Chapter 4 SHE'S OFF-LIMITS

JAXON

Coach Harrington was as strict as the rumors suggested. He had sharp eyes and zero tolerance for bullshit, but I wouldn't expect anything less from a world champion like him, or all the praise he received every day would have been for nothing.

“As the captain, I expect you to keep the team in order,” Coach said, his tone leaving no room for arguments as he glanced down at his watch. “And where the hell are they, anyway?”

I opened my mouth to tell him that they were probably on their way, but the door slid open before I could get the words out.

“Dad—”

A feminine voice cut through the air.

Coach turned at the sound of the voice, clearing my view and my brain went completely short-circuited.

Standing in the doorway was the girl who had me fascinated at Brandon's party. She wasn't like any of the girls I'd dated or hooked up with and yet she managed to grab my attention.

From the second she walked into the party, I could tell she didn't belong. Even with the hot dress she had worn, she looked like someone who is made for baggy clothes and thick glasses to stop her from ruining her sight over too much reading.

But then we went upstairs and she took the first move to kiss me.

Her breath hitched the second her eyes locked onto mine, a flush crept up her neck instantly, reminding me of the exact colour her skin had turned when I pulled her against my chest and kissed her back.

“You?!” She blurted out before she could stop herself.

Coach's eyebrows pulled together as he threw us a suspicious glare. “You know each other?”

I kept my face blank even though my pulse was now hammering against my ribs. Coach Harrington didn't look like someone who'd joke with his daughter and she just happened to be Hailey's friend of all people.

“Not really,” she chuckled nervously. Her hands tightened around the leather notebook against her chest as she stammered.

“I just… I happened to see him the day Hailey invited me out. I didn't know he went to school here too,” her voice squeaked on the last word as she looked everywhere in the room but my face.

She was a terrible liar.

I pushed back the smile that threatened to curve my lips. This shouldn't be interesting, but seeing her getting all nervous reminded me of why I had my eyes on her at the party in the first place.

Coach didn't look convinced, but he let it slide. “Why are you here?”

“You forgot your notebook at home, so Mom said I should bring it to you,” she murmured, still avoiding my gaze.

The door swung open and the rest of the team came in all dressed up, prepared for practice.

“I don't know when practice will finish, so don't wait for me,” Coach said as he took the book from her.

She sprinted out of the room without looking back and the boys chuckled at her reaction.

“Care to explain why you're late?” Coach asked with a frown and the smile on their faces disappeared immediately.

“We're sorry—”

“If you cannot impress me in two weeks, then I'll assume accepting this offer is a complete waste of time and my time is precious,” he uttered.

“Timeliness is one of the qualities of good sportsmanship and I won't expect less from my students. If you think keeping to time is going to be a problem, then quit the team before I do it for you.”

“We're sorry, sir,” Brandon apologized while the others stayed silent.

“I'll let it slide this once,” he shifted his gaze from them one after the other. “But how I treat you in the future depends solely on your attitudes.”

“Yes sir!”

“Get to practice,” he clapped his hands and just as they were about to get onto the ice, he stopped them again.

“Ah,” he uttered, and they all stopped in their tracks to look at him. “I'm sure you've all met my daughter,” he started and my skin prickled for some weird reason.

“I don't care what you do in your free time as long as you don't bring harm to your bodies, but she is off-limits.”

The boys looked at me instinctively before looking away.

“Yes Coach!”

The practice ended shortly after putting all of us to test and by the time we finished, we were all panting heavily.

“Not bad,” he nodded as he reviewed the notes he had taken while we were practising. “You still have a lot to work on, but we'd take it one step at a time.”

He dismissed us and we returned to the locker room to change.

“Do you think Coach Harrington will be difficult to impress?” Jude ask with a sigh.

“Give in your best and you'll be fine,” Brandon patted his back.

One thing about the boys is that as crazy as they are, they take hockey seriously which is why we get along so well.

They know when to play and when to drop all the attitude and pay attention to things that matter.

“Will you be fine, though?” Mason nudged me lightly.

“Why wouldn't I be?” I arched my brows. “Our former coach was tougher in the beginning but you saw how he warmed up with us before he left. As long as we follow his rules, I'm sure this wouldn't be any different.”

“Speaking of rules,” Jude chimed in. “Don't you have eyes for Hazel? I haven't seen you pay anyone attention the way you looked at her at the party.”

“Such a shame she's the Coach's daughter,” Brandon added.

“Who said anything about being interested in her?” I frowned and they exchanged a knowing glance.

“You're not? I heard—”

Brandon smacked Mason before he could finish his words, and they went on arguing about who have the strongest muscles and who'd win if they got physical.

Ignoring them, I grabbed my duffel bag and headed towards the exit. Jude followed behind me, throwing an arm over my shoulders with a smirk.

“Rules are meant to be broken if you ask me,” he said, shrugging.

“Thank God I didn't.”

“Come on, man. I saw her face there. I think she's into you too.”

I scoffed, tossing my bag into the back seat of my car. “Says the boy who thinks every girl who smiles at him is into him. How about you focus on your own love life?”

“Aye captain!” He raised his hands up in mock surrender as I got into my car.

“It'd be a shame to waste that chemistry though!” He yelled as I drove off and I cannot help but remember how good her mouth felt against hers.

Since when do I allow people to dictate who I date, anyway?

Fuck the rules.