Page 103 of Lucky Shot
I’m biting my lip while I try to gauge all three of their expressions at the same time.
“Seriously?” Creed asks. “That’s… serendipitous.”
“Fucking wild,” Ethan says, grinning again. “How crazy that you were like a few doors down when you ‘met’?”
I nod. Demi kisses the back of my head and yeah, I fucking swoon again. I love how affectionate he is. I love that he can’t seem to stop touching me any more than I can stop touching him.
“It’s really cute,” Ethan says.
“Has anyone said anything yet?” Creed asks.
“Like what?” I ask at the same time Demi says, “Who?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Everyone always has something to say.”
I nod absently, thinking of Sidney and his refusal to look at me. “No. Not yet.”
“They can say what they want. It won’t change anything,” Demi says.
“We’re here to support you if you need it,” Creed says. He gives me a demure smile. “Just in case.”
It hasn’t been long since their relationship blew up all over the place. You’d think one of them murdered someone by the way the reporters had stalked them.
“Thanks,” Demi says. “I anticipate the biggest backlash we’ll get is being on different teams. Otherwise, we’re both out players, so there’s nothing that should interest anyone that much.”
Again, I remember Sidney. My gaze moves around the bus, searching him out. I don’t see him, but only because there are a lot of people, and I can’t see them all as they turn to talk to someone or hunker down into their seats with their headphones. Maybe surfing on their phones.
The arena is already crowded by the time the bus drives up. The crowd waiting outside to be let in waves and screams as the bus drives around back. I shiver and turn away from the window.
There’s far less of a crowd in the back, but there are still a bunch of reporters beyond the security barriers; waiting like vultures to get a glimpse of the people on the bus. I shake my head. Seriously, so many people have nothing better to do with their lives than follow around other people, steal pictures of their private lives, and make up stories. I swear, there must be more to live for than that.
We slowly file off the bus. I’m behind Demi with my head on the back of his neck, my hands on his hips. I already predict that we’re going to be split up and I hate it to my fucking bones. All I want is to keep touching him.
“Bozik, away. Ayrton, away. Wilder… stands. Kipler, away. Kain, home. Emmons, away.” The lady just outside the bus runs down the list as if she’s memorized it as we step onto the pavement. She glances at the list in her hand on occasion, but her eyes track us the second we step down.
“I’m rather impressed,” Ethan says. “Not only does she know every one of us, but she knows just where we’re going. Say what you will, but knowing every hockey player on sight is epically impressive.”
He kisses Jakub and then Creed with quick pecks to their lips before linking his arm with mine. “Come on, hot stuff. You’re mine for the next few hours.”
Demi narrows his eyes at Ethan, who only smiles brightly. Then his light gaze turns to mine. He takes my chin between his fingers and brings my face to his. His kiss makes my knees buckle and I’m breathless when he lets me go. “See you soon, Pretty Boy,” he murmurs. After giving Ethan another glare, he joins Creed and Jakub as they make their way to the second door.
“Fuck, that was hot,” Ethan says as he pulls me along. I stumble slightly, which only makes him chuckle. “He got your panties in a twist, huh?”
I laugh, but even that sounds breathless. “He’s just…”
Ethan laughs.
“Yeah,” I say, smiling foolishly.
Ethan claps me on the back as we get to the doors and I head in while he moves for the stands. I’m handed jerseys as I get to the door. It’s teal and kind of cool looking. I’m almost disappointed I don’t get to keep it. My gear bag is already lined up in front of a cubby that I’m sharing with another player since we’re more than doubling the teams right now.
Unfortunately for me, I’m next to Sidney Phelps, who glares at me every time our gazes meet. Otherwise, he pointedly doesn’t look at me at all. I frown as I watch him hurry out of the locker room as fast as he can.
I’ve apparently done something to piss him off.
THIRTY-ONE
ELIXON
