The Love Game (The Game #1)(59)
Author: Emma Hart

“Fuckin’ Starbucks,” I mutter. “You spend more time there than you do anywhere else.”

Her eyebrows shoot upwards. “Oh, because I’ve spent absolutely no time in this bed in the last forty-eight hours. I haven’t skipped three classes and missed an assignment deadline or anything, have I?”

My cheeks twitch as I fight the grin wanting to break out. I brush my nose up her cheek. “It’s not my fault. I was having so much fun I forgot to tell you we had to go to class.”

“You forgot, did you?”

“Absolutely.” I kiss her again, and she sinks her fingers into my hair.

“Thank you,” she whispers.

“What for?”

“Always making me feel better. You’re a total pig-”

“Hey!”

“But you’re the best kind of pig.” The smile on her face wins me over, and goddamn, I know I’ll never be able to stay mad at her.

“I guess that’s a compliment.”

“Oh, it is.” She nods. She bucks her hips so I fall off her, and gets up.

I reach forward, grabbing her waist, and pull her back down. “Where are you going?”

Maddie slaps my hands. “I’m going somewhere where I’ll see something other than these four walls and the underside of your sheets, Braden Carter.”

“Nothing wrong with the underside of my sheets,” I grumble as she gets up.

“I never said there was.” She opens the door. “But you should know that Aston was making sexy eyes at Megan when I came up.”

“What the hell is Megan doing here at this time of the morning?” I sit up. Making sexy eyes?

“Okay, one, its ten a.m., and two…” She laughs a little. “Megan is always here at this time of the morning. Don’t ask why, but she is. You just don’t usually drag your ass out of bed till gone lunch.”

I grin wolfishly. “Why would I get out of bed when you’re usually in it?”

She shoots me a look, hiding her smile. “Just move your ass before Aston sweet talks his way into Megan’s pants.”

“Over my dead f**kin’ body!” I jump from the bed, and she laughs as she shuts the door. “Tell her she better be on the opposite side of the room from that son of a bitch when I get down there, or I’ll go caveman on his ass!”

I hear her laughter down the hall, and I yank some jeans on. I shove a shirt over my head, and follow her out. She’s standing at the bottom of the stairs, looking over her shoulder. She winks, and disappears around the corner into the kitchen.

I run down the stairs, my feet barely touching the steps, and slide across the floor into the kitchen. I stop at the doorframe and lean against it casually. Maddie smirks at me across the room, hugging a cup of coffee. I grin at her a little, and notice Megan sat next to her. Aston is at the other end of the bar in the kitchen.

But he’s looking at Meggy.

I knock him on the back of the head as I pass him, and snatch Megan’s toast from her hand. She stares at me open-mouthed.

“Excuse me,” she sputters.

“You’re excused.” I grin, and rip a bite of toast off. I lean against Maddie, and she rolls her eyes. Megan looks at her.

“What?” Maddie shrugs. “He’s already stolen it. What do you expect me to do? He’s like a big kid.”

I poke her side. Megan looks at me, smiling.

“She’s got your number, Bray,” she says happily.

I glance over at Aston and back to her. The smile slowly drops from her face and she coughs a little. I lean in closer, and crook my finger for her to move in.

“And I’ve got yours, Meggy,” I warn her quietly. “Aston might be one of my best friends, but if he so much as blows a goddamn kiss in your direction, I’ll kick his sorry ass.”

“It may have escaped your notice, but I’m more than capable of taking care of myself, Bray,” she says through clenched teeth. “I appreciate it, really, I do, but if I want to get involved with someone, I will.”

“But that someone won’t be a guy with a dick bigger than his brains.”

Maddie sighs, and pushes me back. “For God sake, Braden. Who’s said Megan is going to sleep with Aston? He hasn’t. She hasn’t.”

“But you said he was making sexy eyes at her!”

Megan’s lips curl upwards. “Aston makes sexy eyes at himself when he looks in the mirror. He’s a pretty boy.”

“You sayin’ I’m not a man, Megan?” Aston calls over.

Megan looks up, her eyes wide with innocence. “Would I ever?”

“You know, if you were anyone other than Braden’s adopted sister, you’d be slung over my shoulder right now.” The guys around him holler.

“Really?” Megan twirls some hair around her finger, and all eyes are on her. “I might have liked that. Shame.”

I look at her in shock, and Maddie sniggers into her hand.

“You would have liked what would happen upstairs even more, babe.” Aston winks. I turn, glaring at him.

“Keep it in your f**kin’ pants or lose it, dude,” I threaten.

He looks at Megan and back to me. “I’m pretty attached to my dick, so I think I’ll keep it in my pants. Only where she’s concerned though.”

Megan’s lips purse. “You’re a pig, Aston.”

“They all are,” Maddie mutters, smiling innocently at me. I half-grin at her.

“You know,” I say quietly, putting my arm around her as the conversation starts back up and Megan disappears into the yard. “I’m a little wary about going to my parent’s house next weekend. There’s no telling what would happen without me being here and keeping an eye on her.”

“Are you her best friend, or her Dad?” Maddie looks at me knowingly. “You care about her, and I love that, I do, but you gotta let her have her fun. Let her make mistakes. Besides,” she glances at Aston. “He’s not a bad mistake to make…”

“Maddie,” I growl.

“I’m just sayin’.” She grins. “He won’t do anything. He respects your friendship.”

“It’s not him I’m worried about. It’s Megan I don’t trust.”

Maddie reaches up and touches a hand to my cheek. “Don’t. Let her be Megan. Then, if anyone f**ks her around, you can go alpha-caveman-protective-big-bro on their ass. Okay?”

I pause.