Page 86 of Off-Ice Misconduct
“I’m okay with that.”
His lips attach to my pulse point from behind, but he only licks rather than sucks. Yeah, guess I can’t leave this office with a hickey, but man, would I love another one from him.
Using all the years of hockey training, I center myself enough to return to the locker room. I should feel fine. We talked. We more than talked. But Luke’s parting words are rattling around in my head.
“I’m sorry, princess. This one’s on me. I was under the impression you didn’t care, and I’ve been reading everything through that lens. I knew I wouldn’t handle it well, watching you get hurt like that up close; it’s bad enough when I’m watching from far away. This is my first and last weekend coaching your team.”
You gave the impression you didn’t care…
I’ve been feeling this thing for weeks, but tonight it showed up with a name. It’s like my heart knew before I did. And now my brain’s just catching up and panicking.
Jesus fucking Christ. This is the roller coaster from hell.
Because it’s not knowing that I care that’s messing with me, it’s realizing how much.
He also said, “I’ll have my eyes on you when we’re on the bus,” slapped my ass a final time and told me to go. I left, but there was something else in his words, more than him being a possessive fuck. Was he worried about me?
The locker room’s empty except for Shep who’s cleaning the showers … with a toothbrush…? I raise a brow.
“Coach made me for fighting with you,” he mutters without looking up.
“About that, I’m sorry, man. I’ve got a lot on my mind.”
“Yeah, me too. Hud’s been distant, and when I felt far away from you, too, I just … snapped.”
“We’re a mess.”
“Forgive me?”
“Of course, I do. You?”
“Absolutely.”
I pull on my sweatpants over the worn, ripped boxer shorts Luke told me to keep wearing. They cling to my skin, spreading gooseflesh over my throbbing ass, the cool air breezing through the rip, a sharp contrast to my hot skin.
Luke.
Luke, Luke, Luke all over my skin.
“You should be pissed at the professor, but you seem happy as fuck.”
Dammit.
I glance around. Locker room’s empty. “He’s the mystery guy.”
“I fucking knew it.”
“Youknew?”
“I saw your texts and put two and two together. You might wanna stop looking at him like he hung the damn moon. Just sayin’.”
“I do not do that.”
“You do, Ace, but that’s a good thing.” He leans back from where he is on the ground, kneeling. “I’m happy for you. You’ve never been this into anyone.
“He’s fifteen years older and my professor,” I whisper as if he’s failed to notice.
Shep shrugs. “Doesn’t bother me.”
