Page 52 of Puck Shy

“I’m here,” she reiterates.

“You’re wearing my jersey.”

“Well, technically, it belongs to Riley. But yes, I’m wearing your jersey.”

I snort out a laugh and hand my stick and gloves to one of my teammates then drop my helmet to the ground. I don’t care that this is inappropriate, that a bunch of cameras are probably around filming this moment, but next thing I know, her arms are around my neck, and she’s kissing me.

The crowd erupts with cheers, and I hear Johnny yell we’re on the Jumbotron. Which means we’re for sure going to be in the news. But I know I can handle anything that comes my way if Stevie is by my side.

I kiss her back, only letting her up for air, which is when she laughs and says, “You’re getting sweat all over me.”

“Like you mind,” I tease.

She shoves me a bit, but I press another lingering kiss to her lips.

“Were you here the whole time?”

She shakes her head. “Let’s talk somewhere else.”

I follow her eyes and look around at the crowd watching us. Not to mention my team—and the other team.

“Meet me in the old equipment room down the hall and to the left,” I smirk.

“Can I come?” Johnny asks, his head popping over my shoulder like a damn Whac-A-Mole.

Stevie snorts, and I glare at him. “You’re sitting this one out, Rookie.” He pouts but makes his way toward the locker room alongside Jason.

I turn back to Stevie and brush a lock of her hair behind her ear. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

She nods. “See you in a bit, MVP.”

Then she walks off, but not before she blows a kiss over her shoulder—and I catch it.

Chapter twenty-three

Stevie

My phone blows up as I wait for Lucas. First, I got a text from Dad saying that he saw me kiss Lucas McKnight on television. Then a text from Mom asking why I didn’t tell her I was dating anyone, let alone the brother of Riley’s partner.

Then I got a bunch of texts from Nia whining that I didn’t update her on what went down after our phone call, and I owe her an orgasm for that and for waking her up early. Which I’ll gladly let her collect, and hopefully Lucas will be fucking me while I do.

When I click open Lucas’s social media to check it—since that’s my job, after all—it’s going wild. That’s one thing I’ve tried not to think about when it comes to dating him. Riley and I are about to have even more in common. If Lucas wants to try this out with me, I’m about to get a taste of what it’s like to have the media breathing down my neck. But I think I’ll be able to handle it as long as I have him.

The only thing I need to know now is if Lucas is ready to go all in with me. He did kiss me in front of an entire arena full of people. It was televised and on the Jumbotron—that must mean something, right?

“Are you spiraling, Cherry?”

My head snaps up, and I rise from the chair I’m sitting on. “Maybe not spiraling this time, but thinking,” I say.

“About what?”

“Us,” I reply honestly.

Lucas steps in front of me with a gentle smile on his face, his hair wet with water that’s now dripping down the side of his face. I notice his shirt and pants are a little damp, too.

“You could have dried off, MVP.”

His smile turns sly. “I was in a hurry.”

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