Rival Darling (The Darling Devils, #1)

by Alexandra Moody

“Just kiss her already,” Parker yelled from the car. “And on that note, I need to go pummel my brother,” Reed said with an awkward laugh.

I knew Violet had entered my dad’s garage without even looking. The back of my neck prickled to alert me, but by the time I glanced up from the car I was working on, she was already making her way into the office. I’d been anxiously awaiting her arrival.

The truth was, right now, I just wanted to be wherever she was.

I hadn’t been thinking when I’d moved to stop her. All I knew was I hadn’t been ready to say goodbye.

“Hope she was worth it,” Grayson muttered to me when Coach finally ran out of steam. I gave him a smile. “Totally worth it.”

“Like if you smiled back at him, he’d leap right through those flames, pick you up, and carry you back to his cave like some barbarian.”

“Surely you’re not that stupid, Hoffman.” Reed said. “She shouldn’t have to spell it out…” I slowly looked up at Reed, and as he caught my gaze, his hard expression softened. “Violet’s my girlfriend.” My body relaxed into his grasp, and I was so overcome with gratitude I felt like I could kiss him. Again. “You don’t do girlfriends.” Jeremy scoffed. “I do now,” Reed replied.

“I guess I’ve finally found the kind of hockey player whose jersey I want to wear.”

I’d never felt this way about any girl before. I barely knew her, but already I wanted to do anything I could to make her smile. And anything to stop her feeling sad.

“Well, you don’t scare me, Reed Darling.” “Good,” he said. “You’re the last person I’d ever want to scare.”

I, on the other hand, couldn’t get enough of her. When she was close, like she had been at the restaurant, I found it almost impossible not to try to get closer still.

Every time she held my hand, touched my arm, or even just brushed against me, my stomach flipped, and every time I breathed in the sweet scent of her shampoo or watched her tuck her bright red hair behind her ear, I had to remind myself she wasn’t truly mine.

I hung off her every word when she spoke, and when she smiled, I could feel myself falling deeper and deeper. I was in serious trouble because I was only becoming more certain...

She was beautiful tonight. She was beautiful every time I saw her.

“Maybe I have lost my mind.” He grinned. “But I don’t care. I don’t care about any of that. All I care about is you, Violet. I just needed to let you know, that nothing is more important than you. Especially not this game.”

“You can call me whatever you want, Sunshine. As long as you call me yours.”

I would have much preferred it to be just the two of us, but I wasn’t going to complain. There was no better feeling in the world than having Violet in my arms.