Page 2 of Puck and Run

Our eyes lock, and the air is thick with anticipation, I lean down until our lips are just inches apart. Then our lips meet in a soft, tentative kiss.

It’s electrifying, a rush travels through my body. The kiss deepens, the attraction between us undeniable. I pull back, breathless and dazed.

“Do you want to get out of here?” she asks, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

“Definitely.” I want to explore everything with this woman. Fuck my rules.

We slip through the crowd, hand in hand, toward the exit. Our masks keep us anonymous. Several of my teammates laugh as they watch us walk out. I’m sure I’ll get a ton of shit from the team at practice, but I don’t give a shit.

Stepping outside, the cool night air feels refreshing and the stars twinkle overhead. I turn to my mystery girl and see her eyes glittering up at me.

“Where to?” she asks.

“Follow me,”

A car service was organized to drive everyone to and from the party so that it didn’t matter if anyone drank. We get into the back seat together and I give the driver the name of a close hotel. I would rather take her to my bed, but if we keep this anonymous then I can’t take her home.

She leans against me and our lips meet again. This kiss is sweet and lingering, full of possibilities. In this moment, nothing else matters. It’s just the two of us, lost in the magic of the evening. We might not know each other’s names, but this connection feels undeniable. And for tonight, that is more than enough.

Chapter Two

Tilly

The hotel room is dimly lit, its atmosphere a blend of excitement and intrigue. As we step inside, my heart races. The soft glow of a bedside lamp table creates an inviting warmth. Duke walks behind me.

He doesn’t know who I am. Beneath all of the banter and mystery, I know exactly who he is —Duke Hammond. The Captain of the T-Town Tornadoes, the same team my big brother plays on. The man I’ve had a crush on since I was eighteen.

Shivers travel down my spine at the thrill of being alone with him. I wonder how he’d react if he knew I recognized him. Would he still be so open or would he shut down? I know that he has a rule about being with women during the season. My sister-in-law, Paisley, explained it to me and also told me to ignore it.

Paisley and her best friend, Tuesday, are the reason I was brave enough to approach Duke at all. I just moved to town, and they’ve known about my crush forever. I think part of the reason this year’s Halloween party was a masked party. They helped me disguise myself to the point where I walked in front of my big brother, and he didn’t recognize me at all. He said hello, but there was no recognition.

“Are you okay, princess?” Duke asks as he shuts the door.

“Of course,” I slowly answer, turning around to look into his eyes. The tension in the room is delicious. I feel caught betweenthe reality of my anonymity and knowing his identity. I can admit that this knowledge adds an extra layer of excitement to our encounter. And it doesn’t matter because we said no future, which is the only stain on this perfect night.

A playful smile dances across his lips, “So, what now?”

I grin back, “I don’t know. What do you usually do when you bring someone back to a hotel room?”

The smile slips from his face. “I know this will sound like a line, but I don’t do this. I don’t bring women I just met back to hotel rooms to seduce them.”

“I believe you.” And I do, Paisley told me he doesn’t hook up with women during the season and I’ve never heard about him being a player off the ice.

“Thank you,” he says, leaning down and placing a sweet kiss on my lips. “Come here.” He grabs my hand and pulls me toward the bed.

Duke sits on the bed and pulls me into his lap. His strong thighs feel like stone beneath me. I move a bit to get comfortable and his arms band around my waist. “Princess, you have to stop moving.” I feel him move beneath. I feel powerful.

“What if I don’t want to?” I ask, breathlessly.

He moves closer, his breath mingling with mine. Everything feels electric, my heart is pounding as our lips meet. The kiss is soft, a gentle exploration, but quickly deepens into something more passionate.

I melt into the kiss, my hands running through his hair trying to pull him closer. Duke pushes my dress up on my thighs and turns my body so that I’m now straddling his waist with my thighs. I’m lost in the moment.

His hands roam my body, sending shivers down my spine. I arch into him, craving more of his touch. The mask suddenly feels stifling, and I’m tempted to rip it off, to reveal myself tohim. But I resist, clinging to the anonymity that makes this night so thrilling.

Duke’s lips trail down my neck, and I tilt my head back, giving him better access. His touch is intoxicating, and I find myself grinding against him, desperate for more friction.

“God, you’re incredible,” he murmurs against my skin.

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