Dear Roomie (Rookie Rebels #5) - Kate Meader Page 0,75

of this Henri character.

The game started, and for the next thirty minutes, Reid patiently explained how it worked.

“So tell me more about this position switch you’re trying. What does the center do?”

“Everything. It’s the toughest position on the ice. Needs good offensive and defensive capabilities. Should be a steadier player rather than a flashy one. That player has to be the bulwark of the team, directing traffic, controlling the center of the ice. The team that controls center ice controls the game.”

“Would’ve thought your control freak tendencies would make you well-suited to that.”

She turned away on the last word, but now felt his stare.

“My control freak tendencies?”

“Reid. Come on.” She met his gaze head on. “Are you going to pretend you’re not a teensy bit controlling? It’s hot but it’s also kind of freaky.”

“You think it’s hot?”

She smiled at his smirky eyebrow. “Yes, Reid, I do.”

She usually had no problems discussing sex, and as long as she was teasing someone and keeping it light, then it was perfectly fine. But this had the potential to get personal. To get into the weeds of who Reid was at his core.

“I like things a certain way. I know it comes off as rigid, but as you once advised me, I’m trying to lighten the fuck up.” He rubbed a hand over Bucky’s back. “We’re not all brave world travelers.”

On any other day she would have let that comment slide, but after that conversation about her travels at brunch, she wondered if there was a little shade in there. Even if Reid was interested in more than just a hot, hormonal fling, she sure as hell wasn’t going to change her MO for a guy she hardly knew—not even if he was amazing in the sack.

Or needed an on-site dog nanny for a long-term gig.

Or made her feel warm and fuzzy because every smile he sent her way was so hard-won.

Instead she focused on the first thing he’d said. That he had taken something she once said to heart sent her own heart into overdrive.

“Beware of wisdom from women serving coffee. Not much better than bartenders.”

He nuzzled her nose and dropped a kiss on it. “Sure, Coffee Shop Girl. You were right, though. I can’t become a different person overnight but incremental changes here and there, I can work with that.”

Pride suffused her chest. On her travels she often ran into people who claimed to be on a path of self-discovery or were fixing themselves one mile on the road at a time. It just went to show that you didn’t have to leave home to make those changes. Here was Reid, a man who recognized his limitations, and who was willing to do the work to be kinder to himself.

A few minutes before the end of the period, his body language changed when his brother came on the ice. He angled forward, his fists balled, his entire being focused the next play. As much as she liked Bastian, she didn’t want him to score—not if it ruined Reid’s night.

She wasn’t quite prepared for Reid’s reaction when Bastian plugged the puck into the back of the net within seconds of coming on the ice. Her roommate shot upright, as if he’d forgotten he wasn’t alone, and yelled, “Yes!”

Bucky barked and Reid sat beside him quickly, running a hand over him to soothe him.

“You’re glad he scored? Aren’t they the competition?” And isn’t your brother your biggest rival?

“Of course I’m glad. I’m always happy for him when he does well.”

“And with that goal, Bastian Durand shoots to the top of the conference scoring table. Pity his brother didn’t play so well last night! Bet that’ll be awkward at the next family dinner.”

“Wow, they really like playing up this rivalry, don’t they?”

“Rivalries are the lifeblood of sports. But Bast and I aren’t really in the same league. I recognize that and it’s okay.”

Her heart did a weird flip. She’d expected a begrudging acceptance of Bastian’s talents, not this sheer joy in his brother’s good fortune. That should not have turned her on more. It really shouldn’t have.

Though she now realized that by “turned on,” she meant something else. Something far riskier to cool, no-attachment, rolling stone Kennedy Clark.

26

Reid jumped the boards and headed out to the center for the faceoff. Kevin Maclin, the Philly captain lifted his chin and grinned—or as much as you could with a mouth guard in.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t pretty boy Durand in a new position. Your coach gettin’