Penny stayed where she was, staring at the door that Jack had closed behind him, his taste still on her lips.
It had been a perfect night. And the knowledge that it would never be repeated pierced her chest. If Jack had been anyone else…then what might have happened?
Chapter Six
They would still be in her bed.
If he wasn’t him and she wasn’t her, they would still be in Penny’s bed, having orgasms number five and six.
He could take a shower and wash her scent and the feeling of her hands on his body from his skin, but the memory would remain. And he hated it. Because the sex had been fucking fantastic — and yet it had only confirmed why he didn’t date during the season. Shit like this couldn’t happen and disrupt his focus. Neither he nor the team could afford that. If they wanted to make the playoffs, they would have to work hard over the next few months.
But he was probably worried for no reason. One night couldn’t affect him. He was good at pulling himself together, focusing on the here and now, focusing on…
“Jack! Are you listening? It’s been your turn for five minutes!”
Blinking, he glanced up. “What?”
Anna rolled her eyes and Dax snorted loudly. “Yeah, yeah, the most considerate player in the league my ass.”
“You’re just jealous because you didn’t win the title,” her sister remarked in amusement.
Dax stared at her gloomily. “It’snotan official title!”
“But he’ll be in Sports Illustrated,” she said, shrugging before asking Jack, “Where was your mind?”
“About to smash your knight power,” he said hastily. There were some things you just didn’t explain to your little sister. For example:In my mind, I was just putting horn-rimmed glasses on a pretty brunette’s nose and acting out my professor fantasy with her.
He realized that Penny didn’t teach math, but actually… He frowned. Only now did he realize that he still had no idea what her job was. Becoming the owner of the Hawks was obviously a new position for her. So, what the hell had she been doing in South America? There for years, if Gareth Clark was to be believed.
“And he’s gone again,” Dax replied dryly. “I’m calling Sports Illustrated tomorrow to tell them to retract the article.”
“Huh?” Jack said absentmindedly, pulling himself out of his thoughts. “Oh, come on. NobodyreadsSports Illustrated. They all just look at the pictures and sigh. And rightly so.” He pointed to his face — which was beautiful, according to Sports Illustrated. And they should know.
He reached for the dice and picked up a sheep after rolling a nine. They were at Anna’s house playing Settlers of Catan. Jack hadn’t played Settlers in twelve years, not since moving out of their mother’s house overnight. Anna, however, had always loved board games, and they had been a good distraction when Jack’s stepfather and her real father were yelling at her mother or staggering drunk into the kitchen and accidentally breaking dishes.
And when Jack let his mind wander, when he forgot that Anna was now twenty-six, not twelve anymore, it almost felt like it used to be, before he ran away. Before they had a falling out — when their world was broken but they were whole together.
Jack had never mentioned it to Dax, but he had set out to be traded to the L.A. Hawks. He had been popular in New York, had the perfect apartment, the perfect casual relationship, and a Stanley Cup. Nevertheless, he had been so damn unhappy. And one morning, when he thought about the last time he had been truly happy, he realized that it had been with them, with his siblings, who had lovedhim,not his hockey skills or money. And even if they weren’t quite out of the woods yet and Dax needed a little more time to fully forgive him, at least they were all here together.
“Your turn, Anna,” he said, pushing the dice across the board.
“Can’t we just stop?” Dax asked. “We all know who’s winning. Jack has his stupid grain monopoly and you’re not going to do anything with your knight power anymore — and I’m fed up.”
Jack grinned. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. The game could still turn.”
“No, it couldn’t,” Anna contradicted and sighed. “God, I forgot that Jack always wins. And he wasn’t even concentrating!”
He merely shrugged. He hadn’t forgotten. He was bad at losing, so he won. That was his motto in life.
“Okay, we can stop,” she added, laying her cards on the table. “And you can leave now.”
Dax and Jack exchanged a discreet glance.
“Oh, stop looking at each other like that!” their sister shouted.
Okay, it wasn’t that discreet.
“No. I want to stay,” Dax responded slowly.
