I’m standing in the corner of the room where they’ve set up for the photo shoot. My brother has finished for the day and is dressing in a room off to the side. For whatever reason, he’d ignored Kasey completely, although he did glare at one point. I really don’t know what his beef is with Kasey, but I do know it’s something to do with being on opposing teams. I hate it though and my heart sinks when I really think about it.

Right now, though, I’m getting pissed as one of the stylists smothers baby oil over Kasey’s back, chest, and arms. She’s taking her sweet time about it as well and the more I watch, the more upset I get. I really hate seeing another woman with her hands on him when it had been mine last night. When mine are the only ones allowed. I feel like going over to where they are and ripping her hands off him.

But as Kasey turns, frowning at the woman, he spots me and his frown deepens when he realizes I’m upset.

He shakes off the woman and heads toward me, but suddenly stops to glance around before he continues. “What’s wrong?” he asks, his hands reaching for me before he pulls them back. “I want to touch you, dammit.”

“I’m okay, really, but that woman won’t be if she puts her hands on you again,” I admit in a snarky tone

“It’s her job, and if it’s any consolation, I ignored her and concentrated on what the photographer was doing. I hate the publicity side of this business, because all I want to do is play. Having that woman rub me with oil wasn’t as pleasurable as you would imagine.” He smirks. “Although if it had been you rubbing me with oil, then everyone in the room would know exactly how you make me feel…perhaps we’ll try it sometime when we have a tad more privacy.” He wiggles his brows.

“I’m game as long as you reciprocate.” My grin widens.

Kasey’s eyes darken before he snaps them closed and breathes deeply through his nose. “I really”—he meets my gaze—“need to get control of myself when I’m around you in public before I become an embarrassment.”

I chuckle and blurt out, “I’ve decided that I’m not willing to sneak around behind my brother’s back. I’m having lunch with him and I’m going to tell him that I’ve met someone. I’m not going to mention you by name until I think he’s accepting of what I’m saying. You have to face each other on the ice soon and I don’t want him being an asshole to you on there.” Smiling at how wide his grin is, I add, “I will give him your name soon though.”

“If you need me call, okay?” he begs.

I nod.

“Good…I’m going to meet Andie for lunch. I have a feeling that she showed up here because she needs to talk. She’s fallen for someone who she thinks doesn’t see her, but I think he does see her and that’s why he avoids having much to do with her. It’s complicated though. I need to be there for her if that’s what she needs. Are you okay with that?”

“I’m not jealous of her, Kasey. I know she’s like family to you. Just don’t forget to call me.”

“Hell, no chance of that. You’ll probably be gone before I’m finished here, so I’ll message you tonight and we can arrange where to meet.” He quickly kisses me on my nose before walking away.

I miss him already and before I can do something stupid, like running over to him and throwing myself into his arms, I grab my jacket and purse from where I’d dropped them at my feet when I’d arrived, and go find my brother.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t take long because he’s walking out of the dressing room with his large bag in his hand. He smiles when he notices me and wraps an arm around my shoulders, kissing my cheek. “Let me drop my bag with the concierge to save going up to the room and then we’ll head out…You hungry?” he asks, distracted.

“I could eat.” I smile softly.

Minutes later we’re heading out of the hotel and crossing the road toward a Chinese restaurant. “I’ve been wanting to eat here since we arrived yesterday.” He keeps his arm around me as though he’s afraid I’m going to run off.

Blake is taller than me with dark cropped hair, and he’s built solid. He spends a lot of time in the gym and on the ice, so he’s physically fit, and the women find him attractive. Even I have to agree that he’s good looking. The tattoos that cover his upper body and arms usually gets him more attention than he can sometimes handle, which makes me wonder how he hasn’t found anyone to call his own yet. He’d kept Bev around for a while, which had disappointed me. She was a bitch and had no real interest in Blake as a man. It was all about who he was as a player on the ice than anything else.

Often I get jealous women throwing dark glares my way after they’ve seen me with Blake, and that’s because they have no idea that I’m his little sister. They just see a woman who he always has his hands on. If they were more observant then they’d see that he only ever wraps his arms around my neck or kisses my cheek.

I love my brother, possessiveness and all, and I know he loves me. Sometimes I think that he’s the way he is with me because he’s afraid that something will happen to me and I’ll be taken away from him like our parents. Or he’s just plain scared of losing me to someone that I fall in love with. Except I’ve already fallen, and I need him to accept that, which is probably going to be a shock to him.

It’s a shock to me as well and it scares me. Kasey captured my heart in Vegas with how he treated me that night, but now, he’s in my heart and I want to see where our connection takes us. For that to work, as I’d like it to, I need my brother to be supportive instead of a jerk.

“Don’t you think it’s about time that you told me why you’ve been so distracted since Vegas.” He holds his hand up and sitting me at a table, sits opposite. “I’ve forced myself not to push, but you’re more distracted than ever and it’s starting to get to me. I need to know that you’re okay.”

“Not push?” I raise a brow. “That’s all you’ve done.”

He winces. “I wouldn’t exactly say push is the right word.”

I laugh and pause for a moment, trying to get my thoughts in order before beginning my story as he looks on eagerly. However, I sigh and wonder how much to tell him because I sure as hell don’t want him going off the handle. “The truth,” I begin.

“That’s all I want.” He grabs my hand and keeps it inside of his larger one. “I can’t make things right if I don’t have the truth.”

I softly smile. “Dad used to say that.”

He swallows and offers a wry smile. “He did.”

“It’s not that easy to talk to you about this because whatever I say, you’re probably going to lose it and then I won’t be able to talk to you at all.” His eyes search mine anxiously so I continue, “I need to talk to you because you’re not only my brother, but my closet friend. I need you to keep your shit together and actually listen to me for once.”

“I’m not going to like this, am I?” he grumbles. “I promise to listen to you.”

“I promise to really listen to you,” I prompt.

He rolls his eyes, and repeats, “I promise to really listen to you.”

“It’s about the man I met in Vegas.”

“I knew it.” He slams his fist on the table making me jump. “Fuck…Sorry. I’ll behave.”

“Really?” I sit back in the chair and watch him while he relaxes.

“I hate the position that Bev put you in. It was my fault and it pisses me off that if I’d listened to you in the first place then that wouldn’t have happened.”

“If it hadn’t happened then I probably wouldn’t have met him. Now let me talk and don’t say anything until I’ve finished.”

He slumps back in his chair and waves his hand around. “I’m listening.”

He’s so full of it, but I’m not willing to put this off. “The man I spent the night with, fully clothed,” I add, “is someone, who for the first time in my life, I feel a connection to. In the morning when I woke and found all your missed calls and text messages, I panicked and left without leaving him a way to contact me.” I glance at my hands on the table. “I regretted it the minute that I let the door close behind me. He isn’t like the guys you know. He didn’t act like he was desperate to get into my pants. I mean the attraction was there but he knew that I just needed to talk. It’s hard to explain.

“He just made me feel cherished. You make me feel that way, but it’s different because you’re my brother, and I love you for it. But this man, he has so quickly become everything to me.” I hold Blake’s gaze and see surprise in his eyes, which I find encouraging. “I met him again. Last night. I was so surprised to see him, and he was just as surprised to see me. We spent last night together.”

His eyes narrow and I see his anger rising so I quickly hiss under my breath, “I’m still untouched, dammit, Blake.”

He swallows a few times and looks around us before he finally meets my gaze. “I’m presuming you have a name this time?”

“Which I’m not giving to you until I know you aren’t going to ruin anything for me. This is important to me. He’s important to me. Please don’t ruin it and please don’t hurt me,” I beg.

We sit in silence, watching each other. He’s angry, but I also see concern behind his lids. I nearly blow with my own temper when he casually asks, “Why hide this?”

“Are you kidding me?” I lean half over the table toward him. “You with your rules about dating and guys. I’m nineteen, soon to be twenty. I want to go to college. I want to be able to date him out in the open without fear that you’re going to do something to ruin it for me. I want my own life, which also includes you. You’re my brother, my only family. I never want to lose you, but I need more than you are able to give me.” I smile to soften my words. “I also want to see you happy. There’s someone out there waiting for your badass to knock them off their feet…Don’t you ever get lonely? I mean really lonely for more than what I can offer because I’m your sister?”

He sits forward. “That’s a low blow, Sis.”

“I’m just pointing out that we both need to have our own lives. We’ll always be family, Blake. No matter where our journey takes us, you’ll always have me. I’m just talking about a little more independence.”

He’s listened to me and I’m glad to get everything out, I’m only hoping that he understands and accepts what I’ve said. I dip my head and find that I’m surprised when I notice a small bowl of crab and sweet corn soup in front of me.

Blake smirks. “I was in earlier and ordered all our favorite food.” He sighs and stares out the window before returning his focus to me. “Truth?”

“That’s what you wanted from me, so yes.” My heart beats erratically in my chest while I wait for him because this conversation is going well for now. He hasn’t blown his top, but that could still happen.

“I’ve kept you close because I know what young jocks want, and that isn’t a lasting relationship, but I’m also a selfish asshole.” He holds both my hands. “I’m terrified that you’re going to find someone who will take you away from me, leaving me alone. You’re all I really have in this world, Felicity. I can’t lose you.”

I tug a hand free to swipe at my tears, and tell him, “I meant every word that I said. You’re my brother. My family. The man that I’ve met is older than me and he has a large family who he’s close to. I want you in my life and to be a part of whatever the future holds for me, just like I hope to be a part of whatever the future holds for you.” I hold his hand tighter and continue, “I want you to please try for me. If you keep an open mind you’ll see how much he cares for me. He’s important to me.”

“You know I hate seeing tears on your face,” he grumbles, and I smile through them. “I’ll try, okay? I do want you happy regardless of what I’ve led you to believe.”

I smile, and after I’ve used a napkin to clean my face, I add, “I want you to promise me that you’ll stop with the tramps because I’m going to find you a nice girl.” I grin. “Someone who will keep your head turned her way, and off me.” My grin widens when Blake’s eyes narrow. “A nice girl won’t be interested if she sees you with the ice bunnies.” I give him a pointed glare.

“Shit.” He shakes his head. “No way in hell am I even having that conversation with you.”

I roll my eyes. “I’m not blind. I know you have sex. Lots of sex.”

He slams his hand over my mouth. “Do not. Ever. Say the word sex. Never, Felicity.”

“Yes, brother dearest.” I chuckle and particularly enjoy making him uncomfortable.

He slumps back in his chair. “I sure as hell didn’t see this conversation going the way it has.”

“Me either.” I slurp my soup on purpose because I know how much it annoys my brother.

“Christ, it’s like eating with a two year old,” he mumbles around his own spoon of soup.

Ignoring him, I finish the soup in record time, which I always do because it’s my favorite. I shove the bowl to one side and rest my elbows on the table with my chin resting in my hands. “Can I ask you something?”

He freezes and I can see his brain ticking as to what now. Very slowly, he places his spoon back in the bowl and waits.

“Has there ever been anyone who you thought could be the one?”

His eyes widen but he stares at me thoughtfully. “I’ve never wanted to find the one. I have you to worry about and that’s even been more than I felt I could handle on the odd occasion.” He sits forward, resting his arms on the table. “You’re family and you know that I don’t let anyone get too close. Not since Mom and Dad died. This talk today has opened my eyes to how I’ve stopped you from living. You have no idea how sorry I am for that.” He looks down at the table, avoiding eye contact.

“I love you for it, but now that I’ve found someone that I want to get to know, I need you to be on my side and not try to push him away, okay?”

His eyes narrow again, and then it’s as though a light bulb has gone off in his head. “I know him, don’t I? That’s why you haven’t told me his name?”

“Maybe,” I whisper.

He shakes his head. “No maybe. I do know him. What I don’t understand is why you won’t tell me his name.”

“I will,” I nervously add, “just when I’m sure you won’t kill him for wanting to be with me.”

We stare at each other and silently eat the remainder of our meal, which consists of chicken noodles.

It’s on the tip of my tongue to admit to Blake that it’s Kasey that I’m falling for. Hell, whom I kidding? I’ve already fallen.