Page 157 of Make the Play

“I hate you,” I mouth through the glass, straight at him,

His grin stretches wider, and he mouths back. “No, you don’t.”

Lulu leans in. “You gonna punish him later?”

“I’m gonna strangle him with his own jockstrap.”

“Oh.” Tamara laughs. “That’s foreplay for you two.”

“Then I’m gonna stab him with his stick,” I add.

Lulu fans herself with the sleeve of her drink tray. “I can’t believe you have to sleep with him later.”

“I don’thaveto,” I snap. “Ichooseto.”

“That’s worse.”

I don’t even respond, because I realize I’m smiling.

And later, I’m going to ruin him for this.

Wearing absolutely nothing but his jersey and a grudge.

***

By the time he emerges from the locker room, I’m already waiting, leaning casually against the wall in the tunnel, my blazer draped over the crook of my arm, jersey on full display. The crowd’s thinning, media’s winding down, but I’m not moving.

His hair is damp, curled slightly at the ends, his suit jacket gone, and his shirt half-buttoned. The fresh cut on his bottom lip is red, raw, and completely unfair. His eyes drag down my body, and when they land on the jersey, his jaw clenches.

“You’re still in it,” he says.

I shrug innocently. “You scored a goal.”

“And got into a fight.” He smirks.

I step closer, fingers brushing the collar of his shirt. “You’re bleeding.”

He leans in with a hum. “You gonna kiss it better?”

“I should make you wait,” I whisper. “Make yousuffera little.”

He chuckles, but it’s dark and dangerous. “You think I haven’t already been suffering? Zoe, I haven’t had my cock inside you in five days and four fucking nights. I nearly murdered that guy just thinking about you.”

“Romantic.”

“Deadly,” he murmurs. “Come here.”

Before I can blink, he grabs my waist and hauls me against him, mouth crashing down on mine. I taste sweat and blood and mint gum, and even though it’s gross, it’s also kinda hot. I softly moan into the kiss, fingers fisting his damp hair.

Then he’s moving, curling an arm around my waist and walking with long strides and zero hesitation. We make it to the team parking lot, where mostly everyone has vacated, which is lucky because I’m not sure how long we’re gonna last keeping our hands off each other.

Once we get to his SUV, he pushes me up against it, kissing me again.

“I missed you,” I breathe.

He bites my bottom lip. “Say it again.”

“I missed you.”

---