“Let me do the honors,” I smirk, hooking my finger in her sexy little black skirt and bringing her back to me because it’s so damn hard for me not to touch her again. “Do you know your way back to your seats, or do you need me to get someone to walk you?”
“I think I can manage.” Her hand comes to rest over my heart as it picks up speed from her touch. “Kick some ass out there for me tonight,” she grins, and I feel the familiar pull of the game flow back into me.
“I plan on it. Next goal is for you.” I kiss her briefly on the lips before smacking her ass and turning her toward the door. “You need to leave so I can get my dick under control before the buzzer sounds off,” I growl, running my fingers through my hair to try to get ahold of some self-control that I seriously lack when I’m with her.
“I’m going,” she giggles, opening the door.
“Hey sunshine,” I call out, stopping her as she looks over her shoulder at me. Her blue eyes are shining with that light that always takes my breath away. I’m going to do everything in my power to always keep it bright. “Thanks for coming tonight,” I say softly. She has no idea how much it means to me for her to be here.
“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” she smiles before walking away.
Fisting the jersey in my hand, I step out and head in the opposite direction toward the locker room. I find my teammates in the back putting their gear back on as I head straight to them.
I throw the jersey in Hayes’s face, and he catches it, laughing.
“Don’t fucking mess with me again like that,” I growl out, as I take a seat and start putting my pads back on my shoulders.
“It worked, didn’t it?” Hayes asks with a smug look on his face.
“In a weird fucked up way, I guess it did,” I mutter.
“I’m waiting?” Hayes puts a hand to his ear, and I scowl at him.
“For what, a fucking lollipop?”
“A thank you would work, but if you have a sucker on you, I’ll take one of those instead?” He shrugs, getting an eye roll from me.
“I’ll thank youafterwe win this game.” I throw my jersey on and stuff a protein bar in my mouth.
“Deal,” he grins.
“Glad to have you back, Captain,” Cayden says, slapping me on the back before walking over to where the rest of the team is lining up. Kane, McCormick, and Foxx do the same as they pass by me, their gloves tapping me on the shoulders, showing their support.
Feels good to be back.
Shoving my helmet on, I stuff my hands in my gloves and grab my stick, feeling more mentally prepared than I have in days.
As soon as my skates hit the ice, I see Cayden already scuffing up his ice area in front of the net and doing a few stretches. The rest of the lineup is getting a couple of laps in as they get a feel of the newly resurfaced ice and roughing it up a bit before the puck drops.
Joining them, I make a point to skate to the area where Savi is sitting and am relieved to see that she made it back to her seat. Her grin is infectious when she sees me, and I can’t help but feel myself smile back. Tapping the glass briefly with my stick, I give her a wink before skating to the center to get in position for the face off.
The crowd disappears as I crouch low, waiting for the puck to drop. It hits the ice, and I win the face off as I pass it to McCormick on my right.
Digging my skates into the icy surface, I pick up speed chasing after him as we race to the goal post. Hayes takes control of the puck and ice sprays behind the net as he comes to a rapid halt, taking a moment to assess the situation.
Whipping it along the sides, Kane picks it up at the center line before shooting it across the rink to Foxx.
Moving to the left, I finally get free of the player guarding me, and it doesn’t take long for Foxx to notice I’m open as he launches it at me. I stickhandle it back and forth as I inch toward the net. Swinging back, I aim as my stick connects with the puck, sending it sailing past the goalie’s glove into the red zone.
Stopping behind the net, I touch my heart briefly as a grin stretches across my face.
“He’s back,” Foxx says, putting his glove on my helmet and shaking it.
“That’s what I’m talking about,” Hayes grins, fisting his glove to mine as the goal horn sounds and the music comes on. I skate back to the bench and smile when I see Savi cheering with the crowd.
Her eyes meet mine, and I feel a little more of her light seep in as my heart slowly starts to come alive again.
TWENTY-FIVE
