Page 76 of Breaking the Pucking Rules (LA Vipers #1)

KODIE

“ F ucking hell,” I groan the second Casey opens her front door.

I had a feeling she’d do something to knock me on my ass when I got here, and I thought I was prepared. But apparently, nothing could have prepared me for the sight that greets me.

And being the little minx that she is, she gives me a little spin, aware that I can’t reach out and drag her to me because my arms are full of bags.

“Approve, huh?” she asks as if it’s not obvious from my expression.

“How could I not? You’re wearing my fucking number.”

I should have predicted it, because I know just how much this woman loves to torture me.

Kicking the door closed behind me, I follow her toward the kitchen like an excited puppy. There’s a chance I have my tongue hanging out the side of my mouth and everything. I know for a fact I’m fucking panting.

Get a grip, Kodie.

It’s just Casey.

It isn’t just Casey, though, is it? It’ll never be Just Casey . She’s so much more than that. She’s everything. And right now, she looks like a walking wet dream.

She’s wearing my jersey with the side twisted up into a knot so it stops at the slimmest part of her waist. She’s got on those green fucking panties that drive me wild, and she’s wearing green and white athletic socks that are pulled up to her knees.

Her hair is twisted up somehow on the top of her head with a few tendrils hanging around her face, and she isn’t wearing a stitch of makeup.

I fucking love that she doesn’t feel the need to doll herself up for me.

It pissed me the fuck off when she compared herself to a bunny the other night.

She’s not a fucking bunny. Not even close. And the fact she’s not plastered in makeup right now is just more confirmation of that fact.

“What have we got there?” she asks, spinning around, her eyes locked on the bags in my hand. “I’m starving.”

I know I’ve made her wait, but as desperate as I was to see her, I needed to spend the night with my girl first.

This afternoon was fucking epic. Not only did I get to surprise Casey with a little visit, but the look on Sutton’s face when she came out of school and saw me standing there waiting instead of Mom? Fuck. It gets me every fucking time.

Okay, so Coach’s surprise appearance at the arena wasn’t a part of my master plan, but he hasn’t turned up to kick my ass yet, so I’m assuming we got away with it.

Ice ran through my veins as I pulled the dressing room door open and heard his voice. I didn’t so much as poke my head out to confirm that he was talking to Casey. I immediately closed it as silently as I possibly could and slipped out of the emergency exit unnoticed.

As fun as it might be, sneaking around like naughty school kids, we need a plan. A way to break our relationship to him that won’t lead to me being in the hospital or run out of town.

“Chinese. I didn’t know what dishes you like, so I got a bit of everything.”

Casey laughs as I place the huge bags on the counter.

“We’ve been messaging all evening. You could have asked. ”

I shrug one shoulder as I begin pulling the containers out. “Didn’t want to.”

“Well, lucky for you, I love all Chinese.”

After grabbing two bottles of water from her fridge, she hops up on the stool beside me as I pull the lids off and instantly dives for a spring roll.

“Ohmygodsogood,” she mumbles.

I let my eyes trail over her. “I was thinking the same.”

Reaching out, I fist her jersey and drag her closer so I can kiss her.

It might have only been a few hours, but I need my Casey fix.

“Can’t wait to win tomorrow and claim my prize in person,” I say, releasing her.

“And I can’t wait for you to lose so I can claim mine.”

I gasp in horror. “You don’t mean that.”

“Don’t I?” she teases. “It’s your first game this season against your old team. You beat them last time you played. They’ll be coming with a point to prove. It’s gonna be a tough game. Have you seen how well they’re doing this season?”

“Of course. Should I be concerned that you have?”

She smirks. “You’re cute.”

“I am not cute.”

“You kinda are.”

I huff a laugh before stabbing a piece of shredded beef and pushing it past my lips.

“Have you heard anything from your dad?”

“Nope. He wouldn’t message it anyway. He’ll wait until the morning and do it face to face.”

“What are your plans for Thanksgiving?” I ask, changing the subject, although the second shadows pass through her eyes, I kick myself for doing it. I already know she’s dreading the next few weeks.

“We’ll just be home. I’ll cook,” she says sadly. “It’s not the same without Mom,” she confesses.

“How old were you when you lost her?” I ask.

As we eat, Casey tells me all about her mom. She doesn’t just tell me about the illness that stole her too soon, but she tells me what an incredible person and parent she was with a smile on her face and tears glistening in her eyes.

“Dad has never gotten over it. I wish he could move on. Find someone to share his life with.”

“He will when the time is right and his person comes along,” I say. I may not have lost Sutton’s mom in the way Coach did Casey’s mom, but letting someone else in was never a part of my plan. But then there was Casey. I hope Coach gets to experience the same thing at some point.

“What if Mom was it for him?”

“I love the idea that there is only one person out there for us, but then people like your dad and my mom wouldn’t have another chance. They deserve that.”

“They really do.”

“So, what are your plans for Thanksgiving?”

“Mom will cook and Sutton and I will eat until we can’t move.”

Casey chuckles as she twists her fork in her noodles.

“Spend Thanksgiving evening with me,” I blurt, needing to do something to put a smile back on her face.

She stills before looking over. “W-what?”

“After you’re done at your dad’s, and once Sutton is in bed, will you come to me and spend the night with me?

” I don’t know where the question comes from.

I hadn’t thought about it before now, but spending Thanksgiving without her doesn’t sit right with me.

Aside from Sutton and Mom, she’s the person I’m most thankful to have in my life right now.

The widest, brightest smile spreads across her face and I love that just for a moment, I allow her relief from the sadness of spending another holiday without her mom.

“Yes,” she blurts. “I’d love to.”

My chest compresses with relief.

“Really?”

“Yes, Kodie. Really.”

“Okay. Good.”

“I’ll make sure Mom makes herself scarce.”

“Oh god,” Casey laughs. “She’ll be in the pool house, right? ”

“Yeah. Worried you’ll be too loud?” I tease.

“When it comes to you, anything is possible.”

Pride washes through me. I fucking love making my girl lose control.

“So, we’ll spend next Thursday night together,” she states. “What about between now and then?”

“Well,” I say, reaching out to drag her stool closer so she’s sitting between my parted thighs. “I was thinking that I could make you come as many times as possible.”

“Well, I was hoping that was a given.”

“Home game tomorrow and Monday, and I have every intention of you being there, leaving with you, and then making you scream while wearing my jersey. Then we leave Tuesday afternoon for a road game on Wednesday night, which we’ll win, and I’ll get a sexy little photo again.”

“You’re really rating your skills, huh?”

“Don’t even pretend that you don’t know my stats better than I do.”

Casey’s cheeks brighten at that comment.

“What?” I ask, sensing there’s something she’s not telling me.

“I have notebooks with your stats in them,” she confesses.

My eyes widen.

“Seriously?”

“Yep. And maybe a scrapbook or two with trimmings and photos.” Her entire face glows now, and she quickly tries hiding it in her hands.

“Casey,” I whisper, pulling her hands from her face. She looks up at me through her lashes, utterly mortified that she’s told me.

“I’m sorry. That’s really creepy. You can leave now if you want. I promise I’ll stop stalking you.”

My chest shakes with a laugh. As if it’s possible to walk away from her now.

“Can I see them?” I ask, intrigued.

She looks away. “I…um…I don’t know where they are.”

“You’re lying,” I state, confident that I’m right by the way she’s refusing to look at me.

I tuck two fingers under her jaw and force her to look at me.

She does so shyly through her lashes. I swear, it makes my heart skip a beat.

I am so in love with this woman.

“They’re under my bed,” she whispers.

“Can I see them?” I repeat.

She sighs. “Do you really have to?”

“Only if you’re willing to show me. I won’t make you do anything you don’t want to do.”

Slipping from her stool, she steps right into me, her arms wrapping around my neck.

“I’ll show you if you promise not to mock me endlessly.” I smirk. “You need to remember I was a teenage girl with the world’s biggest crush.”

I shake my head. “Why didn’t I find you sooner?” I muse.

“Because then you wouldn’t be the man you are now, and you wouldn’t have Sutton.”

My hands freeze on her back, halting their descent to her ass. The thought of a life without my daughter is horrifying. “So you’re an everything-happens-for-a-reason kind of girl then?”

“Sometimes,” she admits. “Other times, I think life is just shit beyond belief for no reason at all.”

“Yeah,” I muse. “Can’t really argue with that.”

Ducking down, I brush my lips against hers as my fingers twist in the hair at the nape of her neck.

I kiss her until I fear I’m going to make her forget about these scrapbooks.

She’s panting and her lips are swollen when I pull back.

“Seriously?” she giggles, seeing what I want in my eyes.

“Yep.”

Taking my hand, she steps away from my legs before pulling me toward her bedroom.

She drops to her knees and opens a hidden drawer beneath her bed, pulling out a box.

She places it on the bed and knocks the top off.

Inside are two bulging scrapbooks, and soon, I discover that Casey has recorded more about my hockey career than even my mother has.

It’s impressive.

“This is?—”

“Crazy and embarrassing?” she asks quietly as I flip through the pages.

“No, Casey. It’s amazing. Sutton is going to love all of this. Thank you,” I say before looking up at her through glassy eyes. “Thank you so much.”