Page 21 of Pucking Fate

Oh, thank god. This time, speed is of the essence and not an embarrassment. I don’t hold back as Maya strokes me so damn good.

A few seconds later, I’m lying on my back, trying to recover, when Maya leaves and returns with a hand towel that she tosses into my face.

“Get cleaned up. Finley’s waiting.”

My motions are slow, lethargic even, though I’m trying to hurry. I feel like I’ve just finished playing every second of an entire game without a break, scored ten goals, and won in a blowout.

Maya saying, “This can’t happen again,” unfortunately snaps me out of my sluggishness. Sliding off the bed, I’m already fastening my pants when I ask in a panic, “Why the hell not? You didn’t like it?”

“We can’t sneak away again into the bedroom while Finley’s awake!”

“Oh,” I mutter, since that’s not the rejection I thought she was going to throw at me. “But we can sneak into the bedroom again if he’s…asleep?” I ask, so hopeful that I’m holding mybreath while Maya fixes her shorts and combs her fingers through her hair.

Finally, she says, “If you want to do that again, then yes, it will have to be after he’s sound asleep.”

“Okay, I want to,” I easily agree. “If you do.”

“Yeah, sure. It’s fine. Whatever,” she says in a rush before grabbing the used towel, tossing it into a hamper and going to unlock and open the door. With her hand on the knob, she glances over her shoulder at me, her cheeks still flushed from her orgasm. “Ready?”

“Hell yes. I mean heck yes. Let’s go find him.” When I’m flush against her back, I splay my palm over her stomach to ask in her ear, “Isn’t it about Finley’s bedtime?”

“That’s all you’re getting tonight,” she replies, shoving her elbow playfully into my abs. “We’ll see about tomorrow.”

“H-E double hockey sticks yes, we will,” I say, making Maya huff out a laugh.

9

Maya

After Christian leaves the house with an extra pep in his step, and Finley is fast asleep in his bed, I stare down at my cell phone in my hand.

Elle is probably still awake. If so, her and my brother are likely busy. But I really need to talk to someone, another woman, about what I did tonight. I need someone to tell me that a repeat would be an absolutely horrible idea.

So, despite the fact that my brother’s girlfriend was recently spending her nights with Christian, I find her name in my contacts and make the call.

“Hey, Maya! How’s everything going up your way?” Elle asks.

“Good. Things are good,” I reply. “How are things down there?”

“Ugh, Preston just ran out for some ice cream. He keeps bringing up me moving in with him even though we’ve only been dating for a few weeks!”

A smile lifts my lips. “I’m not surprised. My brother didn’t move to Greensboro to play hockey; he moved to be near you. It’s sweet and surprising for him.”

“I know. And I want to say yes, but it’s too soon. I know it’s too soon, and yet, it’s getting harder to refuse him. I’m afraid I’m going to give in soon, then lose my apartment, and be on the streets if things don’t work out…”

“I, um, understand the predicament that you’re in fairly well, actually.”

“Oh yeah? You have a big ass jock trying to woo you too?”

“Yes,” I say with a wince.

“Oh, wow,” Elle replies softly. “Christian?”

“Is it weird to talk about him with you after your history?” I ask.

“No. Of course not. That all feels like a different lifetime ago. I love Preston. He’s the only man I think about now,” she says. “So, you and Christian may be getting back together? That’s wonderful!”

“That’s not…it’s not like that we’re getting back together,” I tell her. “But tonight, we were talking, you know, about what happened in our past, the one time we tried to have sex, and I got pregnant. And then he followed me to my bedroom, locked the door and…”

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