Page 25

CHAPTER 25

DIXON

I ’m crouched low in my crease, every muscle coiled, every inch of my focus zeroed in on the puck as it rockets toward me. The River City Arena is a blur of sound and color—fans screaming, feet stomping, the unmistakable buzz of anticipation thick in the air. I don’t have to look in the stands to know that Nan is standing with Hayden. Every time I’ve snuck a look, I’ve caught them cheering wildly, arms raised in the air, both of them in matching Renegades gear. Hayden had made sure of it.

We’re ahead, barely, but it doesn’t matter. Not yet. Not with these last few minutes on the clock.

The puck is sent flying from the far side of the rink, the shot coming from an opponent who’s been hungry for this moment all game. I can feel the tension build as I track its path, calculating the perfect angle, measuring the distance, the time.

This is it.

I shift my weight, bending my knees, preparing for impact. I’m not thinking, not really. It’s instinct now. Years of muscle memory and knowing exactly how to read the game. My glove is outstretched, my body moving in sync with the play. This is where I live, where I breathe.

Right before I went out on the ice, Elle gave me that look, the one where she knows exactly how to light a fire in me without saying much. She’d leaned in close, her fingers brushing mine, her words like a calm before the storm.

“You’ve got this. Don’t focus on the game, be in it. Everything you need is already in you.”

I nodded, not trusting my voice in that moment, because somehow, hearing her say those words centered me. Grounding. Her touch had lit the fire, and it was all I needed.

The puck comes at me fast, like a bullet, and I don’t hesitate. My glove snaps shut with a satisfying thud.

The buzzer sounds. Time stops for a second…and then the arena explodes.

The crowd roars so loudly I can barely hear my own heartbeat. I stand up, still holding the puck, staring at it in my hand like I can’t quite believe what just happened.

My teammates pour over the boards, slamming into me with enough force to knock the wind out of my body. I laugh, the sound coming out in a breathless rush.

I can barely hear the cheers anymore. Everything feels muffled, as if I’m underwater. The only thing I’m aware of is the weight of the puck in my glove and the joy that spreads through me, as if the entire arena is lifting me up.

There’s a surge, a renewed energy that explodes. When I look to see what could be causing the ruckus, I see Elle as she takes her first step onto the ice in those smoking hot heels of hers, tossing friendship bracelets to the crowd. Ben, Cannon, and Pete trail her with Trevor the beaver boy circling as she makes her way to where we’re all huddled.

I’m still surrounded by the guys when I feel her hand on my back. I don’t have to look to know it’s Elle. Her touch is like an anchor, steadying me in the storm.

“Not bad for an old timer,” she says, her voice barely audible over the cheering.

I turn, grinning like an idiot, and, not thinking, I pull her into a hug. I don’t care who sees. The people we want to know about us, do. The team’s celebrations continue around us, but right now, all I can focus on is her. The sound of her laugh. The look in her eyes.

And for me, this will forever be etched into my mind as the precise second when I knew I was head over skates, one hundred percent in love with Elle Carter.

“Old timer?” I toss back, trying to be heard above the din.

A cameraman from the local news is already on the ice, and a few of the cameramen for the arena are here, too, circling the team with the footage being fed to the jumbotron screens. This was the first game at the arena where we’ve had cameras going the whole game, so it’s no surprise when the sound of the crowd peaks and suddenly, a spotlight swings toward us.

I glance up just in time to see our faces, mine and Elle’s, pop up on the jumbotron. My jaw drops as the arena goes wild, the crowd roaring, some cheering, some laughing. My heartbeat picks up as the unmistakable cue comes: The Kiss Cam.

I freeze. “That’s new.”

“It’s being debuted tonight,” Elle says, a tiny grin tugging on the corners of her lips. “Well, really it’s being debuted right now.”

“Right now?” My mind goes blank for a split second, completely caught off guard. I’m not sure if I should laugh, run, or just pretend I’m invisible. But Elle, funny enough, isn’t frozen.

“If you’re serious,” she giggles, a light, teasing sound that sends a rush of warmth through me, “I’m ready.”

There’s so much I want to say, but the words catch in my throat as I glance nervously at the screen again. “Are you sure?”

It’s one thing to tell our little secret to my teammates. Or rather, our teammates. It’s another for her to have to tell both the team owner and the other coaches what our status is, but this? This is a reveal like no other and it’s not one you step back from after it’s happened. Coach and player. Together.

“Yup,” she says, with another laugh, squeezing my hand as if the whole world hasn’t turned into one giant spotlight focused on us. The crowd, suddenly picking up on the vibe, starts chanting. Their energy builds to an almost unbearable level.

“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” echoes around us. My teammates? No help, because someone’s decided that tapping their stick on the ice is a good beat to accompany the chanting.

I shift awkwardly, unsure of what to do. Kiss her? In front of thousands of people? Right now?

But then Elle, always the one to make the best of any situation, tips her head back with a grin that would have made my heart race even before tonight. “Give ‘em what they want, Andrews.”

And just like that, I lean down, moving slowly at first, testing the waters. When her lips meet mine, it’s a shock to my system. Not because of the crowd or the cameras, but because of her.

* * *

“When you said a hard launch, you weren’t kidding,” Elle says as she tosses a bottle of water to Sutton.

Sutton kicks back in her seat, scanning the office, her eyes landing on the dartboard.

“That dartboard needs to be replaced.” She looks at Pete. “You’ve got my permission to buy a new one and give me the receipt, because that is pathetic.”

Pete gives her a mock salute. “On it, Miss Mahoney.”

“Pete,” she says with her perfect Southern belle drawl, “how many times do I need to tell you to please call me Sutton?”

Sutton pulls her phone out and begins scrolling as Elle hands me a bottle of water and leans against me, a heady scent of fresh lilies hitting my senses as she tosses her hair back over one shoulder.

Have I mentioned how in love with this woman I am?

“We did it,” she murmurs. “We’re out of the dark. No need to go to a burger joint fifty miles away now.”

“That’s disappointing,” I say, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer. “I was looking forward to using that as my excuse to spend time with you all alone, and in close proximity.”

“So we’re clear,” she says, dropping her voice to a whisper, “I’m happy to spend time with you, alone and in close proximity, anytime.”

I bury my face in her hair, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head. It feels like the world has stopped spinning for a moment, with only the two of us here, and I finally let myself relax completely. This— her —is exactly what I’ve needed. Exactly what I’ve been waiting for.

Right when I'm about to say something ridiculously sappy, Nan bursts into the room with Hayden in tow.

“There she is,” Cannon announces, already crossing the room to greet Nan. “Good game tonight, huh?”

Nan eyes me with that mischievous twinkle she’s been wearing for as long as I can remember. Her gaze shifts to Elle, who’s standing next to me, and I can practically see the gears turning in her head.

“Indeed, a very good game,” Nan says, voice a little too casual for my liking. “Interesting, wasn’t it, Hayden?”

Hayden’s cheeks turn bright pink, and she laughs nervously. “Nan’s been explaining the ‘birds and the bees’ to me…”

“Oh no,” I groan, hands going to my face. “I do not need to hear about this.”

Elle’s eyes sparkle with barely contained laughter as she nudges my ribs with her elbow.

“Come on, maybe I do,” she teases.

“Dixon, you love acting scandalized,” Nan says, wagging a finger at me. “It’s all part of life. Rituals of courtship.”

“I know, Nan,” I mutter, shaking my head. “But some things are better left unsaid.”

Hayden, still blushing but trying to keep it together, turns to Elle. “You’re going to have to help me out with this one. I thought I was prepared, but apparently, I’m not.”

Elle chuckles, leaning in to give Hayden a playful swipe. “You’ll get there. I’m sure there’s an entire manual waiting for you somewhere.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence. I’ll end up on Google,” Hayden says, rolling her eyes, but the lightness in her voice is enough to put us all at ease.

“Y’all!” Sutton exclaims, making Pete jump straight in the air. “You two are trending on socials.”

She tosses her phone to Pete, who tosses it to me. Elle presses her head close to mine so we can check out what they’re saying.

I swipe through the feed, my eyes widening as I read the comments flooding in: #DixonAndElle , #PowerCouple , #GoalieAndHeels yes please . The messages are a mix of shocked, excited, and the occasional “we saw that kiss cam moment, y’all are adorable.”

Elle leans in closer, her breath warm against my ear. “Well, it looks like we’re famous now.”

I can feel the heat in my cheeks, but it’s a good kind of heat. One that makes me grin. “I think we’ve just gone viral.”

Hayden snickers from across the room. “Guess you two can add ‘social media influencers’ to your resumes.”

“Don’t even joke,” Elle teases, nudging me with her shoulder. “That’s the last thing we need.”

“It’s great for the team.” Sutton laughs as she hops to her feet. “Pete, you guys can get yourselves a pool table, too. My treat.”

“Really?” Honestly, the look on Pete’s face is like that of a kid on Christmas morning when he sees presents under the tree.

“Well, come on, let’s order it before I change my mind,” she says as she heads to the door. “Want to keep my coaches happy.”

As Pete skips out the door hot on Sutton’s heels, Nan claps her hands together.

“Alright,” she says. “Hayden and I are hungry, so we’re going to The Blue Line for a bite. Am I getting a table for two, four,” she eyes Cannon, “or more? Maybe you want to come, too, hot stuff?”

Bless Cannon for being the strong man that he is. “Nan, I’d be your date any day of the week.”

He sticks out his arm for Nan, and when she threads her arm through his, she tosses me a wink. “You coming?”

Elle nods and starts to move, but I don’t want to let go of her just yet. My fingers tighten around hers, pulling her back a little, enough to stop her in her tracks. Her gaze meets mine, those eyes wide with that unreadable mix of curiosity and amusement.

I flash her a look, one that carries all the words I can’t quite say aloud yet, and I see the flicker of understanding in her eyes. She smiles softly, then waves her hand toward the trio waiting for us. “We’ll join you guys in a few minutes. Grab a table and save us two seats?”

We watch as they leave, standing side by side, until the door closes. Finally leaving us alone.

I can’t ignore the heat between us, the tension in the air. Elle shifts, a subtle move that brings her lips a little closer to mine. She’s teasing me, and I don’t have the patience to play along any longer. I pull her to me, cupping her face gently, but with an urgency that makes her breath hitch.

She lets out a soft gasp when my lips crash into hers, tangling my fingers in her hair, feeling her soft strands as I kiss her deeper, harder. She tastes like victory, like everything I’ve been waiting for. She responds instantly, her hands sliding up my chest and around my neck, pulling herself into me as if she can’t get close enough.

Every inch of her is pressed against me. Her body, warm and soft, her chest rising and falling against mine, I can feel it all. My hands move to her back, pulling her tighter, fingers slipping lower, skimming the curve of her hips, the warmth of her skin making me ache for more. It’s amazing how her body fits perfectly with mine, and the sensation of it makes every nerve in my body buzz with heat.

My hands wander, moving to the small of her back and then slipping down, brushing just along the hem of her shirt. Elle shudders against me, the softest of moans escaping her lips, and that sound goes straight to my head.

She’s the one who steps back first, needing to catch her breath but a laugh escaping her.

“You’re the sweetest surprise I’ve ever had, Dixon,” she whispers, her eyes wide.

“You’re everything I’ve ever hoped to find,” I murmur, my fingers still tangled in her hair. “I don’t just love you—I’m in love with you. Completely. Unshakably. Irrevocably.”

Her lips tremble, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “I love you, too, Dixon,” she whispers, her voice low and raw. “I feel like we can get through anything. Together.”

I kiss her again, a soft promise on her lips, before we finally pull away.

“So,” she says, her voice commanding and breaking the moment. “I guess we should head over to the restaurant.”

She starts to walk toward the door but pauses to look back at me. She cocks her head to the side and holds out her hand. “Well, come on. I’m not going alone.”

I take a moment to look at her like this. Standing in front of me, that sexy smile on her lips, her hair mussed from where my hands were a second ago.

She’s mine. And I’m hers.

And this is only the beginning.