Page 65 of Must Love Dogs… and Hockey

My insides knot up. “When do I walk Otis again?” I have his schedule; I just can’t remember it right now.

“Wednesday. Home game that night.”

I won’t see him until Wednesday. Damn.

“We have a practice and team meeting tomorrow.” He pushes hair off my face in a tender gesture that eases the knots in my stomach slightly. “And I have to go read to some schoolkids in the afternoon.”

I nod. He’s a busy guy, I know. But so am I. I volunteer at Amsterdam Rescue tomorrow. I have other dogs to walk tomorrow and Wednesday. And a hair appointment Tuesday.

“I’ll text you,” he says.

I smile. “Okay.” I follow him to the door. I bend over to rub Otis’s head. “Bye, Otie. Be a good boy.” I straighten. “Good luck with your meeting tomorrow with your coach.”

His eyes cloud and the corners of his mouth tighten. “Thanks.” He leans down and brushes first a kiss over my forehead, then a long, clinging kiss on my lips.

My belly flip-flops and I want to grab him and climb him like a ladder. But I draw back slowly and smile again. “Bye.”

When he’s gone, I take off my jacket and hang it up. I bend to unzip my boots and toe them off as well. Then I cross to the couch and sit and stare into space in the silence.

Well, I wanted hot, athletic sex and I got it. Hoo boy, did I get it. My thighs are sore, my nipples sensitive, and every move that hurts reminds me of the things we did and makes my belly flip with lust. I’ll be thinking about it for the rest of the day. Probably dreaming about it tonight.

Which also makes me uneasy. I liked it all a little too much. I didn’t want Easton to go. And I shouldn’t feel like that. I know I’m setting myself up for a big disappointment if I care too much. Apparently I haven’t learned that lesson.

Chapter 14

Easton

“I’m not going to go see her.” I fold up the towels I just took out of the laundry. “I don’t need to see her when I just saw her the day before yesterday. And talked to her last night.”

Otis tips his head where he’s stretched out on my bed.

I pause, my hands still holding a towel. Who am I talking to?

I used to talk to Bryce. But I think just now, I was talking to Otis.

I sit heavily on the side of the bed and close my eyes. “I still miss you, Bryce, buddy.” I rub my chest. The ache that usually materializes there when I think of him is smaller than it used to be. I guess it’ll always be there. That’s okay. “I’m not forgetting about you,” I promise him.

Maybe I was just talking to himandOtis. Yeah.

Sometimes I think I’m crazy. Mostly I don’t care.

Anyway, I’m fighting the urge to get Otis’s leash and walk over to Lilly’s place. I fought it last night, even after she texted me to ask how my meeting with Coach went.

It didn’t go well.

Fuck, he’s an asshole.

I wish I could tell him that. But I kept my mouth shut, nodded, and agreed with him, told him I’ll do better. I won’t try for the fancy stuff, I’ll get the puck to the net, blah, blah, blah. I know that stuff, but he talks to me like I’m an imbecile.

Hockey’s too important to me to spout off at him, though. I have to make this work.

I ended up calling her to talk about it, and we stayed on the phone for nearly an hour. I don’t talk toanyoneon the phone, never mind for a fucking hour.

Today was another shitty day. Apparently to punish me for my mistake the other night, Coach has taken me off the power play number one unit.

I have the second-highest goals on the team. It’s bullshit. But what am I gonna do? Throw a tantrum? Yeah, that’ll go over well. A string of curse words runs through my head, remembering the practice and team meeting earlier today.

“We’re gonna change things up,” Coach said. “Jay’s got the speed to get the puck established in the offensive zone, and we can use him down low after we get set up.”

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