Cole
The barbell feels heavier than usual as I push through my third set of bench presses. The gym is the only place where I can completely clear my head of distractions.
Except today, those distractions have a name.Harper.
It's the memory of this morning that's throwing me off. Not just the feel of her skin under my hands or the way she sighed my name, though those are branded into me. It’s the terrifying aftermath. Lying there with her heart hammering against my ribs, and the realization that I didn't want her to leave. I wanted to pull her back, to keep her there, to do what? Talk? Just lie there?
The thought alone is enough to make my arms shake. This isn’t me. My life is built on clean, simple lines. You work hard, you play hard, and you enjoy yourself.
Women are a pleasant diversion, a night of fun that ends at the door. I’ve never had trouble forgetting a face, a name, or a body the moment she was out of my sight.
With Harper, it’s the opposite. The moment she’s gone, I want her back. I want more of her smart mouth. I want to knowwhat she’s thinking when she's quiet. I want to hear her laugh just for the sound of it.
This isn't a distraction. It’s a fucking avalanche.
She's taking up space in my head with how often I find myself thinking about her throughout the day. Space I can’t afford.
My phone buzzes on the bench beside me, pulling me from my thoughts. Brett's name flashes on the screen.
Guilt floods me. This is my best friend. The guy who has been by my side since the beginning. The guy who trusts me.
And I’m fucking his sister.
I’m obsessing over Harper like some lovesick teenager, betraying that trust in the worst possible way. I'm thinking about her constantly, wanting her in ways that would make him break my jaw.
What kind of friend does that make me?
“Hey, man,” I answer, still breathing hard from the set.
“Hey, what are you up to today? I'm in the city with a couple of the guys. We want to grab an early dinner before we head back.”
“Oh, cool,” I say automatically, then register what he said. “Wait, you're in Manhattan?”
“Yeah, we flew down for a charity event.” Brett's voice is cheerful, relaxed. “Want to join us? I was thinking that Italian place in Little Italy. Primavera's. Around four?”
As usual, he’s only telling me this at the last minute, when he’s already in the city. “You could have given me more notice, you know,” I say. “I might be busy.”
Brett laughs. “Busy? Come on, Cole. You live and breathe hockey. There's no space for women in your life.”
“That makes two of us,” I reply automatically.
“God, we're real losers in that department, aren't we?” Brett says with a chuckle. “Two professional athletes who can't manage to keep a girlfriend for more than a month.”
Guilt stabs through me at his words. “Sounds good. Who else is coming?”
“Just Jack and Tyler. Oh, and I invited Harper.” He lets out a short, knowing laugh. “Look, I know you're probably ready to strangle her by now. I love her, but I know she can be a real pain in the ass.”
If only he knew that the last thing I want to do to his sister is strangle her. Well, not in the way he's thinking, anyway. “We're managing,” I say, in a clipped voice.
“I appreciate it, bro,” Brett says, relief in his voice. “So, Primavera’s at around four?”
“Yeah, sounds great,” I say, even though my instincts are screaming at me to decline. But I haven’t seen Brett in months, and genuinely want to see him even if it means lying to his face while his sister is right there in front of us.
“Awesome. See you then.”
I hang up and stare at the phone, my mind racing. How the hell am I supposed to act normal around Brett when I know exactly what Harper looks like naked and what sounds she makes when she comes?
I rack the weights and head home, my workout forgotten.
