Trick Shot: A Spicy Christmas Novella (Brother Puckers Book 1)
Trick Shot: Chapter 4

The drive home was slow. The roads were shit, and I’m shocked Jace even made it to the airport. Had I really known how terrible it was, I would have insisted he stay home and I get a hotel for the night—granted, they’re probably all booked out.

The ride was nice, though. I’ve gotten so used to only seeing Jace, Lucas, and my other male clients in the last few months that I’ve forgotten what it’s like to have a woman’s energy in my sphere. And despite the snowstorm—and that she isn’t flying home tonight—Riley’s spirits are high. It helps that she and Jace hit it off. The entire drive, they were comparing their terrible taste in music (like Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca”) and their love for tacos. I didn’t chime in much, instead enjoying the sound of my best friend’s laugh and getting to know the strawberry-blonde beauty next to him. I also won’t lie that I’ve been imagining how to convince Riley to let both Jace and me worship her. I saw the look in his eye earlier, and I know he wants it just as much as I do.

“Welcome to my home,” I say to her, pushing open the door to my penthouse.

Riley’s eyes are bright with wonder as she takes in the large open space decked out in holiday decor. Her gaze has been like that since the moment we stepped into the ornate lobby where our doorman Arnold greeted us and soft music played. She must make a good living doing what she does, but I know where I live is ostentatious and ridiculous. Even I sometimes can’t believe it, and I never take it for granted.

“Wow,” she gasps as the lights come on, “This is…this is wow. I always see these places on social media, but I never thought I’d ever be inside one.”

Without prompting, she makes her way to the wall of expansive floor-to-ceiling windows with a panoramic view of the city and Central Park.

“I can’t wait to see this in the morning,” she adds. “I bet the snow will make it look like a Christmas movie.”

“I can confirm, it does look like that,” Jace says, removing his coat before walking to my wet bar. “Who wants a drink? I make a mean festive cocktail.”

I think about the whiskey I drank at the airport, but decide to hell with it. I’m not feeling drunk or even tipsy anymore. “I’ll take one.”

“Sure,” Riley says. “Though make mine half strength, or I’ll be asleep before you put the milk and cookies out for Santa Claus.”

Jace grins. “That reminds me of a joke.”

I cringe. “Oh boy. Jace, please don’t scare her away before she even takes her coat off.”

A smile decorates Riley’s lips. “I want to hear it.”

Jace rubs his hands together in glee. “Why did Santa divorce Mrs. Claus?”

“I don’t know, why did she?” Riley asks.

“He was obsessed with getting the cookie.’

Riley lets out a cute snort-giggle that gets us both chuckling with her. “That was really silly,” she says.

“Plenty more where that came from,” Jace replies, grabbing a shaker.

“One is good, J,” I remind him. “There are only so many dirty Santa jokes a person can take. I would know.”

Jace smirks at me. “You know you like it. You just laughed!”

I shake my head, then turn my attention to Riley, taking her discarded scarf and coat from her. “Make yourself comfortable, Shortcake.”

“Shortcake?” Jace asks with curiosity. “But she’s tall.”

Riley laughs. “That’s what I said!”

“Her hair is strawberry-blonde. But it’s because she blushes like—”

Riley slaps her hand over my mouth, and Jace’s eyebrows shoot up. I do the only mature thing and lick her palm, grinning like an idiot when she pulls her hand away.

“You just licked me!”

I lean down so I’m level with her ear. I know Jace can hear me, but I don’t care. “That was just a taste test.”

Her cheeks stain as Jace walks over with our cocktails, some cranberry concoction he’s been obsessed with. He hands Riley the drink, then his devious hazel eyes flash to me.

“I get the Shortcake nickname now. And I just so happen to like that treat, too.”

Riley’s mouth opens softly as she clutches the glass. I notice the way her breasts rise and fall with the change in her breathing. I wonder if her nipples are hard underneath her clothing. I’d bet a million dollars they are.

After a moment, she closes her mouth, then darts toward the black leather couch in the living room and out of our reach. I take my drink from Jace, and he pats me on the shoulder, as if to say, Give it time. Then he walks off to join Riley, taking a seat in the chair across from her. He crosses one of his legs, resting an ankle on his knee like he does and relaxes back.

Normally, Jace would be dressed in his usual jeans and button-up, but he must’ve been getting ready to chill when he jumped in his car. His medium-length brown hair is mussed from running his hands through it, and he’s wearing a pair of dark green sweatpants and a gray long-sleeved Henley that shows off the outline of the tree trunks he calls arms. He looks good. Granted, I always think he’s attractive, no matter what he’s wearing.

A little moan from Riley breaks my focus on Jace.

“Wow, that’s really good,” she says, savoring her drink. “Is there rosemary in here?”

Jace’s eyes shine at her approval. “There is. It’s a simple syrup I make.”

“Are you a bartender?”

He exhales a laugh. “Once upon a time, when I was young and trying to make ends meet. Now it’s just a fun thing I like to do to unwind. I use Leo as a taste tester.”

My back stiffens at the sound of my name.

“Who’s Leo?”

Jace doesn’t look at me, but his jaw ticks. “He’s Lucas’s identical twin.”

“Oh that’s right! I totally forgot you have a twin, Lucas. That must be so cool!” More relaxed now, Riley pats the spot next to her on the couch. I try to breathe and stay calm as I take a seat.

I can feel Jace’s judgmental gaze burning me as I choose my next words carefully. “It can be. Though I know it’s difficult for Leo sometimes. I can overshadow him just because of who I am.”

The words are like acid on my tongue. Even though it’s my truth, it’s one I don’t admit often. And I’m not even admitting it as me. I should just stop the ruse now and tell Riley the truth. She seems like an understanding person, and she’d probably be mad but get over it. Yet I can’t bring myself to say anything.

Her warm hand rests on my thigh. “I’m sure he doesn’t really feel that way. He’s your brother.”

“Yeah, Lucas. He’s your brother,” Jace chides.

I stare down my supposed best friend. He’s not making this easy on me. And despite it being my fault that this is happening right now, I can’t help but be annoyed at him. He knows how I feel sometimes, but he also can’t completely get it. I live a privileged life, and my brother is everything to me. But as I’ve made known, it can be hard to live in a world that only recognizes me as Lucas or the brother that “could have made it to the NHL,” that “could have been great.”

I have a lot of accomplishments as an agent in the industry, including my own goddamn agency with high-profile clients, but it’s often overlooked because of those reasons. And while I don’t necessarily need the recognition, it would be nice to be just Leo for once. A man who made himself into something after losing what he thought was everything.

Riley’s eyes bounce between Jace and me. I know she can feel the tension. So I lean my body in closer to her, erasing the anger and sadness that’s threatening to spill out, and bring a lock of her wavy hair into my fingers. “Is this your natural color?”

Her body eases and I ignore Jace, who’s most likely rolling his eyes. Maybe I’ll spank him for it later. “It’s not. I have light brown hair. I’ve been experimenting with different colors since Chad and I broke up last year. First I went blonde, then I wanted to look like Rachel McAdams in her Notebook era.”

“It suits you, Shortcake.” That blush returns, and I tug on the lock of hair a bit. She captures her lower lip between her teeth again. This time, when my cock stirs, I don’t try to quell it.

“Thanks, Beefcake.” She smirks.

Jace expels a bawdy laugh. “Now that’s a great nickname.”

Riley beams at him. “Why, thank you. At least you appreciate it, Jace.”

I release her hair and give her a dimpled smile. “It’s growing on me.”

Riley looks happy at that as she takes a swig of her cocktail, settling back so her thigh now touches mine. The warmth is searing, and I find myself melting into her as much as I can in this position.

“So tell me, how did you two meet?” she asks.

Jace leans forward so his arms are on his knees, looking at me expectantly. If I tell the truth, it will give me away. So again, I lie. “He works with Leo.”

“And what do you do, Jace?” she asks.

“I’m a senior agent at Leo’s agency. I rep mostly hockey players, but a few figure skaters as well.”

I swallow the lump in my throat, grateful that’s all he’s saying.

“That’s really cool!” Her smile is contagious as she continues, “So you live here with Lucas, or?”

Again, Riley looks between us. The tone in her voice gives away what she’s really asking. Not everyone catches on to that Jace and I have a different type of relationship, but Riley’s smart. Between my comments at the airport and the casual way Jace lounges in my home, I’m sure it seems odd. I also have never tried to hide the way I look at him or he at me.

I lean forward, taking the drink from Riley’s hand. I place both our glasses on the side table next to her. She stops breathing at my nearness, and goosebumps fan out across my skin from being so close to her.

“Would it bother you if I said that Jace and I are together?”

My hand caresses the skin near the V of her neckline before I finger the snowflake pendant between her breasts. The room goes quiet, and I’m pretty sure Jace has stopped breathing as well. I don’t think he expected me to dive right in, but we’re wasting time just talking.

“You’re together, together?” she asks quietly.

Riley looks to Jace, and he smiles lazily at her. “Depends on what you think that means, Shortcake,” he says. Her nickname sounds nice on his lips, and the desire to hear him call her that as she sucks his massive cock has my own now aching against the zipper of my pants.

I take Riley’s chin between my thumb and pointer finger, directing her focus back to me. “In most senses of the word, yes,” I say. “Though we’ve both agreed that ‘boyfriend’ doesn’t exactly fit what he is to me or I am to him. We’re also non-traditional.”

She mulls over what I’ve just told her.

“We don’t have labels,” I continue. “He’s my best friend, someone I love and care for.”

“You’re confusing her, Beefcake.” Jace laughs quietly.

The corners of my lips turn up at the endearment. “What I’m trying to say is that we’re both commitment-phobes with insane schedules who enjoy and crave each other’s company. We both love sex, we’re both queer, and we both enjoy having the freedom to fuck other people, both separately and together. So no, we aren’t together in the traditional sense, but we are at the same time.”

Jace moves off the chair and perches on the arm of the couch next to her. “I’m not sure that helped. Did that help, Riley?” he asks.

She plays with her ring again, a blush rising along the crest of her tits. She’s not looking at Jace or me, and after a minute, I start to get concerned that maybe I misread her. I eye Jace, but he doesn’t seem concerned. Just calm and patient, like always.

Eventually, she looks up, but I can’t read her. “Can I use your restroom?” she asks me.

Disappointment wells in my stomach. “Of course you can.”

“I’ll show you where it is,” Jace offers.

Then I watch them walk away with a pang in my chest.