Page 25 of They All Puck Me

"That's not even the best part," I continue. "One of the kids looks at me and says, 'Hey mister, is this part of your training?' I had to bite my tongue so hard not to laugh."

She laughs harder, playfully shoving my shoulder. The contact sends a spark through me. Without thinking, I catch her hand, holding it between us.

Our laughter fades as we realize how close we've become. Her green eyes meet mine, and suddenly the air feels thicker.

The world narrows to just us. Her eyes flicker with something unspoken, a mix of curiosity and hesitance. Without overthinking it, I lean in and press my lips to hers. It’s soft, tentative. I feel her surprise first, then the way she melts into the kiss, responding in kind. Her hand tightens slightly in mine, and for a few precious seconds, everything else falls away.

Then reality crashes in.

We pull back, both breathing a bit heavier than before. I can see the conflict in her eyes mirroring my own.

“Wow,” she breathes out, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Yeah,” I say, my voice rougher than intended. “That was...”

“A bad idea?” she finishes for me, though there’s a hint of regret there too.

“Depends on who you ask,” I reply, trying to lighten the mood but feeling the weight of what just happened settling on my shoulders.

She laughs softly, shaking her head. “You always know how to deflect.”

“Hey, it’s a skill,” I say with a grin that doesn’t quite reach my eyes. “But seriously, we need to talk about this.”

“Yeah,” she agrees, looking down at our still-joined hands before letting go. The absence of her touch feels like a loss.

I take a deep breath, running a hand through my hair. “Look, Olivia...”

“Noah,” she interrupts gently. “I get it. We’re both professionals here. You’ve got your team; I’ve got my story.”

“Doesn’t mean we can’t...” I start but falter under her steady gaze.

“It means we shouldn’t,” she says firmly but not unkindly. “At least not right now.”

I nod slowly, feeling like I’m agreeing to something that goes against every instinct I have. “You’re right.”

“I usually am,” she quips with a small smile.

I chuckle despite myself. “So what now? Pretend it didn’t happen?”

Her eyes soften. “No. But maybe we just... take a step back? Focus on what we need to do?”

“And if what I need to do involves you?” The words slip out before I can stop them.

She gives me one last look before walking away, leaving me with an ache that has nothing to do with physical exertion and everything to do with the woman who just walked out of my reach—at least for now.

11

ETHAN

The locker room hums with the usual pre-practice chatter, a mix of trash talk and random banter. I’m lacing up my skates, half-listening to the guys nearby when I catch something that makes me pause.

"Did you see Liam and Olivia the other day?" one of the rookies, Kyle, says, a grin plastered on his face. "They looked pretty cozy."

"Yeah, but Noah’s been spending time with her too," another voice chimes in. "Saw them walking around the lake the other night."

My grip on the skate lace tightens. Cozy? Walking around the lake? What the hell?

"You think there's something going on between them?" Kyle asks.

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