Page 85 of Nodus Tollens
Our kiss turned into slow pecks, and as I pulled away, I searched his eyes for deception. Hockey wasn’t just a sport around here. It was a lifestyle. And for the players, it had to have been much more than that. Every breath, every step, every heartbeat was centered around hockey, and to hear that I meant more to him than the sport he practically lived for changed everything. It made my heart triple in size.
“Hayes…” I began to say, but I was cut off with another searing kiss.
“I had no clue what I was doing anymore. All I knew was that hockey wasn’t my end goal anymore, and I wanted more. I wanted something meaningful in my life, and then you came along…” His lips were grazing mine as I breathed in every word he spoke. “Just when I needed you, Blue, you came, and changed everything.”
Would it be too soon to tell him that I loved him? Or at least that I adored him more than any other person out there?
Smiling against his mouth, I threaded my hands behind his neck and stood tall on my toes. “You changed everything for me, too.” I confessed. I just hoped this happiness wasn’t going to be short-lived. In the back of my head, there was always worry about the inevitable. My heart wasn’t much of a topic ever since I had told him about my condition. At first, it bothered me that he wasn’t asking questions, but then I understood why. I didn’t want our whole relationship to be him worrying about me constantly, or to fear that every day I might go into cardiac arrest and die. I didn’t blame him for pretending like I was just a normal girl.
I wish I was, and as I stood wrapped in his arms, I began to feel like it.
“What do you say we get out of here? I’m craving some pizza right now.” He spoke into my ear just as my stomach started to rumble.
I unhooked my arms from around his neck and reached for his hand.
“I have to see if Kate will be okay with that first. I don’t want her driving if she’s been drinking.”
Nodding, he peered over my head and into the sea of drunk patrons. He searched back and forth, then, when he didn’t find her, he turned in the opposite direction, and suddenly, we were moving. Weaving in and out of the crowds, Hayes made sure he had a firm hold of my hand.
“Hayes!” A booming voice shouted over the music. “My man, where have you been?”
Out of nowhere, a fumbling body emerged from the crowd and threw himself around Hayes. Reluctantly, my hand dropped as my boyfriend was pulled into a bear-like hug. The strange man pulled away quickly, and when I was able to get a good look at his face, realization dawned on me.
This was the infamous James Hendricks.
A goofy grin was plastered across his face as he shifted his stare over to me. Lingering a bit longer than I would have liked, Hayes took the opportunity to pull me in close by the waistline of my pants and wrap a protective arm around me.
“With my girl, we’re looking for her friend, Kate. Have you seen her?”
My girl.
I don’t think I’d ever grow tired of hearing him say that.
“Oh shit, you’re her friend? She’s been busting my balls all night. Put me in my place about fifteen minutes ago, though. Hottest fuckin’ thing ever… I told her I needed her around more often for when I played like shit.” He rambled off with eyes that were filled with undeniable passion.
“Told her she’s the one I’m gonna marry someday.”
At his confession, my mouth dropped. If only Kate knew that he’d be as obsessed with her as she was with him, I’m sure she would have confronted him a lot sooner.
“Told you.” Hayes whispered into my ear with a short laugh that had me shaking my head. I guess he was right.
“Do you know where she went?” I asked while ignoring everything he previously said.
“She went to the bathroom. Told me if she found me talking with another chick, she’d leave…” He pondered his words with the tilt of his head and eyebrows scrunched. “Jesus, she really does have me whipped already.”
I just stared at him.
“You guys better not be talking about me.” My eyes instantly sought out Kate’s as her lithe body appeared out of nowhere and inserted herself in James’s arms.
“There she is…” James grinned playfully as he tightened his hold on her waist and buried his face into her neck. Kate was glowing. More than glowing, actually. She was currently nibbling on her lip with a beyond-satisfied smile across her face that had me chuckling. “Gonna give daddy another kiss?” He spoke into her ear as if trying to whisper, but both Hayes and I clearly heard it.
The low rumble of Hayes’s laughter against my back had my head tilting. He shrugged playfully, causing my palm to lightly smack him on the arm.
“I’m not going to call you that, James. I already have one of those.”
“Nothin’ wrong with having two. Matter of fact, I encourage it.”
Kate’s cheeks reddened in a matter of seconds. Eyes widening and jaw clenching, she spun around and glared daggers into the cocky hockey player.
