Page 46 of Thoroughly Pucked

He throws back the covers and swings his legs outof bed, nodding to the adjacent living room. “Let’s read out there.”

Is he for real? “You really want me to read to you?”

“News flash: I like books.”

“And you heard me that it’s romantic and stuff?” Also, it’s kinda naughty, but I don’t add that little nugget.

“Did you hear the part earlier where I watch Christmas movies? I like this stuff…well, in entertainment form. Important distinction.”

Yes, it is. Especially after what he shared about Eva at dinner.

I’m not tired in the least, so I follow him out to the living room. He parks himself on the couch.

“Ready?” I ask, arching a skeptical brow as I sit next to him.

“Yes. Or I can read to you,” he offers, gesturing for me to give him the device.

A hot hockey player reading a romance book to me? I didn’t turn down the private plane. I’m sure as hell not turning down this adventure. I hand him the Kindle and catch him up to speed on the story. “So, Mariana just came into Hayden’s office, and she’s driving a hard bargain on hiring his firm.”

With agot itnod, Dev clears his throat, then begins. “And there’s one more thing I want, she tells me, those sharp eyes lasered in on me.Too bad it won’t be for me to bend her over the desk,” Dev says, and to his credit, there’s not one snarky remark the rest of the scene. Not as he reads about them arguing, not as the hero and heroine trade dirty glances, and not as thehero talks about all the filthy things he wants to do to her.

When the chapter ends, Dev waggles the e-reader. “How long will it take for them to bang?”

A grin takes over my face. “We place bets in book club on that.”

“Yeah? How do you usually do?”

I blow on my nails. “I’m a pretty good bang predictor.”

He lifts a brow in admiration, then holds my gaze for a long moment—a moment that sends a rush of warmth down my chest, straight to my core. “And what’s your prediction for this one, Aubrey?”

Those tingles spread across my skin. Heat flares brightly inside me. Even though I’m sitting on the couch, my knees feel weak. I try to catch my breath, but it’s hard to breathe with his gaze pinned on me.

“Hard to say,” I finally manage.

He’s quiet, but his green eyes speak volumes. They flash with dirty thoughts till he drags a hand down his face like he needs to recalibrate all his systems.

He mumbles something that sounds likesorry. “We should…”

“Yeah. Go to bed,” I say, feeling both heady and hollow at the same time.

He gestures to the bedroom, making it clear I should go first. I get up, and I’m tempted to look back. But I don’t. I’m pretty sure what I’d see, though—the evidence of his desire tenting his shorts.

It takes him a minute before he makes it into thebedroom again. Once he’s under the covers, he says hoarsely, “Night, Aubrey.”

“Good night, Dev.”

I don’t fall asleep for a long time. But when I wake in the middle of the night, I feel him against me. His big body is pressed against my back, his hard length prodding my ass. His steady breathing coasts over my ear.

He’s asleep.

So is his friend, who’s flat on his stomach, with one hand resting gently on my shoulder.

Sparks shimmy over my chest. Arousal pulses in my core. Wild thoughts flood my brain.

I don’t know how I’m going to survive in this bed with Ellie the Elephant since she takes up so much space.

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