Spinning to the Goal (Desert Ice Hockey #4)

Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

ACE

A fter cleaning up, we both slipped under Zoma’s covers. Why had he looked so surprised I wanted to stay with him longer? I lay on my back against his fluffy cream pillows and dark-gray upholstered headboard and then threw my arm out to my side. “Come here.” I couldn’t remember the last time I had a cuddle session with someone. Or wanted to.

As a smirk ghosted across his lips, he snuggled into my side, resting his head on my chest and skimming a leg over both of mine. “Don’t you have an early skate tomorrow?”

“Yeah, so?” I kissed his head and brushed a circle over his shoulder. Like that was going to stop me from spending time with him. “One morning skate as an exhausted goalie is not going to hurt me.”

“Okay.” His smirk widened, and he nuzzled my neck. “This is nice, Ace.”

“Damn right, it is.” And I couldn’t wait to do it again. Grabbing his hand from my chest, I twined my fingers in his. “When can I see you again?” Shit, this might be complicated. I huffed. “I have away games this week. But I’ll be home on Sunday.”

“Okay. I don’t have anything but practices and lessons this weekend.” Lifting his head, his gaze met mine. “I think we have our home competition when you have an away game.” He tensed the corner of his mouth. “Like the Coyotes having their weekend home games when you guys are away.”

“Yeah, there’s only so much one arena can do.” I’d wanted to watch one of his competitions. I twisted my lips. “We need to check our schedules. There has to be a time when I can come see you compete.”

Lifting his brows, he said, “You want to see me compete?”

“Of course, why wouldn’t I?” I freed a soft chuckle. “If you had a jersey, I’d wear it.” If it fit, but that was a long shot.

“How about a sequined sheer top?” With a snicker, he dipped his forehead into my neck.

Shrugging a shoulder, I said, “Hell, why not? As long as it doesn’t show my nipples.” Because that had been a little weird for me at the gay bar.

“But I like your nipples.” He flicked his tongue at one and sucked it.

My cock woke. “Don’t you start that, or we’re going again.” I squeezed him and kissed his head. “No, really though. I want to see you compete.” Because the tease of his skating I’d gotten at the Ice Den hadn’t been nearly enough. It did something to me, sparked feelings .

“Of course. But we only have four competitions during the school year, and only one is being held at ASU.” He furrowed his brows. “The competitions go all weekend, so hopefully, you don’t have an away game, or if you do, you could come on Sunday.”

“Shit, knowing how they’ve been scheduling things, I probably do have an away game.” Goddammit, that sucked. Maybe I could find a way out of it. I popped my eyes open. Was I really thinking of missing a hockey game to watch him skate? Shit… “We’ll figure it out.” Bringing his hand to my mouth, I kissed his knuckles. “Would you want to wear my jersey at our next hockey game?” Was it too soon for this?

“Sure.” As a wide smile swept his lips, his eyes lit up. “Do you have any smaller ones?”

“Uh, no. You’ll be swimming in it, but I think you’ll look even more gorgeous.” I looked over his slender body. Holy hell, seeing him in my jersey would make me want to fuck him in it. My dick plumped and jerked. How was I going to keep my head in the game?

“Let’s talk more on Sunday.” He studied me. “Or I’m sure I’ll see you at the rink this week. I try to get out and practice every day.”

“Can I watch you practice, or will that throw you off?” I twisted my lips. It would throw me off, for sure.

“Uh…” He shrugged. “It might be a distraction. I’m trying to get some triples down, and I really need to be focused for that.”

“Okay, then I’ll leave you to your practices, but I want to see you compete.” I tapped his nose with my index finger. “Is that a plan?”

“Yes, it’s a plan.” He dipped his gaze to my chest and came back. “I’ll, uh, probably be watching your away games on the ASU YouTube channel, just so you know.”

As a grin played over my lips, I said, “I’d expect nothing less.”

We were making plans for the future. Well, sort of. This meant something. He must have feelings for me. My chest bloomed with warmth. Because I sure as hell was catching feelings for him. I held him closer to my side and closed my eyes. I could totally fall asleep with him.

“Ace? Are you? Do you want to stay the night?” He wrinkled his forehead. “I mean, I’d be okay with it, but I know…”

“I have to get up early, and I don’t have my shit here, so I’d have to get up even earlier.” I huffed a sigh. Well, shit. “I’d love to stay the night with you, but not tonight.” I shimmied away from him, sat up, and threw my legs over the side of the bed. Cuddle time was over. “If I stay in your bed any longer, I won’t be able to drag myself away.” I scrubbed my face and glanced at him, his eyes wide.

“Yeah? That’s good to know.” He brushed his fingers along my spine. “This was nice tonight, Ace.” He swallowed hard. “You might be changing my perception of hockey players.”

“Yeah?” Twisting and falling onto an elbow, I planted a kiss on his mouth. “Good.” I rose off the bed, found my clothes, and slid them on.

He climbed out of bed, stepped to his dresser, pulled out some maroon joggers, and slid them up his legs. The outline of his mouth-watering cock showed through the thin fabric.

“Dude, that is…” I wet my lips. “That is quite a tease.” And fuck if I wasn’t getting hard again.

He strutted to me and cupped my balls through my jeans. “Good. I want you to think of me like this, waiting for you until Sunday.” He licked my lips.

A shudder rolled up my spine, and I breathed in deeply. “You are going to be the death of me.” I kissed his cheek. “And I’m all in.”

It was Saturday night, and I was in my crease on the ice at Northern Michigan’s barn. I’d let one goal slip by me last night, but tonight, I was going for the shutout. We only had a few minutes left in the third period and my prospects were looking pretty fucking good. I glanced at the camera on the pole over the boards and saluted it, then focused on Hodge, passing the puck to our new center, Neuman, down in Michigan’s D-zone.

I’d gotten a good luck text from Zoma before the game, and I knew he was watching tonight with Nova from a sports bar in downtown Tempe. Had I shown off a little bit last night and tonight? Hell yeah. But we got the W and were about to get one more with the current score sitting at two to zip. I just had to wait it out and watch the clock count down.

Neuman shot to Cummings, who faked a pass back and smacked the puck at Michigan’s net. I jumped on the ice. “Fuckin’ A, Cummings. That’s right, you get ’em.”

The goalie picked off the puck in his netted glove and dropped it with his center, who broke away at lightning speed toward me.

The center passed to his winger a few times as they both sped down the ice.

Where the fuck was Hodge and his counterpart, Mackenzie? “Shit, shit, shit…” I hunkered in, making myself big across my net. No fucking way I wasn’t getting a shutout tonight.

The Michigan forwards came at me with Hodge and Mackenzie following, taking long, quick strides across the ice.

“Come on, you hosers. Just try it.” I tapped my stick to the ice, my gaze chasing the puck back and forth between their sticks.

As they reached me, Hodge came out of nowhere, tossed the center like a pack of fucking sack of potatoes, and he went down. The winger grabbed the puck and set his sights on me. “Hey, dick sucker, suck on this!” He slapped the puck at my five-hole.

I dropped to the ice, shins splayed and blocker at my knees. “Not today, fuck wad.” The puck bounced off my blocker and out to the center, who hopped onto his skates and nailed Hodge in the side.

Shit, we only had seconds left. “Hodge, get the fucking puck, man!”

“I’m trying.” Hodge followed the center into the corner of the boards behind my net, and they scrabbled for the puck, sticks flying and smacking skates.

I watched from the side of my goal as the puck ticked this way and that. “Just a little more, Hodge.”

The winger skated to my crease. “Over here!”

Throwing a peek at the clock, ticking down from five seconds, I bumped the winger out of the way. “You’re done for. Time’s out.”

He threw me a glare. “Fucker.” He shoved me into my net.

“Not gonna work.” With my chest heating, I straightened to my full height, towering over him. “You really want to fuck with me?”

The buzzer blew, signaling the end of the game.

“Next time, you’re going down, Ace.” With a sneer, he pointed his gloved finger at me and skated off.

“Yeah, that’s what all the straight boys want.” I made a sucking noise at him, cackled, and turned to my net to grab my water bottle resting on top of it. I’d never let a guy like that get to me.

Hodge skated to me. “We did it! Shutout.” He grabbed me up around the waist and lifted me off the ice, and then dropped me and fell to his ass, laughing.

“I’m a little heavier than you expected?” I threw off my gloves, patted him on the shoulder, and helped him up. “Thanks to you distracting that fucker in the corner, we did it.” Now it was time for a little celly, our post-game routines, and back to the airport for our flights home. I couldn’t wait to talk to Zoma.

At the airport, we all waited at the gate, some of the guys milling around, still pumped from the game, while others studied and worked on homework on laptops. It was late, but it was Saturday, so I was going to call Zoma. I glanced at Myles, sitting on one side of me, typing away on his laptop, and at Tyler, chatting with Coach Hammett.

I held my phone up and FaceTimed Zoma. The phone rang a few times and picked up.

Zoma’s gorgeous face filled the screen, and behind him was an old-timey streetlamp and tree branches.

He was on Mill Avenue. “Hey, Zoma.” My heart flickered with warmth. We’d been FaceTiming every day this week, but tonight felt special. Was it because of the shutout? Maybe.

“Ace, you were so fucking hot and awesome out there.” His wide smile reached his eyes. “Those last few minutes of the game were so intense. The whole bar was on the edge of their seats.”

“Yeah?” Not only had we won, it had been an exciting game for the fans. So, a double win. I puffed out my chest. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“You made some incredible saves.” His gaze flicked away for a moment. “I’m talking to Ace, Nova.”

Her face came into view. “Ace! You guys rocked it out there.”

“Hey, Nova. Thanks.” I gave her my warmest grin. She meant a lot to my new man, and I wanted to get to know her better.

Zoma returned into view, the background moving behind him. “You at the airport now?”

He must be walking somewhere. Home? “I am. We get in around one.” I pursed my lips. I was going to be so fucking tired. “Where are you headed now?” He wouldn’t be heading to The Club tonight, would he? I wrinkled my nose. I didn’t much like the idea of him going there without me. But then, we weren’t exclusive, right? Why the hell hadn’t we talked about that before I left?

“Nova wanted to hit up the karaoke pizza place, Four-One-Four?” He studied me through the screen. “She likes to sing sometimes. She has a great voice.”

“She does, huh?” At least it wasn’t the gay bar. Settle the fuck down, Ace . I needed to trust him, even if he did go to The Club.

“Yep.” He stopped, and a traffic light came into view behind his head. “So, tomorrow?”

Myles closed his laptop. “Tomorrow, Archer and Mason are coming over.” He grabbed my phone and pointed the screen at his face. “Hi, Zoma.” He gave him a wry smile. “My boy got the shutout for you, you know. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him show off the way he did the last few nights.”

“Stop it.” With a snicker and my cheeks warming, I bumped Myles on the shoulder. He had to go there. “Wait, Archer and Mason are coming over?”

“Yeah, they have a day off and wanted to play NHL. I thought we could get pizzas, you know, like old times.” His attention drew to me.

I had planned on having Zoma over to the squad house to hang out, but would he be okay with all the guys there? I rolled my lips. And how much were the fuckers going to tease me in front of him? I cut my gaze to the screen. “You still okay coming to my place tomorrow?”

“Hell yes. I’d love to meet your friends in the NHL.” He started walking again. “I’ve got to warn you, though, I’m pretty good with video games.”

“You are, huh?” I freed a soft chuckle. He didn’t strike me as the gaming type. “How much do you know about playing hockey?”

“There’s a puck and you hit it into a net and sometimes throw a guy on the ice. That’s what I’ve learned so far.” He freed a sharp laugh. “How hard is it?”

“Oh, them’s fightin’ words.” With a shake of my head, a smirk swept over my mouth.

He stopped at a brick building. “I gotta go. The place is filling up, and Nova’s already in there.” He pressed his lips together.

“Okay, well…” A low ache drifted through my chest. “You behave yourself tonight.” Was it too much? He wasn’t going to get hit on in that place, right?

“I will. Don’t you worry about me.” He kissed the phone. “I’m just passing the time until I can see you again.” He waved goodbye.

“Yeah, can’t wait to see you tomorrow.” I kissed my screen. I mean, why not? He did it. With a wave, I ended the call.

“Oh my God.” Myles rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. “You two are too much.” He stuck his finger in his mouth and fake gagged.

“You’re just jealous.” I straightened in my chair, a grin creeping over my lips. I had nothing to be worried about with Zoma.

“What is it about all my friends that as soon as they find a boyfriend, they turn into puddles of goo, eh?” With a scoff, he shook his head.

Boyfriend? But Zoma wasn’t my boyfriend…yet. I fingered my phone in my lap. But I did like the idea. I sure as hell didn’t want him seeing or even looking at anyone else. “Myles, what would you say if a guy you’d only dated like, three times, asked you to be exclusive?” I faced him.

“Three times?” He raised a brow. “Like, would there have been hookups all three times?”

“What does it matter?” With a huff, I shifted in my chair. I had only had sex with Zoma twice, but it was enough to know we were compatible as hell in the bedroom.

“I don’t know, just trying to wrap my head around the question.” He offered a slow smirk. “Why? Does Zoma want to be exclusive, and you’re not ready to settle down after your long-ass dry spell?”

“No, more like the other way around. He’s at the karaoke pizza place on Mill tonight, and I…” Fuck, Zoma didn’t owe me anything. I clenched my jaw as I looked at my hands, wringing in my lap. We’d actually only dated twice. The hookup in the bar was not a date.

“You’re jealous. You really like this guy, eh?” He furrowed his brows, his gaze searching my face. “You falling for him?”

“What? No.” My gaze snapped to his. But was I? As an ache fluttered through my chest, I rubbed the heel of my palm over it. I might be.

“What are you two talking about over here? Looks serious.” Tyler stood in front of us and planted his hands on his hips.

“It is serious. Ace is head over heels in love with Zoma, and they’ve only dated three times.” Myles snorted softly.

Tyler’s brows snapped up. “What? Seriously?”

With a scoff, I said, “No, I’m just thinking maybe we should be exclusive. Is it too much too soon?” Myles always had to take things to the extreme.

Plopping down in the open chair beside me, Tyler said, “It’s up to you. If you really like this guy and don’t want to date anyone else, then be exclusive.”

“But what if he doesn’t want to be?” What if he’s chatting up some guy at the karaoke bar right now? My gut pinched. Now, my head was getting the best of me. Why was I so insecure when it came to him? Fuck me, I was falling. Hard and fast. Maybe we’d only dated a few times, but we’d stayed in touch all this week and had fallen into a boyfriend-like routine.

“Why the hell would he want someone else after being with you?” He poked me in the ribs. “You’re a catch, Ace. A shoo-in for a great NHL team and about to have an incredible career.” He gave me a warm smile. “And besides that, you’re the best guy I know.”

“Hey.” Myles leaned over me to punch Tyler in the shoulder. “I’m a good guy.”

“Yeah, but you’re Canadian. Eh ?” Tyler chortled.

“Oh, fuck off, hoser.” With a tut, Myles sank into his seat and shook his head.

“Okay, can we get back to my problem now?” God, these two and the bickering. I huffed a quick breath. “Zoma’s at a bar, and I don’t like the thought of him hooking up with someone tonight.” There, I’d said it.

Tyler stared at me for a beat, his mouth dropping open. “You are smitten, aren’t you?”

Rocking once, I said, “A little.” Fuck, okay, a lot. The more I talked about it, the more I realized just how much. This was more than a little scary.

“Is Zoma at The Club on Mill?” He studied me. “’Cause that would tell me he’s out looking for a hookup. Looking for one and accidentally having one when you’ve just started dating someone isn’t the same thing.”

“And how is that?” I furrowed my brows. Tyler had some strange logic at times. “And no, he’s not at the gay bar.”

“Look, you two don’t have an agreement right now, right?” Tyler leaned in closer to me, his gaze locked on mine. “Then I’d say a don’t ask, don’t tell policy is best.” He jabbed his finger into my chest. “And don’t you go and fucking ruminate on it all night.”

That would be impossible. I sighed. “But it’s going to kill me.”

“He’s coming over tomorrow, right? Talk to him and see where he’s at, then tell him how you feel.” He watched me. “It’ll be fine, Ace. Have more faith in yourself and in him.”

With a short nod, I dipped my head. “Yeah, you’re right.” Tomorrow, I’d feel him out and start there. I didn’t like this sick feeling in my gut when I thought of him being with someone else.

“Okay then, problem solved.” Tyler looked over my shoulder. “Shit, we’re boarding.” He stood.

Thank God. I wanted to go home, get into my own bed, and hopefully sleep.