Fake Dating My Ex's Hockey Star Brother (Maya Scott) novel Chapter 84

KATY’S POV

My fingers slip into his hair as I kiss him back, breathless and a little desperate. His lips are warm and I don’t realize how much mine has missed them until a soft sound escapes me.

His tongue brushes mine, and when he grazes my bottom lip with his teeth, a shiver rolls through me.

I lean in without thinking, my hands drifting down his chest, trying to pull him closer but then he eases back. Not abruptly, just… enough for air to return between us. Our breathing is uneven, like we both ran a little too far and stopped at the same time.

It takes me a second to realize I’m still holding onto his collar. Heat climbs up my neck, and I let go quickly, staring down at my hands. Silence stretches for a few long seconds and I can feel him looking at me even though my eyes are glued to the floor.

“I’m really sorry,” I manage, barely above a whisper. “For-”

He stops me gently as his fingers move through a strand of my hair, tucking it behind my ear. Then he lifts my chin, slow enough that I don’t flinch, our foreheads nearly touching.

“I’ve missed you,” he says like it’s something he’s been holding in for too long.

He kisses me again, but softer this time. When he pulls back, there’s no smile, no dramatic expression but just this deep, honest ache in his eyes. Like someone who’s been waiting, wanting, and hoping.

And it hits me hard that no one’s ever looked at me like that before. Like I mattered. Like losing me would’ve hurt.

The realization squeezes something small and fragile in my chest, and the worst part is knowing I almost threw all of this away.

I swallow hard, my throat tight. “I feel stupid,” I whisper, the words almost breaking on the way out. “I walk around acting like I’ve got everything under control, and then one thing happens and I completely spiral.”

My voice shakes. “Those texts weren’t even real, and I still let myself believe the worst.” I press my teeth into my bottom lip, trying to steady the sting in my chest. “I didn’t even give you a chance and I just… reacted.”

I look down, my fingers twisting together. “The truth is, I’m still messed up from being cheated on. I thought I was past it, but I’m not. It’s like the moment I feel something real, I expect it to fall apart. And I took that fear and shoved it on you. I didn’t hear you out, didn’t trust you and I pushed you away because that felt safer than getting hurt again. I’m sorry. Really, truly sorry.”

His eyes soften.

I push on. “And I feel even more stupid because…because we hooked up once, and I got in my head thinking maybe we could… you know, date.” I let out a weak laugh. “Maybe I should do less thinking and fewer assumptions and just-”

“I want that too.” He cuts in gently, placing his hand over mine. My eyes snap up to his, my heart punching against my ribs.

“Look,” he says quietly, “I’m not mad that you freaked out. Everyone loses it sometimes over things like this. I’m just… a little disappointed you didn’t trust me enough to know I’d never lie to you, Peach.”

His thumb brushes my hand. “I know I’ve got a past,” he adds. “And I’m not proud of half of it, especially because it’s coming between us. I may be or do a lot of things but I don’t lie. Not to you.” His gaze deepens. “Honestly? I’m kind of glad everything went down the way it did.”

“You’re…you’re glad?” I blink at him. “Why?”

“What do you think?” he asks softly.

open my mouth, then close it again. I should know, but there are a thousand thoughts scrambling in my head, tripping over each other. “I… don’t know,” I whisper.

A faint smile tugs at his lips. “Why do you think I went through all this trouble to prove I’m loyal to you, even when you’re technically just my fake ass girlfriend?” He nudges my nose with his playfully, but his eyes stay serious.

I shrug weakly. “Because… I don’t know, maybe you want me to keep tutoring you.”

He raises a brow. “Are you serious right now?”

I bite my lip, heat crawling up my neck. I can’t say it even though I’ve thought it, replayed it, and imagined it for weeks. The words just won’t come out.

“It’s because…”

“I’m in love with you, Katy Evans.”

He finishes it for me.

The room stills completely.

For a long moment, everything just… falls away. No noise, no thoughts, nothing,

My eyes burn, my vision blurring around the edges.

“I want to live and see the beauty of life with you,” he finishes quietly. “Every part of it.”

A tear slips down my cheek before I even feel it, and his gaze softens even more if that’s even possible.

“And look,” he murmurs. “I know I’m not the perfect guy you pictured for yourself.” I start shaking my head, wanting to stop him, but he doesn’t. “I know I might not be someone you brag about. I know my past isn’t clean and I know I screw up but I’m going to spend every day proving that loving me won’t ever be something you have to hide. I’m going to love you so hard, Katy Evans, that none of the rest will matter.”

“You’re perfect,” I choke out, tears rushing out now. “I really, really love you exactly the way you are. Funny Braydon, sad Braydon, playful Braydon… rich, broke, stubborn, obedient….every version of you. I love all of it. All of you.”

He pulls me into his chest, and I collapse into him, sobbing but in the good way. It’s joy, relief, love, and everything I’ve been carrying for him all crashing together. My fingers curl into the back of his shirt, holding on like he might disappear if I loosen my grip.

We stay like that for long, steady minutes. His hand moves up and down my back, slow and gentle, while his face presses into my shoulder like he never wants to lift it.

When he finally pulls away, his green eyes look brighter than I’ve ever seen them. He wipes my tears with his thumb, then takes both my hands and lifts them to his chest.

“I know this is terrible timing,” he says, a small, nervous smile ghosting across his lips, “and definitely not how I pictured this. I did not have enough time to grab everything I wanted before coming.”

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small box and my breath catches.

He flips it open, revealing a beautiful bracelet.

“Peach,” he says softly, “can I be your boyfriend?”

“Yes.” It flies out of me immediately. “Yes.” I repeat.

He laughs under his breath, that boyish, heart-melting sound, and fastens the bracelet onto my wrist.

He doesn’t even get the clasp fully secure before I shove him back onto the bed and climb over him, crashing my mouth on his in a kiss.