Page 74 of One Pucking Destiny

He leans down and presses his lips to my ear. “You ready to get out of here?”

A jolt of energy sparks new life into my tired limbs, and I stand up straight. “Absolutely.”

He takes my hand in his and squeezes, supplying a beautiful grin. “Good. Me too. Let’s go.”

CHAPTER

TWENTY-EIGHT

BASH

We can’t get back to my place fast enough, and with all the people out celebrating, it seems to take forever. I loved every second tonight. Being out in the open with Ari—holding her hand, kissing her, and not caring if anyone saw—was thrilling and something I’ve wanted for a very long time.

Tonight was the first time she’s actually been fully immersed in my life, and what a grand opening of our relationship it was.

All that aside, I’m ready to get her alone.

On the way home, she opens up about all the thoughts floating around in her mind since yesterday, leading her to make the decision she did. She tells meabout her conversation with her mom and what a cathartic experience it was.

Every word she utters fills me with soul-deep elation. This is what I wanted for her, and not only because it’s good for our relationship. No one should have to go through life surrounded by a wall of fear holding them back.

I always hoped we’d get here, and I truly believed we would. But I can’t deny the relief that’s engulfed me since she said my three new favorite words:I choose you.For as much as I love her and would choose her every time, I needed the same.

And now I have it.

Now, I have her.

“So this is where Sebastian Calloway lives,” she says as I lead her into my home. “Nice.”

“It’s just a rental. Though now that I have you, I’d say it’s time to start looking for a home.”

She hangs her purse on a chair in the dining room. One of the smallest rooms in my place, it’s about the size of her entire apartment. “You know I still have a year of clinicals to do before I can move here.”

“Of course. First things first, we’ll get you a bigger place by school and buy a house here. We can spend time between the two, depending what our schedules look like. And obviously, somewhere in all that, we’ll get married.”

Ari throws her head back in laughter, and it’s the most beautiful sound. “Um, I’ll have you know we’ll never be married with a proposal like that. Plus, we’ve been dating for like an hour.” She playfully slaps my chest. “And, most importantly, I will not be getting rid of my apartment. I told you, I love it there, and I will stay there until graduation.”

I circle my arms around her waist and pull her close. “We’ll see.”

“Oh, you will see me living there. That is what you’ll see.”

“Fine.” I kiss her forehead. “I can visit you anywhere. We’ve had some fun in that closet of yours… what’s another year of it.”

“That’s the spirit.”

Taking her hand in mine, I give her a quick tour of the place. While the house is nice, it doesn’t hold any significant value to me. I’m rarely here. When I’m not busy with the Cranes, I’m visiting family. The space within these walls has never felt like home. Our next house will be so much more with Ari by my side.

Ari gives me a wicked smile as we enter our last stop on the tour, my bedroom.

Pulling her against me, I press my mouth to hers, savoring the way her lips feel against mine. The sweet way in which she tastes, a mixture of mint andraspberry, has my body desperate for her. Kissing Ari is a dream. Everything about her kisses, from the way she moves her tongue to the faint sighs she releases as we explore one another, feels so familiar. My body instinctively knows how to make her tongue increase its cadence or her moans intensify in volume.

I’ve always been able to read her so well. The very first night we were together, I felt like we were connected in a way that I’ve never felt with anyone else. From that first moment, she’s held me in a trance, capturing my heart whether she meant to or not.

Cradling her face in my hands, I pull away from the kiss. “Did today really happen?” I smile against her lips. “Is this actually real?”

In a span of hours, my dreams have come true. It’s surreal.

She slides her fingers through my hair. “It’s real. You are a Stanley Cup champion.”

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