Chapter 16

Dallas

“I can’t believe she agreed to this.” Braeden chuckled and shook his head. Practice was already over and everyone was gone for the night. Kellan had just finished clearing the ice, making it smooth and glassy for our shootout.

Stretching my arms over my head, I cracked my neck from side to side. “She’s a firecracker.”

Braeden leaned down on the side wall, resting on his elbows. “Didn’t she go over to your house last night?”

The front door of the rink slid open and Callie walked in, carrying a bag over her shoulders, with Kristen by her side, both grinning mischievously. Callie still had on a pair of pink scrubs with her golden hair down in waves past her shoulders. She really did look like an angel. “Yep, and she left right after I called for the bet. The woman’s seriously going to drive me crazy.” In more ways than one. I wanted her more than I’d wanted anyone in my life.

Braeden slapped me on the back. “Better you than me, man.”

Callie walked up and smiled at Braeden while Kristen winked at me. “Have fun.”

“Ready for this?” Callie asked. “If you’re afraid, you can always forfeit.”

I held out my arms. “Bring it on, baby.” My pads were all on and I was ready to go.

“All right, I’ll be back.” She walked around the edge of the rink to the back hallway.

Braeden smacked a hand on the wall. “I’m heading out. Let me know how it goes.”

“Will do.” He walked out the door, leaving me alone with Kristen.

“Think you can lock up on your way out? As much as I want to watch you two in action, I really want to get home and into bed.”

“Of course.”

Kellan turned out the office light and joined us, putting his arm protectively around her shoulders. He set the keys on the wall in front of me. “Good luck. You’re going to need it.”

They walked out the door and I skated around the ice. When I turned around and caught sight of Callie, I thought I’d lost my mind. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and then opened them back up. Nope, she was still there . . . dressed in a blue fucking bikini. “What the hell are you doing?” I called out.

She skated around me, her bare body so close I wished I could touch her. Her nipples peaked through the fabric of her top and I wanted to taste them so fucking bad. “Is everything okay?” she asked, her voice sexy and soft.

My dick twitched. “That’s why you came in with a huge grin, isn’t it? You thought you could distract me by flashing that gorgeous body of yours.”

She bit her lip. “Is it working?”

“Why don’t you come closer and find out?”

Giggling, she skated away and fetched her stick and a puck. “Sorry, but I can’t let you distract me. Got to keep my head in the game.”

I skated to the goal and put on my mask. “Let’s get started then. The sooner we begin, the sooner I win.”

With a sly grin, she stretched her arms over her head, poking her breasts out. “Whatever you say.”

The confidence Callie exuded was such a fucking turn-on. I’d never met a woman who was sexy as hell and could play hockey. Not to mention, give me a run for my money.

“Five shots is all you got,” I shouted. “Get three in and you win.” She waved me off as she circled around the puck. “Stay focused,” I whispered to myself. It was hard to do that with my dick begging to be set free. He wanted what I couldn’t have . . . at least, not yet.

Tapping the puck with her skate, it slid across the ice as she skated toward me. Her stick handling was smooth and precise as she focused on me. The second our eyes met, I knew it was a mistake. A man could get lost in those eyes of hers, and I sure as hell did. She took the shot and it went right between my legs.

“Really, Dallas? That was an easy one to stop.”

I shrugged. “Got distracted. It won’t happen again.”

She snickered. “We’ll see about that.”

Lifting the puck with her stick, she popped it up in the air, bouncing it up and down as she skated toward me. Heart pounding, I watched that puck like a hawk. There was no way in hell I was letting it past me. The second it landed on the ice, she reared back and slammed it as hard as she could, only I was there to stop it.

“Nice try, angel,” I shouted triumphantly, tossing the puck out of my glove.

She skated by me, showering me with ice when she stopped to get the puck. “I still have three more tries.”

I burst out laughing. “Good luck.” She tried again and failed, her smile steadily disappearing when I blocked the goal. “Just two more, angel.” I passed the puck back to her.

I watched her take a deep breath and close her eyes. As far as her usual tricks, she was limited to what she could do in a bikini. She couldn’t ram into me without getting hurt. The closer she got, I focused on the puck. But then she tripped and I watched her fall to the ice, her scream echoing in my ears.

“Callie!” Ripping off my glove, I dropped my stick and raced over to her. I couldn’t see her face as she lay on the ice. “I’m here,” I murmured, gently grabbing her around the waist to pull her up. I didn’t know what to expect when I looked at her face, but I definitely didn’t anticipate a smile.

“Gotcha!” she squealed, jerking out of my hold. She rushed to the goal and slammed the puck into the net. As she lifted her arms triumphantly in the air, I couldn’t help but notice the bruising on her hip. She took a nasty fall just to trick me into leaving the goal. A protective yet angry feeling washed over me, and I didn’t like it. Her smile faded as she skated up to me. “What’s wrong? I thought you’d laugh.”

Grabbing her wrist, I pulled her closer so I could touch her hip. She hissed at the contact. “You’re hurt. Why would you do that?”

She shrugged, her eyes searching mine. “You know I have my tricks. It’s the only way I can beat you.” I wasn’t about to let her hurt herself again.

Huffing, I tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Not like this. I forfeit. All I wanted was a fresh start with you, but if you can’t, that’s fine. I just hope one day you can. I’m not going to let you hurt yourself just to prove a point.” I slowly let go of her wrist, but she made no effort to leave. Instead, she took my hands and looked straight into my eyes. I wanted her to see that I was serious, that for the first time in my life, I cared.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t realize it’d make you that upset.”

“Getting what I want isn’t worth watching you get hurt. I’d rather be the one to suffer.”

Her lip trembled, but then she bit it and looked away. “You’ve surprised me tonight. I wasn’t expecting it.”

She shivered from the cold and I put my arm around her. “Come on, let’s go.” I walked her to the ladies’ locker room and then went to change in mine. She stood by the rink, her eyes on the ice, as she waited for me. When she heard me approach, she turned around, her lips pulling back in a sad smile.

“Make sure to ice your hip when you get home,” I told her.

Nodding, she wrapped her arms around my waist. Pulse racing, I held her back. I’d been dying to hold her in my arms. “I will.”

“Don’t let your brothers see the bruise. They’ll ask questions.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m going to tell them everything.”

Holding her arms, I pulled her back. “What?”

She smiled up at me. “I’m going to tell them about you and me.”

“Why?”

She glanced out at the ice and then back to me. “You let me see a side of you I didn’t know you had. I felt safe and protected. I could see the concern in your eyes when you knew I was hurt.” Bringing her hands up to my face, she pulled me down, her lips so close to mine. “I don’t want to hide from my brothers anymore, or anyone for that matter. I’m agreeing to start fresh.”

“You sure?” I held her close, loving the way she smelled like raspberries. All I wanted to do was kiss her.

When the word “yes” escaped her lips, I didn’t waste any time. I kissed her, sliding my tongue against hers. She tasted amazing, and all I could think about was wanting more. My fingers ached to touch her breasts, to squeeze her thighs as I spread her wide beneath me. There were so many things I wanted, but it wasn’t the right time.

We broke the kiss, our breath coming out in rapid pants. “When do you want everyone to know?” I asked.

She grinned wide. “Tomorrow. That is, if you’re ready to face the wrath.”

Putting my arm around her, I walked her to the door. “I’ll be at your house at six.”