Consider Me (Playing For Keeps, #1)

by Becka Mack

I’m entranced, fixated, obsessed. I can’t look away,

her black leather skirt hugging her like a second skin. How the fuck did she get it on? How the hell will I peel it off later? Serious questions I need immediate answers to. Scissors, I decide. I’ll cut it off her and send her a new one. Garrett touches his fingers to my chin, closing my mouth. “Christ, Beckett. You good?” I gesture in her direction. “Dude.” That’s all I’ve got. Aren’t they seeing this?

“I’m going to keep my drink, simply because I know better than to waste good beer, and you’re going to accept the verbal thanks I gave you a minute ago.” Oooh, I think I like her.

Go find someone else to take for breakfast.” Well, that won’t do. The breakfast offer was exclusive to her. “But I want you,” I whine playfully, catching her hand in mine. It’s soft and warm, tiny, mine swallowing hers right up. “I can’t take my eyes off you, you’re hockey-literate, you’ve told me to go fuck myself in at least three roundabout ways, and I can’t remember the last time I’ve been this attracted to someone.” She steps closer, and my pulse spikes. Her fingertips dance up my arm, brush across my jaw. Her face lifts at the same time mine drops, and the fire in her gaze holds all the promise of one hell of an unforgettable night. “Has anyone ever been able to tell you no?” she asks on a whisper. My chest puffs with pride. “Never.” She grins, and Christ, it’s a glorious sight. “Well, I guess there’s a first time for everything.”

“I’ve been dying to ruin you, and trust me, it’d be so good.”

“Tell you what, pip-squeak. I’ll give you my number. I never give it out to girls. You’d be the first.”

He’s feeling pretty confident right now. I can’t wait to tear him down.

She strikes me as an all or nothing kinda girl, which is probably why one-night stands aren’t her thing. I don’t care. I’m just trying to make me her thing.

“Are you done, Olivia?” I repeat, releasing her waist before prying her fingers off my forearm. She’s left marks, but I don’t mind. I’ll let her carve her name into my skin if it gets me what I want, and what I want is her. “Checking me out?”

“What I lack in height I make up for in attitude.”

“I like it when you smile,” he murmurs. “It makes me want to smile too.”

“A-ha! I’ve fucking cracked her!” He grips my waist, spins me in the air, drops me to my feet, and … peppers my entire face in kisses. His fingers lace through mine, tugging, before I have time to comprehend what’s happened. “I promise, Ollie, you won’t regret it.” I have a serious love/hate relationship with the giggle bubbling from my chest, and I need to get a hang on it before I go anywhere alone with this man. “I’m not going home with you.” He holds up two fingers in a promise. “I won’t even ask.”

“Garrett. I bet you’d like me better.” “I bet I would too.” “Can’t blame ya.” He gestures lazily at his face. “It’s the east coast twang.” “Back off.” Carter huffs, tugging me away. “She’s my date.” Um. “This is not a date.” “Pretty sure it’s a date, Ollie.” I cross my arms. “Pretty sure you have to ask someone on a date, Carter.” “Eh, whatever. Ask, drag; it’s all the same.”

just because he’s got this sweet, goofy side doesn’t mean the playboy side doesn’t exist. You can be both, and you can have both. But if I’m going to have him, I don’t want both. The longer I stay, the more I see, the easier it becomes for me to fall. And I refuse to fall when nobody’s going to be waiting at the bottom to catch me.

Carter chuckles, his chin resting on top of my head. “Cutest fucking mittens I’ve ever seen.” The tree comes to life, multicolored lights twinkling, making this December night glow as the crowd around us oohs and aahs. “It’s beautiful,” I whisper. Carter’s arms tighten around me. “Yeah. Sure is.”

“Um, Ollie?” “Yeah?” “I’m sorry for upsetting you Friday night and making you feel like I bailed on you.” “I’m sorry I actually did bail on you.” “I’m not sorry you were jealous.” “I wasn’t jealous.” Carter grins. “Green looks so good on you.” “Shut up.” I smile up at him. “I’ll see you on New Year’s Eve.” He nods. “Not a date.” “Not a date,” I repeat. Then he shuts the door, hits me with two finger guns, and yells, “It’s a date!”

You’ve never done that before, dedicate a goal to a girl.” “Untrue.” I point at the only ladies in my life, even if I’m considering adding another one to the mix. Why? They’re fucking complicated; these two right here prove exactly that. “I’ve dedicated plenty of goals to you two.” Mom snaps a tea towel at me when I reach for another cookie. “You’re really getting on my nerves lately, Carter Beckett.” “I’ve always been there, Mom.”

I make her the only promise I know how to make. “If I find something like you and Dad had, the last thing I’ll do is let it get away from me.”

“So you thought you’d save me?” His grin grows as I step toward him. “Nah. I’m the one you need saving from.”

“Why does he look like that?” “He looks like a sad, lost puppy.” “Looks more like constipation to me.” Adam slings an arm over my shoulders. “Leave my guy alone. He’s got a crush, that’s all.” A crush? My throat squeezes. “Psssh. No I don’t.” Do I? “You do, Carter. That’s why you haven’t left the bar with a single woman lately.” “Maybe I needed a break. I’ve been tired.” “That’s why you bought Olivia cinnamon buns and cheesecake and talked her into getting her face painted with you last week. That’s why you stood there with your arms around her during the tree lighting, just because she shivered, and that’s why you invited her to a party at your house, even though you never have meaningless hookups here. Because Olivia means something to you, and you, my friend, have a crush.” Well, shit. He might be right. What the hell do you do with a crush?

You need to decide what you want first before you go after the girl.” “What if the only thing I’m sure about wanting is you?” She sweeps her thumb over the indent in my chin. “Sometimes wanting something isn’t enough.”

my entire body comes alive. My world explodes with color, my hands on her face trembling with desire and need, with shock. I want more. Need more. I don’t see how I’ll ever get enough of this, of her, of us. She’s a drug, and I’m addicted off my very first hit.

I genuinely care about her and want to spend time with her, but I would also throw myself at her feet if it meant she’d let me destroy her body, because I want to absolutely wreck her.

“I kicked Carter Beckett out of his own bed. Somebody take a picture! I don’t think this has ever happened before!” It hasn’t. I do a lot of shit with Olivia I’ve never had a desire to do with anyone else.

“No sassy comebacks, Ol? Did I break you?” I press my lips to his, whispering against them. “You haven’t broken me yet, but I’m hoping if I’m a good girl, you will soon.” “Fuck.” He brackets my jaw, dark eyes fixed on mine. “I wanna give you whatever you want.” “Wreck me, Carter.”

“Ollie?” The quiver in her hands tells me it’s taking everything in her not to fall apart right now. “Just so we’re clear, you’re the one who’s walking away right now. This isn’t what I want.” I tuck the small gift into her hands, watching her forehead crinkle in surprise. “Merry Christmas.”

Woman’s my fucking soul mate.

“I’m not talking about Olivia.” “Can you tell us her last name? Who is she to you? What does she do?” “Un-fucking-believable.” I squeeze my eyes, a dark chuckle rumbling beneath my breath. With a step forward, I tower over the reporter who has the nerve to keep pushing. I don’t like being pushed, and the way he stumbles backward a half step tells me he finally sees that. “Olivia’s personal life is none of your damn business. Drop her name, because I can guarantee you my bite is as vicious as my bark.” The crowd clears as I push through to the change room. “Interview’s over.”

“Oh, and Carter? You can’t fix your past, but if you want a different future, all you have to do is choose it.”

“He talks about me?” “When he’s not being a mopey ballsack? Yeah, he talks about you all the time.” I can’t imagine a mopey version of Carter. He’s so upbeat all the time, charismatic and boisterous. A sudden wave of guilt rushes over me. “Yeah.” Garrett taps the corner of my frown. “That’s exactly how he looked. You two are made for each other.”

But I’m gonna need you to get your head in the game. I’ve got money riding on Carter being the first to crack, not you.” “I’m scared you made the wrong bet.” “I believe in you, Ollie.”

Because you took one look at that pretty face and you crumbled to the floor at her feet. And you always will, because you’ll put her before anyone and everything else.”

“I coach Alannah’s hockey team.” “You—” I accidentally slam on the brakes, bracketing my arm across Olivia’s chest to catch her. “Sorry, sorry. I just—you just—I think I might love you,” I joke, except I’m possibly, maybe, halfway serious. “That’s amazing. Can I come see a game?”

“That day was the seventh anniversary of Ireland’s death. Hank was sitting there at midnight drinking a glass of chocolate milk because he’d had a dream during his afternoon nap and claimed that his dead wife said somebody might need his help. He’d been sitting there since six in the evening, waiting. Said he knew it was me he was waiting for the second I sank down on the bar stool next to him.”

She slips off the bed and falls to her ass. I barely manage to bite back my snicker, but she looks like she’s ten seconds away from murdering me, and the world needs more Carter Beckett.

Angry Olivia is my favorite Olivia.

when Jeremy walks me to the door later he hands me his Vipers jersey, the one with Carter’s last name on it. “What the hell do you want me to do with this?” He grumbles at the ground, rubbing the back of his neck. “Pardon?” Jeremy throws his hands in the air. “I said can you get your stupid boyfriend to sign my stupid jersey!” There’s no hiding my smirk at this turn of events, and the last thing I see before my brother slams the door in my face is the mega roll of his eyes.

“I wanna be your anything.” His hand glides up my belly and closes over my throat, angling my face toward his, his movements never slowing. “How about my everything?”

my heart beats for.

“You wanna fight, get your self-doubt out, that’s fine. But you’re gonna do it with me, at my house, together.” His searing stare swings my way. “I refuse to let you push me away again.”

As afraid as she is that this might go south, she’s just as scared that it won’t, that it’ll work. So am I. Forever or never—both of those thoughts are terrifying.

“Your tears are not a weakness, so stop trying to hide them. Don’t be sorry for showing me how you feel.

“I’m scared this is it, that you’re it for me. And while that thought is scary enough, nothing is scarier than the thought that I might not get to keep you, that you might one day walk away and I’ll have to let you because all I want is for you to be happy.”

I brush my knuckles across her cheekbone, and when her lashes don’t flutter, I whisper the words against her skin. “I think I love you, Ollie.”

I might, uh … somehow be in love already. Except I don’t think I simply fell. I tripped over my own two feet and face-planted in it.

“To Jeremy. Don’t be an asshole to your sister. Carter Beckett.” He drops the shirt across his hips, giving me a clear view of his face, which is … ecstatic. “Oh my God. He signed my jersey. Carter Beckett signed my jersey!” Oh for fuck’s sake.

“One kiss, Olivia. One kiss and I was done. My world obliterated the second my lips touched yours.”

“I one thousand percent love you more than Oreos.”

I think we’re afraid of the things that have the power to change our lives.

“Carter?” Her bleary eyes flutter slowly when I tuck her in. “This was the best ever slumber party.” She hugs me close. “I love you, dude.” My chest tightens. “I love you, too, little dude.”