“I’m serious,” I continued as I took another shot. “An ass like yours could start a war.” She was still distracted and let the puck hit the net once more. “Shame you can’t stop a puck to save your life.”
Mackenzie looked like her head was about to explode, but when she suddenly seemed to realize I’d just scored on her twice she readjusted her position in front of the net. “Do you have a death wish?”
Probably, but I continued.
“Shakespeare would have written sonnets about it.” I took shot after shot as I teased her, and she soon started making saves like I knew she could. “It makes guys forget what they’re talking about.”
“You’re going to regret this, Parker.”
“They even forget their name.”
“I knew training with you wouldn’t work.”
“All they know is that they’ve seen perfection, and they’ll never experience anything like it ever again.”
She finally yanked her catch glove off, pulled her helmet from her head and stormed toward me. “Are you trying to piss me off?”
I skated to meet her, grinning. She was pink in the face, covered in sweat, and her hair was as wild as her eyes. It was a seriously good look on her.
“Yes, I am.”
“Huh?”
“I’m trying to piss you off. Just like those guys from the game on Saturday. I doubt they’ll be the only jerks you encounter out here.”
“I’m looking at one right now.”
“Fair.” I smirked. “But you can’t afford to let stuff like that disrupt your game.”
Her eyes slowly started to dawn with realization. “All that was to teach me a lesson?”
“Obviously.” I shrugged. “Although, it was kind of fun.”
“Wait, so, you don’t think I’ve got a great butt?”
“Oh, no, I totally do. I just let my inside thoughts out.”
She whacked me on the arm with her blocker, but my resulting laughter only seemed to evoke more frustration in her eyes. But then there was a slight crack in her expression, and a moment later she started laughing too.
Something about her expression hit me square in the chest. She never smiled or laughed when I was around. The way her eyes were sparkling right now felt like discovering a rare hidden treasure. The thought stopped me short. Did I actually like making her laugh?
She shook her head at me but was still smiling. “You’re the worst.”
“I know. But you wouldn’t have me any other way, right?”
“I’d prefer you literally any other way.”
From her sharp tone to her piercing glare, there was no doubt in my mind this girl couldn’t stand me. So, why did her words make me smile? And why when our eyes met did everything else seem to fade away?
“You dropped me on purpose!” Reality came quickly hurtling back as we both turned to the sound of my sister shouting from the other side of the ice. She went up to her partner and shoved him in the chest.
He stumbled back slightly but then folded his arms and stood his ground. “Maybe you fell on purpose.”
“Ugh!” Cammie screeched before turning to skate off. Her coach was yelling after her.
“Told you I’m the nice one,” I said. “I think that might be her third partner this year.”
“I mean, I’d be pissed if a guy dropped me, too.”
