Page 31 of Puck Sweat Love

I quickly settle back onto the mat, bending into a forward fold to hide my…situation. Hattie’s eyes widen slightly when she spots me.

“Oh! Hello there, Tank. I’m so sorry to interrupt your session,” she says with a smile. “But I’m glad to see you taking Stephanie up on all she has to offer. You’re going to make great progress at this rate.”

Trying not to think about how I was “taking Stephanie up on all she has to offer” a few minutes ago, I nod. “Thanks, and it’s no problem. We were done anyway. Everything but savasana.”

“Oh, but that’s the most important part,” Hattie says, her smile fading. “Let me skedaddle and get out of your hair.”

“But get your sweater first, love.” Stephanie retrieves a powder-blue cardigan from a bin in the corner and hands it to Hattie. “Here you go, and have a great rest of your Sunday.”

“Oh, thank you, dear,” Hattie says, accepting the sweater and moving back toward the door. “You two, too. It’s a pretty afternoon out there. Don’t spend it all locked inside on the mat.”

“We won’t.” I swear Stephanie’s cheeks flush as she walks Hattie to the door. I hear her call goodbye, then the unmistakable sound of the deadbolt sliding closed.

Stephanie hurries back into the studio, where she leans against the wall, a hand pressed to her chest. “That was way too close.”

“Agreed,” I say, coming back to my feet. “I’m sorry. I never should have?—”

“No, please don’t apologize,” she says, her gaze locking with mine again, sending another rush of blood straight to my…situation. “That was so good.”

“It was,” I agree, my voice deeper, rougher.

She bites her lip, her expression sobering as she adds, “But we clearly need to set some ground rules if we’re going to keep seeing each other in class and outside of class.”

“We should definitely keep seeing each other outside of class,” I say, surprising myself a little. I’m not usually a zero-hesitation kind of guy but fuck, I want more of her.

As much as I can get.

She smiles, her cheeks flushing again. “I think so, too. But we should keep things professional during class time.” She lifts one bare shoulder. “And maybe we should talk about what we both want from the outside of class part? Make sure we’re on the same page?”

The question hovers between us for a beat, before I nod.

“I’m up for that.” I nod toward the door. “Can I buy you that smoothie first, though?” I cast a pointed glance down at my still rigid cock. “I um…seem to need to help cooling off.”

Her grin is simultaneously wicked and cute, a combo I want to see at least a hundred more times. “Sounds good. Though I do like seeing you helpless against my sex vibe. Is that wrong?”

“No, your sex vibe is intense,” I confess. “And I’m just a man.”

Her smile fades. “Nah, you’re more than that. You’re a good man, and I like you.”

“I like you, too,” I reply, my chest tightening. But it isn’t fear that’s making it harder to breathe.

It’s hope.

I shouldn’t be hoping for something like this right now. I’m about to start training camp, and I already have someonegunning for my starter position. I should stay locked in on my comeback.

But for the first time in a long time, hockey doesn’t seem like the only thing worth caring about, and it’s not like I’m a one-trick pony. I can care about more than one thing at a time…

Right?

Hopefully, I’m going to get a chance to find out.

CHAPTER 8

TANK

“Wait what?” Stone freezes with his fork halfway to his mouth, his pulled pork and rice momentarily forgotten. “So, you and Stephanie are dating? Exclusively?”

I shrug. “She’s not looking for something casual. Neither am I, so…’

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