Page 59 of Stick With Me
“Mm-hmm,” I hum against his chest, and he presses a soft kiss to my temple.
“Well, it’s a good thing I picked up your outfit after practice the other day,” he says with a chuckle.
I roll my eyes, but a tight, pleasant warmth spreads in my chest. “Does the outfit happen to include your name on my back?”
I swore I’d never wear another man’s name again, but wearing Ryan’s doesn’t sound so bad.
“Maybe,” he mumbles.
TWENTY-FOUR
Hannah may actually bemy good luck charm. Since she moved in, we’ve been on a winning streak, and tonight we secured another one. I’m less superstitious than most hockey players, but even I can’t deny the effect she has on my game. Having her in the stands fueled my drive to make her proud… maybe even impress her a little.
“Three game heater, boys!” Fox’s voice rings out through the locker room.
“Where we going tonight?” Volk asks in his accented timbre. He’s usually on my “let’s not go out” bandwagon, so I’m surprised he’s the one rallying the guys this time.
The fast-paced lifestyle of being a professional athlete gets old quick. Now, with Hannah here, going out holds even less appeal. I’m all for team bonding, but I see these fools more than enough during the season. When I have the chance, I’d rather be home with her.
Plus, I’ve known what I want for years, and I won’t find it at a sports bar. “Can’t tonight. I have plans with Hannah.”
“Oh, you do?” Fox asks, with a smirk on his face that tells me he’s up to no good. “That’s funny, because Hannah has plans with us.” Now he’s full-on grinning.
“Excuse me?” I fail to hide my surprise.
Fox lights up his screen and shows me a message chain with Hannah, confirming his story.
“When the fuck did you even get her number?”
“The other day, when you restocked the snacks.” He slings an arm over my shoulders.
“You sneaky fucker.” I huff.
“What? We’re friends now. We even started a book club. My very firstgirlfriend.” Fox chuckles, looking way too proud of himself.
I’m glad she and Fox hit it off, and hopefully, she’ll click with the rest of the guys when she hangs out with them tonight, but it would be nice to be included in the plans.
“Guess who else is coming out? Mr. King is back, baby!”
I guess he’s recovered enough to manage everyday activities, but he’s on injured reserve for the rest of the season. We’ve all missed his presence on the ice, but Fox misses him the most off of it, with them being partners in crime. Volk and I have reluctantly taken over wingman duties in his absence, but it hasn’t gone too well. For me, it’s hard to pick up women when I have zero interest, and Volk scares off ninety percent of them with his natural charm—or rather, lack thereof.
I rush through a quick cool-down and shower before heading toward the friends and family area to find Hannah. Her back is to me as I round the corner, and seeing her in my jersey—Loganand the number 19 across her back—gives me a weird feeling in my chest. The satisfaction is tenfold compared to the win tonight.
When I reach her, I tug gently on her ponytail before wrapping my arms around her waist and lifting her off the ground.
She squeals in surprise, but as soon as she realizes it’s me, she relaxes into my chest.
“I heard you made plans for us.” My lips brush her ear.
“Us? Nope, just me, but you’re welcome to join,” she teases, looking back over her shoulder.
“I think I will.” I hold her for a moment longer before placing her back on her feet.
She spins and links her arm through mine. “Good game. I’m not saying it’s because I was here… but it might be because I was here.” She attempts to wink but fails, as usual.
“Yep, it’s all you, my little leprechaun,” I say with a chuckle.Note to self: calling her a leprechaun is probably as sexy as the Hannah Banana nickname.Shaking my head, I lead her toward the players’ exit. “C’mon, let’s go.”
We climb into the back of Fox’s car, where he and Volk are already waiting.
