Page 46 of Ice Cold Rival

She shook her head. “I should have known better than to start with you.”

I’d seen the posts on TU’s social, and I knew I had a little bit of work to do to get her reputation where I wanted it. Thanks to Kane, too many people thought she was playing me. We were only trying to make the rest of her year here easier. After graduation, none of those anonymous assholes would matter.

In hindsight, we’d been lax with the public appearances, and while my roommates were convinced, not many others had seen us together.

I planned to fix that tonight.

Other players straggled past us in groups. They seemed like they were ignoring us, but we were spotlighted under the parking lot light, and let’s be real, Kenzie and I were the hottest drama at TU right now. They were watching.

I rounded the car and hauled her forward into a hug. To her credit, Kenzie didn’t smack me or back away. She didn’t even stiffen up. I probably could have given her warning, but I kind of wanted to see how she’d react.

Her arms came around me immediately, and she leaned into it, closing her eyes with a sigh. Holding Kenzie was never a hardship, but the way she relaxed made me think she’d needed the hug.

“You smell good,” she murmured into my chest.

I chuckled. “Well, I showered. What were you expecting?”

“A sweaty, gross hockey player who’d just worked his butt off for three straight periods.” Kenzie leaned back to frown at me. “If you’re tired, please say something. I know you have another game tomorrow and you’re probably?—”

I silenced her with a kiss.

She drew in a tiny breath, and her hands clenched the back of my shirt. I slipped my fingers under the jersey she wore and nearly lost my shit when I encountered nothing separating me from her soft skin.

A small voice in the back of my head reminded me technically, my dick hadn’t been involved before. It helpfully pointed out I wouldn’t be breaking my one-night rule if I spent the next several hours with her naked in my bed. Maybe the next day too. After all, if she never left, was it really the next day?

With a massive effort, I hauled myself out of the gutter, easing back from the kiss to rest my forehead against hers. Tonight wasn’t supposed to be about sex. As much as my dick disagreed, I genuinely wanted to help Kenzie knock down her good girl walls.

There had to be things on her list we could do together fully clothed. In public. With chaperones. Bonus if someone from TU saw us and posted about how happy she looked. I could arrange the last part for sure. Would it be too much to tag Kane?

I quickly weighed the options and decided to play it by ear.

Kenzie’s eyes fluttered open, a little dazed, and locked on mine. “What was that for?”

“I can’t kiss my girl after winning our game?”

She gave her head a little shake. “Yeah. Yes. Of course. Happy to provide… my lips? I’m going to stop talking now.”

I wiggled my fingers against her bare back. “Got big plans for tonight?”

A pretty little blush crept up her cheeks. “It was my sister’s idea, and don’t get me started on how weird that conversation ended up. Do you…” She trailed off and looked away for a second. “Do you like it?”

I tilted my hips forward, pressing her into the car and making it very clear how much I liked her fashion choice. “You could wear anything and I’d like it, but my opinion doesn’t matter. How doyoufeel knowing the only thing between you and the air is my name?”

Kenzie licked her lips, and I had to hold myself back from kissing her again. She deserved the time to find the answer to my question.

Slowly, she smiled up at me. “It feels fun, like a secret between the two of us.”

“I’m glad you let me in on your secret.”

A flash from my left followed by a whispered curse pulled me out of the moment. I’d completely forgotten we had an audience. From Kenzie’s startled expression, she’d forgotten too. We were supposed to be performing, but everything I’d said was the absolute truth.

“Come on, wifey. Let’s check another thing off your list before we hit my bedtime.”

She laughed, as I’d intended, and rose up on her tip toes to kiss my cheek. “Thanks, Reece.”

After we’d settled into the car, I held out my hand. “Where’s the list? I’m picking this time.”

She raised a brow in a silent comment about my choices thus far, but handed over her phone with the list pulled up.

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