Page 89 of Melting the Ice

“Now, can you stop fidgeting so I can officially kick your ass?” He held up his controller.

I laughed. “Why do I even bother trying to play?”

“Because it’s part of your routine, and we stick to that shit so we can win hockey games,” Tally said with a grin.

“And Josie’s going to be in the stands, so we’re totally winning tonight, right?” Dom asked.

“Let’s hope,” Tally said. “We’ve all got our good luck charms showing up tonight, right?”

We lost in OT the other night while Josie had been at work. She really was a good luck charm for me. When the playoffs came around, Simone better give her every home game off. The Cup was that important.

“Damn right. She looks so fucking cute in her Daddy jersey,” Dom boasted. “I could just eat her up.”

“Please tell me you’re talking about Livi and not Ally. Not that Ally isn’t hot as fuck,” Sin said, slipping into the chair next to Tally.

“Fuck off, Sin. Of course, I’m talking about Livi. And what Ally calls me in the bedroom is none of your fucking business,” he finished with a smirk.

“If you guys are done, can we play already? I want to get my ass kicked and then move on to my final pregame snack.” I held up my game controller again.

Tally grinned. “Happy to oblige.”

“Speaking of hot-as-fuck girlfriends, your bestie in town yet?” Sin asked.

“Why do you have to constantly stir up shit?” Tally knocked his fist into Sin’s shoulder.

Sin rubbed his shoulder. “Don’t injure the star winger before the game. Some captain you are.”

“I’m the star winger, fucker,” Dom fired back.

Tally shook his head at both of them. “And you aren’t going to say shit about Micah and Josie to Ray at any point during his visit, right?”

“Yeah, yeah. Lips are sealed,” Sin replied.

“Good. Now stop being an annoying shit so I can concentrate and win this game. You get next round,” Tally said.

Then Tally turned on the game, and all of us focused on the TV in front of us. Typically, boasting and bullshit continued as a bunch of us played. I lost quickly and sat back, just soaking in the camaraderie. There was nothing like it.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I pulled it out, seeing a text from Ray.

Ray: Dude. Sweet puzzle room. Very zen.

I rolled my eyes. Guess he’d arrived.

Micah: Fuck off. Glad you’re here. Don’t touch that table. I’ll know.

Ray: Such a puzzle freak. You got a camera in here or something?

Instantly, my brain remembered how I spread Josie out on that very desk after finishing one recently. My body tightened with need. But I didn’t need that recorded on video since the scene played on a loop in my head whenever I thought about her. Or puzzles. Or that room.

Fuck.

Ray: And thanks for being here for Josie. She just told me about that dick ex. Crazy that she’s living in your building, and sorry if she’s driving you crazy. How’s her roommate?

Ray: I know you gotta prep for the game.

Ray: Fill me in over a beer tonight after you beat Anaheim.

I swallowed hard. She was driving me crazy, but definitely not in the way Ray could possibly imagine.

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