Playing to Win

Of course, the small amount of hope I’d been feeling about Payton’s situation, thanks to Asher, couldn’t stomp out another source of anxiety that had nothing to do with my brother or the hot guy who had the voice of an angel.

As much as I tried to ignore bad behavior, Leo Jessup just wouldn’t let well enough alone. It occurred to me I’d been right and pasting me into the walls on the ice translated into flirting in Leo’s world because even after Asher laid into him at practice, Leo didn’t given up. Instead of messing with me on the ice, he did it at school.

Every time I turned around, he’d be right there making stupid comments and leering. He’d managed to keep himself in check for the most part, but I dreaded each encounter. I’d become an expert at avoiding him.

Unfortunately, my desire to avoid Leo often conflicted with my unwanted desire to run into Asher. Like a junkie looking for her next hit, I’d been searching the halls between passing periods for any small glimpse of the boy I couldn’t seem to get enough of.

“Hey, hey, Jordan.”

Oh, no.

Distracted as I’d been with thoughts of Asher, I’d missed Leo walking up behind me.

He slung his arm around my shoulder, the aroma wafting to my nose from his armpit making me gag a little.

“Get off me, Leo,” I grunted, shoving his arm off my neck. I hadn’t grown up with three brothers for nothing.

“Aw, come on, Jordan. You and me. What do you say?” He tried to put his arm around me a second time. I pushed him away again.

“In your dreams, Jessup. That’s what I say.” Was he crazy? What made him think I liked him like that? I didn’t even like him not like that. Where were Natalie and Kelly when I needed them? But I knew where they were. On the whole other side of the school on their way to the cafeteria.

“Why you gotta be like that?” he whined leaning over me, his hot breath disgusting on my cheek.

Had Leo always been so gross?

Then suddenly, from my other side an entirely different sensation. A strong arm, heady scent, and sweet breath.

“Babe. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Asher’s arm settled around my waist, fusing our sides together in a newly familiar way.

Babe?

“Wha-” I looked up into his gorgeous face to find him glaring at Leo.

Asher’s gaze shifted until our eyes met. “I was looking for you,” he said, his voice lowering to a timber I recognized from the hours I’d spent listening to him sing outside my bedroom window. Deep. Sultry.

My mouth went dry. “You were?”

“Yeah, I have something to tell you.” His nose dipped toward my hair and I heard him inhale.

He’d caught me off guard. My knees felt weak. “Tell me?”

“Wait a second? What’s going on here?” Leo asked the question I couldn’t quite seem to form myself.

“Take a hike, man. Jordan’s busy.”

Was I?

Definitely.

“Busy doing what?” Leo asked obviously just as confused as me.

“Busy hanging out with me and not you. Now, go away.” Asher’s surprisingly hard stare had Leo backing up, his hands held up in surrender.

“Fine, man. Whatever.” It didn’t take him long to disappear into the crowd.

Asher and I watched until we couldn’t see him any longer.

“What the heck, Jordan?” Asher asked in a tone that made my hackles raise. It felt like whiplash after being so affected by his nearness.

“What are you talking about?” I asked, still trying to shake off the haziness.

He snorted impatiently while herding me to the edge of the hallway. As hockey players, we knew how to use our bodies to get people to move.

“Stop that.” I might be used to getting pushed around, didn’t mean I liked it.

“We talked about this. Why are you letting that guy bother you?” Asher towered over me, his body casting a shadow, giving the illusion of being secluded. “It’s bad enough on the ice, but now he’s doing it at school, too.”

“He’s just being annoying.” Not entirely true. I just didn’t want Asher to think he had to fight my battles. He was already doing enough, helping with Payton.

Asher frowned. “It’s more than that and you know it. Why haven’t you told Joe? Or your dad? I can’t believe neither of them have noticed.”