Page 16

The whole time Maddie was rambling, I couldn’t believe how nervous I’ve made her. This is a whole new Madison Wilder that I’m not used to. Is this the girl that Matt fell for? Nervous rambler, shaky, terrified to make eye contact, and hilariously cute? She’s like a goalie that’s watching the puck slide into the net it’s protecting, stunned and surprised like she never saw this coming. Did she not realize that we barely know each other? And yeah living together — for a few days — should make us lighten up around each other, but I was stunned that she surprised me at my game like a real girlfriend would. Girls do go above and beyond for me, but none of them mattered.

The truth is I’m not even tired, but I figured she could use the peace and quiet. I didn’t know how else to save her from herself.

We’re lying in the dark for a few minutes when she whispers, “Grey?”

“Yeah?” I mumble.

“I didn’t shower.”

I chuckle.

“I’m sorry. You can still sleep, right? I’ll try to be quiet.”

I close my eyes, trying to rest my mind and body before this dick takes over my every move. I don’t know how long I can really go without getting laid. Madison was right about me. I can’t keep it in my pants for a month. Do I dare to jerk off right now? It’s too messy. Fuck. Should I just get a grip? A quick one, just a little tease. My dick’s already hard.

By the time she’s out of the shower, I teased myself a bit. I couldn’t fucking help it. All this pent up energy from the car ride. This is going to be the hardest foreplay of my life with no relief at the end because I will not puck her. It doesn’t matter how adorable her rants are. Why are you even thinking about it? Maybe because I know she’s naked in my bathroom.

“Shit,” she mutters when she walks out with wet hair. “Was I too loud?”

I shake my head as I slip on my shoes. I can’t fucking sleep right now, so I need to get out of this box before I start losing my mind.

“Oh, where are you going?”

“To the rink.”

She gasps. “Did I do something? Say something?”

I shake my head. “You’re perfect, Maddie.” I don’t know why I just said that, but I stare at her to see if it freaks her out.

She stares at me with a worried face. “What?”

“Yeah,” I breathe.

“Wait, can I come?” she asks. That’s when I glance down at her shirt and witness the shape of her nipples under the thin cotton. She’s not wearing a bra. And she’s in short shorts to sleep in. I don’t know why she’s dressed like this. Dressed for what, Grey? Bed? “Oh, I don’t want to intrude.”

“No, you wouldn’t be intruding. Get ready.”

Her mood changes. “Really?”

“Yeah,” I nod, loving that she lit up like that. I open my bedroom door and say, “Make it fast.”

Madison hasn’t said a peep since we left the house. One moment she’s babbling nonstop and acting so bizarre, and the next second, it’s been so silent between us that I feel like her soul left her body. I don’t want to think about any of it, so I don’t. I step onto the ice behind Maddie as she glides with pure ease in front of me. She is beyond cool. The coolest girl I know. It’s going to make me fall on my ass if I don’t pay attention to my footing. She dropped the puck behind her as if to make me fall.

When she turns to smile at me, I know she’s messing with me. But I only stare, acutely aware that her smile is big because she’s grateful to be on the ice. I’m glad to at least give her a break from the thoughts swirling in her head. I still can’t wrap my head around half the things she rambled on about.

Fuck it. I zoom past her, skating a few warmup laps before grabbing the hockey stick that is begging to be swung around. Her name is Zellie, and there’s only been a few times she’s let me down. I shoot the puck ahead of myself before chasing it.

Without any words being spoken, Madison makes her way into my practice line and we’re side by side doing drills. This is oddly comfortable now. Every time our eyes meet, it’s because we’re impressed with each other. I see her potential on the ice, but I don’t ask why she doesn’t play. Play at college level, for fun, or even professionally. The job isn’t for everyone, and sometimes keeping something you love as a passion is all that it needs to be.

I think it’s been a solid hour of shooting the puck into the goal, and I can’t stand the silence anymore.

“Would you really tell a friend to go out with me?” I ask, and I know it’s so fucking uncalled for, but when she said it, I couldn’t stop thinking about how her idea of me has changed. I need confirmation that she finds me worthy.

“What?” she asks, passing me the puck. I stop it in front of me and wait for her answer. “That is what I said, isn’t it?”

I nod, hitting it back to her. She catches it and huffs.

“Yeah, I was trying to save myself because I was saying things that made me feel really awkward.” She shrugs. “But yes. You’re not as bad as your reputation, puck boy .” She slides the puck to me.

“Have you ever heard of the saying don’t judge a book by its cover , Maddie?” I ask, catching the puck. Playing pass-pass has never felt more fun.

Her lips pull into a shy smile. “Well, yes, Grey. I have heard of that. But have you seen the cover and read the first page? No… the first chapter? It wasn’t for me until I was forced to keep reading, and now I can’t stop.”

I blink, keeping the puck under my hockey stick. Holy fuck, my heart is thumping against my chest. I don’t think anyone, and I mean anyone, has ever said anything that fucking meaningful to me.

She holds the hockey stick like she’s using it to lean on as she says, “You know when you’re eating a large-sized French fries and then you realize that you’ve eaten them all. You grab the container, disappointed it’s empty. And then you check the bag.” She shrugs with a funny expression on. “And then you find the bonus fry at the bottom. You had no idea it was there, so it’s not like you were expecting it. But it’s there. Well, you’re the bonus fry at the bottom of my bag, Greyson.”

I gape at her as she laughs at her own joke. But that makes one of us. Where the hell is this coming from? She complimented me… again. One night of only three hours in a car, and she’s hitting on me? This makes no sense.

“You’re comparing me to fries?” I ask, tilting my head at her. I still have the puck under my hockey stick as I try to understand what is happening to her. Are those heart eyes?

I skate to her because I need to know something. Something fairly important. She’s nervous as I close in, and I halt in front of her as her eyes widen. “Do you…” I laugh because I can’t keep a straight face. She looks so scared, and I don’t want her to be. When she watches my chest bounce from laughing, she lightens up. I manage to say, “Madison.”

“Yes,” she whispers, studying me with those blue eyes.

“I’m sorry, but… are you… starting to like me?”

“What?” she gasps like I’ve offended her. It’s adorable to watch her eyes roll. Now I need to know if she’s going to admit or deny it. After pulling those pickup lines on me, she better confess. I stare into her eyes, waiting patiently.

“Me like you?” She laughs nervously.

I nod, holding in my smirk.

“Is it because I called you my bonus fry? Do you know what that even means?”

I straighten my stance on the ice. “Enlighten me.”

“It means I didn’t know you existed because there were so many before you. You fell out, and I only found you because I searched for that bonus fry.”

“Okay. So, if you didn’t search then I would’ve been thrown away in the trash?”

“Exactly,” she says, slowly skating backwards. I press my weight forward to follow her. “You would be in the bag in the trash.”

I stare at her. Sure, I know what that means, but I don’t understand how it has anything to do with her liking me. I mutter, “I’m not following.”

“Grey,” she mutters like she’s annoyed. “I surprised you at your game, didn’t I?”

I shrug, still not following.

“Meet me halfway here, Greyson!” She tugs at my shirt, so I grab her wrists before she makes the both of us fall. She lifts her hands in surrender, so I let go of her. “Do you want to come to my brother’s annual party this weekend?”

The change of subjects bothers me, but I nod. “I thought you didn’t want me to come.”

“I didn’t say that exactly. I just assumed, but now I just want to confirm that you’ll be there.”

I nod. “You supported me at my game, so I’ll be there.”

She taps my chest. “Don’t keep score, Grey. It breaks relationships.”

My eyes glance at her finger on my chest and then I slowly look up at her. “Okay. I won’t keep score.”

She nods. “Ready to go home?”

“Yeah.”

We clean up the little mess we made and then leave the auditorium.

When we get into bed, I keep my shirt on. “Good night, Maddie.”

“Good night, Grey.”

It’s far past midnight, and all I can think about is my unanswered question.