Page 13 of Thoroughly Pucked

She’s direct. More than I’d expected, but I appreciate the permission. “Okay.” I wrap my arms around her more fully, and…damn. She’s not supposed to feel this good in my arms.

Everything aligns. Her neck near my lips, her hair close to my nose, her lithe back pressed to my chest. I steal a sniff of her nape. Her perfume is fading, but the faint remnants of something sweet linger, like a summer fruit.

Don’t do it. Don’t ask her what her perfume is, man. Just don’t.“Just don’t hold it so tight,” I bite out, then slide our joined hands down a tiny bit. “You need to relax a little more.”

Or maybe I do.

She loosens her hold slightly.

“Perfect,” I say, and since my work here is done, I jump away, giving my dick some breathing room. “Then you bring that hammer down like it’s headed for Aiden’s face.”

She tosses her head back, laughing in utter delight. “Well, why didn’t you just say that?”

Aubrey lifts the mallet, takes aim, and slams the hammer hard, letting out a loudoomph. She doesn’t ring the bell, but she lights up the lever to the halfway point and shouts out ayes.

After she thanks the striker operator, she throws her arms around me. I learned my lesson from the lesson, though, so I give her a good, friendly hug. When I break it, she closes the distance between herself and Ledger. She high-fives him, then her brow knits. Like she’s unsure if she should hug him too. He doesn’t initiate it. But she must thinkfuck it, since she wraps her arms around him as well. “Thank you.”

“I didn’t do anything,” he grumbles.

She lets go and smiles at him, then me. “You bothdid.” She takes a beat, exhales. “You both dida lottoday.”

Ah, hell. Taking care of her today was a gift. “I’m so glad Garrett called on us,” I say, holding her gaze. Her eyes shine.

After a beat, Ledger grunts out, “We’re here for you. Whatever you need.”

Her smile turns more emotional. She bites the corner of her lips. And oh, shit. Is she going to cry again? Well, I wouldn’t be surprised. She draws a deep breath, then parts her lips like she wants to say something, an admission of some sort. Instead, she says, “Up for more?”

“Always.” I gesture to the rest of the amusement park. “Carnival shooting range? Roaring rapids? Ferris wheel?”

Ledger shudders at the last one.

Aubrey cocks her head, looking his way. “You hate Ferris wheels?”

“You mean death wheels,” he corrects.

“That’s a yes then,” she says, then studies him. “You’re not afraid to play a dangerous game for a living, where you could get body checked, hit by a stick, a puck, or a bear of a man, but Ferris wheels are terrifying?”

“Sounds about right,” Ledger says.

Aubrey whips her gaze to me. “Are you afraid of Ferris wheels?”

I shake my head. “Since it’s not a snake, nope.” I have plenty of other fears too, like, say, what if I couldnever play hockey again? But no need to discuss those now.

“Snakes and Ferris wheels,” Aubrey says, tapping her temple. “Got it. So when I plan a perfect day for both of you to say thanks for whisking me away, I’ll just make sure it doesn’t involve snakes or Ferris wheels.”

The fact that she wants to say thanks makes me feel better than it should. So I shift gears. “Hey! How about bumper cars?”

“Perfect,” she says, then she hightails it ahead of us, a woman who knows what she wants. I stare at her as she walks, enjoying the view far too much.

For far too long.

Till I realize Ledger’s staring at her too.

The same damn way.

I suppose that shouldn’t come as a surprise. This isn’t the first time we’ve had the exact same interest in a woman.

7

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