Page 91 of The Triple Play

“So, what, you’re just going to let us all say it and then have some big moment where you say it back to all of us at once?”

She shrugged. “Maybe. Or maybe last place gets to hear it first. I haven’t decided yet.”

“That’s diabolical, sweetheart,” I growled. “You trying to set me off?”

“Maybe,” she murmured.

I dragged my hand down her side and around to the back, digging my fingers into her rear through her jeans. “How many minutes do I have left?”

She laughed breathlessly. “Like, one.”

“I can do a lot with sixty seconds.”

I didn’t wait for her to say another word.

I caught her mouth with mine like I was starving for it, kissing her deep and hard enough to make her gasp against my lips. I gripped her tighter around the back of her neck, pushing my body against hers and driving her into the wall a little harder than I intended, but I was rushed.

She whimpered into the kiss, her hands moving to my shoulders, her fingers twisting in the fabric of my shirt like she wasn’t quite sure if she should rip it off me or just anchor herself with it. My tongue moved greedily against hers, devouring the laugh she didn’t get to finish.

“Fuck,” I rasped against her lips. “I love you.”

She barely had time to react before I kissed her again, rougher this time, like I could brand the words into her mouth. Her nails dug in through my shirt, dragging down across my chest, practicallybeggingme to take her right here, and I groaned. I bit down on her bottom lip, savoring the way her hips twitched into mine, like she was seeking friction she knew she didn’t have time for.

“Say it back, sweetheart,” I begged, my voice raw, my mouth moving to her jaw, her neck, sucking a mark into her skin that I didn’t give a shit about anyone seeing. “Say it before you have to go back out there.”

“No,” she laughed, gasping at my little growl against her skin. “You’ll drive yourself crazy if you keep begging me?—”

I kissed her again, swallowing the last of her words whole, my hands moving everywhere I could reach — her waist, her hips, her spine, dipping beneath the little gap in the back of her jeans, memorizing every part of her in the seconds I had left.

She pulled back with a smirk. “It’s definitely been a minute.”

“I need an extension,” I grunted, chasing another kiss like it might destroy me not to.

Annie gave it to me.

Her hand moved on the door handle, but she still kissed me all the same, and I led her backward out the door, my mouth on her, my hands grasping the sides of her head like I couldn’t let go. I kissed her through the hall, down the narrow walkway, past the Pucks and Sticks signs, not caring if any of my teammates were back here anymore. Let them see.

Just before I managed to get her through the swinging door at the end, she broke it off, her lips swollen, her eyes heavy.

I dragged my thumb across her smeared lipstick, wiping it away with ease. “I love you. Say it back,” I tried again.

“Nope.” She grinned. “Be patient.”

I nearly shoved my fist through the drywall.

————

Xavi was officially too drunk to control.

The crowd had died down at least, but he was trailing Annie like a lost puppy, following her around the bar and walking with her anytime she needed to dip into the stock room. She kept laughing at him, her cheeks going pink, and all I could do was stare in half-annoyance, partly entertained by just how ridiculous it was. I almost hoped he’d drunkenly confess so I could hear her say it back to me tonight.

“He’s not trying to be subtle at all,” I said, taking a sip of my beer as I leaned back in the booth.

Cole watched over the rim of his glass of water. Buzzkill. Couldn’t possibly only haveonedesignated driver. “We should probably cut him off.”

“I think she already did,” I snorted. “At least he’s happy-drunk this time. I’d much rather see him like this than how he was.”

“True. But happy-drunk-Xavi is being a little too loud with our situation.”

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