Page 180 of Playing the Pucking Game
You’re fucked, a little voice pipes up, but like usual, I shove it back down.
“Come on, let’s get you home,” I say, adjusting her so she’s at my side.
She stills. “I can’t. I can’t go home. Mom will?—”
“Whoa, calm down,” I soothe. “I’m taking you to mine. Mom and Nova are out. We’ll have the place to ourselves.”
My idea of heaven.
“O-okay,” she stutters before we begin walking again.
As we move, something to my side flashes in the overhead light and catches my eye.
Without thinking, I release her for a beat and pick it up.
A hotel key card.
My fingers curl around the piece of plastic as my instincts tell me just what room it is.
“Linc?” she questions.
As fast as I can, I tuck the card into my back pocket and pull her back into my side.
She doesn’t say anything as we make our way to my car, and I can only hope that’s because she didn’t see.
Pulling my passenger door open, I wait for her to drop into the seat, but she lingers.
“Parker, what’s?—”
Her lips cut off my words as she reaches up and presses them to mine in the briefest, sweetest kiss of my life.
“Thank you, Linc. I?—”
Unable to stop myself, I wrap my hand around the back of her neck and duck, resting my forehead against hers.
The need to kiss her properly burns through me. My cock jerks and my pants get too tight at just the thought of tasting her. I just know that she’ll be so much sweeter than I’ve imagined.
Her big, golden eyes gaze up at me, almost begging, and I swallow thickly.
She needs you to do the right thing here, Linc. She’s hurting. Do not take advantage.
“Just so you know, Seth has made the biggest mistake of his life tonight. There won’t be a day that goes by where he won’t regret this.”
Her breath catches, her eyes filling with tears again.
“I don’t care who he has up there with him. She’ll never be you.”
Parker shuffles forward, bringing our lips almost within touching distance.
I close my eyes, needing a moment to remind myself to do the right thing.
“In you go, little P. We’ve got a full night ahead of us.”
It’s not true, it’s already speeding toward midnight, but I have every intention of at least attempting to turn her night around.
Finally, she drops into the car, taking temptation away.
I deserve a medal for holding out.
