Page 38 of Ice Bet

Shit. Shit. Shit.

Her mouth was still open, lips parted with shock. I put on a good front and lifted the back of my hand and wiped my mouth, removing the vanilla-scented lip gloss. “I’m not trying to win the bet, Ry. I just know kissing you won’t fuck with my head like it will theirs. So if you want a hockey player, I’m the only one you can have.”

It totally fucked with my head.

Riley cleared her throat before smoothing out her revealing shirt with her hands. I was crazed, wild with thoughts of touching her, so I stalked over to the door and opened it. “Let’s go,” I snapped, angry at myself for kissing her. “Your dad gave me strict orders to make sure you make it home from parties, so we’re leaving.”

Riley began to walk past me, but right before she made it through the threshold, she glanced over and smiled deviously.

Shit.

I had made a colossal mistake, because kissing her didn’t affect her in the way that it affected me.

Her singsong voice rang throughout the crowded room. “Is it my turn?”

“Yes!” Taytum, our goalie’s sister, grabbed Riley’s hand and pulled her toward the end of the table.

“Sorry,” I gritted between tight teeth. “Riley is leaving.” I stole the cup that Taytum had placed in Riley’s hand and put it down.

Sully snickered from the other side of the table, and I flicked my eyes at him.

“AndddddTaytum is leaving too.” Ford walked over to Taytum and tried to pull her away.

He failed.

Taytum and Riley shared a look, and I knew that I was in for a long night. I sighed angrily and stormed off, finding a perfect spot on the wall to keep an eye on her. I thought kissing her would put her in her place, but it did the opposite. She was laughing louder, smiling wider, and flirting so much I was about to take her back in that pantry and try again.

She wasn’t just messing with the hockey team because of the bet. She was messing with me too, and she wasclearlyenjoying it.

“Hey! I recognize you.” I eyed the girl who was staring at Riley. She was petite with hair so blonde it looked white. She blinked a million and one times before snapping her fingers. “Oh my god! You’re Riley Lennon. The—”

Riley flipped the last cup and threw her hands up in victory. Then she looked over at the girl and said, “Yeah, the hockey coach’s daughter. Don’t remind me.”

“No, you’re more than just the hockey coach’s daughter.”

I agreed.

“I’m Gianna.”

Riley froze. “Oh, Gianna…”

Gianna nodded. “Future teammate…I hope?”

Teammate?

I pushed off the wall. “Teammate for what?”

Riley completely ignored me by turning her back and shutting me out of the conversation.

One of Rush’s running backs elbowed me. “Figure skating?”

What?

He must have sensed my confusion. “You didn’t know about her figure skating career?” His beer-filled breath filled the space between us. “You’re awfully protective over her for not knowing much about her.”

I mused over his dig for the next two games of flip cup.Figure skating?I would have asked her about it, but she’d probably throw her drink in my face instead of answering, so I didn’t ask.

Riley’s eyes were becoming glossier by the second. Taytum had left after the second game, getting a phone call that pulled her away, but Riley was still going strong and talking some major shit to Sully, who I couldn’t help but notice was encouraging her to keep going.

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