Page 95 of Three Pucking Words
He deadpans. “In your dreams.”
I grin. “That’s not what I dream about.”
Interest arches his brows. “Then whatdoyou dream about?”
A mischievous smile curls my lips. “Take me on a real date and I’llshowyou what I’ve been dreaming about afterward.”
Heat fills his eyes as his nostrils flare. “That’s playing dirty.”
I stick my tongue out at him and skate away as fast as I can while laughing.
It doesn’t take him long to catch me, hooking his arm around my waist and tugging me against him.
With his mouth pressed against my ear, he says, “I look forward to finding out when the time is right.”
*
The crowd’s boosare louder than the opposing fan’s cheers as the ref puts Bodhi into the penalty box for a second time in one game.
“That wasn’t hooking! This is bullshit,” I say aloud, clenching my camera as I watch him skate to the box on the big screen. “They clearly have it out for him. His first penalty should have been given to the other player who actively tripped him.”
A bemused smile curls Karina’s lips. “I didn’t know you were such a hockey enthusiast all of the sudden. You’ve been studying.”
I fight a blush. “Bodhi helped with the basics,” I admit, not willing to meet her eyes.
Her light hum is knowing. “Interesting.”
“It’s really not.”
“I disagree. You’re two seconds away from storming the ice and giving the referee a piece of your mind. I’d say there are developments being made between you and him.”
“We’re…” I don’t know what we are. We’re not dating—not boyfriend or girlfriend. But we’re not friends. We’re somewhere in between. “It’s not like that with us. We hang out.”
“Is that what the kids call it these days?”
Groaning, I drop my head back. “If this is you trying to remind me about the policy—”
“You mean that there is none regarding relationships?” she asks innocently, all but batting her lashes at me.
I glare.
She holds her hands up. “Fine, fine. I’ll drop it.” Her eyes go back to the board. “Unfortunately, I don’t see how they’re going to close the score gap with Hoffman out. There’s only six minutes left.”
I frown, realizing she’s right.
By the end of the period, we hear the explosive sound of the opposing fans cheering over their victory that only fuels the irritation inside of me.
After waving off Karina, I wait by the locker room where family, friends, and a few reporters line the hall. I’m off to the side, watching as a few of the players get asked questions about what went wrong and what they plan to do to improve for the next match against the Islanders when I see Bodhi emerge next to Sebastian.
The reporters flock to him almost immediately, but Bodhi pays them no attention.
He beelines for me, practically moving the cameras out of his face and leaving Sebastian to deal with the questions they’re firing at them on his own. When he makes it to me, I barely have time to open my mouth before he’s pulling me in for a crushing hug and holding me against his freshly washed body. He smellslike soap and laundry detergent, and the tips of his damp hair tickle my face as those strong arms squeeze me like I’ve never been squeezed before.
There are flashes surrounding us, but he doesn’t seem to care about the people watching.
“Sorry,” he says quietly enough for only me to hear. His lips brush the top of my head. “I needed a hug. It was the only thing I could think about when we lost.”
I swallow, pulling back enough to look up at him. “All you thought about was hugging me?”
