Page 123 of Risking the Pucking Defense

“It’s okay?” I repeat, my head spinning out of control.

Now her smile really grows as she starts nodding.

“Turns out, he thinks I’m pretty good at my job too,” she says with a little laugh.

“Good, so he fucking should.”

“I think it helped that I went straight to them. I was honest and open, and they respected that. But he was also quick to remind me that other teams have fired people for less, and that many out there would go down a very different route.”

“Fuck,” I breathe. “So it’s really okay? You’ve still got a job, and we…”

“Should we take this anywhere, we need to remain professional, and if there’s any hint of something untoward, then I’m going to be straight out the door⁠—”

“That’ll never happen,” I promise her. “When we’re at work, it’ll be like we don’t know each other.”

She smiles up at me, her eyes still glittering with emotion.

“You should have told me,” I say softly, lifting my hand to tuck a loose curl behind her ear.

“You needed to focus on your job, not mine.”

“We did this together. It wasn’t just you.”

“I know. But I’m the one in a position of power and I⁠—”

“Don’t,” I warn her, cupping her jaw. “This…this has nothing to do with our jobs, with your position. Our jobs brought us into each other’s lives, that’s all.”

She nods, as aware as I am how true that is.

“So, what happens next?” I ask.

She shrugs one shoulder. “Whatever we want, I guess.”

“And what if I want to shout from the rooftops that you’re mine?”

Her wince is all the answer I need.

“I’m kidding.”

“Good. We might have gotten the okay from Anthony, but if we do this, it’s going to come with a lot of drama. And I don’t just mean from the league.”

My brows pinch as I stare into her eyes. “What do you mean?”

“We need to talk about my past and⁠—”

“Whenever you’re ready, you can tell me anything. Right now, I just need to know if you’re willing to keep doing this with me.”

She rolls her lips into her mouth, making me wait for the answer I need.

“I…I don’t think I can stop.”

“Thank fuck for that,” I mutter before pulling her into my body and crashing my lips against hers.

36

HAILEE

Isink into his kiss. It’s everything I’ve been missing over the last few days.