Page 39 of Pucking Only

Before I can open the door, I hear footsteps behind me. I turn to find Carson walking down the hall in my direction.

What the hell is he doing here?

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: CROSSING THE LINE

SKYLER

As Carson continues to approach,I can’t help but stare at him with wide, stunned eyes. Has he been waiting for me to get home? The thought should infuriate me, and it does, but I also feel a strange flutter deep in my stomach that I try to ignore. I can’t help but notice how his clenched fists make the muscles in his forearms bulge, or how tight his shirt is across his broad chest.

Damn it…why does such an infuriating asshole always have to look so good?

Coming to a stop in front of me, he gazes down into my eyes and doesn’t say anything for several moments. I stare right back up at him, totally at a loss for words.

After a few more seconds, I blink and snap out of my daze.

“What are you doing here?” I demand to know, my voice sharp.

“How was your date?” he asks, his voice a rough growl.

I furrow my brow. “That’s really none of your business.”

His eyes flash as he clenches his jaw so hard, a muscle ticks in his cheek. “If you’re dating one of my teammates, it’s my business.”

Rolling my eyes, I snap, “What will it take to get you to leave me alone? I’ve already told you, you aren’t my brother. You’re not my ex. You have no say over who I hang out with or what I do.” I’m seriously two seconds away from stomping my foot like a toddler. This is ridiculous.

“I don’t need you causing any trouble with my friends,” he growls, taking a step closer to me. I refuse to step back, though. He may be intimidating to others, but I saw him stick a pencil up his nose when we were in preschool because he thought it was funny. This man is not intimidating in the least. “My team has a solid bond and I don’t need you coming in and weakening it.”

What is he saying? He’s not making sense. As if I could weaken his team’s bond or whatever he wants to call it. If he wasn’t being such an overprotective ass, I’d tell him that Zander and I aren’t going on a second date. I keep that bit of info to myself. Carson can stew in his unfounded concerns for a little while longer. If we’re going to keep having this little chat, I don’t want to do it in the hallway where anyone can witness this stupid drama.

I look to the left and right, scanning the corridor before turning to the door and unlocking it.

“Are you just going to ignore me now–” he starts.

Before he can finish speaking, I open the door, grab the front of his shirt, and yank him inside the apartment with me.

“What are you doing?” he demands to know as I slam the door shut behind us.

Turning, I fold my arms and give him a narrow-eyed glare. “I don’t want to cause a scene in the hallway, since this is Grace’s apartment and I don’t want to make things awkward for her. Plus, we can’t let all the neighbors know how crazy you are. If we’re going to keep arguing, we might as well do it behind closed doors.”

He scowls at that. “We don’t have to argue, you know. We could try to have a calm, civil conversation for once.”

I scoff. “You’re the one who was clearly waiting for me and approached me the moment I got to my door just to growl at me. And how dare you even think I would ruin your ‘team bond’ or whatever it is you think I’m doing? Do you accuse every girl that any of your teammates date of the same thing? Did you accuse Grace?”

Gnashing his teeth together, he throws up his hands in frustration and exclaims, “I don’t know how the fuck to talk to you! It’s as if nothing I say or dodoesn’tpiss you off!”

Glancing away, I do my best to hide my reaction to his words. He’s not wrong. There is a part of me that wants to piss him off so that he doesn’t get too close to me and potentially break my heart again. There’s no way I can admit that. It would be too humiliating.

“I just want you to leave me alone,” I hiss. “That’s it. Keep your nose out of my business and stop treating me like I’m your little sister. I’m not! I don’t need you to protect me or whatever it is you think you’re doing.”

“I’m not trying to protect you,” he insists.

“Then what are you doing?” I ask, exasperated. “Why do you care so much about who I go out with?”

He doesn’t answer right away and once more, we end up just staring at each other for several more seconds. Clenching and unclenching my fists at my sides, I reach the end of my patience. If he doesn’t want to answer me and give me a real explanation, fine. I don’t have to put up with him and his nonsense.

With a sigh and a shake of my head, I start to turn away but he reaches out and grabs my wrist, stopping me. Confused, I look back up at him and my stomach flutters at the intense look in his eyes.

“Carson…?”