Page 87 of Taking Chances

I’m just not used to casual sex. And the hormones the body releases after an orgasm are the same ones released when you’re falling in love. It makes sense the two sometimes get mixed up.

Good thing I have a head on my shoulders to help me separate the two.

Friday is the big day.I rush home to change after work before heading to the rink. We all bought shirts that Matt printed with the BYC Icers logo on them. The shirt is a tighter fit than I expected, but I need to represent our team. Slipping on a pair of loose shorts, I pull my hair up into a ponytail and leave my apartment.

“Hi, babes. Looking good,” Natalie greets me as I enter her car. Matt left earlier to set everything up, but she offered to pick me up.

“Erm, I should have taken this shirt in a larger size.” I try to pull off the cotton stuck to my skin but it’s no use.

“Nonsense, you should dress like this more often. Show off them goods.” She shoots me a smirk before pulling her focus back on the road.

Her words plant a seed of anticipation inside of me. Maybe Lennox will like the fact that it’s tight.

We enter the rink, quickly finding Rina in the stands. Her belly’s huge and uncomfortable looking, but she has pillows all around her.

“What’s up with that?” Natalie points at the pillows.

She sighs. “Connor. He’s afraid my back will hurt in these stands so”—she gestures around her— “this.” Natalie and I chuckle but Rina just shakes her head.

We sit next to her, grabbing a couple of pillows since she has more than she could possibly need. The rink is, expectedly, mostly empty, but it doesn’t take away from the atmosphere. The parents are here, all decked out in the same shirts as us. The kids are on the ice, Matt leading the warmup. They look adorable in their little gears that are way too bulky for their lanky frames. Half of them are wearing black practice jerseys and the other half white ones. I notice Eric in a black jersey, fully focused on the warmup.

“He must be so excited,” I squeal to Rina.

“Tell me about it.” She waves me off. “It’s all he’s been talking about—for days.”

My giggle is cut short when I notice two massive figures entering the ice.

“Fuck, they look hot,” Rina murmurs, making Natalie cackle.

I’m dumbfounded. Lennox, in knife-sharp skates and a black hockey jersey, is a sight that won’t be leaving my mind any time soon. In fact, I’m internally cursing this godforsaken shirt because I’m pretty sure my nipples are poking through it. Just as I glance down to check, a figure skates to the boards in front of us, drawing my gaze back up. It’s Connor, sending Rina a kiss, which she accepts, giggling like a schoolgirl. Right next to him is Lennox. He gives us a courteous nod, his gaze sticking to me a moment too long.

This time, I know my nipples must be visible because his eyes darken with hunger. My breathing picks up and it’s suddenly too hot here at the freaking ice rink.

Eventually, he gives me a reprieve of his stare, skating back to his team. When I look back at the girls, Rina is still staring at the ice, but Natalie is eyeing me funnily.

Thank God, Rina breaks the silence. “Ooh, Eric and Connor aren’t on the same team. I just realized it.”

“Aw, is Eric going to be sad?” I ask.

“Ha! Nope. Matter of fact, I think he wants to show him what he’s got. Give him a run for his money.”

“Atta boy, E!” Natalie slow claps, and I chuckle.

Matt’s whistle signals the start of the game. Though they’re hot, Connor and Lennox look ridiculous, towering over the youngsters. But they fulfill their role amazingly, supporting the kids so they hold onto the puck and try to score. Lennox grabs the puck and passes it to Eric. Completely in the zone, Eric races forward. Connor tries to intercept but Lennox swiftly blocks him.

“Ooh, I hope they get into a fight,” Natalie muses.

Rina huffs a laugh. “It’s a kid’s game, Natalie.”

Our chuckle is cut short when Eric slaps the puck directly into the net. The three of us jump up—or slowly rise in Rina’s case—and cheer loudly.

“Go, E!” Natalie screams, pumping her fist in the air.

Lennox winks at me imperceptibly, and I remember our deal. Nerves race with excitement inside of me the same way that these kids race for the puck. I really need him to win this.

And he does.

The game is neck and neck, and the two adults get more and more competitive, pushing each other into the boards to keep their team’s possession of the puck. But in the end Eric and Lennox are victorious, a kid named Tommy scoring the final goal.

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