Page 48 of One Pucking Wish

She puckers her lips. “That’s fair.” Backing away, she climbs out of the other side of the bed and makes her way to the connected bathroom. “I’m going to run a bath. You can join me if you want.”

I don’t remember a time when I chose a bath over a shower in my adult life, but if it involves a naked Penny, I’m in.

CHAPTER

NINETEEN

PENNY

My slick body lies atop Gunner’s, limp and buzzing with the afterglow of satisfaction. The jets from the Jacuzzi tub push bubbles of water across my skin as I breathe in the steamy air.

So much for my no-sex declaration.

However, did I think that bathing with Gunner would lead to another mind-blowing orgasm? I’d be lying if I said no. Apparently, the two of us will never not take advantage of being naked together.

I was serious about wanting to talk and getting to know one another. But a little romp in the tub never hurt anyone. Now that it’s out of our system, we can go back to the regularly scheduled program, which, when I stop to truly think about it, is insane. We’re going to get to know each other…Gunner and me… and talk about our relationship.

So strange.

I am naked in the tub in my house, straddling the Crane’s goalie, who, up to a month ago, I couldn’t stand. The two of us have no business partaking in anything labeled “a relationship,” yet here we are. Granted, we’re only a few hours in, so the jury is still out. This could all end in an epic disaster, but something inside me needs to find out.

Propping myself up, I splay my palm across his chest and run it across his wet skin. The guy is an Adonis; every inch of his body is sculpted to perfection. Some of the more outgoing guys on the team have the hot guy reputation, but I don’t find any of them more attractive than Gunner. I tilt my face up, resting my chin on his chest as I take him in. His dark black hair is disheveled, the short cut just long enough to allow chunks to fall to the side. A sexy five-o’clock shadow covers his face. His eyes, a deep brown with dark lashes, hold a kindness that I don’t think many people see. Truthfully, I’ve never looked at his eyes long enough to see it myself.

He is one big, beautiful beast of a man. And he’s… mine?

My reality has been turned upside down over the past month. I was so sure about things that I now realize I got wrong. I haven’t quite figured Gunner out, but he’s not the man I thought he was. He’s so much more than I gave him credit for. He came here inviting me into his life to know him in a way that I don’t think many do.

My steel heart is starting to feel things I haven’t felt in a long time. It’s scary, and I’m questioning myself. It’s too soon to trust my feelings. Though, part of me wants to. I yearn to dive in headfirst, heart open to experience a love like I’ve never known.

Maybe.

But what if I’m wrong? What if this isn’t real?

I’ve spent my life building a fort around my heart to protect myself. I’ve never been against love, but I won’t be vulnerable. In my earliest memories, it was me against the world. I’ve always been the only one who I could count on, and that hasn’t changed. Gushy fantasies of lifelong orgasms and a dreamy alpha male to love me for all eternity are alluring, but the fact remains, at the end of the day, there’s only me. I’m willing to see where this goes, but the protections stay in place. They have to.

“What’s going on in that head of yours?” Gunner’s deep voice breaks my train of thought.

“Just thinking we should probably get out.”

“Sure because we have all that talking to do.” He sounds less than amused.

I push myself up from his slick body. Standing, I grab a towel, wrap it around my body, and step out. “Don’t sound too excited.” I offer him a towel.

“I’m excited about food.” He steps out of the tub. “I’m starving.”

With another towel, I bend at the waist and scrunch the water from my hair. I catch Gunner eyeing me with a look of fascination. The guy definitely has something for my hair. “I’m starving, too. What about Thai?”

“I could do Thai. Have you tried All that Thai? They have the best…”

“Drunken noodles,” we say in unison.

I chuckle. “It’s definitely a drunken noodle kind of night.”

An hour later, we’re sitting on my oversized sofa, each at the opposite end with our Thai noodles. I’m sporting oversized sweatpants and a baggy T-shirt, while Gunner wears the jeans and T-shirt he came in. Our get-to-know-you session has resulted in eye-opening revelations. For instance, I now know that Gunner loves playing hockey and Thai food. While he’s learned that I have a love/hate relationship with my job, and not only do I love Thai food but I’m also a coffee addict.

I mean, the deep levels of vulnerability we’ve experienced here are shattering.

Slurping my final noodle into my mouth, I set the empty plastic to-go container on the coffee table behind me. “Don’t you wish there was a way to fast-forward through the awful get-to-know-you dates? I dread them, and in the past, they’ve been a waste of time anyway. Most guys don’t stick around very long. So why go through all the questions to begin with. You know?”

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