Every time I blink, I see her from this morning; Warm, flushed, and sandwiched between us like she belonged there. The way her breath felt against my mouth and her voice all soft and wretched when she whispered my name.
Christ.
Focus.
Hockey.
Skating.
Do not get a hard-on during lines.
Mikey elbows me when we turn. “Stop thinking about her.”
“I’m not,” I lie… badly, I might add.
“You are.” He grins like the menace he is. “You look like you’re trying not to combust. Or cum in your pants.”
“Shut up and skate.”
“Can’t. Dying.”
“Good.”
Coach blows the whistle. I swear the man enjoys our suffering.
“Done!” he shouts. “Get back in line! You two, don’t waste another second of my time, or I swear I’ll…” Then coach stops mid-rant, looking over my shoulder. When I turn, I see Julia walking in.
She’s standing at the edge of the rink in one of Mikey’s hoodies… No, actually, my hoodies and leggings that should be fucking illegal. She’s holding a coffee in each hand. Her cheeks are pink from the cold, and she looks like she has no idea the entire team is staring at her.
My lungs forget how to work, and Mikey slams straight into me because apparently, he forgot how to skate.
We both hit the board like idiots.
Coach turns slowly. Looks at her, then to us.
“Ohhh,” he says. “Now it makes sense.”
The team erupts into laughter, and I want to drown all of them.
Julia blinks, confused. “Um… hi?”
I skate over, ripping off my helmet. “You’re not supposed to be walking around without security.”
She smiles at me, “I’m in your rink. I think I’m safe.”
Mikey joins us, leaning over her shoulder. “Is that coffee for us?”
She hands it to him.
Coach claps his hands. “Alright, Romeo and Romeo, quit flirting on my ice!”
Julia’s cheeks flare bright red.
Mikey throws an arm around her shoulders. “Ignore him. He wasn’t loved as a child.”
“I HEARD THAT!”
We both smirk. Julia’s eyes meet mine again, and everything inside of me settles.
