The Hockey Goalie's Tutor: Don't Kiss the Playboy Star

Aria's POV

The first time I met Jason Monroe, he was making out with a girl on his parents' couch.

I' d just figured he' d be one more pain-in-the-neck tutoring gig. That' s it.

Not exactly -by Friday, I' d be the one kissing him.

Worse still, he was exactly the kind of unsteady guy I' d sworn never to like.

Let me back up.

🏒🏒🏒

"For the love of God, Mama!" I groaned, half-asleep, rolled over and buried my face deeper under my covers like I could hide from the voice chasing me into the waking world.

"Aria, come down." The way she said my name told me this wasn't optional. I threw off my blanket cocoon and cursed all of Minnesota' s never-ending snowstorm. No mercy. Not even for innocents like me.

I grabbed mismatched socks and yanked my hoodie over my head. Still half-asleep, I zombie-marched downstairs.

But the second I stepped off the last stair, I froze.

Standing in the living room were two people I'd never seen before.

A woman with the kind of poise that screamed "expensive taste" in a sleek grey coat, and a tall guy with kind eyes wearing a hockey team jacket.

"And Good morning to you Aria," Mom said sweetly.

"Uh... hi," I muttered, trying to force a polite smile even though I was mentally in bed with Lily. "Um, can I help you?"

The woman smiled back. A little too tightly. "We're the Monroes. Emily and Grant. Your father recommended you. He said you're the best."

Mom gently placed a hand on my shoulder like she could sense I was about to bolt. "They want to talk to you about tutoring."

And just like that, the polite smile dropped from my face. "I'm not a tutor. And I have my own plans this weekend."

Emily took a step forward, smoothing her coat like she was trying to stay composed. "We know. We're not asking for anything long-term. Just... help. For our son. He's a transfer student and..."

"No offence," I cut in, my arms folding instinctively, "but I'm not about to become someone's homework babysitter just because my dad made a promise. Whatever he said, that's on him."

Grant let out a low sigh, and I could tell this wasn't their first attempt to fix their son's academic issues. "He's a hockey player. A good one. But his grades dropped, and he's been benched. Your dad said if anyone could help him get back on track, it's you."

"And we'll pay you," Emily added quickly, her tone almost pleading. "You'll also earn extra credit."

My arms stayed crossed, but now my jaw clenched too. This screamed of one of Dad's pet projects-rescue the failing athlete, save his dream, slap a gold star on his parenting report card.

I was opening my mouth to shut the whole thing down when Emily's voice dropped.

"It's been more than grades," she said softly, almost like she wasn't even talking to me anymore. "Hockey is Jason's dream. He was drafted for the NHL before the transfer. But since his girlfriend broke up with him six months ago, he's been closed off. He barely eats. He doesn't talk to us."

Her voice cracked a little. "He needs help. Not just with school. He needs someone to reach him."

I blinked. That hit different.

I hated hockey and its players with a passion. Most of them were loud, cocky, and about as emotionally available as a brick wall.

But something in Emily's voice made me hesitate. The way she said "he doesn't talk to us"...

"How long's it been?" I asked quietly.

Emily blinked. "Since she left? Six months."

I swallowed hard. Silence hung heavy between us. I looked from her to Grant, to Mom, then back to Emily.

"Fine," I said quietly. "I'll take the job."

And just like that, I unknowingly signed up to meet Jason Monroe-who I'd later call trouble in a hoodie with eyes like winter and a heart buried under snow.

🏒🏒🏒

"I still can't believe you said yes," Lily, my best friend, said dramatically, lying upside down on my bed like she lived here (which she basically did), her legs kicked up against the headboard, and her face halfway buried in a family-size bag of chips.

"I couldn't say no," I muttered as I sat in front of my mirror brushing out my hair. "His mom looked like she was about to cry."

"You know what this means, right?" Lily sat up, chip crumbs dusting her leggings, eyes practically glowing with excitement. "Aria. Come on. When has a hockey player not been hot? It's practically part of the sport. The abs are built-in."

I rolled my eyes so hard. "I'll be meeting him and his family at three. Wanna come?"

Her grin stretched ear to ear. "Do I ever say no to watching you suffer? Let's go."

By 2:50, we were bundled up and ready. I kept it chill with a grey sweatshirt tucked into my black sweatpants, a chunky scarf, wool mittens, and sneakers that had seen better days. Comfort was the only thing on my mind.

Lily, being Lily, rocked a soft pink cotton dress with floral leggings and boots. Yes, in this weather. Apparently, she had an immunity to frostbite and an obsession with dressing like it was mid-April in actual spring.

When we pulled into the neighbourhood, Lily slowed her car and glanced around with raised brows.

Every house was like its own little museum, perfectly trimmed lawns, fancy gates, and enough glass panels to make any burglar weep with joy. Everything screamed "money lives here."

"Okay, now I'm nervous," I muttered.

Lily looped her arm through mine and grinned. "Relax. Rich people love you."

I squinted. "What does that even mean?"

Before she could answer, the massive door creaked open.

Lily's mouth dropped. "Are we in a house or a Pinterest board?"

Then we heard a soft, muffled moan.

Lily's head whipped toward the sound. "Um... what was that?"

Another moan. Louder this time.

We both exchanged wide-eyed glances, then slowly tiptoed closer to the sunken living room.

And there, on the couch, was a shirtless guy with tattoos snaking down his arms, muscles flexing as he kissed a girl like he didn't care who was watching.

Well, this was his space and he hadn't noticed he had visitors.

My jaw dropped.

Lily let out a breath. "Well... at least we know he's hot."

I couldn't even speak. My brain stopped working.

Footsteps echoed down the hall, and suddenly Emily Monroe appeared from around the corner holding a file folder.

Her eyes zeroed in on the couch.

Her face went full mom mode in 0.2 seconds.

"Jason!"

The guy broke the kiss, jaw tightening as he looked up at his mom.

He stood up, grabbed the girl's hand, and walked her to the door. On his way back, he stopped in front of me, looking me up and down with that amused, taunting smirk.

"Oh, great," he muttered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "My dad's latest rescue mission."

"Jason, that's enough," she said sharply. "This is Aria. She's going to help you with your studies."

Jason just stared at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then he said coldly, "How many days till you bail, good girl?"

I froze mid-step, my prepared opening line dying on my tongue.

This was Jason? This was who I was supposed to tutor? Oh no.

I was so screwed.

Jason's POV

I knew things were getting out of hand when Coach benched me at practice.

Actually benched me.

Me, Jason Monroe.

I stood there with my helmet in my hand, my mouth wide open, while Coach barked at some sophomore to sub in.

It was humiliating.

Yeah, my grades were terrible.

But since when did that matter?

I was Captain. Star goalie. MVP three seasons running.

This town had my face on every banner, every billboard, even on that weird cereal box they sold at the local grocery store.

Kids begged me for autographs after games. Grown men asked for selfies.

So, one D in a few subjects, and suddenly I was public enemy #1?

My parents weren't helping at all. Simon, the left winger, had worse grades than I did. Yet he was still on the ice because of his dad's money. I was sure his father cared less about his grades.

But my dad was acting like the world was ending just because I wasn't a straight-A student.

I told Mom outright when she suggested a tutor that I didn't need an overachieving know-it-all shoving flashcards in my face.

Clearly, she didn't get the memo.

As I lounged shirtless after my latest guest had been shown the door, Mom came back talking.

"No more girls, Jason. Don't test me. This time, I mean it. You will be good to Aria. She's here to help you."

Aria?

I blinked, glancing toward the fireplace where two girls stood awkwardly. The one with pink hair grinned at me. I winked, yeah, she had the whole troublemaker vibe. My kind of fun.

But I couldn't say the same about the other girl. She was smaller, dressed in oversized sweats that practically swallowed her whole body.

Was this Principal Bennett's daughter? The one meant to tutor me? Cute. Real cute.

But don't get it twisted. I don't do cute. Never have. My type was flashy blondes and girls in preppy short skirts. The ones who weren't afraid to show some skin. The ones who knew who I was and made sure I knew they knew.

And she didn't fit in any of the categories. Her eyes didn't light up like the others. Not even a slow once-over. She didn't even seem impressed that I was shirtless. Most girls would've been blushing or stammering.

"So," I said, clearly amused, "you're the bad influence." I narrowed my gaze at the pink-haired girl.

"She prefers the term 'best friend.' I'm Lily," she said cheerfully.

"Jason," I replied.

Lily laughed, flipping her hair back. "Yeah, I know you. Star goalie? Captain... You're impossible not to know."

Damn. Now that's my kind of girl. I threw on a charming smile for Lily and shifted my attention to my mom.

"Aria, Lily... this is Jason, our son."

"So this is the genius I'm supposed to bow down to?" My eyes landed on Aria.

Mom let out a small, exhausted sigh and handed Aria a folder. "These are his class schedules and recent test results. I figured you could go through them and set a plan."

"I don't need a babysitter," I cut in.

Mom's lips thinned. "Jason..."

"No, seriously. We talked about this, Mom. I told you I don't need a tutor following me around with a stick up her..."

"Enough. It's not your decision to make, so you should be happy your father and I are doing this." She turned to Aria and Lily. "I'm so sorry. He's... difficult lately."

"No kidding," Lily muttered under her breath.

"Aria, maybe you and Jason can sit and talk. Get to know each other. Lily, would you mind coming with me to grab those tutoring materials from the study upstairs?"

Lily hesitated, her gaze shifting to Aria, who gave a subtle nod. Go, I got this... Maybe? Once they were gone, it was just me and her.

I dropped onto the couch again, this time stretching my arms wide across the backrest as I watched her. Brown curly shoulder-length hair, grey eyes, and small lips? I couldn't deny that she was attractive. But then she still hadn't said a word. Was she mute?

"Let me guess," I drawled, "you've already got your flashcards alphabetised and your planner colour-coded?"

She didn't respond. She was too busy pulling the folder open and flipping through the pages.

I scoffed. "Seriously? You're gonna stand there like I didn't just insult you?"

"I've been called worse," she finally muttered.

Thank God. At least she could talk. I didn't have to learn sign language to communicate with her.

"Yeah? Daddy's a principal, right? Explains the straight posture and the whole uptight energy. Bet you call him 'Sir' at home."

I knew exactly what I was getting at. I was hoping to strike a nerve and see how far I could push her.

"First of all," she said, finally looking up from her folder, "my dad being the principal doesn't reflect on me. And second, I'm not here to be your friend, nor am I here to be your fangirl. I'm here because your parents asked for help."

I clapped my hands slowly. "Wow. You're tough."

She inhaled through her nose. Had I gotten through to her? I sincerely hoped so. "Look, I don't care if you hate tutoring. I don't care if you hate me. But you want to play hockey again, right? You want to go to college and go pro?"

My jaw twitched, and I didn't say anything.

"Then shut up, take the damn help, and let's both get through this. We don't have to like each other."

I stared at her for a long moment. "You talk too much."

She ignored my comment, pulled out the placement tests, and dropped them onto the coffee table. "Start these tonight. I'll come back tomorrow to see where you're at."

"Sure," I replied sarcastically. "Can't wait."

I watched her walk away. When she was out of sight, I hurled the tests across the room.

My phone buzzed in my pocket. It was Aiden, my best friend.

"So the principal's daughter is your tutor now?" his voice filtered through the line.

"Whatever."

I flopped onto the bed and groaned. Aiden was still yapping about the nerd tutor rumor, running his mouth nonstop.

But I wasn' t listening. I was thinking about those grey eyes that hadn' t flinched once.

What would it look like when I riled her up so bad she cried?

My life was a complete mess. But maybe-just maybe-it was about to get a lot more interesting.

Aria's POV

I cursed the moment I let a guy I just met drag me into doing something completely out of character for me.

I had to admit it. That morning, Kevin - a guy I barely knew from school - showed up on my porch with a party invite. For a second, I thought maybe my life didn' t completely suck.

I' d meant to turn him down. I'm the principal's daughter, the one who's supposed to be home on nights like this, either studying or sleeping.

But he said, "No one 'just' has a social life. They make it."

Maybe his smile was just too hard to resist. I found myself trading digits with him before I knew it.

Hmm, okay... maybe I could make a social life.

But if this were how he cultivated his social life, then I would gladly skip having one entirely.

At the party, on the couch before me was Kevin, engrossed in a make-out session with another guy.

I tugged at my fitted black top, the rips in my high-waisted jeans staring me right in the face.

This was Lily's big "party outfit" makeover for me - and god, those damn loose waves and shimmery eyeshadow.

Total zero!

I chugged down my drink, a fruity concoction I found in the fridge of the party host.

"My, my... Who do we have here?"

Oh no. I recognised that voice.

It belonged to Jason, and he was the last person I wanted to see right now.

I glanced up and locked eyes with him. Tonight, he was dressed normally, in a plain long-sleeved shirt and sweatpants, unlike the first time I saw him.

"If it isn't my tutor. You know her? She's Principal Bennett's daughter, the one and only." Jason slapped the back of a guy standing beside him.

I let out a frustrated huff and decided to ignore him. If only he could read my mind and leave me alone.

"What's that? Beer?" Jason snatched my cup before I could protest.

I watched in disbelief as he drowned the contents. A smirk curled on his lips. "Does Daddy know you're at a party full of hot hockey players and drinking beer?"

I rolled my eyes, shot my middle finger at him, and turned away. But it seemed Jason wasn't going to let me off that easily. What was wrong with him? Was he drunk?

"Leave me alone," I spat.

Jason grinned slyly and leaned in closer. "I heard you dressed up thinking you were going on a date, and the guy turned out to be gay."

My eyes widened, and my mouth fell open in shock. How did he know that? His friend beside him shot me an apologetic look. Good to know he recognised that Jason was being a jerk.

He grinned slyly. "You know... you look different tonight."

In a drunken stumble, Jason stepped too close and fell on top of me.

A huge guy leaning on my small frame? We both toppled to the ground, me on the bottom and Jason on top.

I could smell the alcohol on his breath, and I scrunched my nose in distaste while trying to push him off, but I was unsuccessful.

"Get off me," I managed to say.

Jason's eyes fluttered open slightly as he cupped my face. I froze. His hands were warm against my skin, but rational thought fled me.

He gave me a look that screamed trouble. And just as I suspected, he leaned in and kissed my lips.

"Dary... don't leave me again, please," he murmured against my mouth before biting my lower lip.

My brain had completely shut down. It was my first kiss.

Despite the bitter, mangy taste of beer, I found myself getting lost in the moment until I heard the flash of a camera.

I broke the kiss, turning my head to the side and gasped.

The party had moved outside, and people were taking shots, laughing loudly. Oh no.

Coming here was the worst mistake I'd ever made. Someone helped pull Jason off me, and I looked up to see his friend from earlier and Lily rushing to my side.

My throat constricted, and I fought the urge to burst into tears. I was sitting in the sand, my clothing ruined, and my lips swollen, with glassy eyes.

I scrambled to my feet, pushing my way through the crowd amid the boos and jeers from the students. Tears stung my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

"Aria... are you okay?" Lily gripped my wrists tight, shielding me from the curious, gawking stares all around. I sniffled and nodded.

"Oh my god, that was insane," Lily breathed a sigh of relief, then grinned. "So, how was the kiss with Jason?"

"I-" My voice caught. Out of nowhere, a heavy, dazed gaze pinned me in place. I scanned the crowd like a hunted animal, and then I saw him.

Jason. Leaning against the wall in the corner, his friend saying something sharp to him.

The fog of beer seemed to have lifted a little.

Our eyes locked across the noisy yard.

_Dary..._

_Don't leave me again..._

My lips still burned, stained with the taste of someone else's mistake.

I wrenched my gaze away, forcing a sharp, bitter smile. "Thought hockey players would kiss better. That was-awful. Total garbage."

Lily looped her arm through mine. "Garbage! Got it. C'mon, next time I'll take you to a way better party."

I didn't look back. We climbed into her car, and I'd just clicked my seatbelt when my phone screen lit up.

"Your dad texting you to come home?" Lily knew all about his strict, old-fashioned rules about being a good girl.

I tapped the screen open. Two short lines popped up, from Jason' s number-the one I' d saved for tutoring last week.

"I'm sorry. I'll take the test seriously."

Just... a test? That' s all? Who even was Dary?

I pressed the power button hard until the screen went black, tossing the phone aside and staring out at the streetlights blurring past.

My chest tightened.

How was I supposed to face my tutor tomorrow?