Page 132 of Lucky Shot
“Is that what I’m doing?”
I nip at her bottom lip, then, because I can’t fucking resist her, even in Trav’s jersey, slant my mouth over hers and kiss her hard. She leans into me, resting a hand on my chest, as she kisses me back with the same fierceness. All week it’s been like this. Every kiss feels more frantic than the last.
“I think I’m going to head out,” Penn says. He stands slowly, aiming a smile at Ruby. “Good luck with everything.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re coming back next summer, right?” Trav asks, voice almost a whine.
She laughs. “I just might.”
“I hope so,” he says.
“Me too,” Penn adds.
She gets up to hug the big goalie and that sets off a chain reaction. Shep and D-Low say their goodbyes next, then Trav.
“I’m going to text you the next time I’m in Arizona,” he says, rocking side to side as he hugs her way longer than necessary.
“You better,” she replies.
When he pulls back, my best friend looks almost as heartbroken as I feel. He looks over to where Aidan has wandered back outside and is trying to catch lightning bugs between his hands. “A-bomb. You want to stay at my place tonight? I got a new video game and I need someone to teach me how to play it.”
“Really?” Aidan’s eyes widen and he looks hopefully toward me before flinging himself across the deck to stand in front of me.
“Yeah, it’s okay with me. Behave yourself.”
“I will,” he says.
“I was talking to Trav.” I rustle his hair. “Say bye to Ruby. She’s leaving in the morning.”
Aidan’s smile drops and he moves over in front of Ruby.
She squats down to his level. “Thanks for being my writing soundtrack all summer. I couldn’t have finished the book without you.”
His smile lifts back in place. “Thanks for teaching me how to make cookies and being so funny on the ice.”
I fight a laugh, but one slips free from Ruby’s lips. “You’re welcome.”
He steps forward until his body is nuzzled against hers, and she hugs him around the waist. My throat closes up and I swallow thickly.
As Aidan and Trav head out, Ruby turns to me. “Did he just burn me or was that just honesty?”
“The latter, I think. You brought us all a lot of joy this summer.”
“By falling on my ass?”
“Among other things.”
She drapes her arms over my shoulders, and I bend down to swipe my lips across hers.
“How do you want to spend your last night?”
“Just like this.” She rests her head on my chest.
“Do you still need to pack?”
She groans. I guess that’s my answer.
