Page 60 of Just My Puck
James blows out a laugh. “I’m not going to get up at the crack of dawn to show you how much better I am than you, Frenchie Boy. We just need to look at the points.”
The guys laugh, but I barely hear them. The word “dawn” is echoing in my head, making my vision waver. I take a step back, a hand on my chest. This word, it means something to me. I can feel it in my gut.
“Excuse me,” I peep to the girls before rushing to the restrooms. I splash some water on my face and gaze at my reflection in the mirror.Dawn. What does that word mean to me? I shake my head, clutching the counter. Truth is, I’m not even sure I want to know. Do I really need to at this point? I have everything I could want right here. This is my life now, and I love it. Why would I even want to go back to something else?
Taking a deep breath, I walk outof the restrooms, where I run into Caleb as he’s heading to the men’s room.
“Enjoying your night?” he asks, walking up to me.
“I am.” I smile, though my heart is racing. “Thanks again for everything.”
“The girls did this,” he says, glancing back at the party. “I wanted to help, but they wouldn’t let me.”
“I mean everything else. Taking me in, helping me, introducing me to your friends. It means a lot, and I’m pretty sure I’ve never been this happy before.”
He swallows, his gaze softening. “Really?”
I give a small shrug, smiling. “How could I have? This is perfect.”
“Just like you,” he says, his voice low as his eyes flicker from my eyes to my lips. The intensity in his gaze pulls me in, and suddenly, we’re inches apart. My breath hitches, my body frozen yet aching to move closer.
He takes my hand, sending a whirl of butterflies fluttering in my belly. “I really want to kiss you, Aria. Please, tell me I can.”
Instead of replying, I pull myself closer, wrapping my arms around his neck and tugging him toward me. His breath is ragged, and I feel the tension between us crackle.
His lips steal mine in a soft but eager kiss, as if he’s been waiting for this as long as I have. His hand brushes the small of my back, pulling me even closer, and I melt into him. Every inch of my body is fully aware of his presence. The world around us melts away—the noise, the lights, the party—it all fades, until there’s nothing but the two of us, sharing a moment that feels like it could stretch forever. I know I don’t have anything to compare it to, but I have a feeling this is a particularly good kiss. Caring, soft, and intense. Intentional and meaningful. Not brushed over, but savored.
Our kiss deepens, and I let go of every lingering doubt, every ounce of hesitation. This feels right, as if we’ve been circling each other for far too long, and now, finally, we’ve found our place. Right here in each other’s arms.
24
"I know who you are."
Caleb Hawthorne
Kissing Aria feels like coming home after a long day—like collapsing onto the couch after a grueling workout. Everything just settles into place. It’s that sense of comfort, of relief, of finally being where you’re supposed to be. A place where nothing else matters.
We break the embrace, but our eyes remain locked.
“I’ve been wanting to do that for a while,” I whisper, caressing her cheek with the back of my hand. My pulse is still racing from that perfect kiss.
“Me too,” she admits, tuggingher bottom lip between her teeth. “What now?”
“I don’t think I’ll be able to stop kissing you, Aria.”
“But you said you didn’t want a girlfriend.” She glances away. “I can respect that, but I’m not sure I can add a casual relationship to my plate right now. I need stability, and I don’t want to lose you as a friend.”
I draw her closer. “You’ll never lose me as a friend, Aria, no matter what happens. But I don’t want to just be your friend. I was lying to myself when I said hockey and relationships couldn’t mix. Just look at my friends. They’re proving to me every day that it’s possible to have it all.” More than that, though, I was scared. Still am.
She takes my hand. “So, dating?” she asks, blowing out a breath.
A smile spreads across my face. “That’s what I want, but only if it’s what you want. Everything about this is complicated, and I don’t want to mess with your progress or anything. There’s just something between us, Aria. It’s been there since the day we met, and we finally had the courage to admit it.”
She nods, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. “And you don’t mind dating someone who doesn’t even know who she is?”
“I know who you are,” I say,cupping her face. “You’re Aria, the most beautiful, strong, and kind person I know. You’re a terrible present wrapper, an okay skater, and a future bestselling author who’s banned from the kitchen for the rest of her life,” I joke. “But that’s okay, because I don’t mind cooking for you.”
She laughs, her cheeks an even deeper shade of red. “Hey, I’m a good skater,” she argues. “I’mnot the one who made us fall that day. I was finally finding my groove when you took us down.”
