Powerless (Chestnut Springs, #3)(99)

Except Luke. Luke is the only one who scores any goals, and Jasper makes the biggest, goofiest show of trying to stop him every time. Watching him with Luke is adorable. It makes my ovaries hurt.

I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him smile so much.

I’m not sure I’ve ever been more attracted to him than I am at this moment.

I’m not sure I’ve ever loved him more than I do right now because, impossible as it seems, every day we spend together I just keep loving him harder.

“Coming for you, Gervais,” I call as Summer passes me the puck.

“Bring it, honey. Show me what you got.”

But instead of trying to score, I stop in front of him, spraying ice all over his pads. We’re grinning at each other like crazy people as I pull off the beautifully painted helmet on his head, hooking my fingers through the metal bars as it dangles at my side.

“I need a kiss first,” I say, trying to keep my expression neutral.

Because I know he’ll never turn me down. I’ve learned that where Jasper Gervais is concerned, he’ll do absolutely anything to keep me happy.

Including kissing me in the middle of a family hockey game just because I asked.

So I’m not surprised when his glove hand comes to the side of my face and his mouth drops onto mine without a single moment of hesitation. I’m not surprised when I hear everyone hooting and hollering as we kiss on that little piece of ice in the middle of the ranch. I’m not surprised when he takes it a step further and slides his tongue into my mouth.

But I’m still a competitor. And I hate to lose. So I extend my stick and nudge the puck past Jasper’s feet while he stands there kissing me senseless like I asked him to.

I hear Luke cheer. “Ahhhh! That was so gross. But Aunty Sloane scores! We win!”

Jasper chuckles against my lips with a gentle shake of his head. “Nice goal, Sunny.”

“Thank you, Jas.” I do a little curtsy. “Who knew you were so easily distracted?”

Our gazes lock, his irises bouncing between mine. “You’ve been distracting me for years. This is nothing new.” But then his voice drops low and anticipation hums through my core when he murmurs, “But you’ve got my attention now.”

My brow pinches, and I try not to blush as I smile up at him. He’s even taller on his skates, towering above me. Frost-touched cheeks, sparkling midnight eyes, caramel hair flopped down over his forehead, looking so fucking handsome it hurts. “Oh yeah?”

His mouth drops to my ear. “Yes. Really feeling the spirit of giving this Christmas. And I’ve just decided I’m going to be giving it to you all night. Actually, maybe all afternoon . . .” His head snaps up, and he pulls me into his body as he calls out toward the side where everyone is sitting, “Game’s over! Sloane and Summer’s team wins. We’re heading out.”

I bark out a laugh, but he winks and reaches for his helmet, guiding me off the ice.

“Where are we going?”

“Home, Sunny. We’re going home.”





40

Sloane


Violet: Drink?

Sloane: No.

Violet: You need one.

Sloane: I’m too nervous to drink.

Violet: Yeah. You look pale. Need a little color in your cheeks.

Sloane: No one cares about the color in my cheeks tonight, Vi.

Violet: You’ll look better on the news this way.

Sloane: What?

Violet: They have Buddyz Best!




I’m so nervous I feel like I could puke. I’ve got my elbows propped on my knees and my fingers tapping together in an anxious flutter.

“Girl, you give me anxiety just looking at you.” Harvey’s warm hand lands on my back.

“I’ve never been so nervous in my life.”

“Never?” His brow quirks.

I suck my lips in into my mouth and shake my head quickly. “Never.”

“I mean, if tail-babies can’t make you nervous, then I’d have thought a Stanley Cup game would be a piece of cake.”

“Harvey, good lord.” I drop my head into my hands on a laugh. “Is the tail-baby thing ever going to stop being funny to you?”

He shrugs and grins down at the ice. “Probably not.”

I want to pretend the joke isn’t funny, but the truth is I’m so sick with nerves right now I could hurl all over my maroon Grizzlies jersey with Gervais emblazoned across the back.

It’s the same one I bought all those months ago. It feels monumental somehow. Lucky.

And considering it’s almost the final period of play in game six of the Stanley Cup Finals tonight, the Grizzlies are going to need all the luck they can get. It’s their last chance to close the series out and win it all on home ice.

Their season has been nothing short of miraculous. They went on a hot streak just before Christmas and stuck with it. Those points catapulted them far enough into the standings that they made the playoffs.

Barely. But making it is making it.

They’ve fought long and hard. I know they’re tired. Jasper is sore and ready for a break.

It’s been a long, trying year, but it’s also been the best year.

The playoffs.

A second Olympic gold medal in February.

And us.

Us. God, that still sounds so good to me. The “us” part of our life is so damn good. So damn easy. It feels so damn right.