Page 98 of What Are the Chances
“Just like they will be tonight.”
“A loud crowd is still a loud crowd. You just have to learn when to play into the noise and when to shut it out.”
“Huh,” she mused. “That’s kind of cool.”
This was one of the deepest conversations Riley and I had ever had about hockey. It was still relatively surface level, but it was something.
“I take it you’re coming to the game,” I said.
She nodded.
“Will you be on the bus?”
She nodded again. “Only on the way.”
Oh.Oh.Was she planning on hanging back with Tanner fucking Holbeck? That sure as hell stung.
“I’m catching a lift back with Grace,” she explained. “She’s heading up with Parker and someone called Lana.”
I exhaled, relieved. That was a much better scenario than Riley celebrating with the Allentown crew afterwards. She was in safe hands with Hughesy, and Lana was Levi’s younger sister, though only younger by a year which she’d reminded us of non-stop growing up.
Talking to Riley now, any restraint I’d built up within myself to leave her alone diminished. I could only keep her at arm’s length when I avoided her entirely. The moment I caved a little, the urge to pull her in completely was too strong.
“There’s a gathering at our house afterwards,” I murmured.
Riley rounded off the tape. “So I’ve heard.”
“Are you coming?”
She turned away, placing the tape back into her kit. “I didn’t know if you’d want me to.”
Standing, I placed my hands on her waist and tugged her back against my chest. “I do. That’s the problem.”
She reached her hands above her head, tangling them in my hair. Usually I wore my Phil-U beanie to games. I was glad I hadn’t today. Riley’s fingers massaging my scalp felt absolutely heavenly.
“Why is it a problem, Caufield?”
I wasn’t so sure right now. Riley had begun grinding her body against mine, which felt pretty fucking intentional. My dick was certainly responding. Dressed in my thin dress pants, there’s no way she couldn’t feel my jutting erection digging into her back.
Somewhere my inner monologue was telling me this was irresponsible. I was in the hockey rooms with a trainer. It was unprofessional. We could get caught. But I also didn’t fucking care.
I inched my hands higher, one resting on Riley’s ribs and the other tracing the curves of her breasts.
“I’d feel responsible if the team lost because you didn’t get your pre-game bang,” she whispered.
I chuckled against her neck. “A bang? Sounds romantic.”
She turned in my arms, her head tilting back to look at me. “It’s a quickie is what it is. We’ve got twelve minutes. Think you can deliver, Caufield?”
When she was the inspiration? Hell fucking yeah.
*
We lined up in the walkway, waiting for the right moment to skate onto the ice. The arena was dark and music played loudly as the announcer hyped up the crowd. They were loud tonight. I could feel the vibrations from their roars through my skates.
Levi turned over his shoulder, looking at me. “Ready?”
I shuffled my stick between my gloves. “Ready.”
