Page 29 of Puck Shots (Love The Game #6)

Cosmo

“ H ow do you stay grounded?” Coach Kirkishin asks, and Billy Jenkins, right wing for Chicago, grins beside him like he knows something I don’t. Fuck, he probably knows a hell of a lot I don’t. He’s been playing for the NHL for three years. I’m not even getting the call up. Not yet anyway.

“I can’t say it’s easy,” I begin, and Coach tilts his head a little to one side.

I’ve got his interest at least. “That might sound cocky as shit, but when the crowd starts cheering your name and you get that rush of adrenaline, it’s like nothing can touch you.

Especially now that I’ve got my double-tap slap shot down. ”

“We noticed that, an impressive move at that speed.”

“I would never have figured it out if it wasn’t for Elli, and him and my best friend Luka, the guys in the frat, even the lacrosse players.

” I laugh. “Especially the lacrosse players. I guess they help keep me grounded. No matter how loud the crowd screams my name, they’re there reminding me that I am only human. Eli reminds me I am more than hockey.”

“Are you sure you want to go pro?” Billy asks, leaning back in his chair, arms folded over his chest.

“More than almost anything.”

“You want something more?” the coach asks, and I nod.

“To keep being the guy they want to take the effort to bring down to earth. If I lose them, what’s the point of any of it?”

“That, kid, is the right answer,” Coach says, and I swallow the nervous lump in my throat.

“So you play for more than yourself, that’s good,” Terrance, a defenseman for the team, says, and I nod.

“If I’m being totally honest, I’ve kind of noticed I play so much better when Eli’s in the stands.

Having someone there watching me that actually gives a shit about me and not just my stats somehow makes me skate harder.

He’s brilliant, and kind and sweet and…” My face goes hot as I register what I am saying.

These guys are here to get to know me, not hear about how I’ve totally fallen for a guy.

But Coach is sort of chuckling, and the guys don’t seem phased.

“Sounds like you’ve got something real there. Have you thought about what happens if you get asked to play somewhere new, like…Chicago?” Just hearing him even suggest it as a possibility has my pulse thumping in my ears in excitement.

“He knows what I want and will be happy to see my dream realized. If they are.”

“Well, we’ve got the number seven pick, and I can totally see you skating out onto the ice with us next season,” Terrance says with a nod and a grin that sends my stomach into a flurry. Holy shit, can they actually be interested in me?

“I heard Chicago has amazing pizza,” I say and immediately regret it, but it gains a laugh, and thankfully the waitress brings the check for the meal.

“It was so great meeting you all,” I say, shaking their hands.

“We look forward to seeing what else you bring to the ice. Keep playing the way you have been and we’ll meet again,” Coach says, and we say our goodbyes.

The second they’re out of sight, I make a mad dash for the campus. It’s only a few blocks over, but right now, it feels like it’s on the other side of the world. But I’m The Flash. I can make it. I have to make it.

My chest is on fire as I circle around the physics building, bolting full sprint running through the halls to lecture hall nine, and I burst through the doors just as he’s wrapping up.

People are clapping, and so is his professor, who’s walking up to the podium where my guy is smiling wide, proud, and happy.

Panting, I drop into the nearest seat and clap too, face flushed, skin prickling with sweat, and that’s when he spots me.

His smile grows wider, and he jogs up the stairs to me.

“You made it,” he beams.

I push up from the chair and pull him into a tight hug.

“I caught the applause, does that count?”

“It counts.”

“I don’t think it does, but I’ll take it.”

I spot the rest of the students settling as another student steps up to the lectern. His professor throws a raised brow in my direction, and I let Eli go.

“We should sit,” I say, retaking my seat and pulling him into my lap.

“I don’t think the professor will like us sitting up here like this,” he whispers into my ear, and then he slips to the side, sitting beside me.

“Spoilsport,” I say, clasping his hand and spotting the slightly smudged lightning bolt on his wrist. I bring up his hand and kiss the back of it as the student up next starts his presentation.

***

“I totally meant to ask, how was your lunch?” he asks me as the class breaks up and we make our way back to the frat house.

“It was good. I, umm…”

“What?” he asks, taking my hand as we walk.

“I told them how I kind of play harder when I know someone in the stands actually gives a fuck about me, not just about my stats.”

He stops walking and looks at me, eyes wide and adorably confused.

“You said ‘fuck’ at your important hockey lunch and that’s good?” he asks.

I laugh.

“No, I think I said shit, not fuck, but yeah, it went well. I meant it, too. I wasn’t thinking just about getting a goal when I was on the ice last game.

I was thinking about showing you how much better I am because of you, not just the experiment program thing either.

Just with you in my life. I don’t know what will happen next, but I know that I want you. ”

“I want you, too,” he replies, gaze moving to my groin, and fuck me, but my dick replies with an instant semi.

“Why are your classes so far from the frat house?” I whine.

“To keep all the jock germs out,” he replies with a chuckle, then a frown. “Not that jocks aren’t smart enough to take these classes. You are. I wasn’t saying—”

I pull him to me and kiss him to cut off his rambling thoughts. His mouth is perfect and delicious, and warm.

“You love my jock germs,” I say between kisses.

“I really do.”

“Then let’s hurry up home and share some more.”

We practically jog the rest of the way back and up the stairs to my room. With Eli sharing his with a few guys, the chances of some privacy are higher with only Luka to contend with, except when we get there, the door is closed and there is a shoe hanging from the handle.

“A shoe, really?” Eli asks.

“Well, fuck. It looks like my room is off-limits for the foreseeable future. Shoe means he doesn’t plan on coming out for hours.”

“And I saw Magnus and Pete on our way up here headed to our room; they’ll be playing video games until late for sure.”

“I think I need a shower,” I say, and he chuckles.

“I wasn’t going to say anything, but you really kind of do.”

He shoves my side. I was thinking we could find some alone time there, but it looks like I’ll be washing first.”

“I can help with that.”

“Ohh, I like the way your brain thinks. Come on, grab us some clothes from your room. I’ll get some towels and meet you there in a few. The last stall at the end is the biggest.”

“I’m going to try not to think about how you know that,” he replies, kissing me on the cheek and heading for his room.

It doesn’t matter how I know that, none of that matters. The only guy I have on my mind is Eli.