Luke hangs his head. “Okay. Fine. Let’s go meet my future sister-in-law.”
She’d texted that she was down by the pool, so that’s where we go. I find my brown-haired beauty wearing a bikini and reading on her Kindle. I don’t think I’ve come across her without it yet.
“Hey, gorgeous,” I tell her, leaning down to kiss her.
Audrey’s cheeks go pink. “Hi.” She looks past me. “Oh. I’m not interested in a gang-bang.”
Luke grins at her as we both take a seat on the lounge beside hers. “Not here for that.”
I shudder. “Yeah, no. We’re not going to—no.”
It’s bad enough that he caught us immediately after the act. I’d never be able to meet my brother’s eyes if he saw me in the midst of it.
And then the idea of him seeing Audrey in that way… A protective growl rumbles through my chest. I don’t want anyone to leer at her.
“Down, boy,” Luke smirks at me. “I’m not going to proposition her. She’s going to be my sister.”
Her eyes go wide. “What the fuck?”
“Well, sister-in-law,” he amends. “But I only have brothers. I’ve always wanted a sister.”
She whirls on me. “What the fuck have you been telling him?”
“He’s exaggerating,” I mutter. If he ruins this for me, if this thing combusts before it can even begin, I will never forgive him.
“Dude, we met this morning,” she snaps. “I agreed to date you, not… that.”
Luke winces. “Too far?”
“Way too far,” I tell him. I haven’t even had a chance to tell her the news. I reach for her hand and, warily, she lets me take it. “I like you. He’s joking. That’s what annoying little brothers do. They make inappropriate jokes and tease.”
Audrey thaws a bit. “I’ve never had a brother. Or a sister.”
“You’re welcome to mine. I’ve got three of them,” I offer.
She cracks a smile. “I’ll consider it.”
A shadow looms over us. “Consider what, hon?”
I recognize that voice.
With a gulp, I look up into the face of Coach Turner. His eyes are narrowed on where I’m holding his daughter’s hand.
I don’t let go. I lace our fingers together and a muscle twitches in his cheek.
“What’s going on here?” His voice is deadly calm.
“Seb and I are?—”
Coach Turner flinches. “No.”
Audrey’s eyebrows go up. “Excuse me?”
“No, you can’t date my player.”
“You don’t get to dictate who—” She stops. “Wait. Your player?” She turns to me. “You play for Minnesota.”
“That’s what I wanted to tell you. They’re trading me. To Boston.”
