by Alley Ciz
Tabby tried to reach for him again. “You know what I meant, Jake—”
“I don’t want to hear it,” he cut her off.
“She better watch her back.” Tabby spoke so low he wasn’t sure he heard her correctly.
“What did you just say?”
“Nothing.”
He didn’t like the vibe he got from Tabby. All night she invaded his personal space, not taking the hint to back off. He didn’t like the way the animosity in her voice made him feel.
He saw Tucker across the room. He made his way over to his friend to see if he’d seen Jordan anywhere recently.
“Hey Tuck. Have you seen Jordan lately?”
“I’m pretty sure I saw her outside earlier.”
“Thanks man.”
“Everything alright man? I saw you talking to Tabby, still not taking the hint, huh?” Tucker gestured to the area where he was just standing with his solo cup.
“You got that right. I don’t think I could be any clearer either. Anyway, I’m gonna find Jordan, something Tabby said just isn’t sitting right.”
“Yo Donovan, get your ass over here.” Wade called from the couch.
Tucker gave him a sympathetic look. “Go ahead. I’ll go find our girl and make sure she’s alright.”
Jake knew where his intentions lay so he didn’t bother correcting the “our girl” statement. He knew that any girl either of them dated would be considered family to the other.
JORDAN HEADED OVER to the keg for a beer. While she waited for her cup to fill Tucker joined her holding out his own for her to do the same.
“Still upset I beat you at beer pong earlier?” She asked him.
“Nah Blondie, we’re cool.” Tucker put his arm around her and pulled her into his side.
“Blondie?”
“If the shoe fits,” he said with a smile. “So how’s it feel to be back?”
“Like home.” She looked out over the yard and pool in the distance. “I gotta say this house is a lot nicer than the old one.”
“Yeah, I was pumped when they decided to make the move. I have no idea how they were able to afford this place.”
“I think I know.”
“Care to share with the class, Blondie?”
She took a sip of her beer. “I think my godfather had a hand in helping you guys land it.”
“You mean Rick Schelios?”
She let out a laugh, of course he knew. “Why am I not surprised Jake told you?”
“Are you kidding. I don’t remember ever seeing him so excited to tell me something before.”
Noise by the house drew their attention to a group of puck bunnies coming outside. She tensed at the sight, the movement didn’t escape Tucker’s notice.
“They giving you any trouble?” He asked nodding a head in the girls’ direction. Tucker’s voice took on an edge she wasn’t accustomed to hearing. Gone was the playboy, in its place a protector.
She rested her head against his chest. “Nothing I can’t handle. Just a little out of practice is all.”
“You know we’d choose you every time.”
She looked up at him. His face bore an expression similar to ones she had seen on her brothers. His gaze was unflinching.
“You’ll let me know if anyone does give you trouble, right? And I mean anyone.”
“You know, don’t you?” Her voice was barely above a whisper.
“Yeah.”
“Dammit, Jake.”
“Hey, don’t blame him. But I’m glad he told me. Gotta have all the facts if I’m gonna keep my little sis safe,” he said with a laugh.
“Little sis?”
“Yeah, Jake’s my brother in all the ways that count. You’re his girl so that makes you my sis.”
“I’m not his girl.”
“We’ll see,” he said with a drink of his beer.
Jordan huffed out a breath. “You know, I already have two older brothers.”
“Now you have three.”
He said it like it was fact so she didn’t fight it. “So I guess that makes you my BB3.”
Tucker arched a brow in question.
“Big brother three.”
At her explanation she was hit with his most charming smile, without a doubt she knew it was what he used on the ladies.
“I like it Blondie.”
They finished the rest of their beers in companionable silence before refilling.
“You know they wouldn’t be happy,” she said referring to how her brothers would feel about her dating Jake.
“We’ll figure it out, Blondie.”
It was closing in on one a.m. when the party started drawing to an end. Since the guys had everyone over so early most of the people had left, leaving only those that lived in the hockey house and those who were staying over.
Jordan was in the backyard with Skye and Sammy, sitting in the lounge chairs that sat in the corner of the patio.
“So do you want to tell us why you’re avoiding Jake like he’s the plague?” Skye instigated.
“Especially when that boy is anything but,” Sammy interjected.
Jordan twirled a strand of hair and looked down. “I don’t know what you guys are talking about. I’m not avoiding him, in fact, I’ve spent most of the night with him.”
Skye looked at her knowingly. “Sure when other people are around.”
“But every time that boy tries to get close to you when you’re alone, you run in the opposite direction.”
“Yeah and you would think you would seize the opportunity of having all these people around to spend some quality time with him without your brothers’ knowledge or interference.”
She put up her hands in surrender. “Okay okay, you guys are right. I have been avoiding being alone with Jake, but it’s only because I’m afraid I’ll throw myself at him and that would just open up a can worms I would rather keep closed.”
All conversation ceased when Jase came out looking for them.
“Hey, since it’s only the crew staying over left, we were gonna play a game. You guys in?”
The three looked at each other and then at Jase. “Of course,” they said in unison.
The four made their way into the living room and found places to sit. Ryan sat in the oversize armchair Jordan loved with Maddey on his lap and the sight made her smile. She was happy he finally made a move. She made her way to sit on one of the armrests. Once everyone was settled they decided what to play.
“Why not play chandelier?” Maddey suggested.
“What’s chandelier?” Seth asked.
Maddey stood up and grabbed a bunch of solo cups off the counter. As she spoke she arranged the cups in a circle. “It’s a lot like quarters. Everyone has a cup and they fill it up to the bottom line with whatever they feel like drinking. Then you set the cups up in a circle and in the middle of the circle you set a cup up that everyone pours some of their beer into, so what makes the middle cup undesirable is that it can be filled with all different kinds of beer.”
After she finished setting up the cups, she let everyone fill their cups up with what they were drinking. Once everyone was sitting back down she continued. “Then we take two quarters and everyone takes a turn trying to bounce the quarters into the cups. If the quarter lands in your cup you drink and then you fill it back up. But if the quarter lands in the middle cup everyone has to drink their cup and when they finish they have to place it on their head, the last person to do so has to drink the middle cup.”
“You would pick a quarters like game. You killed it earlier,” Seth said.
Jordan laughed at Seth’s statement. “I guess she didn’t tell you guys she’s the reigning quarters champion from our old dorm at NYU.”
“Nope she neglected to mention it,” Wade frowned.
“Yeah, even after we moved out of the dorms and into our apartment she still held onto the title,” Skye added.
“Whatever, let’s play,” Nick said.
TO PLAY CHANDELIER the group
had to rearrange their seating to be around the coffee table instead. Jake was pleased to note Jordan chose to sit across from him, in between Maddey and Tucker.
He shared a knowing look with Tucker, recalling how his best friend told him how they bonded.
With Jordan and Maddey next to each other the resemblance between them was even more noticeable and he couldn’t help but stare.
“What, do I have something on my face?” Maddey placed a hand to her cheek when she asked.
“No, no it’s nothing like that, it’s just I can’t get over how much you and Jordan look alike… it’s kind of scary.”
She blushed. “Yeah, we think it’s pretty cool especially since we both have three crazy brothers. We like to pretend that we were sisters separated at birth.”
“Ooo three brothers, you better be careful how close you get to her Ry, you might get your ass kicked,” Wade joked.
It was no secret how protective Ryan and Jase were over their own sister. Knowing about what happened with Tommy Bradford it all made sense. One would think Ryan would be cautious of getting close to a girl with three of her own brothers.
“No Ryan should be alright, unless they are super overprotective like him and Jase are.” Cara said mirroring his own thoughts.
“Let’s find out then,” Seth said, always one to cause trouble. He sat up straight in his seat, clasped his hands together on the table and began his inquisition. “Are your brothers older or younger or both?”
“All older,” Maddey answered.
“Do they play hockey?”
“No. Two played football and baseball and the other played lacrosse and ran track.”
Seth sat back in his seat, folded his hands over his stomach, and smiled like a lawyer that just ‘rested his case’. “See Ry, no hockey players, you’ll be alright… you could totally take a couple of football and lacrosse guys.”
“That’s stupid,” Jordan chuckled.
“So what do your brothers do?” Beth asked.
“They’re in the Navy. They all followed in our father’s footsteps, he used to be in the Navy before he retired and became police chief.”
“Ooo the Navy… I don’t know Ry I’d be careful if I were you,” Cara warned.
“Nah, Ryan can handle a couple of sailors,” Wade encouraged. “What do they do for the Navy?”
“They’re SEALs,” Maddey stated matter-of-factly.
Cara and some of the others burst out laughing. “SEALs huh? I don’t know Ry, that changes things.”
Ryan took a gulp of his beer and Jake bit back a laugh. He hoped his friend learned from hearing of overprotective brothers. Anything to give him an edge.
They played for about a half an hour and everyone seemed to like the game. There was trash talk going around and laughter. Maddey was as good of a shot as promised and every time she bounced the quarter it would land in Ryan’s cup.
Jordan was equally as good. She bounced a quarter into Tucker’s cup. “Drink up BB3.”
“What did you call him?” Jase asked.
“BB3.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Ryan asked over Maddey’s head.
“Big brother three,” Jordan clarified.
“Why does Tuck get a nickname and not us?” Nick complained.
“None of you blatantly declared yourselves as another one of my big brothers.” She held up a hand to stop any protests. “Even if you all play the part.”
“Careful Blondie, payback’s a bitch.” Tucker warned as he downed his cup.
“It’s okay. So am I.”
Jake laughed at the scared look that crossed his best friend’s expression. He had a feeling their new found bond would only be beneficial to his plans.
Chapter Nineteen
Jordan laid on the air mattress in Ryan’s room next to Maddey, listening to her brother snore. She would have thought she’d be able to fall right asleep after the long night, but no such luck. The one upside to the evening was it finally seemed like Ryan told Maddey how he felt about her. At least somebody could be happy.
Finally giving up on the idea of sleep, she got up and went downstairs. She figured maybe some fresh air would relax her. As she made her way through the dining room to the back doors, she was grateful everyone else was asleep. Once outside she sat on the edge of the pool with her feet and lower legs in the water.
It was beautiful outside, still slightly warm but no humidity to make the air sticky. She leaned back on her hands and let her head drop back taking in the refreshing atmosphere.
Thinking back on the night she couldn’t help but smile. All-in-all it was a great night. She was able to spend most of the evening with Jake but avoided any alone time with him. She laughed when she thought back to their beer pong game and how competitive the two of them were.
Too engrossed in her own thoughts she didn’t hear the back door opening or closing. She was startled when Jake sat down next to her, as if her thoughts conjured him.
“Couldn’t sleep either?” He asked, startling her.
After a few seconds she regained her composure. “Yeah, Ryan is the worst snorer… I don’t know how Maddey was able to fall asleep.”
Jake let out a laugh at the comment and his smile revealed those amazing dimples. She couldn’t help from moving in a little closer to him at the sight, between his dimples and the way his eyes sparkled when he laughed, she was a goner. Oh man he is perfect. Her heart broke a little bit at the thought because no matter how right he was for her, she could never have him.
“I know exactly what you mean from rooming with him at away games. I swear sometimes he could wake the dead with his snore.”
Being so close to Jake she could feel the heat radiating off his body and it warded off the slight chill in the air. Trying to distract herself from the temptation he created, she started drawing lazy circles in the water with her leg.
They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, looking up at the stars. Unfortunately, it brought on memories of their night in the hammock.
“So it looks like you and Tucker bonded,” he said without any judgment.
“Yeah, what can I say, he grows on ya.”
“That he does.”
As conversation between them slowed again she got the feeling her luck was about to run out. All night she felt Jake was waiting to get her alone to convince her they could be together. She was even more sure after her talk with Tucker. Not wanting to give into temptation she quickly got up from her spot on the pool’s edge. “Well I’m gonna try and get some sleep now, goodnight, Jake.”
He also stood. “Jordan, wait.” He reached out a hand to take hers. “I’ve been trying to get you alone all night to talk to you and when I finally do you’re trying to run away from me… again.”
Jordan stood there silent, biting her lip.
“I know you’ve been avoiding me all night and I think it’s because you’re afraid to admit to yourself that we would be great together because you made this stupid promise with your brothers to not date anyone on the team after you had a really bad breakup with some jackass.”
“Jake it’s not that simple.” She tried to cut off his tirade.
Jake waved a hand stopping her from interrupting him. He still held her one hand in his and with his free hand he reached out to cradle the side of her face. He ran his thumb over her cheek as he spoke. “Wait, let me finish… Now I know why you made it. But I would. Never. Ever. Do anything to hurt you. Ever.”
She could hear the pure conviction in his voice as he proclaimed his last sentence.
As he spoke he moved in closer. “I also know that when we’re together I feel like everything is right. From the moment I saw you at Rookies I felt a connection to you. I swear we are meant to be together, if only you would have the courage to go for it. To hell with what your brothers would say.”
Then before she knew what was happening his mouth was on hers.
She was surprised by Jake’s outburst but nothing prepared he
r for his kiss. The utter euphoria that overtook her whole being when his lips came in contact with hers was cataclysmic.
No matter how much she refused to admit the attraction between them was actionable, it was useless once Jake claimed her as his own. She loved the way he held her face as he kissed her. She could feel how much he cared for her in his kiss. Her body instinctively leaned in closer to his as his body wrapped around her like a cocoon.
Abruptly, reality settled back in on her like a dark cloud. Her brothers were inside the house that they were making out in front of. They could be looking out the window at that very moment. As the realization dawned, she quickly pulled away and out of Jake’s grasp. Without a word she made a b-line for the backdoor and went inside.
TOO FRUSTRATED TO sleep, Jake laid awake on the couch staring at the ceiling. Most people would think of the evening as a success because he was able to spend a lot of time with Jordan. They drank and played games together. They were able to joke around with each other and enjoy each other’s company.
However, no matter how comfortable they were with each other, he felt like she was avoiding him, and that frustrated the hell out of him.
As he lay on the couch festering in his own turmoil, he heard someone open the sliding glass doors in the back. He got up to see who else was up at three thirty in the morning. When he got to the back door he couldn’t believe his luck, there was Jordan sitting on the side of the pool.
He watched her from the door for a minute before he went out to join her. She looked so peaceful sitting on the edge of the pool that he almost didn’t want to disturb her.
Almost.
“Couldn’t sleep either?” He asked.
Clearly surprised to see him it took her a moment to speak. “Yeah, Ryan is the worst snorer… I don’t know how Maddey was able to fall asleep.”
“I know exactly what you mean from rooming with him at away games. I swear sometimes he could wake the dead with his snore.”
Jordan giggled at the comment and when she did, he felt as if she let down some of the guard she constantly kept around her. She ran her fingers through her hair and he noticed she had unclipped her bangs. The way she looked at the moment reminded him of how she looked the night in the hammock. He had to clench his hands into fists to keep from reaching out and doing the same.
