“I told him to make sure he got extra pictures of Ollie tonight,” Daphne says, leaning toward me.
Right as she says that, the music playing over the speakers fades, and we hear, “Let’s make some noise for our newest Devil Bird as he takes his welcome lap.Welcome to the flock, number thirty-six, Oliver King!”
Ollie takes the ice without his helmet on, his dark brown hair combed back from his face.I know it’s weird to find eyebrows attractive, but he has extremely nice ones.They’re dark and thick, but naturally nicely shaped over eyes the color of melted chocolate.Not like woolly caterpillars or a unibrow.They’re manly.Thank goodness he’s had to wear a helmet with a cage his entire hockey career—his nose is still straight.It’s pert and slightly turned up on the end.Friendly, if that makes any sense.Some noses are hooked or so straight and sharp they’re scary.His nose reminds me of a bunny rabbit’s nose.I’m being ridiculous.
It’s adorable how hot pink his cheeks are above his dark brown beard line, and it’s not from the cold temperature of the ice.He’s embarrassed by the attention.The arena isn’t full yet, but there are lots of cheers for him, and that makes me happy.He’s not looking at the crowd, so he doesn’t see me waving.After he finishes his lap by shooting the puck in the net, the rest of the team joins him and starts warming up.
“Go down to the glass!”Daphne says.“He doesn’t know where your seats are.Go!”
I make Andie come with me, and she catches the attention of Colby Alvarez right away.She points at Ollie and tells Colby to get him.He skates over to where Ollie stands at the bench, about to put his helmet on, and points to us.The look of pure joy that spreads across Ollie’s face with a huge smile when he sees me is something I’ll never forget.I’ve never had any man look at me like that.
“Wow,” Andie says.“Just friends, huh?None of my friends”—she does air quotes when she says the word friends—“have ever looked at me like that.”
“Shut up,” I say behind clenched teeth as I smile and wave to Ollie.
Ollie and Colby skate over to us at the glass.Andie has moved down a few feet for privacy— not sure if it’s for us or for them.Ollie waves and points to his jersey and then to mine.
“Is it one of mine?”he asks.I can’t hear him, but I can read his lips.His pink, bow-shaped, extremely kissable-looking lips.They’d look feminine if not surrounded by the hair of his beard.Wonder if his beard is soft or scratchy when he kisses.And how it would feel all over my body…
Focus, Phoebe.
Nodding, I turn around so he can see his name on my back.I look over my shoulder so I can see him.
Oh my ganache, the way he bites his lips as his eyes grow heavy-lidded turns me on.My panties are wet and, with my luck, are going to freeze to my hoo-ha, sitting in an ice rink for hours.Worth it though, for that expression.He shakes his head like he’s coming to his senses and gives me a more normal Ollie grin.
“Thank you!”he shouts, and I’m able to hear him this time.
“Nowhere else I’d want to be!Good luck!”I yell back.He puts his helmet on and skates away but turns back one last time before collecting a puck on the blade of his stick and skating with it.They wear full face shields in the Paranormal Hockey League, so it’s not easy to see their faces clearly, but I’m pretty sure he winked at me.
As I turn away from the glass to go back to my seat, my phone chimes.It’s a text from Daphne with a picture attached.Opening it, I see Ollie’s face when he was doing the lip-biting-smolder thing.
Daphne: For your personal spank bank.
She included the tongue hanging out drooling emoji, capturing my feelings exactly.Now I know why she’s Shelby’s best friend.I may make her mine too.
4
OLLIE
As much asplaying hockey professionally was my dream, seeing Phoebe Albright wearing my name across her back, telling the world she’s here for me, was an even bigger dream come true.I’ve considered myself a reasonable, modern man, but I wanted to indulge my Bigfoot shifter, scoop up the woman I want to be mine, and go live happily ever after with her deep in the forest.There’s no forest on the island Atlantic City’s on, but if we drive around half an hour or so, we’d be in the pinelands that cover a large portion of southern New Jersey.
I raked my bottom lip with my teeth and started to close my eyes to indulge in that fantasy, then I remembered where I am and what I’m here to do.
I need to focus on scoring in hockey, not scoring with Phoebe.After the game, in the privacy of my hotel room, I can indulge myself in my sexy thoughts of her.But not now.
Shaking my head, I try to smile normally and not grimace.But damn, my compression shorts are feeling tight.
I start stretching, and Alvarez and Stone Waller join me.Stone is the brother of our goalie and plays defense.I think he’s a moose shifter.Alvarez is a capybara shifter.The Devil Birds have all sorts of shifters—polar bear, wolves, a wombat, Coach is a cougar shifter—which is unique in the league.Most teams are full of wolves and other canine-type shifters, like coyotes and hyenas, bears, and large cat shifters.From what I’ve seen from being on the opposing team, they have incredible chemistry.I don’t know if it’s the mix of shifter types or because of their personalities.Whatever it is, it works.I hope I’m able to fit in.Or at least that they leave me alone.
“How do you know Phoebe?”Alvarez asks.
“We’re friends,” I say, starting groin stretches.
“How did you meet?”
Sighing, I switch to hip stretches.I know it looks like I’m humping the ice and people are recording it, but I can’t care.It’s not worth risking injury so I can avoid embarrassment.At least now Phoebe knows I can handle the thrusting.Not that I think she’s wondered.
“Our older siblings are married to each other.”
