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Opening the passenger door, I get in without argument, and he leans over to buckle me in.

“How did you know I was here? And why did you go off at him like that?”

Gripping the car door frame above his head tightly, he squeezes his eyes shut. “I’m here because I can’t stay from you. I knew where you were because the hotel’s name was on your wallcalendar. And I went off at him because he accused me of hiding you.” His hand flies out to tip my chin as he leans in and kisses my lips. “I want to yell about you to the whole world, Princess. You won’t let me, so I’ll wait. But like hell am I having another man, let alone your ex, tell me I’m anything but gone for you.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

JENSEN

It’s the final game of preseason, and when I walk into the locker room, all heads turn my way. “What? Do I have something on my face?”

“No, just good of you to join us,” Zach drawls.

Zach has always been annoyingly early to each game, and now that Jon has retired, he’s definitely stepped it up a gear as captain.

I’d be extra early if I wasn’t fucking Kate’s brains out half the time. And that’s what it’s been for the past three weeks.

Eat, sleep, sex, more sex, hockey, repeat.

She’s insatiable. The thing is, I’m freaking out that she still hasn’t committed to me. I thought that night in the shower was the turning point when she said she’d try, told me I was a good person, and called me JJ. I thought she was letting me in when she asked me to take it slow with her.

But now it feels like more friends with benefits who are going to raise children together.

Fuck. That. Shit.

So I might be late to today’s preseason game, but I’m ready to take out anyone who pisses me off, including the opposition.

“You look like you’ve lost a dollar and then been slapped multiple times.” Jessie comes to stand beside me, his arms crossed over his chest.

I say nothing but groan and start suiting up.

“I’ll take that as a yes then. Have you asked her to move in?”

I shake my head, my mood getting progressively worse.

“Why not?”

“Because she doesn’t love me, okay?!” I snap. My voice is way louder than I want.

“Fucking great, now the entire fucking team knows I’m down bad for a girl that doesn’t want me in return,” I grumble to Jessie.

“She does.” Zach comes up behind me.

“She wants me in some kinda way, yeah,” I huff out, not caring what he does or doesn’t know about us at this point.

Zach props his skate up on the bench. “You know Luna was scared to make the jump, too, right?”

“This is different. That was logistics and lifestyle. This is about me. This is about her past, but fuck if I can’t get her to open up to me fully. It’s like two steps forward, one or sometimes several back.”

“What about her past?” Jessie cocks a brow.

Shit, I’ve said too much.

“We’ve got a game to play,” I deflect.

“True that.” Zach claps me on the shoulder and makes for the exit, but Jessie lingers behind as I continue to pad up.

“What do you mean her past?” he presses.