We’ll only get to be together like this once. With the offseason now upon us, guys will move on and change teams. I want to savor this moment.
Music crackles through the speakers. Drinks are flowing. Lights are flashing overhead from the dance floor. Guys are crammed into booths with loved ones.
“Having fun?” Bex slinks over to me, wrapping her arms around my back, resting her chin there.
“More, now that you’re here.”
“I think you’re doing just fine without me.”
“Hey Bex!” Cash calls, interrupting the two of us. “Your turn!”
He points to the cup, the gold liquid floating in the top.
“There’s no way I can drink from that!”
Troy shakes his head. “You have to. Otherwise you’ll curse us for next year.”
“Oh, fine.” Except she’s beaming as she heads over to the large cup and takes a sip. Pulling out my phone, I snap a quick picture because fuck, is there anything better than seeing Bex like this?
She’s free. And open. Everyone loving on her exactly the way it should be.
“Hell yeah!” Troy fist-bumps her as the guys clap her on the shoulders.
As soon as she makes her way over to me, I clasp her cheeks and lean down to capture her lips with mine, savoring the cool feel of them and the taste of champagne against them.
“Mmm. So fucking good,” I mutter against her. “How’d it taste?”
“Not as good as you.”
Laughter burbles out of me as I tug Bex to a booth to join some other guys.
The night seems endless, like it’ll go on for hours. Even after the lights turn on, no one leaves. That is, until my eyes get heavy and I can barely hold my head up anymore.
“C’mon. Time to get you home,” Bex says.
I nod, a sleepy feeling taking over. Wrapping my arms around her, I let her lead me out to the car she hired for the night. Every guy has one. The last thing she wants is anyone making any stupid decisions tonight.
As soon as we’re in the backseat of the car, I lay my head down in Bex’s lap.
“Someone’s tired,” she purrs.
I nod, closing my eyes and burrowing in closer to her. “Long night.”
My entire body aches in the best way. All I want is to be in bed with Bex. At this point, I need sleep more than anything else.
“I’m so proud of you,” she tells me, scraping her fingers along my scalp. “You’re incredible, Nick. The way you were moving on the ice tonight? You were a machine out there.”
I look up at her. Nothing but love and pride is oozing out of her. “I didn’t want to lose it for you.”
“Even if you did, it would be okay,” she whispers.
“Winning it is better though.”
A small grin tugs at the corner of her beautiful smile. “It really is.”
By the time the car pulls up in front of Bex’s house, it’s after four in the morning. Exhaustion hangs heavy between the two of us.
Too many drinks and celebrations have us heading to her room and collapsing into bed.
