Page 14 of Three Pucks and a Baby

She wrinkled her nose. “I’ve never liked my name. I always wanted to havea hip name like Madison.”

“You could never be a Madison,” I mused.

“And why not?” Vivian demanded.

“Because you’re an old soul who needs an old name.”

With a huff, she snatched up her drink. After downing the remainder of the alcohol, she shot me an eat shit and die look. Fuck, I couldn’t wait to see that spirit in the bedroom.

After wiping her lips with a napkin, Vivian said, “Thanks for reminding me again about being older. As if I don’t have a birthday next week.”

“Seriously?” I asked.

“It is.” She shot me another dirty look. “Before this one has the gall to ask, I’ll be thirty.”

I rolled my eyes. “You act like you’re about to need a walker and adult diapers.”

“Well, I am an old soul,” she snapped.

From over her shoulder, Grayson looked like he was having a stroke at Vivian’s apparent hostility towards me. Once again, he needed to chill the fuck out.

Scooting closer to Vivian, I took her hand in mine. “I meant that comment as a compliment. You are leagues about the Madisons of the world. Very few women out there are beautiful and sexy while being incredibly smart. Not to mention having the ability to know random hockey facts.”

She stared intently into my eyes. Any other time, this would’ve been the moment when I leaned forward and kissed her. I was dying to do it. Everything within her gaze told me she wouldn’t stop me. She would probably slap me after the fact when she realized she’d kissed me with Grayson sitting beside her.

“What do you want for your birthday, Vivian?” I asked.

With a shrug, she replied, “Nothing.”

“Oh come on. Not even some good quality yarn,” Grayson teased.

She playfully smacked his arm. “You’ve been stalking my social media, haven’t you?”

“How could I not?” he replied with a grin.

Turning to me, she asked, “What is it you want for your birthday?”

“I really want a NCAA Frozen Four Championship.”

Vivian’s brows furrowed. “But I thought you guys came in first the last two years?”

“That’s in our region. But there are four total regions. I want to be the best of them all.”

She grinned. “Then I hope you get exactly what you want.

“Maybe you could knit me a stick cozy for good luck?” Grayson teasingly suggested.

Vivian rubbed her thumb along his jawline. “I’d love to.” After a few moments of staring into Grayson’s eyes, she dropped her hand from his face. Turning to me, she asked, “And what would you like for your next birthday?”

There were so many reasons not to say what I was thinking. It was too early in the evening. She hadn’t gotten to know me well enough. She’d only had one drink, not two, so she wasn’t in that sweet buzzy spot.

But like on the ice, you had to take chances despite the risks.

Leaning closer, my breath hovered over her ear. When I met Grayson’s gaze over her shoulder, his eyes bulged before he shook his head. “Don’t do it,” he mouthed.

But I ignored him. “To hear you scream my name as I make you come.”

Vivian jerked back to stare at me in a mixture of horror and disbelief. “E-excuse me?”

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