend of thirteen years went.” She stabs a finger in my direction. “Who exactly is this fun-loving ho in her place?”

The edges of my lips tremble as a snort escapes from me. “I promise that I’m the same person who moved in with you last fall.”

She folds her arms across her ample chest. “Listen, girl, I’m all for you living your best life, you know that.”

“Why do I sense a but coming?”

“Because you know me well.”

I press my lips together and steel myself for the truth bomb she’s about to drop.

Holland settles on the bed beside me before searching my eyes for a long, silent moment. Her voice dips, becoming huskier. “The last thing I want to see is this situation blow up in your face. Or you getting hurt. That’s all.”

My chest expands with love. No matter what, she always has my best interests at heart. I’m lucky that she took a liking to me in the second grade.

It’s only because I trust her judgment implicitly that I realize she’s spot-on regarding the situation with Maverick.

It has disaster written all over it.

In black Sharpie.

It’s the reason my instincts were blaring at me from the very beginning to avoid him at all costs.

And I tried…

I really did.

But there’s something about Maverick McKinnon that I find irresistible.

“You need to tell him the truth before you get in any deeper.”

My shoulders collapse under the heavy weight of her words as guilt pricks at me.

Yeah… I think it might be a little too late for that.

Not only does he not know that River and I are related, but he has no idea that I was diagnosed with childhood leukemia. Most guys shy away when I share that info. The ones who don’t turn tail and run, treat me as if I’m fragile.

Even though I think he’ll be pissed when he finds out about the first issue, I’ve grown more concerned about the second one. Especially since his mother fought her own battle recently and he was so affected by it.

It wouldn’t surprise me if our diagnoses and subsequent treatment overlapped.

Ugh.

The thought makes my belly pinch with nerves.

If he doesn’t pull away and disappear from my life, I’m afraid he’ll treat me differently.

After what I’ve experienced at his skilled hands, that would be a deal breaker for me.

My mind tumbles back to the way he fucked me the other day. I’ve never even fantasized about a man touching me in that way.

Playing with my body like that.

It was…delicious.

Even though it’s been a few days, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.

“Oh god…you’ve already fallen for him, haven’t you?” Her voice is tinged with a blend of disbelief and sadness.

I blink out of the memories trying to take hold, and stare at my bestie with wide eyes. My inclination is to shake my head.

No way!

Of course I haven’t!

But…

It’s a jolt to realize that Holland is right.

I’ve fallen for Maverick.

Or maybe I’m in the process of it.

What I do know is that I’ve never met anyone like him before. The scariest part is that I’m not sure if I ever will again.

As much as I don’t want to burst the little bubble I’m living in, I can’t continue lying to him.

Well, I haven’t exactly lied. Although, it’s doubtful Maverick will see it that way once I come clean.

I cringe, realizing exactly what needs to happen. The sooner, the better. Only then will my conscience be cleared and we can hopefully move forward with our relationship.

“I’ll tell him tonight,” I whisper.

My belly dips at the idea of sitting down with him and admitting all the secrets I’ve been keeping.

Holland worries her lower lip as her brow furrows. “I know it’s scary, but it’s the right thing to do.”

I draw in a lungful of fresh air and force myself to nod in agreement.

Deep down, I realize she’s right, but that knowledge doesn’t make it any easier.

Just as Holland opens her mouth to no doubt impart some wisdom, there’s a knock on the front door of our townhouse.

With a frown, she peers into the short hallway on the other side of my threshold before popping to her feet. “I swear if those creepy religious dudes are back again, I’m going to totally lose it.”

I didn’t think it was possible for anything to lighten the solemn mood that’s fallen over me, but that does the trick, and a snort breaks loose.

Without a backward glance, she stalks into the hallway before disappearing from sight. From within the townhouse, I cock my head, hoping to hear the tirade when she unloads on them.

The door opens and the muffle of voices barely reaches me.

As tempting as it is to follow her, I remain on my bed. It doesn’t take long for my mind to tumble back to Maverick. My teeth scrape across my lower lip as I consider alternative solutions.

Other than disappearing from his life, there are none.

Plus, it’s doubtful he’d allow it.

My shoulders wilt under the heaviness of that conversation. It’s important that he hear the truth from me rather than someone else. Like Hayes. That’ll only make the situation worse.

Then it’ll look like I was deliberately keeping it from him.

Which…well…I was.

Ugh.

It’s the light rap of knuckles against my open door that has me jerking out of those depressing thoughts. My gaze flies to the guy hovering over the threshold. I blink, wondering if I’ve somehow managed to conjure Maverick up from my thoughts.

Joy is the first emotion that rushes in. Every time I catch sight of him after we’ve spent time apart, I’m bowled over by how handsome he is.

The mahogany-colored eyes and nearly inky black hair. The chiseled cheek bones and ridiculously thick lashes. The light coat of stubble that dusts both chin and cheek.

I could stare at him for hours.

When I continue to silently soak in the sight of him, a lopsided smile curves his full lips before he jerks a thumb over his shoulder. “I hope it’s all right that your roommate let me in.”

It takes effort to shake off the haze attempting to cocoon its way around me before straightening as reality forces its way in.

“It’s fine.”

I hadn’t considered bringing up the situation before his game tonight, but maybe that’s exactly what needs to happen. Once the truth is revealed, he might not want me sitting in the stands and supporting him. Sadness blooms inside my chest before spreading outward, infecting my body like a virus, because it’s a distinct possibility that can no longer be denied.

As I stare at him, mentally grappling for the right words, I wish I’d been honest from the beginning.

It’s just that I’d wanted him to get to know me.

Willow Thompson.

Without my brother to cloud his judgment.

Or that I’d spent the last two years of high school sick, unsure if I’d live to celebrate my eighteenth birthday.

The uncertainty that flickers across his face melts my heart.

“I wanted to stop by and make sure you still planned to attend the game tonight.”

I glance away as the truth sticks uncomfortably in my throat. “Oh, um…about that…”

When my voice trails off, he steps farther inside my space. He’s so tall and broad in the shoulders that everything shrinks around him. The normally airy room now feels anything but.

He swallows up the distance with a handful of long-legged strides before dropping to his knees in front of me so that we’re eye level. It’s so tempting to reach out and sift my fingers through his thick hair.

Instead, I keep them locked on my lap.

His brows jerk together as he studies me. The intensity of his stare leaves me feeling unexpectedly vulnerable. It’s as if he’s capable of picking through all the private thoughts circling through my brain.

The ones I’ve been so careful to keep hidden away.

Disappointment floods his dark depths. “Did something come up?”

My fingers bite into my jean-clad thighs as I shake my head. “No, it’s nothing like that.”

The concern marring his expression dissolves as he flashes a relieved smile. One large hand rises to cup my face. “Good.”

It takes effort to swallow down the anxiety that gnaws at my insides. “We should probably⁠—”

Before I can force out the rest, my gaze dips to his other hand and I lose all train of thought.

How didn’t I realize he was holding something when he walked in?

His voice dips, turning raspy. The confidence that normally brims in it falls away, making him sound younger. “I was hoping you’d wear my jersey tonight.”

I can only gape at the orange and black fabric in his hand as my belly drops in free fall. It’s like I’m sitting at the very tippy top of a roller coaster and I’m harnessed in the first car as it plunges to the earth.

When I remain silent, at a loss, he clears his throat. “Sunshine?”

My tongue darts out to lick my parched lips.

There’s no way I should accept such a personal gift without revealing the truth.

“Please say something,” he whispers, eyes pleading with mine.

My heart twists as I blurt, “I’d love to wear it, thank you.”

As soon as I release the words into the atmosphere, I want to snatch them back.

All I’ve done is further complicate matters.

He sucks a breath into his lungs as a wide grin breaks out across his face and a relieved laugh bursts free. “I’m not gonna lie—you had me worried for a second or two. I thought I’d misread the situation.”

Before I realize what’s happening, he drags the thick material over my head and helps shove my arms through the large sleeves. A handful of seconds later, the hem settles around my waist.

His gaze roves over my chest and belly. “Fuck, sunshine. You look amazing.” He slants a look upward until our eyes can collide. “Almost as good as you looked the other night stretched out naked in my bed.”

Heat suffuses my cheeks as the memories once again push in at the edges before flooding my brain.

Another chuckle escapes from him, but this one is deep, husky, and knowing. The low scrape of it does funny things to my insides, making it impossible to hold on to rational thought.

His fingers drift across my cheek. “I’d strip you bare and take you right now if we had more time. But the one thing I refuse to do is rush when I’m making love to you. I enjoy drawing out your pleasure for as long as possible, until that sweet little pussy is sobbing for what only I can give you.”

Out of everything he just confided, two words echo throughout my head.

“Making love?” I repeat, surprised by the description.

Is that really what he considers it to be?

Maverick gives me a lopsided smile before pressing a kiss against my lips. “That’s what it was, don’t you think?”

“Yeah,” I admit. “I do.”

There was such a sense of closeness between us that isn’t easily found.

I’d laid myself bare and allowed him to touch me in ways I’ve never contemplated.

That kind of intense sexual exploration can only come from trust.

At least, the foundation of it.

“Then it would seem like we’re both on the same page.”

He straightens before pressing my back against the mattress and stretching out on top of me. His lips hover over mine as his tongue dances with my own, making me forget everything that needs to be cleared up between us.

Unable to help myself, my palms slip beneath the thick fabric of his sweatshirt until they’re sliding over the warm flesh beneath.

“Are you sure there’s not enough time?”

His lips quirk against mine as our breaths mingle. “Unfortunately, no.” He peppers kisses against my mouth. “I promise that after the game, we’ll have a repeat performance.”

My belly swoops as he pulls away and rises to his feet. His dark depths are filled with so much hunger and heat that it’s enough to scorch my skin and have me going up in flames.

It’s reluctantly that he jerks his head toward the door. “I should get moving.”

My confession slams back into me. “Can you give me a couple minutes? There’s something I need to tell you.”

He slips his hand into his pocket and pulls out his phone before glancing at the screen. “Sorry, sunshine, I can’t. If I don’t get to the arena pronto, Coach will rip me a new one. We’ll talk afterward, all right?”

Unsure what else to do, I jerk my head into a tight nod. “Sure, that’s fine.”

He flashes another grin before bridging the distance between us and lifting me to my feet. His mouth crashes into mine right before he nips at my lower lip, tugging it with sharp teeth before finally releasing it with a soft pop.

Already, my mouth feels swollen from his kisses.

“That was for good luck.” His gaze darkens as it drops to my lips. “Unlike the other game, I look forward to seeing you root for me in our section.”

And then he’s gone, disappearing into the hallway before I can gather my scattered thoughts.

Silence descends as regret blooms inside me.

A few minutes later, Holland pokes her head into the room.

Her narrowed gaze sweeps over my disheveled appearance. “I take it you didn’t tell him?”

It’s not a question.

We both know the answer.

My fingers rise to my lips. “I didn’t get a chance.”

“Looks like he gave you something to wear tonight.”

I glance down at the Wildcats jersey with his name and number stamped across the fabric. That’s all it takes for warmth to gather in my chest.

Other than my brother’s, I’ve never worn another player’s jersey.

Holland’s eyes turn somber. “You have to tell him, Will. There’s no way he won’t discover the truth. And then…” Her voice trails off as she jerks her shoulders. “I’m afraid of what will happen when he does.”

Everything inside me deflates like an overfilled balloon pricked by a pin.

“I’ll confess everything tonight.” I straighten my shoulders and attempt to put on a brave face. “And if he doesn’t understand, then it’s his loss.”

Even as I force out the last part, I’m none too sure if I believe it.

I can only hope that Maverick proves me wrong.