Rule Number Five: A College Hockey Romance (Rule Breaker Series Book 1)(6)

My shoulders shook with suppressed laughter. “You know I love you both, right? There doesn’t have to be a winner.”

“Uh-huh. And you don’t need to be first in class. Just think, we could’ve slept in today. Not that you’ve ever skipped a class a day in your life.”

I scoffed. “Day one is syllabus day. It’s literally the most important day.”

“Are you seriously trying to pretend you haven’t contacted your teachers?”

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, but not all of them answered.”

“’Cause it was Christmas break.” She shook her head and nudged her shoulder against mine before putting the car into drive. “You’re buying breakfast, though.”



Anthony met us at the diner. His light brown hair was in a tidy swept-to-the-left style, and his black-framed glasses slid down his nose as he checked out my short black skirt and the vibrant blue jacket. He lifted a strand of my chestnut hair, revealing the pure white highlights peeking from underneath.

“Looking good, cupcake.” He didn’t bring up my mom. This wasn’t the first time I’d visited her grave, and they both sensed I needed to talk about something else. Anything else.

I gave him a small smile in acknowledgment, and I sat at the 1950s-style table. It was covered in a red cloth that played on the white-and-black tiled floor. It was so on theme I half expected the waitstaff to wear Rollerblades. My mom would have loved it here. I sniffed and blinked back the burning in my eyes. I was in desperate need of a distraction.

“So, are we going to talk about that insanely hot guy from the club?” Mia raised a perfectly defined brow.

That’ll do it. Images of clear gray eyes and full, lush lips had me feeling light-headed. Jax had been on my mind more often than I’d like to admit, and every time I tried to convince myself he was just some random potential hookup, a voice at the back of my head called bullshit. That night was so intense that if it wasn’t for him putting a stop to things because I was a little too tipsy, I would’ve broken my rule and gone home with him. Hell, I may have even begged a bit.

Anthony spoke around a mouth full of pancakes. “From the way you two were grinding all over each other, I thought you were going to combust. Hell, I thought I might combust. Girl, I cannot believe you didn’t take him home.”

I couldn’t believe it either. Honestly, men shouldn’t be able to be built like that. To move like that.

“He’s a hockey player.” I shrugged.

“Yeah, and?” Mia looked at me expectantly.

And I didn’t get involved with self-indulgent, arrogant, cocky assholes who only cared about themselves. Not that he showed any signs of that, but I, of all people, knew exactly how hockey players thought. They had surrounded me my entire life, after all. “And you know that’s rule number four.”

She sighed loudly, and the server looked over at us. I gave her a wave and glared at Mia. She shook her head in disappointment. “You know those rules are stupid, right? The guy was fine as hell.”

All the more reason to keep the rules in place. A guy like that was hard to walk away from. I knew the type of girl I was. Before I knew it, I would wrap my entire life around him like some kinda clingy octopus. Hey, it was important to know your weaknesses, and being a needy bitch was one of mine. No doubt stemming from my bottomless pit of daddy issues.

Anthony messed up my hair. “From the way you two were moving, I bet he’d be good in bed too.”

I could already feel the blush rising in my cheeks. “The rules are nonnegotiable.”

Mia sighed, her dislike of my rules clear on her face. “Okay, but it was only one rule. The hockey player part doesn’t really matter if it’s only one night, does it?”

“How’d that go for my mom?”

Her eyes widened. “I’m sorry.”

I covered Mia’s hand and gave it a little squeeze. “It’s fine. Hockey players are arrogant pricks that are selfish in bed. I’m better off with my vibrator.”

Anthony leaned in and whispered so only we could hear. “Please tell me you at least used him as material for your ‘self-care.’”

A flush crawled up my neck, and my face felt like it was catching fire. I’d imagined Jax’s full soft lips pressed against mine, my fingers digging into his messy sandy-brown hair, and the weight of him pressed between my thighs more times than I could count.

Mia squealed. “Oh, you totally did. Dirty. I bet it was good.”

Heat pooled between my legs. Yeah, too good.





THREE





JAX





Sidney crossed the street in front of my truck, and I had to stop myself from beeping the horn. Her deep brown hair was down around her shoulders, hiding the silver streaks I knew were underneath. She wore plaid tights under a black skirt that hit mid-thigh that switched as she walked and an oversized bright blue coat. She had a cute punk-rock librarian thing going for her today that was doing a number on my ego.

It had been over a week since the night we danced, and I didn’t think she understood what kind of challenge she’d laid down with those rules of hers. I swear my dick was hard for days. The only relief was from my own fist, picturing her pressed against me, head tilted all the way back, pupils blown wide, and the perfect way her tongue wet her bottom lip before she pulled it between her teeth. Even in my memories, the need to soothe the red dents with my tongue was overwhelming. Fuck, my mouth watered just thinking about it.