Page 56 of One Pucking Wish

“Gunner. My question. Are you going to answer it?”

“No.” He swings his legs over the side of the bed and stands.

“Seriously?” My tone raises an octave. “It’s a simple question.” I scurry off the bed and follow him into the bathroom.

He turns on the water and steps into the shower, leaving me confused. “Gunner,” I protest.

“Drop it, Penny. That’s a story for another day.”

The emotion in his voice is out of place, and if I’m not mistaken, it sounds a little like sorrow. I don’t ask the question again.

Nothing about this relationship is what I would classify as normal, and for the most part, I’m okay with it. We’re both on a learning curve of sorts. Yet Gunner is holding back more than me. And though I think I want to be his, I’m not. We can’t belong to one another if we don’t truly know one another. He needs time, and I understand that. But I can’t pretend I’m not nervous. If he can’t trust me enough to let me in, we have an expiration date—it’s that simple.

We’ve barely started, yet the thought of losing him scares me. More than it probably should.

CHAPTER

TWENTY-TWO

GUNNER

This has been the longest practice of my life. It’s monotonous and never-ending. I'd swear it was twice as long as normal if I wasn’t watching the clock tick by on the wall.

Something is seriously wrong with me. I can’t focus or think about anything other than her. Is this what being pussy-whipped feels like? I mean, I’ve teased many a teammate of being just that hundreds of times, but I’ve never experienced it myself. It’s more than sex I want with Penny, though. I want it all. When I’m not with her, I’m thinking about when I will be.

I’m Penny whipped.

It’s equal parts incredible and horrific at the same time. I’ve never seen myself as a relationship kind of guy. Yet when I’m with her, I’m happy. Me…happy. Her presence brings a sense of calm that covers me like a blanket, and that feeling is addicting. Truthfully, it’s terrifying. It’s only been a month since we made things official, and I’m starting to need her. I don’t need anyone. I don’t want to need anyone. Yet… I want her. I’m already in deep. I play it off as if it’s casual, but I can’t hide from myself.

She’s come into the arena a few times this morning to converse with Coach as she is now. Her form-fitting pantsuit is a deep forest green. Her pale complexion and burnt-red hair stand out in that color, making her more stunning than usual. I use all my willpower to focus on the drills at hand, but my eyes dart to where she stands. Her hair is pulled back in a twist, and my fingers tingle with the need to pull that clip off her head and run my fingers through her curly locks.

A puck whizzes by my head, hitting the net behind me.

“Dude, where are you today?” Beckett shakes his head. “You need to get your shit together. Playoffs are coming up, and we’re going all the way this year,” he says before retreating to the other side of the ice.

I can’t even argue with him because he’s right. My head isn’t in this practice. It’s with her, and that’s a problem.

Turning my attention back to the ice where it should be, I ignore her as she retreats from the ice. I don’t watch her perfectly delectable ass as she moves up the steps toward the offices. I don’t imagine what it will be like to grab on to said ass, naked tonight. Not even a little bit.

By some small miracle, the longest practice in history finally ends, and we head to the showers. I take my time, knowing that Penny usually works later. Though I have been on my best behavior since we’ve started dating. The good deeds tour, even with the closet indiscretion, was a PR success, so maybe she won’t work as late as she normally does.

The guys make plans to meet up at the Mongolian Grill tonight for dinner, but I give a couple of grunts as to why I won’t be there, and they don’t press me further.

I’m last to leave the locker room, and a grin surfaces when I find Penny waiting for me in the hall outside the locker room.

She quirks a brow. “And you call me a princess? What were you doing in there for so long?”

I supply a shrug, and we head out of the building together. “I’m surprised you’re done so early.”

“Yeah, it’s nice when things are smooth sailing. Rare but nice.” She nudges my side. My hand itches to grab hers, and while everyone knows we’re dating, we’ve yet to display any PDA at work, per Penny’s wishes. “What do you feel like doing for dinner? Iris says everyone is meeting up. Any interest?”

“Not really.”

“Good. Me either.” There’s an air of relief in her voice. “Order in?”

“Sounds good.”

Without discussion, we get in my car and head to her place. We’ve yet to stay at mine, and save for the handful of times I’ve stopped there to grab clothes, I haven’t been there all month. There’s just something about her condo that I like. It’s comfortable. In comparison, mine feels cold. It’s the kind of place that one who has a rotating string of women stop by for an emotionless quickie would stay, not someone in a relationship. Penny’s place feels like monogamy, and I dig it.

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