Love, Lust and Hockey

Rivaling

"Jasmine?" My brother, Jackson, asks while massaging my shoulders. "Adam is going to drive you home tonight."

I recoil in slight disgust and surprise. "Why?" Jackson arches a brow, looking down at an empty cup I was holding. I sigh and clear my throat, "Okay, fair point. But isn't he on the rival team?" Jackson shrugs slightly. 

"He is, but he's related to Caleb." Caleb is our best friend. Well, Jackson's but I spent nearly every given second with the two of them so he might as well be my best friend too.

Then, a guy walks through the same doors that Jackson had just come out of. He's huge. Tall, muscular, brooding. And I just stare. 

Adam's lips tilt into a slight smirk as he walks over to us. "Hey Jackson, my name's Adam. I take it this is your sister?" He says when he's beside us, I purse my lips together and gaze up at him silently. 

Jackson clears his throat, "yes. Adam, this is Jasmine. Jasmine, this is Adam." I look between the two guys and then nod.

"Hi." His smirk smooths into a gentle smile.

"So, do you want to wait in the truck or wait in here?" He asks, I look at Jackson but he smiles and walks away. 

I hope he's right about me being in good hands. Sure, Adam's handsome but he's stacked muscle and I'd be lying if I said it wasn't the least bit intimidating at all. I'd also be lying if I said he wasn't hot as hell. 

He smirks slightly, waiting patiently for an answer which I had forgotten about answering. 

"In here," I mumble, he smiles.

"Don't move from this room. I don't want something happening to you." I nod and gaze up at him. He's looking at his coach and seems stiff as a board. I clear my throat and he relaxes slightly, looking back down at me. His eyes stay glued to my lips as he touches my bottom lip gently before winking and striding off. My cheeks flush red as I sit down beside a group of hockey parents. 

They've always been really sweet and growing up in this community, they all seem to love me, and don't bat an eye as I sit down. 

I watch the conversation between Adam and his coach. They seem to be at each other's throats. His coach is yelling, and Adam is snapping back but is trying to keep as much composure as possible. His expression doesn't even seem angry. It seems desperate. Sad almost.

I rise up, walking over to the door and cracking it slightly so I could hear them. His coach sighs quietly, "I'm very sorry Adam. I really am but my hands are tied until you can get your grade up," he says. 

Adam's breath is shallow, "please, this is all I have," he begs.

"I'm sorry Adam." 

There's a quiet, sad wince, followed by the coach's receding steps. He sees me and gives me a look of what I take as disgust and sadness before walking past me. 

I hear more steps and I hurry back to the table, sitting down. It takes another twentyish minutes before he actually walks out, this time with all his gear packed, his bag slung over his shoulder as he's wearing sweatpants and a black shirt. 

Oh fuck. 

I looked down. I stupidly looked down. He's fucking huge, and I quickly flick my eyes back up to his. 

I don't think he noticed. Hoped he didn't notice. He walks over, his expression stone cold and horribly intense. "Ready to go Jasmine?" He mumbles, I nod when someone grabs his hand. He looks back at a gorgeous, lithe woman. She looks young but there's something that gives away that she's older than she looks. She's got long, thick black hair and a pair of forest green eyes. "Could you wait in the truck for me?"

I look up at him and nod, "yeah, what does it look like?" I ask, he smirks slightly. 

"Black with a red stripe. You'll know it when you see it," he replies. I nod and leave the rink. I don't know what to think that was, who she was. A sister, a cousin, a best friend, an ex. 

The moment I step outside, I realize he's right, I see it immediately. It's a big truck. Fitting when looking at his size. This is probably the only thing that can fit him. 

I head over to the truck, hoisting myself into the passenger seat. I feel so drunk, like time is rushing past me. Jackson is a good brother for not trusting me to drive home.

I lean back into the seat and flick on the radio, playing whatever he had initially been listening to.

Then, Adam follows out, tossing his bag into the back of his truck and hopping into the driver's seat. I know he's looking at me, but I try not to acknowledge him. 

He sighs and grabs something from the dash. A pack of cigarettes. 

He opens his door, attempting to leave the car but I grab the pack from his hands before he can leave. He groans and leans back into his seat. 

"Jasmine. I can't do this right now. Give me the cigarettes." I shake my head at him.

"Why?"

"Because I need to gloat. So, give me the cigarettes," he demands. I tuck them into my pocket and relax against the seat. "Fucking hell Jasmine! Give them to me!" He snaps. I scowl at his outburst.

"No! You're hurting yourself doing this Adam! Shortening your fucking lifespan!" I snap back.

He hisses under his breath. A venomous sound that I know would scare anyone else but even with the frustrated glare he gives me, I see the hopelessness swimming in his eyes. 

"I know what I'm doing, now give me the cigarettes."

"How often do you smoke?" I ask. He hesitates, and I can swear that I see him trying to find a way out of this. "How. Often."

"As often as I need to," he replies, mumbling it. I arch a brow, "it's been an increasing amount lately." I stay silent. "I don't want to get high before I drive you home Jasmine so just give me the cigarettes."

I shake my head and lean back. "I'll tutor you."

He pauses, "if you do, you'll get anything in return," he whispers. I nod as he starts up the car and pulls out of the rink.

The drive is silent until we get to my house, "so do you know what you want?" He asks, I stiffen up and he smirks. "You do. Come on, I said anything. Nothing is off the table."

"Sex," I reply, he shrugs.

"Alright, done. Sex for studying, it's a win all around," he states before shutting off the car.

I get out, the butterflies in my stomach making me so queasy, so dizzy, or maybe that's the alcohol. It feels the same at this point, but it all comes down to one thing. 

I did it.