Page 50 of Puck Right Off

“Oh, I do. But after I grovel and then tell you my sad story, I intend to worship every inch of my bookworm thoroughly and properly.”

“Oh, fuck,” she mutters, grinding herself over me. “Are you sure we can’t start with that?”

“Positive. I don’t only want your body, Jordyn. I wantallof you.”

Thirty minutes later,Jordyn is lying on my bed, wrapped in my arms. I told her about the conversation with Coach Jensen that helped get my head on straight.

Jordyn’s apologetic face lifts to mine. “Before you begin… I just want you to know. I never went to the clinic after I saw you. The things you said before you left and the look in your eyes… I knew you were telling me the truth.”

A smile curls my lips. “Good. And can I tell you one more thing? Please don’t be mad… But I overheard you outside talking to Chelsea after my run.” She blinks at me, her mouth forming a little O shape. “I didn’t mean to. I was thinking about my family, and I couldn’t breathe. I went outside, and before I knew it, you were coming around the corner, on the phone. I didn’t have time to go inside.”

She shakes her head. “As if you would’ve gone inside.”

I chuckled, squeezing her against me. “You know me better than I thought.” Kissing the top of her head, I laugh as she swats my arm.

Pulling back slightly, I tip her face to mine. “After I’mfinished telling you what happened to my family, will you tell me about your dad?”Providing you don’t believe I’m nothing but a dark cloud of bad luck and run away, screaming.

“Of course.”

“Okay,” I brush a strand of hair away from her face and blow out a shaky breath. “I hope this doesn’t change your opinion of me.”

“It won’t, Tristan. I already know it won’t.”

We stare at each other, the silence lingering between us as I lie there on the bed, choked by grief and guilt. Fear reaches out, dragging a cold hand along my spine. Everything is on the line.

I take a deep breath, then quickly exhale as pain shoots through my bruised ribs. Jordyn lightly rubs her finger over them. My breath hitches from the gentle, caring way she touches me, and a pained hiss shoots out of me.

“Sorry.”

I give her a grin. “Don’t apologize. That hiss was worth it. The way you touched me…” Tears fill my eyes from the thought of me telling her about my family and her leaving me, never touching or looking at me like she’s in love with me again.

“Tristan. Stop it. Telling me what happened won’t change things.” Her eyes widen. “Oh, God. Did you have a girlfriend, and she broke up with you because of what happened with your family?”

I stroke her hair, chuckling. “No, that’s not it. Tamara, whom I’d been dating since high school, and I called it quits during my first year of college. She was attending the Art Institute of California in Los Angeles, and I was here, playing hockey. The distance proved too much, and when she came to visit me one weekend, she called it quits. We parted on good terms, though.”

“I’m sorry, Tristan. Did she fly here to see you play when you were together?”

I stare at her, shocked. “No. She claimed that leaving campus meant missing out on clubs, parties, and activities that ultimately helped her make connections and aided her future career.”

Jordyn looks puzzled. “She couldn’t have done that during the week? I mean, I get it if it’s an occasional thing, but didn’t she come to any of your games before the two of you separated?”

“A couple.” I’m flabbergasted at her expression. “Would you do that?”

This time, she’s the one staring at me in disbelief. “Of course. Your goals would be as important to me as they are to you, and I’d be willing to make sacrifices to help you achieve them. I mean, my goals would still be very important, and I’d continue working on them. But if you’re committed to someone, you find a way to make it work.”

I pull her against me, my lips capturing hers before she can get another word out. She kisses me back with just as much passion and intensity.

When we finally part, I grin at her. “You’re pretty damn amazing, kitten. You know that?”

She grins. “I don’t know why that makes me amazing. I’m just… me.”

“And you’re fucking amazing. All of you.”

Her finger runs down my face. “You’re amazing, too.”

I swat her ass. “Let me get this out before you distract me.”

“Yes, captain.” A flirtatious grin covers her lips.

---