Page 82 of Fake Out Hearts

Theo shrugs. “All the guys in my family have played hockey at some point or another. It’s kind of a Camden thing. But I’m pretty sure I’m the only one who ever had the skill and the ambition to do something with it other than for fun.”

“And when was the last time you just went skating for fun?” I ask, and Theo hesitates before he sighs and laughs.

“Can’t remember that either, honestly. But I’m having a pretty damn good time now.” His green eyes are warm, and I want to kiss him, but before I can make a move, he unexpectedly dips me backward. My head flies back as I laugh, and he stops me just a few inches away from the ice.

The small audience we’ve gathered gasps and claps again, and when Theo pulls me back up to him, he cradles the back of my head to give me one of the softest, most romantic kisses I think we’ve ever shared. My body ignites when our lips touch, and if we weren’t in such a public place, it would probably escalate quickly.

But I kiss him back with the full force of the intensity I’m feeling instead until he finally breaks and stands staring into my eyes.

“Thank you for this. I needed it more than I knew,” he whispers so that only I can hear him. I want to say something back, but my head and thoughts are spinning from the rush of blood after the drop—and the kiss.

Hunger and something else I can’t quite place flashes in his irises, and between that and the racing of my heart, I don’t think my head is ever going to stop spinning.

Chapter 25

Theo

Before my next game, I pop down into the workout room to tell Becca I’m leaving. I find her mid-stretch, warming up to practice her dancing. She’s got one leg lifted on the balance bar my dad helped me install for her with her foot higher than her waist, and she’s leaning into the stretch. The sheer flexibility of it, combined with the skin-tight workout uniform she’s wearing, gets my imagination running wild.

“God, how I’d love to fuck you just like this,” I whisper as I sneak down the stairs behind her. She startles and looks over her shoulder with her cheeks flushed like we haven’t fucked dozens of times by this point. It’s been a couple of weeks since we agreed to do away with our “no sex” rule and we’ve been taking advantage of it. A lot.

Becca smirks at me. “Well, if you play well enough tonight and bring home a victory, maybe I’ll let you.”

“Maybe? Just a maybe for a win against our arch nemeses, the Prowlers?” I ask as I rest my hands on her hips, letting her feel my already hardening cock through my pants as I press my chest to her back.

Ever since we got rid of the no sex rule, things have been so much easier and more fun between us. All the stress and non-stop tension that was there for weeks before dissipated almost instantly—thank god. I would’ve gone insane if we’d tried to keep that charade up.

But Becca’s grin fades at the mention of the Prowlers, and I grimace as I realize why.

“You don’t have to come tonight if you don’t want to. I’d understand,” I say, and she shakes her head.

“No. I’ll be there.”

“Even if it means coming face to face with Kaplan?”

“Especially because it means seeing him,” she says firmly, and a smile cracks my face. “I want him to see how much happier and better off I am without him. And I want the whole world to see it too.”

“I’m so fucking proud of you for not letting that prick hold you back,” I say and peck a kiss on her cheek. “You’ll wear my jersey tonight, right? Just to really rub it in?”

Becca laughs and nods. “Of course I will. But I’m not doing it just for him. I hope I’ll be your good luck charm again tonight.”

“I don’t know how I could lose with you in the crowd,” I say and kiss her again. She holds me in place to kiss me back, and although I’d love to take her right here and now, I pull away because I really need to get going to the arena before I’m late. Noah and the rest of the team would never let me live it down.

“I know, I know, you’ve gotta go,” she sighs when we part. “But remember what I said about winning tonight.”

She bites her bottom lip as she grins at me, and I slap her ass lightly.

“I won’t forget. And I’ll hold you to it too.”

“Then get out of here. You’ve got a game to win. I’ll see you later.”

I leave before the temptation keeps me in place and it’s a good thing there’s no one around in the parking garage because I’m still rock hard when I climb into my car—and I’m sure it’snoticeable. I crack the windows to get some cold air flowing to cool myself off, then speed to the arena and make it with just a few minutes to spare.

I head right to the locker room to change and find the rest of the guys already gearing up. Grant looks even grouchier than usual, and judging from the looks on Reese and Sawyer’s faces, I’m betting it’s because they’re giving him some good-natured shit.

“There he is! The man of the hour!” Noah shouts when he spots me across the locker room.

“I didn’t know I had such a fan club,” I say, smiling at the rest of the guys as I start tearing my clothes off near my locker.

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