Page 36 of Icy Pucking Play

"Right. Practice."

I watch her gather her things, trying to get my heart rate under control. Trying not to think about how perfectly she fit against me, or how soft her lips were, or how much I want to do all of that and much more again.

"Text me when you get home?" I call after her.

She pauses at the door, looking back with a smile that makes my chest ache. "You got it."

Once she's gone, I lean against the kitchen counter, running a hand through my hair.

I am in so much trouble.

"Dad!" Natalia calls again. "Water!"

Right. Dad mode. I can do that. I can be responsible and mature and not think about Sophie Bennett's lips...

Later my phone buzzes.

Sophie:Made it home. Thanks for letting me join you tonight.

And another…

Sophie:Also, caramel sauce is still wrong. But you make it look good.??

So much trouble.

Worth it, though.

Definitely worth it.

Chapter 11

Sophie

There are three things I've learned during my time atSports News Now.

One: the office coffee tastes like battery acid mixed with regret.

Two: no one—including me—actually knows how to work the printer.

And three: it's impossible to focus on work when you spent the previous night making out with Chicago's grumpiest goalie in his kitchen.

“Yo, Bennett!" Brad's voice breaks through my daydream. "What’s in God’s name are you doing over there?"

I quickly minimize my document—which may or may not contain more instances of the word "Evan" than strictly necessary for a feature about Ryland.

"I'm editing!"

"You're sighing. Again." He peers over our shared cubicle wall. "And you've got that look."

"What look? I don't have a look."

"The same look you had after the golf disaster. And the coffee incident. And that time he complimented your stats analysis and you nearly walked into a door." He pauses. "Also, you've got your 'Evan playlist' on repeat again."

I quickly shut off my music. "I do NOT have an Evan playlist!"

"Sophie." He pulls up my Spotify on his phone. "You have a playlist called 'Hockey Stats' that's nothing but love songs and saves from his best games set to music."

"Those are...research materials."

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