Page 52 of Lucky Shot (Moonshot Hockey #1)

“It doesn’t matter. He’s going to spend the rest of his career striving to recreate something he doesn’t know how to do. He has to look at himself in the mirror and reconcile who he is and what he’ll do to get ahead. I sleep just fine at night. Though better when it was next to you.”

“Same.”

“Well, that was entertaining,” Molly interrupts.

I open my mouth to ask her how she already knows, but she waves me off. “I was thirty seconds behind you. Good news. Matt’s jaw isn’t broken.”

“Is that good news?” I ask.

She levels me with an unamused glare.

“Kidding,” I say. I mean, kind of.

“That’s on me,” Nick says. “I take full responsibility, and I’ll do whatever’s necessary to make sure it doesn’t blow back on Ruby.”

“If anyone asks, we’ll tell them you were in a jealous rage. Though I doubt Matthew will mention it. He went down like a sack of potatoes.” She makes a face depicting her embarrassment for him. “But we have bigger problems.”

“We do?”

“Doreen wants to meet with you now. She got a last-minute flight home and needs to leave soon.”

“Go,” Nick tells me.

Molly nods her head and angles her body for me to follow her.

“No.” I shake my head. “I’m sorry. I’m sure whatever she wants is important, but I need five minutes alone with Nick.”

Molly heaves a sigh then looks around. She tips her head to the left. “The green room is probably empty.”

“Thank you.”

I take his hand and lead him there.

“Five minutes,” Molly reminds me.

The green room is, as Molly assumed, empty. I shut the door and lock it. I turn and lean against it. With one hand, I wave toward the table of drinks and snacks. “Want anything?”

“Yes,” he says as he wraps an arm around my waist and drops his mouth to mine again.

I fling my arms around his neck, and he pulls me up, holding me against him as he walks over to an empty table and sets me down on it.

He stands between my spread legs, leaning down to keep kissing me. My hands slip under the hem of his shirt and trace over the hard, lean lines of his stomach muscles.

“Fuck, I missed you.” His fingers glide up my thighs and under my skirt to settle on either side of my hips.

“I missed you too.”

I did not wake up this morning with “have sex in the green room” on my bingo card but all I can think about is getting closer to him. I push his pants and boxers down until his dick springs free.

As I circle the base with my thumb and forefinger, Nick groans against my lips.

He pulls back and looks me in the eye. “I didn’t come here to punch your ex or for a quick fuck.”

“I know, but that was very satisfying to watch. I’ve never been so turned on.”

It seems that’s all he needs to know because he hooks a finger on either side of my panties and tugs them down. I shift to help him and he frees the material from my legs.

“We don’t have a lot of time and I’ve been dreaming of this since the second you left.”

“Do your worst, Galaxy.”

He chuckles then takes my mouth and pulls me to the edge of the table. I guide his cock to my entrance, and he wastes no time pushing inside.

We share a groan, tongues stroking together as we press our bodies as close as we can possibly get. Nick drives into me until I can’t take any more, then pulls out and thrusts again. I’m already climbing. A week of longing and replaying every other time we’ve done this served as foreplay.

He’s close too. I can tell by the way he moves faster and the slight shudder each time he fills me.

“Goddamn, you take me so good, baby.”

“More.” It’s a beg and a plea. I’m teetering on the edge, and it feels so perfect.

His answer is to hook an arm around my thigh, lifting and wedging himself farther between my legs.

And as I finally get there, tears well in my eyes.

Nick is right behind me, caressing my face and telling me how good I feel.

I soak up every word and every touch. He comes with a nip of my bottom lip and a deep groan.

Then he stays there, still inside me, holding me to him.

His chest rises and falls, and I can feel his heart beating the same rapid pace as mine.

The emotion bubbles over. The tears slide down my cheeks, and it’s so ridiculous that I’m crying right now, I also start laughing.

“What’s wrong?” Nick’s gaze is filled with a frantic concern.

“Nothing,” I say, which I realize isn’t very reassuring as I keep crying.

His thumbs swipe at the tears tracking down my face.

“I’m just so glad you’re here,” I manage to get out through a sob and a hiccup. “I missed you so much. I have slept in your jersey every night.”

His lips twitch and pull into a smile. One dimple peeks through his beard.

“I’m sorry that I’m crying. I swear I’m happy.”

He keeps that smile aimed at me as he brushes his lips over mine. It turns out kissing is the magic trick to stop the tears. His mouth is gentle and sweet, the kind of kisses that I could get lost in for days.

But unfortunately, Molly has other plans.

“Two minutes!” she calls from out in the hallway.

“She’s relentless, huh?” Nick asks.

“You have no idea.”

He pulls up his pants and then grabs napkins off another table to clean me up. The clover necklace I gave him hangs around his neck.

“You’re still wearing it,” I say, motioning with my head to his chest.

He looks down and then back to me. “Of course. It’s my version of sleeping in your jersey.”

I laugh lightly. Nick helps me to my feet and then holds out my panties for me to step into. His hands slide slowly up, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

“I wish you could stay longer. I hate not seeing you every day.”

“That’s partly why I came,” he says.

“What do you mean?”

He pauses, staring into my eyes as his teeth work over his bottom lip.

“I love you, Ruby.”

Of all the things I thought he might say, that hadn’t been on the list.

“You do?”

“Yeah, Red. I do. I should have told you before you left, but I kept telling myself we hadn’t known each other long enough for me to feel the way I do about you.

But a week without you and I know I wasn’t mistaken.

You stumbled into my life and I’m pretty sure I fell in love with you right then and there.

I was scared. I’m still scared. I’ve never wanted anything more than I want this. ”

Another laugh falls from my lips. I’m giddy, almost delirious with how happy his words make me.

“I’m not even sure if you want the same thing, but?—”

“I want it,” I assure him. “Whatever it is.”

He nods and a half smile tugs at his lips.

“I don’t know what it looks like, but I want to make this work.

I’m in. All the way. Whatever you want. I’ll figure out how to visit you on every off day, though I’ll be honest, those will be few and far between for a while with the season starting.

You can come stay with us whenever you want too.

Any time you want. For as long as you want.

Or I can get you tickets to games and fly you out to watch or if you are sick of hockey, then we can spend every night on the phone, and you can tell me all about your day.

And after the season is over, Aidan and I can come stay with you for the summer. I need you too, Red.”

Molly’s voice comes from the other side of the door as she knocks loudly. “It’s showtime, Ruby!”

I don’t want to go back out there, but I know Molly well enough to know she will break down the door if necessary. There are still so many things I want to say and things I desperately want to hear from him.

“Go.”

“But…”

“You don’t need to answer now. You know my situation and how I feel, but you should take time and think about it. Really think about it, Red. And whatever you choose, I don’t regret a single moment.”

I start to argue that I don’t need time to think, but he keeps going.

“You have so many incredible opportunities coming your way with the book. I’m so fucking proud of you and I want you to enjoy all of that.

And your sister is about to have a baby.

I know how much she means to you and you’re going to want to make her a priority too.

Maybe jumping into things right now is too much for you and that’s okay. ”

“No. I…” I shake my head. “I want to be with you too. We’ll figure out how to make it work.”

He rests one palm on the side of my face and presses his lips to mine once more before stepping back. He takes my hand, and we start for the door. Just before we reach it, he pauses.

“I almost forgot.” He pulls a black box from his pants pocket and hands it to me.

“What is it?”

“Open it.”

I flip the top of the jewelry box to reveal a stunning gold necklace with a diamond encrusted hockey stick charm.

“Aidan helped me pick it out.”

The tears are back.

“I miss him too.”

“Same. He’s working on a new song for you.”

Molly knocks again and before I’m ready, Nick unlocks and opens the door to reveal my very anxious-looking agent on the other side.

“Oh, good.” She smiles and her shoulders relax. “Ready?”

I’m not, but Nick steps away from me. He’s smiling as he walks out the door. “Later, Red.”

I’m in a daze as I follow Molly through the hotel. Nick loves me. He wants to make this work. He showed up today for me . I don’t think I could be any happier. Maybe he thinks I need time to think about being with him, but I don’t. I’ve known since the moment I left Moonshot.

Doreen is waiting for us in the hotel coffee shop. She stands as we approach. I blink away the happy-tinged haze as I greet her.

“Hi.” My voice wavers.

“Thanks for meeting with me before I go.” She sits and waves a hand for us to do the same.

“Of course. Is everything okay? I thought the reception of the book went over well.”

“It has. We’re all thrilled for you. I was right to trust my instincts,” she says with only a tinge of ‘I told you so’ in her tone. “You’ve proven you have what it takes to write across sub-genres and your readers are happy to take the ride.”

“Wow. Thank you. It all feels so surreal.”

Her lips purse as she considers me. “The question now is, what do you want to write next?”

“I…” I start to give her the pitch for the Love Bites sequel but I’m certain Molly has already sent it to her. “I’m not sure what you’re asking.”

Her red lips curve into a small, but satisfied smile. “I’ll cut to the chase because I know you’ve had a long day. Whatever it is that you write next, I want to publish it.”

“You do?”

“If it’s the book you’ve already pitched, great. If it’s more sports, that’s fine too. Or perhaps you want to detour into time travel, fantastic. Whatever it is, I want it. I love the Ruby Madison universe. It’s fun and unexpected. I think we could build something truly special together.”

My jaw drops as I mentally press rewind and replay her words, turning them over in my brain. She looks to Molly while I process. “I’ll send over my official offer for the pitch, as well as two additional books of your choosing.”

“Holy crap.” A huge smile spreads across Molly’s face and her voice lifts an octave. She schools her expression before speaking again. “I mean, that’s great. I look forward to receiving it on behalf of my client.”

I’m still frozen in stunned silence. She wants my book. She wants my book and two more!

Doreen pins her gaze back on me as she stands. She lifts her large purse onto her shoulder. “Congratulations on writing a fantastic book. I’m excited about the future, Ruby.”

I get to my feet, still not quite sure that I’m not dreaming. “Thank you so much.”

“No need to thank me.”

“You took a chance on me when no one else did.”

Her lips twist into one last smirk. “And every other publisher will spend the rest of their careers regretting it.”