Page 117 of On the Power Play

Luckily, she didn’t have to distract herself for long. Jack was one of the first players out of the dressing room. His hair was damp from the shower. He wore a flannel jacket over a grey T-shirt and those jeans she loved. His eyes locked onto her and his step faltered, then his chest lifted with a deep inhale. He strode toward her like he was under the impression her plane had crashed or her ship had gone down in the Atlantic.

Delia barely had time to blink before she was in his arms. She breathed him in. Freshly shampooed hair, the clean scent of his clothes and deodorant or cologne. She couldn't tell which, only that it was different than usual.

"I'm so sorry," she breathed into his neck.

"Yeah."

She pressed her cheek into his chest, wishing she could change the last five minutes of the game. "You were incredible." A deep exhale was his only response, so Delia continued. "I wanted to text you at the beginning of the game, but I knew you wouldn't get it."

"About how pissed you were that I didn't tell you about my parents?"

Delia clenched her fingers against his back. "Umm no, actually about how I think I get why you love hockey so much, but now that you mention it.” She pulled him close. “They don't know you know they're here, so please don’t out me."

Jack pulled back and looked up, feigning academy-award-worthy surprise when he saw Leslie and Marc standing a few paces away. He stepped away from her to embrace his parents, and Delia immediately felt the loss of him.

She wanted to find some way to ease the hurt he had to be feeling after such a tough loss. He was probably starving. She wanted to take care of him like he’d taken care of her. Delia pulled out her phone and started searching for restaurants. They could go for food, or hadn't Mary said something about an after-party? Though, maybe they wouldn't be celebrating without a win. They could?—

"Hey." Jack trailed a hand up her arm, and she shivered. "You still up for watching something?"

She inspected his face, trying to get a read. Did he actually want to watch Bond movies and eat pizza or was he doing that for her?

She flicked her tongue over her lower lip. "We don’t have to. If you’re tired, we could grab food and then?—"

"I’ve been looking forward to it all day."

Delia swallowed hard and nodded. "Then I'd love to. But do you want to get food?"

"Hell yes."

She laughed and glanced past his shoulder, then lowered her voice. "What about your parents?"

He leaned in. "I told them I was exhausted and we'd spend the day together tomorrow. My mom's setting up brunch because she knows I don't like to get up before ten after a game."

Delia grinned. "Are you a mama's boy?"

"Hell. Yes."

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Jack's hand shook as he pulled out the card to his room. He glanced down the hall to make sure the security guards posted at the stairwells had successfully kept the hoards of people contained in the lobby and parking area, then swiped it over the mechanism. When the light turned green, he pressed down on the handle and pushed.

He hadn't even been tempted to meet with the rest of the guys in the suite they'd booked for meals. He'd spent the last three days with his team, and they couldn't blame him if he wanted some time with his girlfriend. He and Delia had put in their food requests, and one of the staff was going to bring it straight to his room.

Girlfriend. Was that what she was? Regardless of what they’d spelled out on paper, he was having trouble seeing any of this as a publicity stunt anymore.

Delia grabbed his elbow before he could step in. "Jack, I just remembered. I don't know where my bag is."

"It's not in your room?" His pulse spiked. Was she second guessing this? The first time they'd sat in a hotel room together it had been a logistical necessity, and his pulse hadn't been rushing like the Humber River after a downpour.

She shook her head. "They took it when we checked in, and—" Delia stopped as Jack pushed the door open wider. "Oh."

Jack turned his head and found a rose gold suitcase sitting next to the closet door. "Well. That wasn't there when I left for Roger's Place." He walked into the room and held the door for Delia to follow.

"Why would my bag be here?"

Jack peeled off his jacket. "Probably because most couples like to stay in the same room together."

Delia's eyes flicked to his, then back to her bag. She looked like she was about to say something, but bit her tongue. His heart was pounding out of his chest, and he turned, hoping she couldn't see his flushed cheeks in the dim light of the lamp.

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