As he heads down the stairs toward the bench, I turn to Jamie Beth. “You don’t think Declan noticed we weren’t here, do you? I figured he’d be preoccupied with the game.”
Her eyes widen. “Um, Mia?”
“Yeah?”
“Turn to your left.”
I do as she says, and then I gasp. Declan, skates and all, is climbing the stairs toward us.
When he reaches me, he pulls off his helmet. Sweat pours off his forehead, and his cheeks are flushed from exertion. His gray eyes lock with mine, and we both break into a smile at the same time.
“You’re here,” he says simply.
“Of course. I’m so sorry we’re late. I know I promised I’d be on time, but…”
“It’s completely my fault,” Jamie Beth chimes in. “My minivan got a flat tire. And Mia’s so awesome—she changed it herself.”
“Shit.” Declan’s brow creases with worry. “Did it happen on the highway?”
I nod. “But we were very careful. The tire was on the shoulder side of the van. And it was nobody’s fault,” I add with a stern look over at Jamie Beth. “Just an unfortunate situation. We’re totally fine, and Luke and them will be here shortly. One of their horses went into labor. So you head back out there and kick some ass, Mr. Wild. I’m sure you’re—”
Declan leans down and kisses me.
On the lips.
Just a quick, closed-mouth kiss. The kind of kiss a husband would give his wife in public. Not attention-seeking and no PDA.
But for me—for us—it’s more than that.
He knows it.
I know it.
Cam and Brayden, who I can hear laughing behind me, know it.
Hell, Jamie Beth knows it, and her muted squeal of surprise makes that clear.
Declan’s sweaty and sexy and so freaking gorgeous. I stare up at him as he backs away.
“See you after the game,” he tells me as he heads back to the bench.
“What. The. Fuck.” Jamie Beth slaps my leg as the game starts up again. “Declan just kissed you like this is…” She leans in and whispers in my ear, “Like this is real between y’all. Did you catch that?”
I keep my voice low. “Of course I caught that. I don’t know what the hell he was doing.”
“Staking his claim. Marking his territory. Telling the seventeen thousand people in this arena that he’s taken.” Jamie Beth squeals again. “Should I keep going?”
“Please don’t.” I turn to look at her. “Let’s table this discussion for later. Right now, and for the next couple of hours, I need to put all my energy into making sure the Wild Kings win.”
“They will,” Jamie says confidently. “They’ve got this. They’re dominating this season.”
* * *
The Kings may be dominant, but tonight is not their night.
Even after Luke, Chase, and Cooper show up and take their seats behind us with the others, and we all cheer until we’re hoarse, the Kings cannot put the puck in the damn net.
I’ve been studying the game all week.
