Page 30 of The Hockey Pact

He unhooked my bra with a practiced ease that made my breath hitch, and then his mouth was on my bare breast. The sensation was electric – warm and wet, his tongue teasing my nipple into a tight, aching peak. A choked moan escaped my lips, a sound I barely recognized as my own. This was so far beyond anything our contract stipulated, so far beyond the careful lines we’d drawn. And right then, I didn’t care. I only wanted more.

I retaliated, my own mouth seeking out his skin. I pressed kisses to his strong collarbone, tasting the faint, salty tang of his heated flesh, then lower, to the hard planes of his chest. My lips found one of his nipples, and I flicked my tongue over it, then nipped gently. He groaned, a deep sound that vibrated through me, his hips bucking slightly beneath me.

“Oh, Riley,” he gasped, his hands tightening on my waist.

This was no performance. This was raw, unadulterated need. We were just two people, lost in a storm of sensation and emotion that had been brewing for far too long. The exploration of each other’s bodies was a delicious, consuming prelude. Each touch, each kiss, each gasp, was a step further away from the roles we played and closer to something terrifyingly, exhilaratingly real.

After, Caleb turned to me, his expression unreadable. "Riley, I—"

Whatever he was about to say was lost as I leaned in and kissed him.

For one terrifying second, he froze, as if he was regretting everything. Then his arms were around me, pulling me closer as he returned the kiss with an intensity that made my knees weak.

When we finally broke apart, we were both breathing hard. Caleb's hands cradled my face, his eyes searching mine.

"That wasn't in the contract," he said softly.

"Consider it a captaincy bonus," I whispered back, trying to make light of what had just happened.

He smiled, but there was uncertainty behind it. "A one-time thing?"

I should have said yes. That would have been the smart answer, the safe answer. Instead, I said, "I don't know. Maybe we should try again to be sure."

His answering smile was all the warning I got before his lips found mine again, and all thoughts of contracts and arrangements disappeared entirely.

Chapter 10: Caleb

"To the captain!" Max bellowed, raising his beer high above his head.

The team roared in response, glasses and bottles lifted in a chaotic toast that sloshed beer onto Max's hardwood floors. No one seemed to care, least of all Max, who was enjoying his role as host of this impromptu celebration at his place.

I grinned and raised my own drink in acknowledgment, surveying the crowded living room. Nearly the entire team had shown up, along with coaches, a few management staff, and various significant others. The only person missing was—

The front door opened, and Riley walked in, still wearing her chef's coat with "Hat Trick" embroidered on the pocket. Her hair was pulled back in its usual work bun, and she looked tired but pleased to be there. Something in my chest tightened at the sight of her.

"Sorry I'm late," she said, making her way to me through the crowd. "Dinner service ran long, and then I had to deal with a supplier issue."

"No worries." I handed her a glass of wine I'd been saving for her. "You're here now."

She took the glass gratefully. “Congratulations again, Captain.”

"Thanks." I clinked my beer against her wine. "I'm glad you could make it."

She smiled. "Couldn't miss the post-game chaos, could I?"

I laughed. "Fair warning—Max is already three beers in and threatening karaoke."

Her eyes glinted with amusement as she sipped her wine. “Oh, that I’ve got to see.”

We hadn't really talked about what happened after the celebration dinner two nights ago—the kiss that had turned into several kisses which had turned into making out. When we woke up the next morning and when I tried to address our intimate night, Riley's phone rang with an emergency call from Zoe about a kitchen crisis. By the time she'd returned from dealing with it, we'd both retreated to our separate spaces, leaving the topic unaddressed.

Now, standing in Max's overcrowded apartment, I wasn't sure where we stood. The contract hadn't changed. The end date remained the same. But something between us definitely had shifted.

"Matthews!" Max shouted from across the room. "Stop hogging your wife and come settle a debate about the power play lineup!"

Riley nudged me. "Go. Captain duties call."

I hesitated. "You'll be okay?"

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