Page 22 of Risking the Pucking Defense

Only kids watch movies like High School Musical, right?

“Then she had good taste,” Hailee says, smiling up at me. “It was always one of my favorites, too. I haven’t seen it in years, though.”

“Okay, well, would you…would you like to watch it?”

“With you?”

“You’re more than welcome to go back up to your room and watch it alone, if you want.” But please don’t.

She looks around my room. I’m not sure what she’s searching for, but she doesn’t seem to find it.

“You don’t have a woman in here?”

My brows pull together. “What?”

“Sorry. I just wasn’t sure…”

“If I bring women back to my room to have a sing-along with Zac?” I finish for her.

“Maybe, yeah. Hockey players do all kinds of stuff in their spare time.”

My frown deepens. “We have spare time?”

She chuckles. “Enough to keep me employed dealing with the fallout.”

“Right, well, I don’t have a woman in here. Unless you count yourself.”

“I’m not a woman,” she blurts, forcing my eyes to drop from hers.

She’s wearing a Vipers zip-up, but beneath it…

Shit. I don’t think she’s wearing a bra.

“No, I am a woman. I just meant…clearly, I’ve had more than enough prosecco today.”

I chuckle as she turns away from me and walks toward the bed.

“Do you mind?” she asks, gesturing to it.

“No, of course not,” I say, ignoring the fact that she’s chosen my side.

“Thanks,” she mumbles before climbing on, resting back against the headboard, and sipping her hot chocolate.

And I stand at the end of the bed, staring at her as if she’s a freaking creature from out of space or something.

After a few seconds, she looks up, her brows pinching.

“Are you sure it’s okay? I can go.”

“No,” I practically shout as I force my legs to move. “No, don’t go.”

With my own mug in hand, I climb onto the bed beside her as the movie continues.

“I’ll restart it,” I say, reaching for the remote.

“I know it by heart, but thanks,” she says quietly.

“Didn’t have you down for a musical fan.”