Grabbing her wrist, I pull her back down to my lap as she erupts into a fit of giggles. “You're a brat. I'm being serious. What will your family think?”
“My family will deal with it.” She assures me with another kiss. “Stop making excuses and just admit that you want this.”
“I want this,” I say, the words coming out rougher than I intended. "I want you. But Gianna, I need you to understand, with the exception of Sage, I have never done the relationship thing. I've spent the last twenty years focused on hockey. I don't know how to do this.”
“Then we'll figure it out together.” She wraps her arms around my neck. "No pressure. No expectations. We are seeing where this goes.”
It sounds too simple, but maybe that's the point. Maybe for once in my life, I should stop overthinking and just let myself have something good.
“Okay,” I agree
“Good.” She smiles at me, and for some reason, I don’t trust it. “So, I have a question about something you said before.” I nod for her to continue. “When you saidwith the exception of Sage, did you mean Maxton’s fiance, Sage?”
“Fuck,” I whisper, unsure of how to answer this line of questioning.
“I’ll take that as confirmation of my suspicion,” she laughs. “Does Max know? Of course, he doesn’t know. If he did, there is no way you’d still be alive.”
“He knows,” I interrupt her rambling, and smile when her eyes widen to a comical size.
“Tell me everything. I need to know.” Gianna pushes me back until I’m lying on my back and she’s lying on top of me. She asks question after question about Sage without a hint of jealousy.
I hold her close to me as I explain how I ended up dating Maxton’s girl for a while before finding out about her love for my teammate. There’s something about the way we fall into conversation so naturally that gives me hope that I made the right decision about the beautiful chaos gremlin in my bed.
Eight
Gianna
Being inside the Hudson Huskies practice facility is truly insane. Never in my life did I expect to be sitting directly behind the bench watching my professional athlete boyfriend practice on the ice. It’s a surreal experience for me, but I’m loving every second of it.
This isn’t my first time in an arena. I’ve been dragged to several of Maxton’s games over the years, but this is the first time I’ve been here when the seats are nearly empty, and the guys are not on their best behavior for the audience and cameras.
I'm sitting in the same row as a group of women who all look like they left a slumber party and are headed to a hangover breakfast. I mean that in the nicest way possible, because Daemon told me they are all very kind.
The one with the curly copper hair is wearing an oversized purple hoodie that swallows her tiny frame and a simple pair of black sweatpants. Her face is clear of makeup, and her crazy hair is piled high on top of her head. A soft smile has been plaster to her face the entire time we’ve been here. Her eyes never stray from Owens for too long, even when she’s talking with the women to her right.
In the middle sits a brunette with long, wavy hair tied back in a ponytail. She’s wearing an old, large Huskies jersey with the name Wright plastered across the back. Each time the team captain has tapped onto the glass, the flush in her cheeks deepens, and her bright smile grows. The rock on her left ring finger shimmers each time it hits the light. She’s stunning without a stitch of makeup on her face.
Sage is sitting at the end of our row, and I can’t help noticing all the ways she differs from her counterparts. Bright purple hair sticks out from underneath the hood of the giant sweatshirt she’s wearing. She has heavy dark eye makeup and nearly black lipstick. Her sweatpants are also way too big for her, but she looks happy and comfy.
I'm wearing ripped jeans and one of Daemon's old long-sleeve Huskies t-shirts that I stole from his place this morning. It’s cozy and smells like him. I’ve found myself repeatedly bringing the sleeve to my nose and just inhaling his scent as I watch him practice.
“So, you must be the woman who stole Daemon’s heart,” the stunning brunette says, sliding into the seat next to me. Her smile is warm and welcoming just as Daemon told me it would be. “I'm Angelina. I am Holden Wright’s fiancée.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Gianna.” I shake her hand, trying not to feel intimidated by the confidence radiating off of her. “Also, I don't know if I stole Daemon's heart. “
“You have that man acting like a lovesick puppy.” She grins, and it transforms her whole face from intimidating to warm. “Trust me, we've all noticed the change in him.”
The beautiful woman with auburn hair leans over Angelina. “I'm Britt.” She points toward Owens. “That one is mine. And Angelina is not exaggerating. Daemon has been playing like a man possessed… in a good way.”
“Don't compliment Daemon too much. He might hear you and then he won't be able to carry his big head around on his skates,” Sage laughs as she moves closer to the three of us. “I'm sad that you missed dinner on Sunday night, but now I can see why.” Her eyes drift to Daemon as he draws back his stick, and I don't miss that hint of familiarity in her gaze.
Daemon has told me about their past together, but I can't fight off the wave of jealousy her lingering eyes on him creates.Even knowing that she's engaged to Maxton doesn't lessen my discomfort.
“I'm sorry about that,” I mumble, focusing on my man on the ice. “Daemon and I had plans.”
It isn't a complete lie. We didn't have plans when I originally told my sister that I wouldn't be available for dinner, but I did spend all of Sunday in Daemon's bed.
A slow smile creeps across my face as I watch him skate. The way he moves across the ice so effortlessly is almost as impressive as the way he knows how to work my body into the most intense releases of my life. He's in his element out there with his team. Even from here, I can see the intensity and focus on his face that makes him look dangerous.
