Page 53 of In My Hockey Era
She’s perched on the edge of her seat, elbows braced against the railing as she watches the game unfold with rapt attention.The woman is locked in.Focused.Yelling at plays like she’s coaching from the stands.And it’s hot as hell.
“Your boy’s looking shaky in the net,” I tease, nodding toward her team’s goalie, who just let in a soft one.
Lucy whips her head toward me, eyes narrowed.“He’s having an off night.”
I grin, tipping my beer toward her.“An off night at an All-Star game?Yikes.”
I can’t help teasing her a little—especially not after she went on, and on, andonabout how she loves Wyatt McMasterson.The guy’s alright, but sheesh.Listening to her drone on about him—kill me.
She shoves my shoulder, but she’s fighting a smile.“Remind me, where’s your jersey, Wilder?”
I take a long sip of my beer, licking the foam off my lip.“Right where it should be.In the rafters of victory.”
Lucy groans.“That was weak.”
“Maybe, but it doesn’t change the fact that your team is about to lose.”
She glares at me, but the corner of her mouth twitches.“It’s not even close to being over yet.”
We settle in, sharing a plate of nachos that are more cheese than chip, fighting over the ones with the best toppings.The game stays close, but as the final minutes tick down, Team Fire seals the deal with an empty netter.The buzzer sounds, and I turn to Lucy, stretching my arm along the back of her seat.
“Looks like you’ve got a bet to pay up on.”
She exhales through her nose, giving me a long-suffering look.“You’re insufferable.”
“And you’re gonna look great in my jersey.”
Lucy groans but holds out her hand.“Fine.Give me the damn thing.”
I reach into the bag I stashed under my seat and pull out a brand new #88 Wilder jersey.“Oh, I bought a special one just for the occasion.”
She rolls her eyes but takes it, standing up to slip it over her head.It’s massive on her, drowning her in fabric, and the sight of my name stretched across her back does something to me I’m not ready to unpack.
Lucy drops back into her seat, huffing.“Happy now?”
I lean in, letting my lips brush the shell of her ear.“Ecstatic.”
Her breath hitches, but she covers it by grabbing a nacho and stuffing it in her mouth.“You’re the worst,” she mutters around it.
I chuckle, settling back in, draping my arm along the back of her seat again like it’s the most natural thing in the world.The game has ended and people around us begin shuffling toward the exits, but it seems neither of us is in a hurry.“Nah,” I say, watching her from the corner of my eye.“This might just be the best date I’ve ever been on.”
Lucy pauses mid-chew, her gaze flicking to mine.“This is a date?”
I shrug, taking another sip of my beer.“Feels like one.”
I’m going out on a limb here, and it’s entirely possible she’s about to check me into next week, put me firmly in my place.But she doesn’t… She stares at me for a long second before shaking her head.
“You’re impossible.”
I smile.“And you’re still wearing my name on your back.”
Lucy sighs, but there’s no real heat behind it.She steals a sip of my beer, and grabs another nacho.And if I weren’t already completely gone for this woman, this moment might just do me in.
Hockey is already the greatest sport in the world, but watching it with Lucy?Knowing she’s as into it as I am?Damn near erotic.
And now, she’s wearing my jersey.
My name stretched across her back, my number printed bold.It shouldn’t be doing things to me.But it is.
