Page 44 of Confessions of a Former Puck Bunny

Ryder slowly glanced toward the screen. “Oh yeah. Glad we won’t see that prick at playoffs, even if that game was a cakewalk.”

Dane leaned over the table and aimed his statement my way. “You should see this guy in action, Lindsay. He wipes the floor with little twerps all the time.”

As much as I was trying to resist, I really wanted to see that. Ryder skating across the ice, slamming into guys and helping our team win. I was about to spontaneously combust just thinking about it. I traced my finger down that enticing line of his forearm. “I have no doubt.”

Ryder covered my hand with his. “Maybe you’ll reconsider your stance and come to our game on Saturday? It’s a big one. First playoff game, and as luck would have it, it’s being played right here in Boston.”

I bit my lip. “Maybe.”

“I’ll take it.”

We watched the rest of the game, the guys talked strategy with help from Megan, who knew more about the game than I did—and after years of watching, that impressed me, even though I shouldn’t have been surprised. She did grow up with Beck, after all.

Everyone threw in money for the bill, and Ryder insisted on paying for me, claiming it was the least he could do after our date turned into hockey practice.

“We should get Lindsay to join us on Sunday,” Whitney said, and I turned toward her. Lyla and Megan were standing next to her.

Megan nodded. “Oh, you totally should.”

“What’s going on Sunday?” I asked.

“Paintball game with the guys,” Whitney said. “Megan and I were talking about how we needed more girls to even it out.”

“I’ve never gone paintballing before. I did have a stepdad who was super into guns and taught me to shoot, but that’s my entire experience.”

“That’s more than enough experience.” Megan reached up and ran her finger down the chain of her earring and then fiddled with the pink heart dangling from it. “I went with Beck a few times when I was younger, but it’s been awhile. Whitney’s never gone, and let’s just say, I think we’re all a little scared to see Lyla wield a weapon.”

Lyla’s mouth dropped open. “Hey!”

Megan nudged her with her elbow. “Kidding.”

“I’m not,” Beck said, coming up behind Lyla and wrapping his arms around her waist. “I’m sort of terrified. With her focus, she’ll probably be the last person standing.”

Lyla twisted her head and kissed him. “Be afraid.Veryafraid.”

They all turned to me. I felt Ryder behind me and glanced back at him to see if he’d heard and if he had an opinion on the matter.

“I’d love for you to come along.” A smirk twisted his sexy mouth. “You’d get a chance to take out some of your aggression on hockey players.”

“Ha ha.”

Ryder trailed his fingers down my spine, sending that intoxicating zing of awareness through me. “It’ll be fun, I promise. And I know that you and fun have made peace, so…”

Before I could come up with a retort to that, the other guys interrupted to tell us good-bye.

“Good to see you again, Lindsay,” Daniel said, flashing me a warm smile as he gave my shoulder a light pat.

I noticed Ryder’s grip on me tightened, his arm circling around my waist as he pulled me closer. I’d poke fun at him, but I kind of liked that he felt the need to show everyone I was with him. I’d felt the need to do the same whenever I was around the girls at the Quad, and that was before we’d made our enjoy-it-while-we-can arrangement.

“Great catch on that play, too,” Jeff added, and he sounded so genuine, pride rose up. It was nice that some of my hockey observing skills had helped.

I glanced around at the circle of people. None of the awkwardness from when I’d first arrived was there anymore. In fact, a feeling of belonging I hadn’t experienced in a long time filled me. I wasn’t sure if that was good or bad, considering it made me wonder if I was relapsing. Instead of overanalyzing it, I decided to go ahead and embrace it.

I wrapped an arm around Ryder’s waist. “Okay. I’m in for paintball.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Ryder

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