Page 109 of False Play
His smile was so blinding, it made my heart leap with excitement. Knowing I was his source of happiness should have been terrifying, but instead, it just felt…right. Meant to be.
He stretched out on the bed, and I nestled against him, my head on his chest. His arm wrapped around me as our legs instinctively tangled together. My hand rested against his abdomen, where I started to draw intricate patterns, wanting to feel every part of his skin.
He buried his nose in my hair and took a deep breath, letting out a long, wistful sigh. My breathing slowed, my eyes growing heavy after such a long, exhausting day. And just as sleep pulled me under, I swore I heard Henry whisper, “Thank you for being the safest place I’ve ever known.”
TWENTY-NINE
KENNEDY
I AM A HOCKEY ROMANCE CONNOISSEUR.
“This is a stupid idea,”I mumbled to Val as the Uber dropped us off in front of Tim’s.
“Just because the guy is still benched doesn’t mean he won’t lose his shit when he sees you in his jersey.”
“It’s cliché,” I said dryly, though knowing that I had Henry’s last name and number etched on my back made me a littletoohappy.
She pointed a finger at me with a wink. “Exactly. And that’s why it’s perfect. Prepare to have the best sex of your life.”
“For a girl who has never dated a hockey player, you sure know a lot about this stuff.”
“I may have never dated a hockey player, but I am a hockey romanceconnoisseur. I’ve read enough books to know you’ll thank me soon enough.”
I rolled my eyes with a laugh as we strode into the bar, the beats of “The Reason” by Hoobastank welcoming us.
The guys played against the Nashville Devils and won, 3-1, so of course, they were at Tim’s celebrating. Truth be told, I was starting to love coming to this place. It was a great way tounwind after a crazy day. My workdays had become longer, now that the gala was approaching. Matt had been surprisingly quiet and hadn’t tried anything since the Family Skate fiasco. However, I wasn’t willing to risk it, so I attended every meeting and ensured I was involved in every single decision. It was driving us both insane, sure, but what other option did I have? I wasnotgonna let the man pull another one over me.
My eyes found Henry, and he was animatedly talking with Parker and Hayes. My heart all but stopped beating when I took him in. I hadn’t seen him in almost a week and…hell. I couldn’t deny it even if I tried. I missed my big, tall, cocky athlete.
We’d been casually dating for a month or so. The deeper we got into the season, the more he traveled, and the busier I got, too. Normally, I would have traveled with the team, but this season, Brad kept me and Matt around for more administrative and managerial tasks. I think this was his way of testing us and giving us enough workload to see who could take over once he retired.
I stood behind Henry and tapped his shoulder. He turned around, and when his eyes found mine, his demeanor changed from normal toecstatic. His smile was wide and bright, and his blue-gray eyes were a lighter shade and sparkled as they drank me in.
And just like that, I was an instant puddle.
I wrapped my arms around his shoulders to hug him. “Hi, pretty boy,” I whispered.
“Hi, Kenny baby,” he whispered back then dropped a kiss on top of my head and hugged me tighter.
His whole presence these past few months had started to become soothing for me. But his hugs? They were like coming home. Comforting and warm.
“Get a room,” Hayes groaned.
“You guys make me sick,” Parker added, faking a gag.
Henry took a step back and gave them a glare without a word. His gaze settled back on me, and the corner of his eyes crinkled in the way I liked when he smiled at me again.
“Turn around, Kenny. Show your boy what you got on today,” Val snickered as she took a seat next to Owens. The grumpy goalie looked instantly relaxed as he sagged his shoulders, almost like he was relieved, and draped an arm behind her chair.
“You’re a pain in my ass, Valentina,” I groaned.
He narrowed his eyes as he stared at my jersey. “Is that what I think it is?”
With a knowing grin on my face, I turned around and looked over my shoulder. “Yup.”
My core tightened when Henry’s pupils dilated. “Oh, fuck,” he murmured under his breath.
I turned to face him with a playful wink. “Your number kind of looks good on me, doesn’t it?”
