Rule Number Five: A College Hockey Romance (Rule Breaker Series Book 1)(16)

“It’s my pleasure.” Jax cut into my thoughts and gave me a mischievous grin. God, no wonder women flocked to him.

He leaned on the table, a casualness settling over him. “Where are you from?”

“We’re going to do small talk now?”

His eyebrows rose. “Looks like it.”

I huffed out a laugh. “Here.”

That perked him up. “Oh yeah? What school did you go to?”

“St-Clair High.”

“Ha! I went to St. Xavier. We kicked your hockey team’s ass.”

“Try again. We won Provincials all four years I was there.”

He smiled, his cheeks indenting with perfect dimples. “Your team cheated.”

I barked out a laugh. “Did not—”

Jax held up a hand to stop me from what would have been an epic tirade about why it was not okay to accuse a team of cheating just because you lost. “So you do like hockey? Just not college hockey?”

“Oh, I like college hockey.”

“But you didn’t recognize me at the pub?” The color drained from his face, and he looked like he sucked on something sour. “Wait? Did you recognize me and this whole rules thing is just a way for you to turn me down?” He took his hat off, ran his hand through his already messy hair, and sighed, “Fuck.”

I had to bite back a laugh. “I just don’t watch your team’s hockey games. I still follow my favorite.”

Jax’s brows drew together, and his face turned serious. “What team, Sidney?”

He leaned in closer, the intensity of his gaze growing hot until I shifted in my chair. I suddenly didn’t want to admit who I cheered for. “It doesn’t matter.”

“Tell me who your favorite team is,” he commanded in a low tone.

Dammit. He wasn’t going to let it go. “Brick Bandits.”

“No way. No fucking way.” His voice came out in shock, and his eyes widened. “They beat us in the playoffs two years ago. They’re why we didn’t make it to finals.”

I sucked in an apologetic breath between my teeth. “Yeah, they beat you pretty bad that time. It was a good night.”

Jax’s gaze snapped to mine before he laughed loud enough that we were shushed from the table a few rows away. “Sidney King. That’s blasphemy. You don’t need to worry about passing this class. They might kick you out for that.”

“It’ll be our little secret.”

“Hell the fuck no. I’m telling everyone.”

My heart rate spiked, and I had to swallow it down. “No, no. Like it’s funny between us, but there’s a whole lot of people who wouldn’t think it was funny.”

“Why do you think I think it’s funny?”

Oh shit. “Don’t you?”

A muscle worked in his jaw. He didn’t look upset, but his eyes tracked mine. He was working something out in his head. “When I win this bet, I want your number, and you need to come to a game.”

Oh, that was a bad idea. Something told me seeing him play was the last thing I should do. “I’m busy that night.”

His brows tugged together. “Doing what?”

“Watching the Bandits kick your ass on live TV.”

“You’re evil.” He patted his hands over his chest and abdomen and looked at his palms. “I must be bleeding with how hard you’re trying to kill me.”

“Stop being dramatic,” I said, smiling.

He leaned forward. His gray eyes were overtaken by the black of his pupils. “I’ll just have to win you over as a fan.”

I swallowed a shallow breath. “Good luck with that.”

He shifted closer. “I don’t need luck.”

“Why’s that?”

He was so close I could almost feel his breath. “I’m good at winning.”

I bit down on my bottom lip and locked my legs to stop myself from closing the distance. “And if I don’t? Become your biggest fan.”

He smirked. “I’ll tell Alex, and he’ll harass you until you do.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” I looked away and took a sip of my coffee, finally freed from whatever magnet pulled us together.

“You excited about your internship?” he asked, keeping things light after the intensity of the last moment. Thank god.

I chewed on the side of my lip before answering. “Yeah, I really am. I’ve been working hard for this, you know?”

He smiled at me. “Nah, I know nothing about working hard.”

“Whatever. I’m sure you’ve had to work hard your whole life.” I was rambling now but couldn’t seem to stop. “I’d ask what you’re doing after graduation, but the entire school knows you’re going on to Boston.”

“Technically, it’s training camp first, then I start with the Bruins for preseason training.” He shrugged like it was no big deal.

I asked another question, “What are you most excited about?”

“That’s a tough one. Probably the bigger arenas. I can’t explain the feeling of hearing the roar of the crowd.”

“I thought you were going to say the chicks.” Energy buzzed through me at his smirk.

“Oh, well, them too.”