Page 29 of Playing for Keeps (Seattle Hawks Ice Hockey #4)

Jade

Seeing Jay out on the ice is one of the most exciting things I’ve ever seen in my life.

The crowd is insane in their excitement and enthusiasm, and the play is so fast and ferocious.

I’ve only been to a few hockey games in my life years ago, but I’ve never actually seen Jay play in person for the Hawks.

Though I know after tonight I’m going to be checking out some of his highlights on YouTube.

A text pings on my phone shortly after the game is finished and the girls are talking about us going into the players’ lounge behind the scenes.

It all sounds really exciting to me, and Beth is definitely in on that.

She’s been rooting for Jake Hudson all night and joining in with the crowd with every interception and goal.

We’re willingly resigned to following the girls out back once we can get out of the crowd leaving the stadium.

With Cindy working for the team, it’s not hard to get access back here. Her friends, Simon and Andrea, with Simon’s partner, Jose, were here tonight and both work for the Hawks, but they left after the final buzzer, Susie included. Just me, Beth, and the “hockey wives” remain.

It doesn’t take long for Jay to find us when we’re inside the players’ lounge and a lady called Marcy is passing around drinks and chatting with the other players’ wives and girlfriends.

I sort of feel a little out of place, but Beth is having the time of her life when Taylor, Ashton and Tyler all come out to greet their women, followed closely behind by Jake.

I don’t get to see if Beth and Jake recognize each other, or if they say hello as a warm hand grabs me by the wrist when I’m on the way to the restroom around the corner.

Spinning around, I almost plow into that familiar solid chest that I’ve become more and more acquainted with over these last two weeks.

“Geez, scare a girl, why don’t you, Jay.

” I hold my hand to my heart to slow down that sudden jolt he caused.

But seeing him now out of his hockey uniform, freshly showered and smelling like a citrus and spice dream, damp wavy hair, gray sweatpants, and a fresh Hawks hoodie — is about as much as I can take.

He laughs, undeterred, and not one bit worried he may have scared me. “How did you enjoy the game?” He blocks my path by leaning on the wall, arms folded, eyes shining and bright. A playful smile toying with his lips.

“It was amazing,” I gush. I think I’m still a little hyped up and flushed from all that testosterone, mainly his, but he doesn’t need to know that part. “You were amazing.”

His hand slides up to his heart, and he presses his palm against the purple hoodie with the Hawks logo on the right corner patch. “Aw, shucks, JJ.”

“You really were.”

“You got five seconds to stop talking to me like that,” he chuckles, running a hand over his damp mane, causing it to ruffle a little, but it drops back to the same place.

I fold my arms across my chest and also lean into the wall facing him. “Really? Or else what?”

Electric blue sparks his eyes as a hearty laugh ripples from his chest. “I might throw you over my shoulder and steal you away for your last night in Seattle.”

My eyes bug wide, I can’t exactly help it. “Steal me away, huh?”

“I can sabotage that flight tomorrow if I really wanted to.”

I reach out and give him a playful shove now. “Now, why would you want to do a thing like that?”

He taps his fingers against his jaw in a playful gesture, his energy tonight is electric. More vibrant than I’ve ever seen, even when we were ice skating that day trying to beat each other.

“Hmm. Let me think…” He keeps strumming his long fingers against his chin while he contemplates, rolling his eyes up to the heavens. “Nah… can’t think why I’d want you to not get on that plane.”

“Jay!” I reach out to poke him in the ribs and he catches my wrist, hot fingers seem to imprint on my skin as they wrap around me.

“Now, now, no need for violence.”

“I’ll get violent in a minute if I can’t get to the ladies’ room.”

He laughs and drops my hand, straightening out as he stands upright, showcasing our alarming height difference.

One I was made all too aware of during the dance lessons.

Holding up his hands in surrender, the smile doesn’t seem to be able to be wiped from his face.

“Alright, alright, I’ll let you pass to the ladies’ room.

But, let’s have a drink when you come out, okay? Maybe we can hang out?”

“I’d love that.”

“See you in a second.” He pushes off the wall, but not before reaching for my bobble hat and pulling the front down to cover my eyes. I reach out to swat him again and he laughs, dodging me and striding off down the hall back towards the players’ lounge.

This man!

My heart is thudding thick and fast. Oh god. I really need to get that under control.

But I can’t fight the urge to want to kiss him. My lips are aching for it. Just like I did that night at the bar. In truth, I want to plaster my body all over him, feel his warm flesh and his touch. Have him hoist me up against the wall and press his hard cock into me.

The thought is a shock because even though it’s been building with Jay, I haven’t felt like doing that with anyone since I broke up with my ex. Somehow with Jay, it doesn’t feel weird. In fact, the more time I spend with him, the more it feels like the most normal thing in the world.

Maybe that’s why I find myself making my way back to the players’ lounge in no time at all, eager to spend as much time as I can with Jay, Beth and my newfound friends in the hockey wives.

My feet move faster than I can carry them, but as I round the hallway from the bathrooms, I see two things simultaneously, Jay’s purple Hawks jumper with #88 Jefferson on the back, and a lanky blonde sidling her hands around his waist.

I stop short, my breath caught in my throat like I got something physically stuck there.

My heart is about to burst right out of my chest cavity when I see Jay turn and look at her over his shoulder, then, it’s as if he was expecting someone else as he quickly pushes her hands off and steps away from her.

I’m not able to hear what he says, but as my eyes wander over to the leggy blonde pouting and batting her lashes towards him, I see it’s that same girl from the rink again the other day when we were skating.

Heat creeps up my body, spreading like a vine from my chest, working its way over my neck and hitting my cheeks with what feels like wildfire. My body feels ablaze, watching her even for a second with her hands on Jay. I don’t have some stupid claim over him, but I don’t like seeing it either.

I know he says he’s not interested in her, but he sure as hell had something to do with her at some point.

And while it gives me some satisfaction seeing him brush her away, it still makes me realize a simple fact; Jay is beautiful.

He’s a successful athlete playing for the NHL and he’s rich and gorgeous.

He’s always going to have some girl fawning over him wherever he goes, he would be used to it by now, and it’s certainly nothing new.

Slowly, I take a step back, unable to find myself, or a steady pace of my heart.

I want to get back to the girls, but it would mean passing Jay.

Just as I start to turn and head back the way I came, which is stupid because it only leads back to the washrooms, Jay catches my eye.

His face crumples a little, the frown forming on his forehead at the realization that I saw that puck bunny pawing after him.

He disregards whatever the blonde is saying and pushes forwards towards me but I’m already briskly walking away back down the hall.

“Jade!” I hear him call after me… If I can just make it to the ladies so I can regroup and compose myself… “Jade!”

I feel his hand on my shoulder, just as I round the corner a few steps away from the restroom and I whip around to face him.

“Jay.” I try to sound all cool and casual, but my voice seems to have other ideas and doesn’t want to comply with my brain.

It comes out with an exasperated sigh, more than annoyance or hurt. What should I be hurt about?

“I’m sorry about Janey. I don’t even know how she got back here again.”

Again ? My eyes pop wide as he swipes a hand through his hair. “It’s not what it looks like, she’s clingy sometimes, won’t take no for an answer.”

“It’s fine, I don’t care.” All lies.

“Well, you might not, but I do.”

“You mean, it’s really a hardship having a beautiful busty woman pawing after you every chance she gets?

I get it Jay, you’re an attractive guy in the NHL, what girl wouldn’t want to?

Honestly, I don’t blame the girl.” I don’t mention I’d rather scratch her eyes out than try and be nice about her right now, but I don’t want to sound like I’m being needy or think I have some claim to him since we’ve been hanging out.

He tips his head then, his eyes searching mine for something unspoken, a hidden truth that perhaps he thinks he can uncover. But I won’t give in, even to Jay. “Jade, please, hear me out.”

I shake my head, my smile a wobbly resemblance to what it was before; joy. I couldn’t keep the smile off my face during the game and when he came jogging out of the locker room. “There’s nothing to say, it’s fine, I get it.”

He tugs at my arm so it juts me forward to him. “I don’t want her, I told you that before.”

“And I told you I don’t care.” I try to pull back, and it’s not that he has a strong grip on me, it’s more that he’s persistent and follows my movement. As I step back, he takes a step forward.

“I don’t want to end your trip like this.”

I try to blink back my stupid emotions, ones I’ve been trying to hide this whole time and try a smile, even if it feels suddenly oddly placed on my face. “How were you wanting to end it?”

He tilts his head again and wraps his arm around my waist, actively pulling my body toward him.

A little squeal forms in my throat as the closeness takes me by surprise.

But at the same time, it ignites the fire in my burner that I thought had just been extinguished seeing Janey and him together.

Her long hot-pink nails trailing around his waist and squeezing him tight.

“Like this.” He pushes my back into the wall, his tall frame blocking everything out from all sides.

He dips his head, the damp of his hair brushes my forehead as he leans into me.

I gasp, a firm grip on his sleeves as I cling onto him for all I’m worth.

His warm lips find mine and he soaks up any further words or sounds I might have with the graze of his mouth and then a firmer press.

I’m frozen against the wall, his presence consuming me in the most delicious way I’ve ever encountered.

I love the way I feel so safe with him. His scent tingles me from the insides, like the spicy concoction is kissing me all over, touching every part of my body.

Little sparks go off deep inside my core, igniting what I felt that night in the bar, feelings I’ve been fighting ever since.

When my brain kicks in and tries to keep up with the rest of me and what’s happening, my lips move against his. The plush press of his mouth is like a whole new discovery, one I really want to get on top of, or under, it doesn’t even matter.

The way our mouths ignite, neither of us pulls away, and when he switches sides without breaking the kiss, I get lost in it. It’s the kind of kiss that sweeps you up and takes you on an exciting, intoxicating ride, one that you don’t ever want to end because it feels so good and so freeing.

His hand finds my ribs and rubs over my tunic, our breaths colliding, my body a furnace.

It’s a small cough in someone’s throat that breaks our reverie and we both stop-mid kiss and turn our heads at the same time to see Marcy has almost collided into us. She holds her hand to her chest and presses her lips together, fighting back a smile.

“I’m so sorry—” I start.

Jay doesn’t move an inch, he keeps one hand on my hip and the other pressed into the wall next to my head. “Marcy,” he says with the kind of calm assurance that I’m sure he’s practiced over the years.

I push my palm into Jay’s chest. “Jay,” I mutter under my breath.

She shakes her head with a faint laugh and dodges around us, making her way into the restroom.

“You do realize we’re causing a hazard right here.”

I watch as Jay’s tongue touches his bottom lip, sucking it under for a second while he takes a deep breath and finally rights himself, standing up straight.

“The only hazard was getting caught, Baby.” He reaches up to touch my face, soft fingers trail along my cheek, finding the ends of my hair and brushing them away. “And fuck, I liked doing that.”

I open my mouth to protest, but he places his finger there and I’m tempted to suck it into my mouth but somehow refrain. I mean, we are in a public hallway after all.

“Did you like it too?” he asks.

The bob of my head tells him everything he needs to know. His smile could light up any dismal Seattle sky. “A little too much.”

“They’re the words I like to hear.”

“We should go back to the players’ lounge,” I whisper, all flushed and hot from the top of my head down to my toes, and it’s all because of him. I don’t want to leave in case we burst the bubble we just created, but we can’t stand here all night either.

“Fine, but I’m not done yet.”

My heart skips out of time – a quick, gentle thrum – telling me I want that too. His fingers lace through mine, tugging me along with him as we walk back to where all the bustle is. “I’d be sorely disappointed if you were.”