Page 100 of A Whole New Trick

I swat his chest playfully. He captures my fingers. I dip my head back and watch him bring them to his lips. He holds eye contact with me as he kisses each one.

I bite my lip as he nips at the pad of my forefinger, feeling the tiny bite pulse in my core.

“Keep looking at me like that, Caldwell, and I won’t ever let you out of this bed.”

I smile. “I’d have to change your diet from all the extra calories you’d burn trying to keep up with me.”

He barks a laugh. His arms wrap around me, and then he twists so I’m straddling him. His dick stiffens between my legs. “I think I’m up for the challenge. What about you?”

I laugh and dip down to kiss his lips. “Absolutely.”

I draw back and catch my breath when I see the affection in Dane’s eyes.

“What?” I ask, self-conscious for no reason other than I’m not sure a man has ever looked at me likethat… like I’m his entire world.

“I love you,” Dane declares without preamble.

He doesn’t say anything else.

Dane lets the words float around us, wrapping me in a blanket of warmth and security I’ve never experienced.

“I love you, too, Dane.” I kiss him gently.

More than I could have ever imagined.

32

MORGAN

“Damn,sis. You’ve been holding out on us.” Matthew whistles as he looks around the arena.

Our seats are right next to the glass in the center of the ice. We won’t be able to see every detail of the game from this vantage point, but we will see the action up close and personal when the Ranchers and Crocs face off.

It’s game three of the finals, and it’s the first one to take place in Dallas. The Crocs are an incredible team, and they held the Ranchers to one score in game one.

News outlets saw the outcome of that first game and immediately began declaring Florida could sweep the Ranchers. They accused the Dallas team of being talented but unrefined. They praised Dane’s offensive performance and Cam’s goaltending but said their skill wasn’t enough to beat Florida.

The Ranchers proved them wrong by winning game two in enemy territory.

Tonight, the atmosphere inside the Ranchers’ arena is electric. Every Ranchers fan eagerly awaits the organization’s first home finals game in history. Loud music blares over the speakers, pumping up the crowd as players from both teamsskate around the ice, warming up and taking practice shots at the net.

“Thank Dane,” I tell my oldest brother, smiling as I see Dane send a puck flying into the back of the net between Cam’s padded legs.

“I knew there would be perks with my sister dating a hockey star,” Miles speaks up, leaning back in his seat, kicking his feet up on the edge of the glass.

Mason smacks his twin’s feet down. The two push and shove each other, exchanging grumbled insults. Matthew and I share a look and roll our eyes.

“It’s too bad Mom and Dad couldn’t make it,” Matthew says.

My smile falters. “Yeah… it is.”

I’d been so hopeful when Dad mentioned attending one of Dane’s games during lunch a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, he hasn’t followed through.

“Be patient,” Matthew says, seeing my disappointment. “He just needs a little more time.”

I watch the Ranchers’ mascot, a cartoon-style cowboy, skate around the edge of the ice, shooting shirts out of his t-shirt cannon into the crowd.

“I know.”

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