Page 181 of Breaking the Pucking Rules
“Her usual Sutton-self,” I say with a laugh. “She’s so?—”
“Much like Kodie?” Parker finishes for me.
“Well, yeah. The confidence of that girl. I pray she never loses it.”
“She might just stand a chance, with the right coach.”
“She knew who I was straight off the bat,” I confess, anxiety twisting my stomach.
“Of course she did. You’re a fucking legend, Coach Watson.”
Ripping my eyes from her, I stare down at the empty glass before me.
“Do you think she’s told him already?”
Parker shifts to look at the TV on the wall opposite. I do the same just in time for the Vipers to be announced.
Fletch bursts onto the ice, quickly followed by Linc and…Kodie.
My eyes lock on him, watching as he skates a lap while the Vipers fans in the crowd shout and scream.
“Nah, she’s a good kid. She’ll know not to give Kodie mind-blowing news before a game.”
“She wouldn’t know it’s mind-blowing, though, would she?”
I watch as our defense gets into position and Handsy drags his stick along the crease, marking his territory.
“I guess not,” I muse as a server comes over with a tray loaded with food.
Chicken wings, fries, and onion rings are lowered to our table before Parker orders more cocktails.
The puck drops, and a loud roar erupts around us as Fletchtakes possession and skates off with a defenseman hot on his heels.
Focusing, I allow myself to get lost in the game as I devour way too many carbs and far too much alcohol for a work night. Thank God for Uber.
I stumble through my front door a few hours and far too many cocktails later, my throat raw from shouting and screaming. The guys played a fucking fantastic game, and Handsy provided us with our first shutout of the season. Fucking epic for game one. Long may it continue.
I grab a bottle of water as I continue toward my bedroom. I need to down this and curl up in bed if I stand any chance of getting to work on time and not being hungover in the morning.
But there’s something I need to do before I pass out.
I toe off my sneakers and strip out of my leggings before stepping in front of my full-length mirror. Turning my back to it, I drag my hair over my shoulder so the name across the back is on full show. Then, I pull up the hem of my jersey, twisting the excess fabric in my hand until it’s pulled tightly around my waist, showing off my Vipers-green panties.
Opening the camera on my cell, I arch my back and look over my shoulder, directly into the camera, before snapping the picture.
Without overthinking it, I send it to the newest addiction to my contacts, a little thrill shooting through me the second I see it’s delivered.
Time to celebrate, baby.
43
KODIE
I’m resting back on my bed while Linc fucks about with his hair after what was an incredible first game of the season.
All I want to do is crawl into bed, turn the lights out, and message Casey.
It’s only been three days since I touched her. Two days since I saw her and we exchanged filthy messages that left me coming all over my stomach like a horny fucking teenager.
