Page 55 of Hockey Halloween
Ryan gives me a hard smile, wraps a hand around my pleather-covered mystery woman's arm, and tugs her away. I sigh and stare at her retreating, perfect body. She turns her head and glances over her shoulder, and our eyes lock until we can no longer see each other. We didn’t talk long, but I feel connected to her.
“Dude, it’s working better than expected,” Theo says as he waves over the rest of the group so we can all go to the stage for this. “He’s seething.”
“Yeah?” I say, and I don’t sound as eager as I thought I would. I realize I don’t care about the reason I accidentally-on-purpose started a conversation with Catwoman. I just kind of want to get to know her regardless of her connection to Ryan.
“Steam was basically coming out of his ears!” Theo laughs.
We come to a halt in a haphazard line at the edge of the stage. Evan bounces nervously beside me. “Well, she’s hot AF.”
I look up and see Ryan and Catwoman on stage together being introduced as the iconic duo Batman and Catwoman. Sadly, no one gives their real names. Half this room wouldn't vote for a San Diego Saints player on principle. And because they don't say names, I don't know who she is.
“What do you intend to do with the money if you win?” the mayor’s assistant asks. She’s MCing the night. Catwoman opens her pretty mouth to speak, but Ryan, being Ryan, moves closer to the mic and shouts, "Gonna bet it all on red, baby! This place has a craps table with my name on it!"
Yes, half her face is covered by her costume, but I can still seethe light flicker out of her eyes and the smile on her face fall. Ryan leads her off the stage, waving at the crowd like he's a pageant contestant.
“What a dick move,” I mutter, shaking my head because she seemed so committed to this charity. It was clear it was the only reason she was here.
“If they laugh at us, I’m going home,” Tyson grumbles as the Ghostbusters hit the stage and we inch closer to our turn.
"They will, but it will bewithus, not at us," Theo assures and adjusts his silly dog ears.
We get up on stage and pose and smile, and I can tell half the audience recognizes us, which I think will work in our favor. Theo's antics—panting and running around like he's an actual dog—probably won't hurt either. He's as endearing as he is ridiculous. When we get off the stage, I tell the guys I'm going to find Catwoman, and they all smile and wink like it's still some big game, but I'm honestly just going to see if she's alright.
It takes me a minute, but I find Dee, or D, or whatever. Ryan is getting catty with Catwoman by the entrance doors. He's really up in her face, and it gets my back up immediately. I don't care what she's said or done. You don't tower over a woman like that, invading her personal space. Ever. I stalk right over. "Hey," I say to her, squaring my shoulders and turning my back to him like I don't even see him there. "You want to dance?"
She whips her head up to me, and the anger in her eyes, sparking like a live wire, fades, and she smiles with gratitude. "Yes."
I reach for her hand, and of course, Ryan grabs my shoulder and turns me to face him. He's not as rough as he wants to be. I can see it in his eyes. "Shouldn't you be at home watching tape of our last game? Or the one before? You know, so you can figure out how to stop my shots."
“When you score a hat trick but still lose the game, what is that called? Besides a waste of a hat?” D asks him, her eyes blazing with annoyance. “Because if I recall, you lost that game.”
The first time he handed me my ass, I got pulled in the second when we were down 4-nothing. Tyson stepped in and did what Icouldn't—stood on his head so the team could come back and win it 5-4. It isn't a consoling fact, but I still smile at her because she means well. Then I turn back to Ryan. "I'm not focusing on work. I'd much rather take the most beautiful woman in here out on the dance floor."
I reach over and take her hand in mine and turn away from Ryan. He moves so fast that the pleather on the legs of his costume squeak and then he's in front of us, blocking our path. "You can't fuck my sister."
His… sister? Oh, this just got even better.
I don't answer him. I turn to her, wrap an arm around her waist, and dip her like we're ballroom dancers. Her mouth parts in a shocked O, and as I lean over her, I hear the back of my costume tear even more, but I still lean in for the kiss.
And damn if she doesn’t knit her fingers into my hair and open her mouth and welcome me in.
Delaney
Did I expect to be making out with the goalie for the Las Vegas Vipers tonight—or ever? No. But it’s a hell of a welcome Halloween treat. Hudson can kiss.
He's holding me, defying gravity, with just one hand splayed across my back. His lips are firm, his tongue has no hesitation against mine. It's like he's decided I'm his and he's tasting whatever he wants, and it makes my whole body heat and respond. His hair is thick and soft as it slips through my fingers. I hear a tearing sound, but I don't care. Hudson mustn't either because he doesn't pull back or let go. Not until my brother demands it in a low, hard hiss.
“Enough. People are staring!”
Only then does he slowly pull back and start to right us both. One of my hands moves to the middle of his back to steady myself as he tips me upright and I feel nothing but smooth, warm skin… all the way down—almost to his butt. He’s ripped his costume wide open.
“My sister isn’t a puck bunny,” Ryan snaps.
“Pretty sure I have a thing for goalies all of a sudden,” I murmur as a smile insists on parting my lips.
Hudson looks at me and winks. Ryan swears under his breath. "Well, do yourself a favor and pick a better one than this, D."
I turn to Hudson, breathless. His chocolate eyes are glassy and darker than before, like the heat from our kiss singed them. I bite my bottom lip as a guy dressed like Velma approaches on my left and lets out a gasp. “Dude, the whole back of your costume is… shredded. You’re the Hulk now, not Fred.”
