“Where?”

“I want to beat you on my ice.”

“What the hell!” she said, dropping her hand from his as he laughed.

Throwing up his hands, he yelled, “Why’d you think I brought you here?”

“No, I’m saying ‘what the hell’ because you’re insane if you think I’d let that happen.”

He sent her a challenging grin, and they walked together around the rink and into the bench area. But when she only saw sticks and skates, she turned to him quizzically. “Where is the gear?”

He waggled his brows at her. “We’re playing strip hockey.”

Her jaw dropped. “Are you insane?”

“Nope, and let me explain why,” he said, taking his boots off. “One, we both like each other naked. Two, the place is locked down, no one can get in. Three, it will be quick ’cause you’re going to lose.”

She glared. “One, it’s fucking cold. I’m gonna freeze my balls off.”

He hollered out, pointing to her. “I knew you had balls!”

Laughing, she shook her head. “I’m not playing.”

“What?” he asked, putting on his skates. “Scared you’ll be naked, and I’d do you on the ice?”

She scoffed. “Not scared ’cause that will happen, but I’m trying to save your legendary cock. Don’t want you to get frostbite.”

“Put your skates on, then. I’ll worry about my cock.”

“But I have to worry about it too, I like it a lot.”

“Put your skates on, crybaby.”

“I’m not crying.”

“Wah, wah, wah, I’m cold, and I’m scared my sexy boyfriend is going to beat me.”

“You’re not sexy,” she said, toeing out of her shoes. “And you’re not going to beat me.”

She watched as he went out onto the ice, skating around with the ease only he had. There was something extremely sensual about the way he skated. He took such long strides, his body moving as if it was meant to do nothing but skate. As she tried to tie her skates, she couldn’t help but watch him. Though, when she saw the stick he had gotten her, she smiled. “You brought my stick?’

He looked over at her, a grin playing on his lips. “Yeah, figured you want it.”

When she looked back at it, her heart skipped a beat when she saw her name written on it like a professional’s.

B. Soledad.

It wasn’t that big of a deal to other people, but to her, it was. She had thought it was her dream to play professionally, but that wasn’t her path. Broadcasting was, and she loved it, but her name on that stick was a sweet gesture from her hunky boyfriend. As she stood on her skates, she reached for her stick. “Aw, you even taped it for me?”

“Yeah, is it okay?”

“Yeah, it’s great.”

“It’s how I do mine.”

“It’s good,” she said, testing the flex before getting on the ice with him. “Now, tell me the rules.”

He grinned suggestively. “Every goal, the other person strips.”

“Post?”

“Crossbar, but from the blue line—”

She rolled her eyes. “That’s not fair! You have way more power than me.”

“Let me finish,” he scolded, and she pursed her lips. “I’m at the blue line, you’re in line with the top of the face-off circle.”

She looked over at the distance from the circle to the goal and nodded her head. “Okay, I go first.”

“Why do you go first?”

“I’m a lady, asshole.”

“’Cause a lady says asshole.”

She shot him a grin. “She does—and motherfucker. Lots of motherfuckers come out of ladies’ mouths.”

He chuckled as she took the puck from beneath his stick and moved it to the circle. Warming up, she wiggled her arms, stretching them as she eyed the post. She dropped into a squat and then touched her toes before Vaughn called out. “Okay, Jenny, let’s go.”

“What? Why am I Jenny?”

“He stretches like that.”

“Oh, it’s effective.”

“Apparently.”

“Is he coming tomorrow night?”

“Yeah, and Wren, Wells, and I think the new guy is Alex? Andrew? Austin? I can’t remember.”

“Shouldn’t you know that?”

“Eh, I will tomorrow.”

“And Jensen likes Wren, right?”

“Yeah, he’s in love with her.”

She made a face. “What’s wrong with being in love?”

“Nothing, but he won’t even talk to her.”

“Maybe he’s taking his time.”

“Maybe he’s a pansy ass.”

But it seemed like more than that. His answer didn’t satisfy her in the least. Leaning on her stick, she met his annoyed gaze as he asked, “Are we going to do this? I want to see your boobs.”

She rolled her eyes. “Answer me this first. So, you aren’t making fun of the fact that he’s in love, it’s that he won’t tell her.”

He eyed her. “What are you getting at?”

She shrugged slightly. “Just making sure your playboy side isn’t popping back into place and you’re not trying to say you won’t love someone.”

Skating toward her, he pointed his stick at her. “Are you trying to ask if I love you?”

She balked since that’s exactly what she was doing. “No, but I hope you will one day.” Stopping in front of her, he leaned on his stick so that he was face-to-face with her. She wanted to laugh since his stick was the same height as she was, but her eyes were locked with his as she said, “Just asking.”

“Well, stop asking.”

“Why?”

“’Cause when I want to talk about that, I’ll let you know.”

“So I have to be on your time?”

“Are we fighting? I don’t want to fight. I want to play and maybe do you somewhere in here. Can we do that?”

“No, we’re not fighting, you horndog, I just want an answer.”

“No.”

“No, what?”

“No, I’m not making fun of him for being in love. I think love is awesome with the right person. Like Shea and Elli, for example. Have I been in love? Not in a while. Does it scare me? Yes. Will I maybe one day love you? I mean, that would be cool, but I’m not rushing it.”