Chapter 2
2
Josie
It’s an intense few minutes as both teams battle the puck back and forth. The game remains scoreless as the first period ends. The Cats are the worst team in the league again this year. I still love them though. Their logo is a cat. A white cat with icy blue eyes and long, sharp fangs that look like icicles. It’s adorable. I love cats.
Sam reaches into the popcorn bowl sitting in my lap at the same time I do. Our fingers touch and sparks shoot up my arm, down my back, and straight to my vagina. What the freaking applejacks was that?
Sam stiffens and glances at me. Double shit. Did he feel it too? He stares at me for a few moments, looking down at the popcorn bowl and then his hand. He exhales.
“Are you from Minnesota?” Thumbs down.
“So how did you end up a Cats fan?” I sigh and shove more popcorn in my mouth.
“Right, no voice. Here, give me your phone.” I raise an eyebrow, curious about his intentions but helpless to resist when he gives me another dimpled smile. I unlock my phone and hand it to him.
“There. Now you can text me your answers.” He smirks and if I wasn’t sitting down, my knees would go weak. I grab my phone to distract myself from thoughts of going down on my knees and text my answer. I know it’s been a while, but this man is stirring up all sorts of inappropriate thoughts.
Me: When I first started watching hockey, my friend gave me a hard time about not having a favorite team. I like cats. They’re cute and moody. Minnesota has a cat logo. So I picked them.
His phone pings. He reads my message and laughs. “It’s a cat with big fangs snarling.”
Me: Still a cute, little moody kitty cat.
He reads my message and shakes his head. “Not cute. Dangerous and fierce.” Sam lifts his shirt up as he is speaking, revealing a tattoo of the Ice Cats logo on his chest.
My jaw drops. He’s also showing me his well-defined chest and six-pack at the same time. My lips part and my lady parts sing in worship. Damn, I think I’ve got a lady-boner.
Wait, he’s a die hard Cats fan? What are the odds?
Me: You could have pulled your shirt down from the collar to show me. You didn’t need to lift your entire shirt up.
He shrugs. I roll my eyes. He knew exactly what he was doing. Dammit. I’m in trouble. Girl code trumps all the sexy smiles, abs, man nipples, and sharing favorite hockey teams. Chicks before dicks all damn day. Especially with Laura. I owe her that.
We continue watching the game and sharing my popcorn. Sam matches my silent curses at the refs with his out-loud ones. My plan for the evening to sit on this couch, watch the game, eat popcorn, and do nothing else isn’t turning out how I expected. Having company is not unpleasant, though I feel like I’m skating on thin ice. I snort soundlessly at my hockey reference.
“Let’s play twenty questions during intermission.” I look at him questioningly. It’s going to be difficult with no voice.
“We’ll ask yes or no questions and switch off asking questions. You text your questions. We give a yes or a no and can’t elaborate. That will make it all the more interesting.” He winks. I give him a thumbs up. This could get interesting.
“Great. First question. Do you like baseball?” Thumbs up. Not that Lucas and Parker would have given me much choice there.
Me: Same question.
“Yes.”
“Question #3. Do you like chick flicks?” I raise my eyebrows.
I point my thumb down. Christmas romance movies don’t count as chick flicks.
Me: Ditto
“No.” He gives me a surprised look. “Maybe it’ll be easier if when we ask a question, we both answer and it will count as just one question?” I type my response.
Me: Yes. And that counts as question number 5.
He reads my message and chuckles.
“Fair enough.”
Sam proceeds to ask me five questions, with some grumbling, to figure out my favorite color is pink. I giggle after I try to give him a hint by pointing to my leggings, and he asks if my favorite color is leg. I text him I’m counting that as a question, and he snarls at me making my chest vibrate in silent laughing.
His favorite color is blue. “Like your eyes.” He says, causing me to blush. It takes six questions for me to find out his favorite animal is a polar bear, which requires him texting an emoji of one after the 5th wrong animal. He gets mine on the first question – a cat.
There’s three questions left and the second half is almost over. For the first time in my memory, I’m barely paying attention to the game. I don’t mind one bit.
“Okay, #18. Do you like Italian food?” Thumbs up. “Yes.” He answers
Me: #19. Do you like action movies?
“ Yes” Sam answers, and I give him a thumbs up. He’s got the last question.
I glance back at the game to see the third period starting. When did that happen? The Cats are on a power play and manage to score. Sam and I jump up and cheer. Well, he cheers while I open my mouth like a guppy.
Suddenly, Sam grabs me in a hug, lifts me up, and twirls me around. He slowly lowers me until my feet touch the floor but keeps his arms wrapped around my back. Our bodies are pressed against each other as he looks down at me. His eyes bounce between my lips and my eyes. The world around us fades.
My breath catches in my throat. I feel every inch of his hard body against mine. And when I say hard, I’m pretty sure what I feel against my stomach means he’s not the only one affected by our embrace. And when I say inch, it’s a lot of inches. Damn. I suck in a breath too quickly, which sends me into a coughing fit. He releases me with a jerk.
“Are you okay?” He pats me on the back while I continue coughing. “Do you need a glass of water?” I look down at the spilled popcorn while I get my coughing under control. Dammit. I never waste my precious popcorn.
“Shit. Sit back down. I’ll get you water.” I nod. He disappears into the kitchen while I try to catch my breath.
I cannot be crushing this hard on my best friend’s guy. I’ve been the victim of that kind of betrayal. My ex-friend is carrying my ex-boyfriend’s baby. I can never betray Laura after what she and her family have done for me.
Sam returns and hands me to bottle of water with the lid already undone then bends down to clean up the popcorn. I’ve got a clear view of his ass as he bends over, which I suspect he’s doing on purpose. It’s a fine view. I might be drooling.
I am most definitely drooling.
Laura walks back into the living room dressed like she’s about to go to a club. Full makeup. Short skirt. Tight top. Perfectly styled hair. Shit on a cracker she’s stunning. My crush is pointless. Who would want me when they could have her?
“What happened?” She asks eyeing the popcorn catastrophe.
“The Cats scored on a power play.” Sam replies dryly. Laura looks from me to Sam, then sneers at me. This is not good.
“What does that even mean? What is going on in here?” Laura puts her hands on her hips. Oh no. Does she suspect something nefarious happened? She can normally read my face like it’s one of those gigantic Times Square billboards. Can she read my insta-attraction to her new boy-toy?
My stomach recoils. My head starts to spin. I just wanted to watch the game and enjoy an evening to myself. I have to reassure Laura that nothing improper is going on.
I take a deep breath, shrug my shoulders, and point to the TV. Laura knows nothing about hockey. She also hates baseball after being forced to follow her brother to way too many games and practices. I usually tagged along too, but that made me fall in love with the sport.
“Shit.” Sam grunts and plops back down on the couch next to me. The opposing team scores, tying the game. Laura scowls at him then at me. I raise my hands in surrender. Laura scowls and sits on the arm of the couch next to Sam. He doesn’t remove his eyes from the TV or acknowledge her. I put more distance between us.
“He’s a hockey fan too?” She purses her lips.
Laura used to join Lucas, Parker, me, and their friends and teammates for hockey game nights. Now she disappears. I assume it’s to be with that week’s conquest. I love our game nights and wish Laura did too. We’re all juniors and don’t have much more time left together as I’m sure Lucas and Parker will be drafted and sent away.
“So is the game almost over?” Laura leans close to Sam like she is interested in the game. I know that move. She is most definitely not interested in this game and interested in another kind of playing. With Sam. Shitbonkers.
Sam doesn’t reply, and Laura pouts.
“I’ve lost you now haven’t I?” Laura frowns.
“Huh?” Sam replies, eyes still on the TV.
“You’re just like Josie.” Laura whines. “I’m bored, but you’re too distracted for me.”
“I’m sorry. What did you say?” Sam mutters without looking at her. She huffs and stands up.
“Well, I’m going to head to my room. Wanna go to my room with me, Sam? We can watch a movie and snuggle.” She waits for a reply with her arms crossed under her boobs, pushing them up higher.
“Oh. Nah. I’m gonna watch the rest of the game and then take off.” He doesn’t even look at her. I doubt he caught her connotations or the cleavage push-up. But I did, and I deflate. Sam is truly off-limits.
I glance at Laura trying to apologize with my eyes. She returns it with a death glare. Shit-bologna. She wants this guy, but he’s not interested now. I just accidentally, unintentionally pulled his interest from her to me.