Page 21 of Hat Trick Heart

He nods and rubs my back. My spine feels like fire is spreading all through my backside.

“Anyway, the football team took a rather perverse joy in picking on me. Especially this one guy. Brett Barker. He used to really torment the heck out of me. He knew that I had my nose in a book half the time so one of his favorite things to do was to jump into my seat before I could turn around and see him. And then he’d wrap his arms around me and hold me on his lap.” I feel my face flaming. “I hated it. Everybody stared at me and laughed.”

He holds me tight and then turns me to face him. “That guy’s a dick and if you want me to, I’ll go find him and kick his ass.”

I grin and laugh. “No. It’s not necessary. I don’t really think about it anymore. I just tend to stay away from jocks. I guess I don’t trust them.”

“I can understand that but that just sounds like kid shit. Guy probably liked you and he was too much of a pussy to tell you.” He leans close to my ear and whispers, “Unlike me who’d like to tell you every second of the day how much I like you.”

I reach up and tug him down until his lips are a breath away from mine. “Maybe you’d like to just show me.”

His eyes search mine and they’re soft and sweet, full of so much heat that it fires up my belly again. “I’d like to, Angel. But I think you’re probably still a little sore today and I’m not going to touch you again until you’ve had a few days to rest up.”

I pout and he laughs. “I promise you, I’ll make it worth the wait. But I don’t want to hurt you. I swear last night took years off my life when I realized that it was your first time.”

He hugs me close. “I am going to hold you all night long and then I’m going to help you dig out in the morning because this storm isn’t supposed to last long. I have to go to practice in the morning but I’ll drive you to work before I go in. And I know a great guy with cars. He’ll get your car all straightened out. I’ll call him in the morning.”

“You don’t have to do all that.”

“I want to do all that and more.” He leans close and kisses me hard and deep, until I’m panting wildly. “I want to take such good care of you that you never want to get away from me.”

I cuddle into his chest and we watch the fire. My eyes drift shut and I sigh. “You’ve got a real good start on it, mister.”

He chuckles. “Good.” His warm lips brush my cheek. “Good night, angel. Sleep well and happy dreams. I know I’ll have sweet dreams tonight.”

I smile and let the darkness wash over me, content that he’ll take good care of me and I have nothing to worry about.

The next morning we get ready quickly and he digs out the foot of snow so that I can walk to the car with him holding my hand. He drives me to work and kisses my cheek after he walks me up the steps. He turns to run and smiles at me. “Love you, Angel.”

And I watch him running away from me, my heart pounding in my chest. “I love you too, Emile,” I whisper.

I groan when I see the other team’s enforcer slam into one of the Frostwolves again.

“Good grief! Why are they hitting them so hard? Is that normal?”

Becca smiles. “That’s how hockey goes, Sassy. It’s a rough game.”

“But that guy didn’t even have the puck. The other one just slammed him into the side of the glass. For no reason!” My voice lifts higher and higher while I sit there, my hands fidgeting relentlessly with my new long-sleeved t-shirt with Emile’s number and name on the back of it.

“It’s all part of the game. Don’t worry about it. But let me just say one thing. I never in a million years thought that I’d ever get to go with you to a game and that you’d be wearing a hockey player’s number on you! It’s like you’ve been tattooed by him.”

I roll my eyes. “For heaven’s sake. Don’t be ridiculous!”

She laughs and hugs me. “Don’t kid me. You’re so hung up on this guy that it’s not funny. It’s actually kind of adorable though. I couldn’t be happier for you.”

“Shut up! I know you’re trying to distract me from what’s going on out there.” I wave my hand out towards the ice. “For God’s sake, it’s barbaric!”

She laughs again and hugs me tight while I grumble, staring at the ice.

It’s hard to follow the play. It’s so fast. But I can see Emile wherever he goes. It’s like he has a beacon that follows him so that I can’t look away.

I hold my breath when he goes racing down the ice and one of the other team’s players goes head to head with him for the puck. Then as soon as he gets the puck, he races to the other team’s net and his offensive team scrambles to keep him in sight and block the other team’s hitters. That’s all I can call them because that seems to be all they want to do.

I wince when Iceman gets hammered into the boards by the other team yet again.

“Sheesh! Do they ever stop that? I mean, that guy’s got to be hurting right now.”

“If they need to they’ll go to the second or third string if he gets hurt but that’s just love taps.”

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