Page 108 of Puck Lust

Is he fucking serious right now?

I stare at the door for a long minute, anger knotting in my chest.

What the hell else can I do to get this guy to just forgive me, already? Do I need to serenade him on the goddamn ice in front of the entire arena and ESPN worldwide viewers?

I drop the bags in front of the door and slide to the floor against the wall opposite his apartment.

I can’t just leave.

That would be giving up, and he’s worth the wait.

He has to know I won’t walk away. He has to believe that I’m playing the long game.

My head falls forward into my hands.

I need to up my levels of persuasion, I guess. Make him realize that?—

The door clicks and my eyes snap upward, meeting his playful grin.

“You’re still fucking here?” he says. “Jesus, man. Play a little hard to get, yeah?”

I just sit there and laugh. “You’re a real tool, you know that?”

He shrugs with his good arm. “Hey, I had some of that cake. It’s fucking amazing.”

“You were gone for a minute.”

“I work fast when I’m hungry.” He pauses, his eyes glittering with mischief. “Speaking of hungry, why don’t you get your hot little ass in here so I can eat the rest of it off you?”

I struggle to pull myself off the floor and followJack inside. Unable to control myself for another second, I snake an arm around his waist and flip him around to face me.

“I love you, dick,” I say.

“What?” He cocks his head to the side. “You love my dick?”

With a grin, I back him against a wall and crush my lips against his. “I do love your dick.”

“Show me,” he murmurs against my mouth, tugging at my belt.

And this time when we make love, when he tells me not to let go, I say the words freely.

I won’t. Ever.

Because I know I can’t live without him.

epilogue

JACK

FOUR MONTHS LATER

The large rednumbers on the game clock count down, the score tied 2-2.

My lungs burn as I power forward, every muscle in my body in an uproar. The skate blades bite into the ice with every stride, carving deep cuts into the surface as I tear down the wing.

It’s been a damn long road to get here, the championship game of the season.

One team will walk away from this arena tonight with nothing but broken pride.

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