Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 89535 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89535 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 448(@200wpm)___ 358(@250wpm)___ 298(@300wpm)
No concussion protocol this time, thank you very much.
The play is so fast, I’m still trying to work out where the puck went. I don’t realize I found the actual goal until my line mates are pulling me up into a hug.
I glance around. Wait, what?
Then I smile as if to say, Oh, yeah, I totally did that on purpose.
I’m probably going to regret it when that becomes the play of the night. Fluke shots are amazing, but I’d prefer to look at least a little bit cool while pulling them off.
As we skate back to the team box for a shift change, my gaze finds Kole’s where he sits in the corner of the box. He shakes his head, and I bow.
Coach gives more ice time to the lower string lines until the clock runs down. I already know I’m not going back out there tonight, which is probably why my gaze keeps darting behind me instead of focusing on the action.
UConn ends up scoring one more time, bringing their entire total to two. Our offense has kept the puck in our attack zone for most of the game. You can’t score from the wrong end of the ice.
Everyone’s on a high when we reach the locker room, but Coach Hogan, as usual, feels the need to remind us that we have another game tomorrow night, and any partying will result in missing out on playing that game.
Simms sidles up to me as we strip down for the showers. “We have to celebrate that fluke shot though.”
I agree. I just think we have two very different ideas on how that celebration should go. Mine involves Kole naked and a lot of lube.
“Tomorrow night. After we kick their asses again.”
Though I assume I’ll want to celebrate the exact same way I plan to tonight.
Simms punches me in the shoulder. “You’re on. We killed them.”
“Don’t get too confident or it can all fall to shit tomorrow. We don’t want a repeat of regionals.”
At least if we do lose tomorrow, we’ll still be high on the leaders’ list for this season.
We’re sitting comfortably. A lot more comfortable than we were this time last year. We barely scraped into the playoffs and then fought our way through to regionals. We were only two wins away from winning the whole damn thing when it all fell apart.
I don’t want that disappointment this year.
Kole’s cleaning up after us, putting all our shit in its place, and as I walk by him to go to the showers, I can’t help myself and send him a wink.
His cheeks pinken the tiniest bit. I can’t wait until his whole body is flushed that same color.
The sucky thing about away games is it doesn’t matter how quick you shower and get out to the bus, you have to wait for everyone else, and apparently, everyone else is too busy goofing off and delaying hotel curfew because they’re still coming down from the win.
Kole’s the last on the bus, and he takes his usual seat next to his dad. Not that he had many other options. Simms is next to me, blabbering on and on about my fluke shot.
I don’t take my eyes off the back of Kole’s head as I say, “It wasn’t a fluke. It’s all talent.”
Simms scoffs. “If you say so. I think it could win play of the year and best blooper. The way you tripped on your own stick and landed on the ice …”
“It takes a lot of talent to look that stupid,” Kaplan adds from the seat in front of us.
I lean forward and give him a noogie. Because apparently, I’m one of them now.
And this is normal behavior for us.
I don’t know when that happened, but there it is.
When we pull up to the hotel, it takes all my strength not to run to the room. That wouldn’t be obvious or anything.
Totally casual.
Completely.
“Where’s the fire?” Simms calls out behind me.
I guess I’m not pulling off this casual thing, after all. And I’ve also lost Kole somewhere along the way. I get in the elevator and hit Kole’s and my floor, but then Schofield holds the door open for everyone to join us.
My dick complains. No, wait, that groan is coming from my mouth. Kole’s on the other side of the elevator, and he smiles in my direction. Apparently my groan is loud too.
We stop at a million different floors, and I begin to think everyone is conspiring against us. Maybe the universe is trying to protect Kole from someone like me.
But as I meet his gaze, and those hazel eyes fill with heat, there’s no doubt in my mind that Kole’s only in this for the sex. He’s too smart to fall for someone so … damaged.
It’s a shame, really, because our chemistry is on fire, and I actually like him. I don’t like many people. Sure as shit don’t get along with a lot.