Page 10

Avalon

“I’ve seen nuns hustle faster than you guys. Get the lead out! Go go go!”

I wasn’t sure what the coach was yelling about.

Players tore past me in a blur as the team raced from one side of the ice to the other, the sound of blades scraping across the ice loud in the empty stadium.

It thrilled me. And I was riveted to the men doing cardio conditioning laps.

They weren’t even running plays, but excitement vibrated through me as I watched the action on the other side of the glass.

Until that morning, I’d never been to a hockey game—or an ice rink, to be honest. That this wasn’t actually a Loggerheads game didn’t dull the experience.

I couldn’t believe the speed with which these men moved.

How they didn’t all die with the way their hockey sticks swung around in front of them stunned me.

I would have tripped over the end of the thing and been stabbed by the handle inside of five minutes.

My eyes were glued to Parrish. He was a big man, powerful, but he looked so much bigger in all his gear, several inches taller on his blades. My superman on skates. He commanded the ice just as easily as he did my body, and I was complete putty in his hands.

Like last night.

After dinner at Tarragon , we’d headed back to the house and gone directly to his room. We’d only run into one of his roommates on the way, so I still hadn’t met most of them, but yesterday, it was the last thing on either of our minds.

We’d barely cleared the door when Parrish had me on the bed, his big body looming over me as his stormy eyes met mine, igniting fires inside me.

“I want you,” he’d growled.

“Yes,” I’d agreed. I’d been ready since his accidental tackle. That aside, our kiss against his car had left me on edge.

I’d ripped at his shirt while he unfastened one more button on my blouse then yanked it and my cardigan up and over my head. Then we were chest-to-chest, save for my bra. His hands and mouth caressed everywhere they could touch while his hips wedged between my legs.

Even now, my thighs pressed together when I recalled how we’d moved together.

By the time his mouth returned to mine, I’d been ready to rip off the rest of our clothes and really feel him everywhere.

If only.

I frowned, my focus shifting back to the goalie who’d tackled some guy to the ice. I jumped to my feet, transfixed as Parrish and Porter tried to break it up and the coach yelled.

It was too much like the turn last night had taken, pandemonium erupting before Parrish and I could have sex—well, except for the extra people, obviously.

Just as Parrish had skimmed his hand to the button of my jeans, a fight had broken out in the house.

And escalated. When we’d heard something shatter, Parrish had sworn profusely and climbed off the bed.

After a quick, hard kiss that left me breathless and wanting, he’d stormed away to deal with the brawl.

Meanwhile, Nash had called me all freaked out because Porter had asked him to be gay for the night this weekend. My friend was worried his roommate would discover his secret and the subsequent crush he’d been harboring.

I’d spent over an hour talking him through it. By the time we ended the call, the yelling hadn’t subsided in the other part of the house.

I waited.

I scrolled on my phone.

I got ready for bed.

Still, no Parrish.

By the time he’d finished mediating, and they’d apparently had a house meeting, too, I was asleep.

I had no idea when he’d slipped into bed, but he didn’t wake me until this morning, and that was only because he’d promised I could come watch practice.

To my extreme crankiness, there’d been no time for more than a couple kisses.

No lie, I was bitter.

The morning kiss was not enough, even if it had made my toes curl and my entire body ache with need. I wanted him. I wanted to feel him over me. In me.

With our schedules, there was no prayer of us hooking up until tonight, though.

We both had classes, and I had my shift at the library.

After that, I was meeting up with Nash while Parrish had practice—though why the team was having a second practice today, I didn’t know.

He’d said something about it being just watching film, whatever that meant.

A tap on the glass in front of me startled me, and I jumped, realizing I’d been zoned out as I’d thought about last night.

Parrish smiled at me from the other side of the barrier.

Both his hands, one wrapped around his hockey stick, rested on the glass while he gave me the lopsided grin I loved, his eyes heating me up.

“Fifteen minutes,” he said, but I more read his lips than actually heard him. Then he pointed, indicating for me to meet him up on the concourse outside the rink. We’d discussed that earlier.

I nodded.

“Fifteen minutes,” I mouthed back. Satisfied with my answer, he skated off. I returned to my seat and leaned back, imagining a hockey-playing hero in one of my books. Wouldn’t happen, since I wrote romantasy, but I could ponder. I’d barely settled when my phone trilled with a text. This early?

I pulled it from my backpack, figuring it must be Nash, and saw I actually had a pair of missed messages. One from my brother, Benedict, and one from Sheena. Seriously? I opened my brother’s first, figuring it would be more palatable.

Ben: Do you need money? Your roommate texted me to tell me that you didn’t pay your rent.

I stared at his words, open-mouthed.

That troll! And honestly, of all the big bitch balls.

What was wrong with her? She knew my brother could request money from the trust set up for me after my parents’ death.

I didn’t understand the logistics of it, and I’d never requested any of the money that would come to me when I graduated. Sheena knew about that access, though.

Me: No. I do not. I paid my bills, and she’s lying, which is pretty shitty of her. She kicked me out of the apartment, even though I’d already paid my part for the month.

Me: I have proof.

I added the latter, because I knew he’d ask. I could just imagine the annoyed look on his face as he dealt with this.

Ben: She kicked you out of the apartment. What did you do?

Seriously? He just assumed it was me being the problem?

Me: I’m fine. Thanks for asking.

Annoyed, I didn’t wait for him to answer and thumbed over to Sheena’s message, which I figured would be just as annoying.

It was a picture of Parrish and me kissing against his car. Hot. But the nasty name she called me in the text beneath it wasn’t so great.

“Everything okay? I thought you were going to meet me out on the concourse?” Parrish said from behind me. When I glanced up, he was looking over my shoulder. “Send me that pic. But…what the fuck? Who said that to you?”

“Sheena.” I stood, shoving my phone in my pocket while Parrish scooped up my backpack.

“What’s her hangup with you—besides her being batshit?” he asked.

“No idea. She texted my brother and told him I didn’t pay the rent this month.

Basically demanding money from him. That was the other issue I was just dealing with.

Too bad for her, I have proof she’s lying.

My name might not be on the lease, but I always went down to the leasing office and paid my portion.

I have the receipt and a debit showing on my account.

I think she’s just miserable, so she makes everyone else miserable, too. ”

“Misery loves company?” he quipped.

I shrugged then leaned into his side as he wrapped his arm around me. “ Company is wondering if we have time to grab a coffee before class.”

“Definitely. My company can have anything she wants.”

I chuckled, setting aside the annoyances for now and focusing on my man. “Remember you said that later. Watching you in action got me all worked up—particularly that stretching thing you did, where you looked like you were humping the ice.”

“Should I be affronted at being objectified?” he teased. He didn’t seem offended, instead pulling me tighter against him.

I peered up at him, so happy he was mine. Everything else faded away when we were together.

“Will it get me another of those hot kisses against the car?” I asked.

He pressed his lips to the top of my head. “Like I said. Whatever you want.”