Page 9 of Just my Puck (Love & Laughter #1)
LUCY
C hecking my phone again to make sure I’ve got the right location, I frown. I hate the beach. Sand is horrible and gets everywhere. He couldn’t have picked a worse place, and cheap much? I thought big-shot hockey players were rolling in it.
My nerves are pinging, and I’m not sure if I want to take the plunge after all.
Patty convinced me not to stand him up, so if he does this to me, I’ll…
I’ll…well, I’ll do nothing except feel like an even bigger fool.
I’m playing it coy. He said to be there at six, and even though it will likely kill me to arrive a bit later, I need to know he’s there waiting for me before I show up.
I sure hope he’s punctual .
Through my daze of anticipation, I’m excited and nervous all at the same time, and my mind is racing with different scenarios, from Steele rejecting me to the two of us having a magical night together under the stars.
I'm finding it a real struggle to keep my expectations in check and not get too ahead of myself. I like him. He’s so hot, and a famous hockey player, and he seems nice.
He didn’t make me feel like an idiot for nearly knocking the stacks over or talking about his cock.
“God, you are an idiot, Luce,” I mutter and slow down. Maybe this is a bad idea after all.
Still moving forward, despite my current reservations, I pause at the crossing of the road that leads to the beach. The sea is lapping against the shore of the reasonably empty beach, the sky just beginning to turn shades of pink and orange as the sun sets.
It’s beautiful.
Getting lost in the view and the wonder of the world and nature, I suddenly shake my head to focus and check my phone again as the light tells me to walk.
Crossing over to the grassy verge, my phone says it is exactly 6:07 pm.
Relaxing only slightly when I see a Jeep parked up in the bays to the right, he told me to look for it, my eyes scan the area for a giant man that could probably pick me up and carry me under his arm like Kong.
Shoving my phone in my bag, relief floods me when I spot him climbing out of the Jeep, wearing a sexy black shirt and black jeans. He smiles as I approach. My heart pounds in my chest. Now that I’m actually here, and so is he, I have no more excuses but to keep moving forward.
Don’t I?
When he smiles and raises his hand to wave, I balk and spin around, hurrying back the way I came, stabbing the button for the crossing impatiently.
He catches up to me and grabs my hand, pulling me away from the road. “I’m here.”
“Mm-hm.”
“You were scared I wasn’t going to show?”
“Who’s scared?” I exclaim too loudly. “You’re scared.”
“Actually, yeah,” he says with a soft chuckle. “I was afraid you wouldn’t show.”
“Huh?” I scrunch up my nose, giving him a quizzical stare.
He smiles, it’s sexy, and I want to trace my fingertip over the curvature, but it forces my head right back as I look up at him from my five-foot, one-inch stature.
He is enormous. Again, thoughts of his huge cock dance through my head, which leads to dancing cocks with tutus, and then, it’s all over.
Snickering like a lunatic, I clap my hand over my mouth and shake my head.
“Sorry,” I choke. “Sorry.”
His eyes narrow. “Your imagination runs wild at times, doesn’t it?” he asks dryly.
Nodding through my laughter, he chuckles again. “What are you thinking about?”
“Can’t say?”
“Is it cocks?”
“Ah!” I shriek, yanking my hand back from his massive, warm one, and place it over my eyes as if it will help me vanish into thin air.
“You’re cock mad, aren’t you, little one?”
His endearment stops my laughter dead.
Unpeeling my hands from my face, I look up at him again and lick my lips. The twinkle in his eyes is attractive, and I adore that he has a sense of humor, even though he looks like a man-bear that would rather just eat your face off.
“Can you blame me?” I blurt out, my runaway mouth not doing me any favors right about now.
“Meaning?” he asks slowly, tilting his head to the side as he awaits my answer.
“You’re just so big,” I stammer, my face going hotter than the fires of hell. “I mean, if you had a teeny wiener, it would be weird.”
He lets out a loud guffaw that is half embarrassed, half delighted with my blunt words. “Do you want to check?” he splutters through bursts of laughter. “I mean, I have a rep to maintain.”
Shaking my head in horror and clenching my hands into fists, I gasp, “No!”
“Wow, now I’m offended. You are keeping me on my toes, little one.”
That endearment again sends a shiver down my spine. A good one. A great one. Suddenly, I want to feel what it’s like when he wraps his arms around me.
“Thank you for coming,” I state stiffly instead.
He reaches for my hand and takes it gently, bringing it up to his mouth to kiss my knuckles softly. “Thank you for coming, Lucy.”
With my heart fluttering in my chest, I allow him to lead me back to his Jeep, where he pulls out a fully loaded picnic basket and blanket before he settles us on the grass . He couldn’t be more perfect right now if he tried.