Page 25 of Love on the Ice

I’ve never, not in my entire life, had dibs on the hottie or on anyone. And I can’t deny that my head gets a little big at the thought. It’s my turn. Mine. Right? Finally.

Except I can’t shake the sinking feeling that this is going to turn into something else. Maybe something not healthy. Like the other shoe is going to drop at any given moment. Chewing on the corner of my bottom lip, I smile and nod, not saying anything else.

A few moments later, we go through security and head toward the food. I’m not hungry. I haven’t been particularly hungry since Reid took me out for Italian. Nothing has felt or sounded good.

The smells all around me in the courtyard-type area cause my stomach to grumble. Maybe I’m hungrier than I thought. I head straight for the barbeque baked potato place. I need filling carbs, and nothing is as comforting as a baked potato.

Once we all have our food, we head toward our seats.

I pause as we pass another security guard. We move closer and closer toward the ice. And then, we stop when we’re directly in front of the glass partition. Oh my god. We’re sitting on the glass. I don’t know much about any sports at all, but I do know that tickets this up close and personal are special.

With my baked potato in one hand and a cherry cola in another, I sink down in my chair right as the announcer calls out that the Carolina Fury will be taking the ice for their warm-ups. The crowd that’s already fairly sizable, goes wild.

My lips twitch into a smile as a bunch of little kids run down here and stand in front of the clear partition, making little circles with their hands and placing them on the glass. I’m unsure why they’re doing it, but it’s super cute.

Then I watch as the players skate around, hitting pucks all over the rink. I haven’t even asked what number he wears, and I feel bad but also foolish. I should have asked him that. It should have been one of the first questions I asked when he told me he played hockey.

“There he is,” Brooklynn calls out from beside me.

She points across the ice at a player who looks taller and bigger than Reid. It couldn’t be him… could it? When my gaze scans all the way up his body, I see his last name printed on the back of his jersey in bold lettering, TILLMAN.

It’s him.

He turns his head, then skates around so he’s facing me. Seeing him all padded and helmeted out does something to me. I don’t know why, because I thought he was beautiful before. But right now, he looks like a force to be reckoned with.

And I want to be reckoned.

Badly.

They all skate around the rink, taking practice shots and doing whatever they need to do to warm up. Then I watch as Reid starts to stretch. My eyes are glued to him when he gets down on the ice.

He’s on his hands and knees, and he stretches what I assume are his hips. When he starts thrusting them, I cannot look away. All I can imagine is being beneath him and him thrusting inside of me the same way.

Even though I’m in this really cold arena, I begin to sweat. “Are you okay?” June asks, leaning over to whisper into my ear.

My tongue sneaks out and slides along my bottom lip. “I’m hot,” I breathe.

I’m unable to look away from the scene in front of me. I know it’s not supposed to be sexual, but after the other night when his mouth was between my legs, I can’t help but feel sexual about him… in every way.

“I just bet you are,” June laughs.

I can’t stop ogling him. They are getting ready to skate off the ice when I hear one of the little girls by me shout to her friend that they won’t be getting a puck. They look so defeated. They lower their hands and shoulders and shrug right before Reid knocks on the glass.

Their little heads lift, and he gently tosses a puck over the glass to one of the girls. Then he whistles, and Otto glides up to him and tosses a puck to the other little girl. The girls look at one another before they scream with delight, then run back up to their seats.

My heart squeezes at the sight. In a good way. In the best way.

I bite the inside of my cheek, and my knee starts to bounce as I wait for the game to start. I don’t know what happens if they lose. Will all the guys be angry? Will they be in a rage? Or will they be okay with it all, enjoy the evening and try again tomorrow?

June reaches for my hand and grips my fingers with hers as they call out the players. The whole arena is electric as the announcer says their names. I can’t believe that these guys moved in across the street from us, that I’ve had dinner with Reid twice, and they’re semi-famous.

It’s wild.

Chapter

Eleven

REID