Chapter 41
Kendall
Isit in the stands at the arena, nerves firing off inside of me.
I glance down at the Wolves jersey I’m wearing. Number seventy-seven. Liam’s number.
The crowd goes nuts cheering them on, while I gaze ahead at the ice right as the team hits the ice for warmups.
It’s the first game of the season and a home game, so the arena is packed with every hockey fan in Nashville.
I spot Liam stretching on the ice. My heart skids in my chest as I watch him.
I think back to last weekend, how I spent the whole time at his place. He took care of me, fed me, cuddled with me, bathed with me. He made me feel safe and normal again after that awful harassment incident.
Tingles flash through me when I think about what we got up to in his tub and bed. How we spent the entire weekend cuddling and kissing and having the most incredible sex of my life. We didn’t go more than a few minutes without touching each other. It was beyond amazing.
It’s never been like this with anyone. Ever.
I’ve never felt as comfortable and happy and safe as I do with Liam.
I’ve never wanted to be with someone the way I want to be with Liam.
And that’s why I’m here at his game, dressed in his jersey. This weekend, he made my fantasy come true. And I want to do the same for him.
I watch the focused look on his face as he stretches out his legs on the ice. He’s clearly in the zone, mentally preparing for the game.
A minute later, he sees me. The biggest grin appears on his face. Then his gaze drops to my shirt, and his eyes go wide. My heart bounces around my chest. He looks so happy to see me in his jersey.
He skates over to where I’m sitting, just a few rows up off to the side of the Wolves bench.
He raises a gloved hand and makes a twirling motion. I laugh as I stand up and spin around. I look over my shoulder so I can see his reaction.
Even from this far away, I can see the excitement in his eyes. I’m wearing his name and number on my body, and he loves it.
When I spin back around, he mouths “hot” to me. I giggle.
Warmup ends and before Liam skates off to join his team, he winks at me. I’m tingling all over.
I’m crazy about this guy. I shouldn’t be, but I am. And right now, when he looks at me like that, like I’m the only woman in the world worth looking at, I don’t care about anything else. All I want is him.
“Oh my god.” The sound of Micah’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts.
I turn and see her and Aidan making their way down the row of seats. I hug her and say hi to Aidan, who’s right behind her. They take the seats next to me.
Micah aims a knowing look at me. “I saw that little moment between you and Liam just now.” She grins. “Are you two…”
Aidan’s eyes go wide as he looks at me. “Wait, you and Liam are getting along?”
I bite back a grin. “You could say that.”
They look at my jersey.
“I don’t know a lot about hockey, but I know that you wearing his jersey means something,” Micah leans closer to me. “Are you two hooking up?”
Aidan grimaces and immediately stands up. Micah and I laugh.
“I can tell you two are dying to talk about this, but I can’t handle hearing about my brother’s love life. I’m gonna get a beer. You want anything?”
We ask for some popcorn. Aidan flashes a thumbs up and walks off.
Micah grabs my arm. “I can’t believe this! You and Liam!”
I bite back a giddy smile. “I know. I honestly can’t believe it either. It kind of just happened.”
Micah’s smile turns warm. “I know the feeling. That’s what happened with Aidan and me. We spent all this time together at work. We couldn’t stand each other. But we couldn’t deny there was an attraction there.”
I smile when I think back to last year when Micah worked as a financial auditor hired by the college we work at to cut costs.
She and Aidan hated each other from the get-go.
They even pulled petty pranks on each other and tried to sabotage one another.
But then one night during a freak snowstorm, they were stranded together in the English building.
They finally worked out their differences… and started hooking up.
“I couldn’t stand Liam for years,” I say.
“I don’t blame you,” Micah says. “I mean it’s hard to come back from what you heard.”
I explain to her that it was all a misunderstanding and that Liam lied so that his creepy teammate wouldn’t go after me.
“When we were stranded in Cabo together, that’s when Liam admitted that he’s liked me this whole time,” I say.
“Wow,” she says. “This is wild. All these years he’s had a thing for you.”
I bite back a smile. “Yeah.”
She wags an eyebrow. “So that’s how you and Liam passed the time when you were stuck in Cabo.”
My cheeks heat. I nod. Micah bursts out laughing.
“I’m guessing by the orgasmic glow you’ve got that he’s rocking your world?” she teases.
I let out a giddy laugh. “Yup.”
She gives me a playful shove. Just then, the lights in the arena dim for the opener. We watch as the teams are introduced. Aidan comes back with a giant bucket of popcorn and a beer just in time for puck drop.
I watch Liam take his place at center ice.
The ref drops the puck and Liam passes it back to one of his teammates.
For the next few minutes, players race across the ice, fighting for possession of the puck.
The opposing team takes a shot at the Wolves net, but the goalie blocks it.
Liam grabs the puck and takes off toward the other net.
I hold my breath as I watch him move on the ice.
He’s so fast and powerful. He makes it look easy as he moves past a defender on the opposing team.
He zeroes in on the net and moves his stick like he’s going to shoot, but at the last second, he holds back.
The goalie falls for his fakeout and dives forward.
A half-second later, Liam sinks the puck into the back of the net.
The entire arena is on their feet, cheering. It’s so loud, I can feel the vibrations through my whole body.
The first goal of the first game of the season.
I’m jumping up and down, screaming for him. His teammates crowd around him to congratulate him.
He skates off and heads toward me. He holds my gaze as he flashes that sexy grin. And then he winks at me. My stomach does a million somersaults.
Micah nudges me and grins. “He’s so into you.”
I catch myself hoping that she’s right.