Page 44 of Nash

“I did,” I say. I smooth my hand down her thigh, wrapping my other arm around her to bring her close. I slant my mouth over hers, kissing her, teasing her lips until she parts them for me. I slide my tongue against hers, my eyes closing heavily as I sink into her mouth. Fuck, kissing her is like coming home. There's something so damn comforting in it and yet my blood is on fire, needing more.

I draw back, studying her gaze to make sure there’s not onesinglehint of worry or doubt in her eyes.

There's not. Nothing but heat and affection and a whole lot of beautiful green.

“Are you having fun tonight, Reese’s Pieces?”

“I always have fun with you, Nash,” she says, and her response hits me dead center in the chest. “For as long as we keep this up,” she adds.

She often likes to follow up these moments of vulnerability with a joke about how we have a time limit, or about how this is all fake, especially for me.

“All I hear is you always have fun with me,” I say, doing my best to focus on what's important. “And that's all that matters to me. That you're happy. And if that little scene back there bothered you, I'll be more than happy to stand up on this table and shout to this entire place that I belong to you.”

“Ohmigod, you wouldn't,” she says, gasping.

I cock a brow at her and climb up on the table.

“Don't you dare,” she says, tugging on my hand. “Get down.”

But my girl is laughing,beamingas she looks up at me.

Pax scoots into my seat, nudging her. “Don't worry, I’ve got this,” he says, holding up his phone and pointing the camera at me.

“Everyone excuse me, but I have an announcement to make,” I say loud enough to be heard over the booming music. I point to Pax’s phone. “You should hear this too,” I continue.

“My name is Nash Stokehill, I'm a Bangor Badger, and I’m completely obsessed with, enamored by, addicted to, and belong to Reese Jaynes.”

I get several confused looks, a few smiles, but my entire group of friends is clapping and laughing, and Reese’s cheeks are so red I can't help but grin down at her.

I hop off of the table, and Pax pockets his phone, scooting back over as he laughs at me.

“How did that make you feel, Reese’s Pieces?” I ask, leaning down to whisper the question in her ear.

“Like you always make me feel, Stokehill,” she says. “Like I'm living in a fairy tale.”

CHAPTER 12

REESE

“Thanks for meeting with us,”Coach Hardin says as he welcomes me into his office.

Crossland McClaren, the owner of the Bangor Badgers, is already seated across from Coach Hardin’s desk, his Armani suit contrasting with Coach’s track suit in an almost comical way. Still, I love that the owner came to Coach Hardin instead of making him go to his office. It only further proves how cool Crossland is, and how different he is from the previous owner. Blakely used to talk about him, and how big of a prick he was. We all have nothing but respect and admiration for Crossland for coming in and turning our team around.

And after the last month we’ve had, we’re about to approach the first round of the playoffs, which is a huge accomplishment.

“Of course,” I say, taking the open chair next to Crossland as Coach settles behind his desk. “You know I’m available whenever you two need me.” I try to sound as confident as possible, wanting to disguise the nerves I can’t control. I mean, it’s the owner and the coach at the same time. Anyone would be a little intimidated, right?

“We just wanted to have a little sit-down with you,” Coach says. “To let you know how impressed we are with the way you’ve grown our following on the socials.”

I breathe a sigh of relief, shaking off the last of the nerves as he guides us to nothing but a positive topic.

“Thank you,” I say. “I’m so happy to have finally found our audience.”

“You really have,” Crossland says, smiling at me. “We’re actually selling out,” he says. “Something that hasn’t happened in three years. And it’s not just our regulars showing up to support us. You’ve reached an entire new audience through your videos,” he continues. “People who are completely new to hockey are supporting us. It’s incredible to see.”

My heart expands in my chest, warmth radiating all over my body. I’m sure the pride is beaming through me. “I’m so proud of our team,” I say. “They deserve the support, the attention. Not to mention the deals the individual players have been getting.”

Coach nods, leaning back in his chair.

---