Page 25 of In My Hockey Era (Must Love Hockey #1)
PLAYING THE LONG GAME
Lucy
T he bar is buzzing but not too crowded—just the right amount of people for a casual Saturday night. Mia and I slide into a high-top near the back, and the moment we sit, she raises a brow. “So. What are we drinking?”
I scan the cocktail menu and shrug. “Margaritas?”
“Basic.” She grins. “I like it. Two spicy margs, please,” she tells our server, flashing a smile.
While we wait, we make small talk—work, her latest dating misadventures, the fact that she’s debating getting bangs again (I try to talk her out of it). But the moment the door swings open and two large, very familiar men step inside, Mia’s entire body stiffens.
And then—WHACK.
She kicks me under the table, hard enough that I nearly choke on my drink. “What the hell—”
“You didn’t tell me how hot he was!” she hisses, eyes locked on Bennett. “I mean, I Googled him, but holy hell, woman. That is a whole different level of hot in real life.”
Heat creeps up my neck, but before I can respond, Bennett’s gaze finds mine across the room. His lips twitch. He says something to Chase, then starts toward us with an easy, confident stride, like he already owns the place. Chase follows, hands stuffed in his pockets, looking as amused as ever.
Mia lets out a slow exhale. “Oh, I call dibs on Grumpy back there.”
I fight a laugh. “That’s Chase.”
“I don’t care what his name is, I want it moaned into my pillow.”
“Please stop talking,” I mutter, my face now officially on fire.
Why am I friends with her again?
And then Bennett is in front of us, towering, grinning, all warm blue eyes and scruffy jawline and stupid, perfect, broad-shouldered everything. “Hey, Quinn,” he says smoothly, resting a hand on the back of my chair, and just like that, the rest of the bar disappears.
There’s only him.
“Wilder,” I manage, willing my pulse to chill the hell out.
He dips his head, brushes a kiss against my cheek—not quite lingering, but enough to make my stomach flip.
Mia makes a tiny strangled sound next to me.
I clear my throat, remembering my manners. “This is my best friend, Mia. Mia, this is Bennett.”
Mia, for once in her life, is speechless. She shakes his hand, blinking up at him like he’s a damn mirage.
Bennett chuckles. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Chase steps up beside him, still looking vaguely aloof, like he doesn’t know quite how he ended up here.
Mia’s eyes flick between us before locking onto him like a heat-seeking missile. “And you must be Chase.”
Chase studies her for a beat, then nods once. “Yep.”
Mia’s grin turns downright wicked.
Oh boy.
The server reappears, and the guys order some IPAs.
The drinks flow, the conversation is easy, and to my absolute shock, Mia and Chase hit it off immediately.
Not in a flirty way, which I honestly expected—because Mia flirts with everyone—but in a weird, “did we grow up in the same chaotic household” kind of way.
They’re instantly finishing each other’s sentences, bickering like siblings, and ganging up on Bennett and me before we can even get a word in.
Holy unexpected plot twist.
“You’re telling me,” Chase says, nursing his beer, “you broke your wrist jumping off your neighbor’s roof onto a trampoline, but the trampoline bounced you into a rose bush instead?”
Mia waves a hand. “Oh, please. That’s not even in my top five dumbest injuries.”
Bennett shakes his head. “How do you have a top five?”
“Because I’m an overachiever.” She grins, sipping her spicy marg. “And what about you, Remington? What’s the dumbest thing you’ve done?”
Chase lifts a brow. “Took Bennett in as a roommate.”
Mia throws her head back and laughs. “Ohhh, I like you.”
Bennett sighs dramatically. “Why does everyone always bond over bullying me?”
Chase shrugs. “It’s easy.”
I smother a laugh behind my margarita.
Mia elbows me. “So, Lucy. Tell me… how much longer are you two going to pretend you’re not already together?”
My drink nearly goes down the wrong way. I cough, setting my glass down, but before I can protest, Chase nods in agreement.
“Yeah, I give it, like, two weeks.”
“Two weeks?” Mia scoffs. “Optimistic. I say one.”
I shake my head. “Not happening.”
Chase and Mia exchange a look. “Denial,” Chase mutters.
Mia hums. “Classic.”
“It’s tragic, really,” Chase agrees.
Mia laughs into her fist.
I roll my eyes, but next to me, Bennett stays quiet. When I glance at him, he’s watching me, eyes warm, thoughtful.
A strange heat curls low in my stomach, and I’m suddenly desperate for a change of subject.
“Okay, new bet,” I say, straightening. “How long before Chase and Mia get kicked out of this bar for causing a scene?”
Mia gasps. “How dare you.”
Chase takes a slow sip of his beer. “Five minutes.”
Mia winks at him. “Three.”
And just like that, the entire table is laughing again, the weight of whatever that look was from Bennett slipping away. For now.
When our server reappears, we order another round of drinks. Mia and Chase are still going at it—verbal sparring that somehow veers into a passionate debate over the best barbecue in Texas. I have no idea how we got here, but I do know that neither of them is backing down.
Bennett leans in, his breath warm against my ear. “Fifty bucks says they end up making out in the parking lot.”
I snort, sipping the last of my drink. “They haven’t even exchanged numbers yet.”
Bennett just tilts his head toward the table, where Mia is sliding her phone across the surface toward Chase, a smirk playing on her lips. Chase sighs like it pains him but picks it up and starts typing.
I groan. “Great. I’ve created a monster.”
Bennett chuckles, shifting even closer. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.” His fingers trace lazy patterns along my thigh, his rough digits finding the ripped hole in my jeans and sliding along bare skin. I barely suppress a shiver.
“Depends on how this goes,” I murmur, my heart beating a little too fast at the way his lips graze my skin. “If they end up dating, I’ll never hear the end of it.”
“If they end up dating, that means we’ll get to double date.” His voice is teasing, but something about it makes my stomach flip.
“We’re not dating,” I remind him.
He hums, his nose brushing the spot just below my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. “Right. Of course not.” His lips graze my jaw, soft and insistent, and suddenly, it’s very, very hard to focus on anything but the heat spreading through my veins.
This man is dangerous.
His hand slides higher, his mouth pressing an open-mouthed kiss to my neck, and I let my head tip slightly to the side before catching myself. “Bennett,” I warn.
“Lucy,” he mimics, voice low and filled with something undeniably wicked.
I bite my lip, trying to ignore the way my body is melting into his touch. “I have an early shift.”
“I’ll make it worth your while,” he murmurs, nuzzling at my neck.
Heat coils low in my stomach, and for one reckless second, I consider it. But I know if I go home with him, I won’t get a single second of sleep—and tomorrow’s shift will be absolute hell. Plus I have Max to think about.
With every ounce of willpower I have, I place a hand on his chest and push him back, just slightly. “I can’t.”
His eyes darken, fingers flexing against my thigh like he’s weighing his next move. Then, with a slow exhale, he leans back, expression somewhere between amused and frustrated. “Killing me, Quinn.”
I grin, and pat his rough cheek. “You’ll survive.”
He shakes his head, standing and pulling out his wallet. “That’s debatable.” He tosses a couple of bills onto the table before catching my hand and tugging me to my feet. “Come on, time to call it a night before I lose the last shred of self-control I have left.”
Chase and Mia are still bickering—though at this point, it’s definitely more playful than combative—but they both glance up when we stand. Mia arches a knowing brow, and I give her a subtle shake of my head before turning to Bennett.
He lifts my hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to my knuckles before murmuring, “Text me when you get home.”
I nod, ignoring the way my heart stumbles over itself.
We say our goodbyes, Chase and Mia still smirking as we all step outside. Bennett lingers, like he’s considering giving it one last shot, but I beat him to it, pressing onto my toes and brushing a kiss over his lips.
“Goodnight, Wilder.”
He groans, low and quiet. “You’re actually trying to kill me.”
I grin and slip into Mia’s waiting car before I can change my mind.