Page 4 of Pucking the Team

I recognize a few of the Blizzards scattered around.

Vincent, Adam, and Marcus I’d already clocked. Now I notice the man of the hour, Derek “DJ” Johnson, the tall and lean center player, whose dark hair is styled to perfection, framing his chiseled jawline. Next to him is Oliver King, one of the newer defensemen who is known for being boyishly handsome.

But it’s the man at the center of the group who snares my gaze and steals my breath.

Slade Harrison.

Our eyes lock, and the world falls away. The Blizzards’ captain exudes quiet confidence, all chiseled jaw and searing gray-blue eyes that seem to pierce straight through me.

If Lukas has a notorious personal life off the ice, Slade is the opposite. Slade is famously private, rarely seen with women in public.

Yet there’s something in his intense stare that makes me feel naked, exposed. Like he can see past the bubbly, flirtatious facade I put on and straight into the depths of my soul.

I’m lost in the stormy depths of his stare, heat licking through my veins and sparking over my skin. The “what-ifs” hit me like a tsunami—what would it feel like to have those full lips trailing down my throat, to have those strong hands gripping my hips, to?—

Lukas’s arm snakes around my waist, tugging me down onto the couch beside him and shattering the charged moment with Slade. I suck in a shaky breath, reeling.

Holy hell.

“Everyone, this is Emma.” Lukas’s lips brush the shell of my ear as he announces me to the group, his deep voice sending heat skittering down my back. He keeps me tucked possessively into his side, muscled thigh pressed against mine.

I feel feverish, like I might spontaneously combust from his nearness alone.

“And I’m Selena,” my best friend pipes up from beside me, giving the guys a little finger wave. I can practically feel her vibrating with excitement as she slides into the booth next to some players.

The conversation swirls on around me, but I’m only half-listening, too focused on the way Lukas’s fingers trace idle patterns on my hip and the weight of Slade’s penetrating gaze from across the low table between us.

When Lukas leans in close to murmur something in my ear, his warm breath fanning over my cheek, I can’t stop the thought from flitting through my mind: what would it be like to kiss him?

To surrender myself to the sinful promise of his mouth and hands and body?

The lines between personal and professional are already blurring into something dangerous and exhilarating. But as I meet Slade’s scorching look again, I’m hit with the startling realization that one hockey player may not be my only temptation tonight.

I’m in trouble.

Deep, knee-weakening, panty-melting trouble.

“So Emma,” DJ asks, pulling my attention away from the captivating men surrounding me. “What do you do?”

I smile coyly, taking a sip of my cocktail. “I’m actually starting a new job as a social media manager on Monday.”

The group nods approvingly. Little do they know, in a few short days, I’ll be working side-by-side with them, managing the Blizzards’ online presence.

The knowledge of my secret sends a thrill through me.

Under the table, a strong hand slides up my thigh, igniting my skin. I glance over to see Lukas smirking at me, his green eyes glinting with mischief. My breath catches at his bold touch, desire warring with the voice of reason in my head.

I should stop this before it goes too far…

But god, the way he’s looking at me, the way Slade watches us from across the table—it’s intoxicating.

Needing to clear my head, I nudge Selena. “Join me in the restroom?”

She slides out of the booth and I follow, feeling the heat of Lukas and Slade’s gazes on my back as I walk away. Once inside, I grip the marble countertop and let out a shaky breath.

“I don’t know what I’m doing, Lena,” I confess, meeting her eyes in the mirror. “Lukas and Slade…I’m so attracted to them both. But I’m about to start working with the team. This is a line I shouldn’t cross, right?”

Selena grins, bumping my hip with hers. “Emma Collins, when was the last time you had a little fun? You deserve this. Live in the moment for once!”

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