Page 20 of Puck Off, She’s Mine

I roll my eyes at him. "Sell it to someone willing to buy it, Simms. Why do you two hate each other?"

"We don't hate each other," he says with a chuckle. "We actually get along pretty well. But he's usually boring as fuck. It's amusing to see him all bent out of shape. A little competition is good for him. Gives him something to do other than waste his entire goddamn life slaving away on the ice trying to live up to his dad's name."

"How magnanimous of you," I say, even though his answer is honestly kind of…sweet in a weird way. Phoenix does work too hard. From everything I've learned about him, he's been hyperfocused on the game his entire career, to the exclusion of everything else. He has no personal life, not really. It's been all hockey, all the time.

Isn't that what freaks me out so much about the way he's pursuing me so relentlessly? It's out of character for him. With Corey, I can write it off because Corey will sleep with anything that moves. But with Phoenix? It's different. And that's terrifying.

"I do what I can." Corey winks at me and then grins again, flashing his dimples. "Seriously, though. If you weren't obviously losing it over him…" He reaches out suddenly, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

I freeze in shock, startled by the move as much as by what he just said. Am I really that obvious?

"You are gorgeous, Cara," he murmurs, his thumb touching my cheek. There's something almost…wistful in his expression that catches me off guard almost as much as him touching me. Have I been reading him wrong this entire time?

God, I hope not.

"Corey, I…" I place my hands on the bench to slide away, fully prepared to make sure he knows he and I will never happen. I like him, but in the same way I like my little brother.

"Simms!" Phoenix growls before I can formulate an appropriate response.

I glance up in time to see him throw himself over the boards, his face a thundercloud. His eyes are locked on Corey, his gaze furious.

Shit.

"What the fuck did I tell you?" he practically snarls.

"Don't remember," Corey says, leaning back on his hands to smirk at him. "I was too busy making plans with my girl for tonight to listen. There's this thing I know how to do with my tongue…" He waggles his brows. "She's going to love it, Michaud."

Phoenix growls a curse, charging toward the bleachers.

I scramble out of the way about two seconds before he collides with Corey, knocking him off the bench. Shouts ring out from the rest of the team as they hit the floor, everyone surging forward at once to stop the fight currently in progress. But Phoenix and Corey aren't in any hurry to stop. They roll around, shoving each other, fists flying.

"Stop it!" I cry, my heart thundering in my chest. "Phoenix, he was just kidding! Please, stop!"

He either doesn't hear me or chooses to ignore me. He and Corey roll again, Corey taking an elbow to the ribs.

A shrill blast of sound rips through the arena, followed by a booming roar. "Michaud! Simms! Knock it the fuck off!"

I glance up to see Coach Mitch standing beside their bench with his hands on his hips, his face red with fury, his eyes locked on Phoenix and Corey rolling around at the bottom of the spectator bleachers.

Two of their teammates reach them, hauling Phoenix away from Corey. Phoenix shrugs his shoulders, trying to break free, but Harrison practically has him in a bear hug, refusing to let him go.

"Enough!" Mitch roars.

Phoenix hears him this time. He goes completely still.

Corey sits up, wiping blood from his split lip.

Everyone is dead silent.

"My office," Mitch booms. "Now!"

Harrison slowly releases Phoenix, who turns to me. There's a red spot across his right cheek where Corey hit him, but he doesn't look injured otherwise. Just…mad as hell.

I swallow hard, my gaze breaking from him. Does he really think Corey and I were making plans for tonight? That I'd willingly sleep with Corey?

"Fuck," he mutters, his face falling. "Cara, I…"

"Just go," I whisper, shaking my head.