The Risk: Briar U

My man’s got this

“I can’t believe you’re abandoning me.” I glower at Tansy, but deep down I’m not surprised.
I had desperately hoped that she and Lamar wouldn’t ruin this weekend for me, but as my father likes to say, hope is for fools. Work hard and make your own dreams come true, he always harps, and then you won’t have to hope for a damn thing.

I meet his disturbed gaze and offer a faint smile. “I guess I take after my father.”

“I heard you tried to bang my mother and she shot you down,” I cut in cheerfully. “And I’m not insinuating anything—I’m explicitly suggesting you were a sore loser back then, and you’re a sore loser now.” I shrug. “With that said, I’m still rooting for Harvard tonight. But that’s because of Jake, of course. Not you.”

He winks. “Thanks, baby.”

“Oh, and don’t let this freak you out even more, but he wants to take us to dinner after the game.”

“Don’t let this freak you out even more?” Jake scrubs his hands over his face. “Jesus Christ. Just leave, babe. Leave now before you do any more damage.”

Seriously? Aw fuck, why’d you have to tell me that? Now I’ll feel extra pressure to perform.”

Don’t you know? Hockey players are passionate and aggressive,” he says silkily

But the man I’m saying them to now? I have faith that he’ll always choose me, always choose us.

“I love you, too,” he whispers

“Every word is the truth,” Jake says simply. “I fucked up. I love you. And I want you back

If you want me to beg, I’ll beg. If you want me to jump through hoops, bring them on. I’ll spend every waking hour until I have to report to training camp proving to you how much you mean to me.” His teeth dig into his lower lip. “Proving that I’m worthy of you.”