Page 83 of Playing the Pucking Game

“I’m in love, man. What can I say?” His eyes go all soft as he thinks about her. It’s cute as shit.

I’m happy for him, I really am. He’s certainly less grumpy now that he’s getting laid regularly, and that’s good for all of us.

It’s just a shame that he’s upped his level of action, and mine seems to have fallen off the face of the Earth. It’s not for lack of trying; it’s just that over the last few months, no one has really stolen my attention. The girls who approach me are all hot, sure. But no one is sparking that match.

My eyes shoot to Parker again. Okay, so maybe not no one.

I think back to jerking off in the bathroom at our previous hotel. Yeah, there was fire in my veins then, for sure.

“I’m heading out. I?—”

“What’s happening over here?” Killer barks as he and Handsy join us.

“Ah, scoping out the possibilities. Shit, she’s hot,” he says, jerking his chin in the direction of a group of girls I completely passed by earlier. “I think it’s time to get dancing, boys.”

“I’m actually leaving,” Kodie says again, taking a step away. His eyes find mine, silently asking if I’m going with him.

I should. Staying here is dangerous. I either get to watch Parker continue to grind on that guy and then eventually leave with him, or I go down there and do something about it. Both sound like disasters in the making.

But then I look at Killer and Handsy. They’re expecting me to be the one to lead the way.

Making a snap decision, I spin around and march toward the stairs with Kodie at my side.

“I just need to talk to her, then I’ll meet you outside.”

He glances at me, ready to argue, but the second he gets a look at my determined expression, he agrees.

“Five minutes or I’m leaving.”

“Fine by me.”

I look back as we get to the bottom of the stairs and find half the team following us with excitement etched onto their faces. They need this after tonight.

Coach was right: we need to get it out of our systems so we can move on.

The second the rope to the VIP section is pulled back, chaos ensues.

Safe to say our location has been leaked.

Girls scream our names and the braver ones move closer.

I brush a few off, not even bothering to look at them as I keep moving toward my destination.

Just before I turn toward the bar, I spot Kodie escaping through the exit, but the others have been swallowed into the crowd. Good for them. I hope they all have a good night. Something tells me I won’t be.

“Hey,” I say, stepping up to Parker and none too discreetly forcing her new friend to take a step back.

She turns to me, her eyes wide with shock.

“Oh, you are not serious,” she seethes.

“What? What did I do?” I balk.

“All day you’ve done nothing but scowl at me. And now, of all moments, you decide it’s time for a chat?’

“Well, no. I was just?—”

“Holy shit, you’re Lincoln Storm,” the guy Parker was dancing with announces, his eyes wide with awe. “Fucking sucks you didn’t get to play tonight. Whoever made that call was wrong, in my opinion.”