Add to your TBR List!

Excerpt

I head for the bathroom, but it’s empty when I get there. I glance down the long hall toward an exit, but I doubt Jasper would leave without telling me.

To my right, there’s a corner, and as I turn it, I find Jasper standing in the middle of a corridor with lockers lining either side.

He reaches out and runs his hand over the cool metal, and when I get to him, he looks like he’s writing an invisible word. “This was my locker, but it’s … fixed now.”

“Fixed?”

“The f word was carved right here. And I don’t mean ‘fuck.’” He does the motion again and then drops his hand. “Why did I think I could come to this reunion? Why did I think anything would be different simply because I look like this now?” He gestures to himself.

“Because you were under the impression they hated you for your looks and the fact you were gay when I think the real reason they hated you and picked on you is because they could.”

He turns to me. “What do you mean?”

“I’m not going to give you the Disney special where I tell you they were jealous of your brain in any way, because I have to be honest, us hockey players don’t care about brains. Or having them.”

“I’ve noticed,” Jasper says dryly.

“But everyone knows the easiest way to feel better about yourself is to put other people down. And you were an easy target. It’s as simple as that. They’re assholes, and you deserve to be treated better.”

His lips purse, and I don’t think he believes me.

“Okay, now I am going to get all Disney special on your ass: the only person you need to have validation from is yourself.”

“Thank you, Oprah.”

“I was going for more Dr. Phil, but I’ll take it.”

Jasper lets out a shuddery breath. “I … I don’t think I can go back in there.” He shakes his head. “This was stupid, and—”

“Do you really think they’re fucking in there?” a voice echoes from down the hall.

“Pfft, please. Fuckstain probably paid Westly Dalton to be his date. I mean, he’s Westly Dalton. If he wanted dick, Ezra Palaszczuk was his teammate. Wouldn’t Westly be with someone like that? Someone who’s not a complete loser?”

“Shit,” I hiss and then lower my voice to a whisper. “Don’t listen to them.”

Jasper’s pale blue eyes widen, and I don’t think. I just act.

I step forward and push Jasper against the locker with a loud thud. My knee goes in between his legs, and I press in close.

“What are you—”

“Just go with it,” I whisper and lower my head until our lips are a breath apart. Footsteps squeak on the tiled floor, and I bring my mouth down on his.

He’s tentative at first, but with a flick of my tongue, he opens for me and then moans into my mouth when I deepen the kiss.

I want to take away his hurt and ease the pain in his chest that’s sat there for far too long.

With my mouth, I want to show him that he’s more than who he was in high school. He’s a hardass professor at a top college, and he’s living his life happily as an out gay man.

They couldn’t break him down, and this reunion won’t either. Because I won’t allow it.

I break my lips from his and kiss down his cheek and neck.

“West,” he pants, and fuck if it isn’t the hottest sound I’ve heard in a long time. I want to make him say my name over and over again.

Briefly, I forget where we are, and it’s easy to get lost in the moment. The man can kiss.

My suit pants were already extremely tight, and now they feel like they might burst at the seams with the way my cock is jutting forward, trying to break free.

Jasper grips the back of my head and pulls me back to his mouth so we go back to kissing, only now I’m groping all of him, letting my hands wander.

This was not the plan when I decided to kiss him, but hey, why waste an opportunity?

It’s the sound of someone clearing their throat that brings me back to the present.

I pull back and try hard not to chuckle at Jasper’s swollen lips and the shock and awe on his face. I lean in and kiss the top of his nose and turn to the two assholes at the end of the corridor with a smile.

“Sorry. Got carried away. I can’t ever get enough. You probably feel the same way about your wives.”

They share a look and then awkward nods. Happy marriages by the sounds of it. Not hard to imagine what it’s like being married to these two fuckheads.

“Anyway, I think we were going to head out.” I link my fingers with Jasper’s. “Right, babe?”

“Yeah. I’m done here.”

The guys block our path. “Hey, we’re sorry if that was crossing a line in there,” Dipshit Number One says. “You know how it is being around these same people. It’s like we’re in high school again. It was wrong.”

“I’m sorry too,” the other dipshit says.

“That’s very big of you,” I say without even a hint of sarcasm. Give me a medal, please.

“Uh, listen, we were, uh, well, Shaun Gallipse is the hockey coach here now, and he said we could have access to the hockey facilities. You know, for old time’s sake, and we were wondering …”

I can barely hold in my snort of hell no. They’re only apologizing to Jasper because they want to play hockey with me.

It’s no wonder Jasper hates jocks.

Pre-order Link

Giveaway

One of Five eARC's for Puck Drills & Quick Thrills

a Rafflecopter Giveaway

Other Titles Within this Series

About the Author

Eden Finley is an Amazon bestselling author who writes steamy contemporary romances that are full of snark and light-hearted fluff.

She doesn't take anything too seriously and lives to create an escape from real life for her readers. The ideas always begin with a wackadoodle premise, and she does her best to turn them into romances with heart.

With a short attention span that rivals her son's, she writes multiple different pairings: MM, MMF, and MF.

She's also an Australian girl and apologises for her Australianisms that sometimes don't make sense to anyone else.

Connect with Eden

Website: https://edenfinley.com

Newsletter Sign Up: http://bit.ly/2owAsgY

Facebook Author Page: http://bit.ly/2GMjfag

Facebook Reader Group: http://bit.ly/2t1KqM4

Goodreads Author Page: http://bit.ly/2ouFzya

Twitter: http://bit.ly/2HQnyCv

Instagram: https://bit.ly/33mNum4

Pinterest: https://bit.ly/3gS5aLZ

Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/3qkn0eP

BookBub Author Page: http://bit.ly/2ouhBDq

About the Author

Saxon James unapologetically writes happy endings for LGBT+ characters.

While not writing, SM is a readaholic and Netflix addict who regularly lives on a sustainable diet of chocolate and coffee.

Member of SCBWI.

Connect with Saxon

Facebook Author Page: http://bit.ly/2QSVCmS

Facebook Reader Group: http://bit.ly/36slT1W

Goodreads Author Page: http://bit.ly/2SYfPKU

Instagram: https://bit.ly/33m1XPb

Amazon Author Page: https://amzn.to/2ZXjp9C

Bookbub Author Page: https://bit.ly/3fKt5MC