Page 179 of Face Off
Even the grumpy goalie has a smile on his face.
Dallas is trying to keep June from skating toward her uncle, and Reid is shoving his phone in his jeans, giving us his full attention. Lexi and Maven hold hands and jump up and down, and I see my dad waving from a suite above center ice with Duke and Grady next to him. All of my favorite people are in my favorite spot, and I don’t think I could dream up a better moment if I tried.
“You’re not just marrying him, you know,” Ethan says, and he slides next to me. “You’re getting all of us.”
“A package deal,” Riley adds, and he kisses Maverick’s cheek. “A twenty-two for one.”
“I like those numbers.” I squeeze Connor’s hand and wipe my eyes. “There’s no promotional photo, is there?”
“Nope I just had to get you on the ice in a way that wasn’t totally suspicious.” Maverick slips the ring on my finger and runs his thumb over the diamonds. “Mine.”
The word matches the tattoo on the back of his hand, and it’s my favorite piece of art he has on his body.
“I’ve always been yours.” I hold up my palm, and the ring sparkles under the arena lights. “You just want to show me off.”
“Maybe I want you to show me off,” he says, and I roll my eyes.
“That does sound like you. I’m going to tell people the biggest dick shirt doesn’t refer to your actual dick size. Just your attitude.”
“Whatever keeps you talking to me for the next fifty years,” Maverick says.
“I have to ask my question of the day.”
“Don’t tell meyou’regoing to propose tome. I’ve always wanted a really shiny ring to match my necklace.”
I take his hand in mine and kiss the tips of his fingers. The rest of our friends start to break away and give us a minute alone, heading for the locker room or smiling for photos.
“I’ll get you a shiny ring, pretty boy.”
“What’s your question, Emmy girl? Is it how badly you’re going to kick my ass tonight? Because I’d like to see you try, baby.”
“The ring is pretty permanent, but what about something that belongs to you that will go with me to the grave?”
Maverick lifts an eyebrow. “What are you hiding, Red?”
I pull my collar down and show off the tattoo I got yesterday afternoon. The dark letters spell outminein Maverick’s handwriting just above the swell of my breast where his fingers like to touch when he’s holding my neck.
“It matches yours,” I whisper. “I want everyone to know.”
“Fucking Christ,” he groans, reaching out to carefully trace the letters. “As if I couldn’t love you any more, you go and get a part of me tattooed on you.”
“Do you like it?”
“Likeit? I’m ten seconds away from dragging you to the locker room and putting you on your knees. Maybe the next one you get can be my name. I want to claim all of you, Emmy girl.”
I bite my bottom lip to keep from smiling.
That’s already in the works.
“You think very highly of yourself.”
“Would you have it any other way?”
“No, pretty boy.” I kiss his hand and drag him onto the ice. “I sure as hell wouldn’t.”
