Page 5 of Cross Check My Heart
“And what was he right about?”
“That I would have fun if I came tonight.” She glances at Paige, who is leaning over Garrett to talk to their coworkers. Either Lilly doesn’t notice the ridiculous smile that Garrett keeps fixed on her friend, or she’s choosing to keep her mouth shut about it.
When she looks back at me, she has a small, genuine smile on her face.
“If that’s the case then we’re both shit out of luck, and I’ll have to tell Paige she was right too.” She leans in and even though we’re surrounded by a bunch of people, the scent of coconut and something else hits my nose. “Maybe we just… don’t admit it to them? Let them think that it’s only been an okay night out?”
She bats her perfect lashes at me as she sticks out her bottom lip just a bit in a pout. With a face like that she could ask for my wallet, and I would hand it over without hesitating. That thought is immediately followed by curiosity about what her lips would taste like. She probably tastes like the sweet seltzer she’s been drinking all night.
Much to my earlier protests, I’m glad Garrett dragged me here. The set-up that the team has outside of the building is so much more than I would have anticipated.
There are booths set up along the sides that are selling food and drinks. The face painting stand is set up to the left with a long line of eager fans next to one of the photo backdrops. Multiple oversized screens are set up strategically, so that no matter where you are, you can see the game in all its glory. The main screen that we all face is projected onto the side of the parking garage.
We’re sitting in a long row, since I was too distracted by Paige and Lilly’s arrival, I missed out on who the other two people are that sit to the left of Garrett. They did introduce themselves, but the band was playing, and the speakers drowned them out.
Once the game started it was easier to talk to the girls, but Paige is now distracted by Garrett and their coworkers, leavingLilly and me to entertain ourselves, which I am perfectly okay with. Her laugh and smile are both contagious and addicting.
We nursed our first drink during the first two periods and the second period ending gives me the perfect opening to get up and stretch.
“Wanna go grab another drink? Or are you the lucky driver tonight?” I motion to her empty can. A smile spreads across her face as she tilts her head toward me.
“We didn’t drive, my place is only a ten-minute walk.”
“Same, which is why it was impossible to talk Garrett out of dragging me here tonight.”
“Paige was the same way!” She leans over to talk to Paige before standing up and turning to me with an outstretched hand.
“Let’s go get that drink!” Laughing at her enthusiasm, I reach for her hand. Not because I need help getting up. Simply because she offered it to me, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t curious about how her hand would feel against mine.
Spoiler alert: it’s soft and small yet fits perfectly in mine.
After standing and reluctantly letting go of her hand, I motion for her to step ahead of me, letting her lead us to one of the beer stands. Not taking my eyes off the cans the guy is opening, I reach for my wallet and hand him my card as he passes Lilly her drink. As he swipes my card, she turns to me with the most adorable scowl.
“I was going to buy this round! You and Garrett got the last one.” I shake my head, a smile pulling at my lips as I hand her a second drink for Paige. Blushing, she lightly bumps into me with her shoulder.
“Even though I should have gotten this round, thank you.”
We get back to our chairs, it’s then that I learn one guy, named Sam, shares an apartment with Paige. Based on the scowl that forms on his face, this is news to Garrett. The guy practically sweats romance. So, the fact that he clearly has a crush on Paigebut is holding himself back has me wondering what’s going on between them.
As Lilly passes one of the drinks to her friend, I overhear Sam trying to get Paige to walk home with him, claiming he doesn’t like the idea of her walking home from Lilly’s alone at night. The thought of Lilly leaving so soon had me ready to offer to walk her home myself, but before I could even think to say anything, Garrett offers to walk her home himself if she wants to stay.
Lilly stays silent while a blushing Paige agrees to stay. Based on the contemplative expression that Lilly has on, she’s finally realizing that Garrett has a crush on her friend. I’m so lost in watching her that it completely throws me off when she turns her wary expression on me. She leans in so only I can hear.
“Just so you know, if he hurts her in any way, I won’t hesitate to hurt him back.” She scowls up at me. It takes all of my self-control to not laugh at her. She’s being serious, so I highly doubt that telling her how adorable she is would be the right thing to say.
As our friends watch the game, talking amongst themselves, I lean closer to Lilly, so I don’t have to shout.
“Not that he ever would, my Gare-bear doesn’t have a mean bone in his body, butifhe does, I’ll help you.”
She turns her full attention to me, I’m aware the third period is starting, but she holds me captive. The smile on her face as she looks at me catches my breath for a moment.
“YourGare-bear. Well, aren’t you two just the most adorable couple. Does he have a cute pet-name for you as well?” Garrett laughs from behind her and answers for me.
“The day someone gives my Dominator some cute pet name, is the day that I go skinny dipping in the ocean.” The dumbass smirks at me before blowing a dramatic kiss my way. “I’m the cute one, he’s the serious one.”
Lilly’s adorable giggle pulls my attention back to her as my heart skips another beat. Everything she does has my focus constantly shifting back to her.
It’s been over nine months since I was last with a woman. There’s a group of people who refer to themselves as puck bunnies, who will do anything just to get noticed by a hockey player. Literally, they have no shame when it comes to getting a player’s attention. The biggest problem with dating one though? They’re not into the whole committing to one player at a time thing. While some players don’t seem to mind sharing women, I’m not one of them.
