Page 37 of Hooking Up with the Hockey Player

Our footsteps crunch on the gravel drive as we walk slowly to Anna’s car. It’s funny how different this feels than walking her to her car after brunch just a few hours ago. Then I was full of tension and anticipation, wondering if it’d be okay to kiss her and finally settling for a kiss on the cheek.

Now I’m more sad than anything that she has to go, even if I’m fairly confident I’ll see her again soon. This evening, as wild as it’s been, feels like we’ve passed some kind of milestone, though. Like this is becoming real in a way it wasn’t before tonight. All the kissing and grinding probably has something to do with that.

When we get to the driver’s side door, Anna turns and looks up at me. “Thanks for inviting me tonight. I had a lot of fun.”

One corner of my mouth turns up in an affectionate half smile, and I reach up and tuck her hair behind her ear. “Me too. Sorry about—” I wave toward the house to indicate Dozer and Jenny. “I didn’t expect them back this early.”

She stifles a giggle behind her hand. “Oh my god,” she whispers. “Are they always like that?”

I grimace, shaking my head. “It’s hard to quantify ‘always’ for a couple who’s only been together for maybe two weeks. I met Jenny when she showed up here with Dozer a few days ago when we all got here.”

That makes her laugh harder, and she buries her face in my chest to muffle her laughter. A full-blown grin on my face, I settle my hands on her back, enjoying this easy intimacy and the fact that she feels comfortable enough to reach for me this way.

Straightening, she sniffs and runs her fingers under her eyes, then fans her face with one hand. “Oh my god, that’s so much worse than I’d imagined somehow.”

I chuckle, and she bursts out laughing again. After a moment, she manages to stop, though little giggles burst out still, but she’s smiling, and if I could keep her like this always, I would.

Still smiling too, I tip her chin up and give her a gentle kiss.

That finally stops her giggling, and she sighs, the sound so content that I want to hear it every day for the rest of my life. Her fingers curl into my shirt, and I take that as a sign to deepen the kiss.

She meets my kiss eagerly, her tongue sliding against mine, but Dozer and Jenny once again ruin the moment. I’m not sure what’s happening down there, but I hear Jenny’s voice, the words indistinct but her volume much too loud for this time of night with kids in the house. Tina’s going to tear that woman a new one if she doesn’t shut up soon.

Reluctantly, I end the kiss, taking a half step back to give Anna space to get into her car. “Can I see you tomorrow?”

The look she gives me makes me think of the deer that stopped in the middle of the road the other night when we were driving back to the cabin, eyes wide and unblinking, completely frozen. Fortunately, we were going slow enough that we didn’t hit it. Nick flashed the headlights a couple times, and the deer managed to come out of its trance and bound away.

Anna doesn’t take as long, at least. And when she does, she smiles, looking down for a second, then meeting my eyes again. “Um, I guess? What did you have in mind?”

That’s not exactly the resounding excitement I was hoping for, but I guess it’s better than a rejection. “Nothing specific. If you’re busy …” I give her the out at the last second, taking a step back, because it occurs to me that it’s possible she feels unable to tell me no while I have her alone in the dark practically trapped against her car.

“Not too busy,” she interjects right away. “Sorry. I just didn’t expect …” She waves a hand, then sucks in a breath and lets it out, straightening her shoulders. “I’m sorry. My agreement sounded unenthusiastic, and that wasn’t what I meant. I was just surprised is all.”

My eyebrows climb my forehead, a grin sprouting on my face. “Surprised I’d want to see you again?”

She shrugs. “I mean, we spent like half the day together today. I didn’t expect …”

I chuckle, reaching for her and dropping another kiss on her sweet mouth. “I’ll happily monopolize all your free time if you’ll let me.”

Another shout from Jenny has Anna glancing past me toward the house. “Well, considering your alternatives, I guess I can’t blame you.”

The self-deprecating humor has me chuckling again, but I shake my head. “Even without her making the trip extra fun, I’d still want to spend as much time as possible with you.”

Her lips part, her eyes searching mine, though I’m not sure what she can see in the low light. Hers are barely more than pools of darkness. But whatever she sees seems to satisfy her, because the tiny gasp of surprise is over, and she smiles at me. “Okay. I’ll let you monopolize my free time tomorrow, then.”

“Really?”

She giggles at my surprise. “Didn’t you just say that’s what you wanted?”

“I did. I just wasn’t sure you’d go for it.”

Pressing up on her toes, she hooks a hand behind my neck and brings me down for another kiss. “I’m meeting Brit tomorrow at eleven, but after that I’m free. Text me in the morning and we’ll figure out our day, okay?”

“Okay.” I’m almost dazed by that quick reversal, but I’m not going to question it. “Text me to let me know when you make it home okay.” Putting my hands in my pockets, I step back so she can get into her car.

She gives me a brilliant smile as she opens the door, the dome light almost blinding in the darkness. “I will,” she assures me before closing the door. After starting the car, she raises one hand in a wave before turning around to follow the gravel drive back to the road.

I watch until her tail lights disappear, reluctant to go back to the fire, but when I hear voices, I turn and head that way. Better make sure Jenny’s not trying to burn the house down.

---