Shut Out (Bayard Hockey #1)(85)



“No one does.” I nod. “That’s great.” I go up on my toes and kiss him.

“Hey, that’s a level one offense.”

I look over at Ben, grinning at us. “What is?”

“Making out with your girlfriend in front of your buddies.”

“Fine.” Jacob laughs and starts toward the kitchen. “I’ll get you a damn beer.”

“It doesn’t count when you’re only doing it because you need one yourself!” Hunter yells after him.

“We were hardly making out.” I throw a pillow at Hunter, who catches it with an athlete’s quick reflexes and a grin. “It was just a kiss.”

“Thank God you two made up,” Ben says. “He was f*cking moody as hell. Impossible to live with, not to mention useless on the ice.”

“I was not useless,” Jacob shouts from the kitchen.

Ben grins. “Whatever.”

Jacob returns, carrying a bunch of beer bottles. “I’ll bring you some Kool-Aid, babe.”

“That’s okay, I can get it.”

“I’m up. Sit.”

I lower myself into a chair. I love how he takes care of me. Even though I don’t need taking care of. The thing is, we take care of each other. Whether we need it or not. Because that’s what you do for someone you love.



Saying goodbye at the airport the next day might be one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. I have to remind myself of the challenges I’ve handled and come through stronger. But damn…I love Jacob so much. I feel like my heart is being torn out of my chest. I keep swallowing because my throat hurts so much. When he’s about to go through security, he turns to me and we move together without speaking, our gazes joined.

“We can do this.” He brushes his mouth over mine.

I go onto my toes and wrap my arms around his neck, finding his mouth again with mine. He hugs me back, pulling me up against him. Absorbing the heat and strength of his big body as I cling to him, I can’t stop the tears that leak from my eyes, and the wetness is cool where my cheek presses against his.

“Don’t cry, baby. Please.” He squeezes me tighter. “It’ll be okay. We’ll Skype every day. You’ll probably see more of me while we’re apart than you do here.”

I sob on a laugh. “Okay.”

“Gonna miss you so much.” He kisses me softly. “I love you, Sky.”

“I love you too.”

We kiss again, long and desperate. But I know he’s right. It will only be a few weeks until we see each other again. We’ve been through a lot. We’re both strong. We can do this. And I know at some point I have to let him go, let him get on that plane to go home. It takes everything I have to do that, to give him one last, lingering kiss, then move away.

“Bye, Jacob.” I smile into his eyes, which look a little damp too. “Enjoy Christmas with your family.”

“You too.”

We’ve talked about it and we both feel like going home will be okay now. We’ve dealt with a lot of shit in the last few months. I’m actually looking forward to seeing my family, including my sister, and Jacob says he plans to talk to his parents about what he’s learned and the program we’ll be working on together in the New Year. I can only imagine how proud they’ll be of him for doing that. My own heart still swells every time I think about it.

“I think I will.” I pause, going serious. “You make me feel so loved, Jacob. You make me feel like someone who’s worth loving.”

“You are. God, Skylar. You are.” His expression turns fierce warrior and I love that too.

“And so are you. And not just because you’re a hot jock.”

His eyes soften and warm with understanding, then he shoots me the cocky grin that attracted me to him across the kitchen that night we met. “But I am a hot jock.”

“You’re also a cocky ass.” I plant my hand on his chest and give him a shove.

He walks backward, holding my gaze. “You love my ass.”

My eyes bug out and I glance around. There are people all around us. I glare at him and he laughs and winks, then turns and gets in line.

I wait until he’s through security. Once he picks up his backpack from the table and slings it over his shoulder, he turns. He’s tall enough that he can see over the crowd as he scans the area and finds me. He lifts his arm and gives me a big wave, and I fight back tears as I smile and wave at him too. Then I turn and walk through the terminal, my vision blurred, but I’m still smiling and my heart is full and happy despite the tears in my eyes.

Because I love him and he loves me and I’m so looking forward to next term, being with him, accomplishing things with him, our lives back on track and moving into the future together.





To all my readers—I love, love, love to write romances and I’m honored and appreciative every day that I get to share them with you. Thank you for buying and reading my books and telling me you love them—it means so much to me.





Acknowledgments


Mega-huge thanks to Christa Soule, who gave me so much guidance with this book. Your insights and knowledge made this story so much better, made Jacob and Skylar so much better, and probably made me better. Thank you also to beta readers Michele Harvey and Crystal Moyer—your feedback helped me keep going when I was worried this new adult adventure was a crazy idea for an “old lady” to attempt. Thank you to Sue Grimshaw for making sure Jacob and Skylar were the best they could be. And thanks to the entire team at Penguin Random House/Loveswept for the amazing covers and edits, and for all you do to help people find my books.

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