Page 16 of Pucking Only
Shit, I don’t know anymore. She’s got me so confused. I don’t know which way is up when I’m around her. Any hope I had that I could act like a normal person around her after so much time apart has already gone up in smoke. Now I really don’t know what to do.
“Anyone need more wine? Beer?” Grace asks once we finish eating.
I nod. “Sure.”
“I’d take some more wine,” Skyler says at almost the same time.
We look at each other and lock eyes for a moment before she tears her gaze away.
Grace moves to stand, but Jensen beats her to it while smiling down at her, “I’ll get the drinks, babe. You relax.”
He kisses the top of her head as he walks by her toward the kitchen. Grace gazes after him for a moment with a soft expression, then looks back at me and Skyler.
“Let’s go to the living room,” she suggests. “We’ll be more comfortable.”
We get up to follow her. As Skyler stands up, she removes the clip from her hair and lets it fall loose down her back. I stare, mesmerized as she shakes her head back and forth and runs her fingers through her dark blonde locks. For a moment, I’m frozen, staring at the way the light catches in her hair and imagine what it would look like wrapped around my fist.
“Hey, you good, man?”
Startled, I turn to find Jensen standing next to me with a wine bottle in one hand and two bottles of beer in the other. His brow is arched and he’s frowning in curiosity.
“Uhh…I’m good,” I assure him. “Just spaced out a moment.”
Narrowing his eyes, he mutters, “Huh…sure. Whatever you say.”
Then he moves past me to join Grace in the living room. They settle on the couch together. Skyler takes the small rocking chair across from me and I slide onto the floor with my back against the wall.
“So, how’s the season going?” Skyler asks, looking mostly at Jensen but sparing me a glance.
“Not too bad,” Jensen says. “We’ve got a winning record so far. I’m pretty sure that it’s only going to get better because Carson’s been killing it lately.”
“Oh, yeah?” Skyler finally looks fully at me.
Shrugging, I say, “That’s what they keep telling me.”
Her brows knit together. “Got it. Cool.” Her gaze goes backto Jensen. “Grace sent me your game schedule and it looks like you’ve got one against Utah coming up?”
“Yeah,” he grins. “It’ll be a tough one, but I’m confident we’ll pull it off.”
“I can’t wait for you to see the guys play,” Grace says, giving Jensen goo-goo eyes. “It’s really something to see them in action.”
Skyler chuckles. “This coming from the girl who always declared that she hated hockey and its players? Now I’m really excited to watch you guys play.”
Grace laughs and nods. “Yeah, I’m reformed. It’s hard not to be a fan when you hang around the team as much as I do. They’re all a bunch of giant teddy bears. Don’t be intimidated when you meet the others.”
“Noted,” Skyler replies.
Thinking of Skyler interacting with my teammates makes my stomach twist in a way I don’t particularly like. They’re all going to trip over themselves trying to impress her and get her attention. I don’t really like the idea of those animals drooling after her. Just like I wouldn’t like them drooling over Grace…right? I’m protective of Skyler. She’s like a sister to me. A sister I keep checking out.What the fuck’s wrong with me.
That’s it. She is like a sister. That’s the only reason I don’t like it.
The evening progresses and Grace and Skyler have a few more glasses of wine. Jensen and I each have another beer. I feel warm and more relaxed, but I’m far from buzzed. The girls on the other hand are more than tipsy.
“Sky, isn’t Jensen so handsome?” Grace asks, flinging her arms around Jensen’s neck while gazing up at him in adoration. “Isn’t he the most handsome guy you’ve ever seen?”
“He’s a hottie,” Skyler agrees with a giggle. “But he’s no Austin Butler.”
“Austin Butler?” Grace gasps, scrunching up her nose. “He’s pretty…Jensen is handsome. Rugged. Manly.”