Shut Out (Bayard Hockey #1)(39)

Sure we’ll come.

She and Ella were at the game together. That’s cool.

We arrange to meet at the bar, since I want to go home and change. Bayard upholds the tradition of dressing in suits on game day, but we don’t want to go out after in suits. Before I can get out of the arena though, I have to talk to a guy who writes a blog for the campus website, and a couple reporters from the local newspaper about my three assists.

As usual, I talk about the team and how playing with these guys makes it easy, and we’re just going to get better.

Finally, I walk into Curly’s and Skylar’s already there, sitting with Ella at a table near the bar, along with Rocket and Soupy. I grab another chair and join them, sliding in close to Skylar. She smiles at me—a wide, bright smile. Apparently she feels as good as I do. I like that.

“Hi, babe.” I lay my arm along the back of her chair “Hi. Congratulations.”

“Thanks.”

“Three assists.”

“Yep.”

Our eyes meet and it’s a heated connection.

A waitress approaches and I order a beer. I notice Skylar’s drinking some kind of pink cocktail. I lean in closer and ask in a low voice, “You get carded?”

“Yep. I have ID.”

“Huh.”

She winks at me.

I nuzzle her hair. She smells delicious. “I don’t want to stay long. Okay with you?”

“Sure.”

The buzz inside me feels like arousal and I’m getting that vibe from Skylar again too.

We hang out for a while. The bar gets busier and noisier. I finish my beer and as I set the empty bottle on the table, I glance at Skylar. “You ready to go?”

“Sure.” She turns to find Ella, who’s standing talking to a couple of the other guys. “Let me go tell Ella we’re leaving.”

I rise and slap Rocket and Soupy on the shoulders. “Later, guys.”

Skylar returns and I set my hand on the small of her back as we walk out. “I parked around the corner,” I tell her.

I breathe in the cool, crisp night air, with its faint scent of smoke.

“I think I’m starting to like hockey,” Skylar shares.

I laugh and hook my arm around her neck. “It was only a matter of time.”

I drive to her place, hoping like hell she’s going to invite me in. Which makes no sense at all, because she’s done her fake girlfriend duty for the night. She’s been doing her fake girlfriend duty for a few weeks now, and the truth is, it doesn’t feel very fake anymore.

When I pull up in front of her house, she looks at me. “Would you like to come in?”

I don’t even hesitate. “Yeah.”

We walk into the living room. I take off my jacket and lay it over the back of a chair, then sprawl on the couch.

“Would you like another beer? I think we have some.”

I push out my lips. “Got any Kool-Aid?”

She smiles. “Yeah. Grape.”

“I’ll have some of that.”

She bites her lip and rushes off to get it. I pick up the remote and turn on the TV. Maybe we can watch a movie. And make out.

She brings back two glasses and curls up beside me. “Looking for something to watch?”

“Maybe a movie?”

“Sure. What do you like?” She shoots me a glance. “Action? Comedy? Porn?”

I choke on my Kool-Aid.

She laughs. “Kidding. Sort of.”

“You don’t watch porn.”

She frowns. “Why would you say that?”

“You’re too sweet and innocent.”

She snorts. “Right.”

I eye her. “You really watch porn?”

“Sure. Why not?”

“Uh…”

She grins. “You have to find the right stuff. There’s female-friendly porn that’s really sexy.”

Mind. Blown.

“And I’m not that innocent. If I was, you really debauched me that night, right here on this couch.”

Since then, we’ve been spending time together but we’ve been trying to keep our hands off each other. It’s f*cking killing me. “Debauched? Did you really just use that word?”

“What’s wrong with that word?” She gets a teasing glint in her beautiful eyes. “You know what it means, right?”

“I know what it means. I can’t spell it, but I know what it means.” She laughs again. I like making her laugh. “Did I debauch you?”

“No.” She leans over and rubs her nose against mine. “I think I already told you, I’m not a virgin.”

“Right.”

“This might sound weird…or maybe not…maybe you’ve heard this a hundred times…but watching you play hockey turns me on.”

My eyes fly open wide. “Seriously?”

“Yeah.”

That chemistry is sizzling between us again, making my dick thicken and my blood run hot.

“Well, that works out pretty well, then, eh?”

Her lips quirk. “How so, eh?”

I shake my head but I’m smiling. “It works out well because after a game, I love to f*ck.”

Her eyes go heavy-lidded. “That does work out well.”