Page 80 of Wild Love
After getting our assignments, I skate into position, passing Dakota as I do. Lindsey and Blythe are looking elsewhere, and I can’t help but wink at my girl as I do. I run my hand along my stick suggestively, and she rolls her eyes. I love doing dumb shit to make her laugh.
This week has been… honestly, even better than I could have imagined. And I imagined in vivid, pornographic detail. I had my own reservations about our relationship changing (not enough to stop myself, mind you), but the only thing that’s changed is I get to feel her up and watch her orgasm on the regular.
I’m dying to have sex with her, but even if it’s just handies and dry humping for the next month, it’s going to be the best summer ever.
* * *
After scrimmaging,we hit the showers, then lunch, and then load up on the bus for our required community service gig.
Dakota’s coming with us, and I pass her at the front of the bus, tugging the end of her red hair as I go.
I fall into a seat next to Tyler. He’s coming from the junior league. The guy has a wicked slap shot.
“Nice goal today,” I say.
“Thanks. You had a couple of good ones yourself.”
“’ Preciate you saying so, but that last one was ugly as hell.”
“Ugly still counts,” he says. “I haven’t seen you at the hotel. Did you already rent a place?”
“Yeah, I’m at The Legends.”
“You like it? I still haven’t found a place. I’m waiting to make sure I’m not heading to Iowa instead.”
“No chance, man. And, yeah, it’s great. Come by sometime before you head out and see for yourself.”
Before we get off the bus at the library, Blythe gives us instructions. “Split up, talk to the kids, read to them if you want, play puppets, just don’t stand in the corner. I promise you, the more you try to hide, the more they will seek you out. They smell weakness.” She laughs. “Have fun. Dakota and I will be around if anyone has questions, and Lindsey is with us for pictures, so smile pretty.”
Morris smiles wide beside her, his front tooth missing, and the bus laughs.
The kids are a trip. Some of them rush us, and others eye us warily. I don’t blame the ones in the latter group. We’re a bunch of big dudes who don’t know jack about kids or how to interact with them. Thankfully, some of the older guys came. Jack is great. He crouches down in front of one adorable little girl with pigtails, and four more kids crowd around.
Leo’s got two kids fighting for a seat in his lap as he reads a book on space.
Blythe was right. The guys that try to hang back end up with kids seeking them out and shoving books in front of them. Some of the littlest children are with their parents. One woman has a tiny little thing strapped to her chest and a kid tugging her along toward Declan. The defenseman surprises me, kneeling and holding out a fist.
Kids don’t scare me. I mean, I’m a big fucking kid myself, but I haven’t had to carry a conversation with one recently. Tyler and I end up standing together. Neither of us makes a move, and Blythe encourages us, waving us toward some kids near the toy section.
“After you,” I tell him, not really thinking he’ll take the bait. Ty is a quieter guy. Besides the bus ride, he hasn’t said much during our off-ice time, but he strikes up a conversation with two kids about dragons like he’s an expert on the topic.
I stand behind him, listening to him debate if girl or boy dragons are stronger, like he’s done deep thinking on the topic. He looks over his shoulder and hands me a pink dragon puppet. He slips the blue one on his hand.
“I don’t know. Let’s find out.” He mock attacks me, biting my puppet on the neck.
It’s short lived, but the kids laugh.
I catch Dakota’s eye across the room. She smiles and lifts her phone like she’s taking a picture of me. I wink, which makes her eyes widen and she glances around, looking for Elyse most likely. I already know where the boss lady is. I’m not stupid. I don’t want to get Dakota caught any more than she wants to be caught.
She must come to the same conclusion I did—Elyse is too busy to notice us—because she glances back and gives me a haughty, sexy stare with pursed lips before turning on her heel and resuming her job.
I make the rounds, smiling tentatively at kids and saying hello to all the parents and staff, but every time I glance at Dakota, she looks up from what she’s doing, and we share a heated stare that makes adrenaline and lust pump through my veins.
Leo’s finishing a book as I near him. The kids he was reading to have lost interest and are jumping the carpet tiles. I take a seat next to him on a bright blue bean bag.
“Oh, fudge,” I say. “I didn’t think this through. Not sure I’m gonna be able to get up.”
“Why do you think I’m still down here?” He laughs.
