End Game_Bellevue Bullies Series Read online

  Oh, heart. We’re so fucked.

  “I think she’s good, but I’ll keep an eye on it.”

  “Okay, well, let me know.”

  “I will.”

  “I don’t have any problems flying out to see her. I want you to be happy and good with it. We can make it a romantic weekend,” he suggests, and my heart just aches. I didn’t realize it before, but he is slowly and surely becoming more than a little important to me.

  “Thank you, Ryan, really.”

  “Anytime. So,” he says, and I hear him moving, like he’s lying down. “Did you listen to that song I sent you earlier?

  “‘Kiss Somebody’?”

  “Yup,” he says.

  I can hear the grin in his voice. “I did.”

  “Didn’t you say all songs are about drugs, sex, and alcohol?”

  I grin. “Yes, but kissing leads to sex.”

  “Yes, but this one is all about kissing. So, tell me, Miss Castilleja, how do you feel about it? Do you see the connection between us and the song? ’Cause I feel we should be kissing more than we already are. Do you feel the same?”

  I snort, and when I get an evil eye from Amelia, I don’t care. When the most beautiful, breathy laugh comes over the line, I decide I am loving every second of being Ryan Justice’s girlfriend.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Ryan

  “Do you miss me?”

  Sofia’s soft, sexy laugh runs down my spine, giving me gooseflesh all over. “I do, actually. How’d you know?”

  “Because I miss you,” I say simply, confidently, as I lean into the side of the Luther Arena, where the Assassins play. A small grin pulls at my lips as I toe the floor, holding my phone to my ear. It’s only been twenty-four hours since I dropped her off at her dorm, giving her a long and lusty kiss that almost made her late. She didn’t mind, though; she didn’t want to leave.

  I sure as hell didn’t want to let her go.

  “Oh, well, what time will you be back tonight?” she asks.

  “Probably late. The game should be over by ten unless we go into overtime. But the players usually don’t leave till eleven, and then I’ll have to clean.”

  “Ah, well, we’ll get home around ten, and I’m gonna fall face first in my bed.”

  I grin, and the thought of her facedown with that sweet ass in the air has my cock coming to life in my track pants.

  Clearing my throat, I ask, “So, what you’re saying is to come over, lie with you, and wake up early to go get some pancakes before I take you two to my mom’s event?”

  She hesitates. “Doesn’t lying with someone in bed lead to sex?”

  The way she whispers the word only makes my cock harder. While I know she can’t see me, a naughty grin pulls at my lips. “Not all the time.”

  “This time?”

  “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m gonna rub your butt.” She snorts, and I can’t stop myself from chuckling along with her. “But really, that’s all. Unless you ask for more.”

  She sounds out of breath as she says, “I don’t know. Amelia will probably freak on us.”

  “Probably. Can you stay awake and wait for me?”

  “Why?”

  “So I can pick you up and take you to my room at the house.”

  “Ryan…”

  “What? Don’t say no.”

  “I’m beat. It’s hard being an all-around champion.”

  My heart burns with pride for her. “I know, and I get to date her.”

  Her flirty giggle makes my groin so tight. I’m unsure why I thought I could last with her. I was already stiff as a steel pipe around her. Hell, I’ve wanted her from the moment I saw her. And now that I know she’s a virgin, there is no way I can expect to get any until she is ready. I respect her too damn much. But if she keeps giggling like that, I’m going to jack off until my cock is raw.

  “Today wasn’t my best,” she says, and I actually hear the disappointment in her words.

  She’s insane.

  “You got a 9.8 or higher on every event. How was that not your best?”

  “Well, I didn’t get a ten.”

  “Oh yeah, my bad,” I laugh, and her airy laugh fills the line in response. I can just see her face, all bright, her lips smirking and those freckles on her face driving me wild. Man, I miss her, which is insane since it wasn’t like I was spending all my time with her before. I knew she was special, but I didn’t really realize how important she would become to me so quickly. “Why do I miss you so much?”

  Her smile is in her voice. “I’m amazing, obviously.”

  “Well, obviously,” I mimic. “But I want to see you. Desperately.”

  She pauses for a second. “I feel the same. I think that magical pergola got us.”

  “Magical?”

  “Yeah, it has all your parents’ love juju in it.”

  I scoff. “You’re insane.”

  “No! Really, we were fine—”

  “I was never fine. I’ve wanted you for a while.”

  She whispers, “Okay, I was fine—”

  “Don’t lie.”

  “Oh my God, I hate you.”

  “No, you don’t,” I inform her, and she huffs out an annoyed breath. “But you’re probably right. We’re gonna turn into that needy couple.”

  “Ha, I don’t think so. We’re too busy for that.”

  Looking up at the Luther, I couldn’t agree more. I’m working the game tonight, and then the Bullies have a game tomorrow night. I have a paper due Monday, and both of our school schedules will be picking up. It’s almost time for finals, and then it will be winter break. I’m also supposed to go have lunch with Shea tomorrow too, and somewhere in the middle of all that, I need to figure out how to have more time with Sofia than just a car ride.

  Way more.

  I clear my throat. “Listen, leave the door unlocked.”

  She groans softly. “Ryan, Amelia will not like that.”

  “If she says anything, tell her I’ll have Moon meet us for breakfast.”

  “You know she’d agree to that.”

  “Exactly, so leave the door open.”

  “You’re not gonna accept anything but yes, huh?”

  “What do you want to say?” I ask, and I’m pretty sure I know her answer.

  A breathy sigh leaves her sweet lips. “Yes.”

  “Then say it.”

  This time, she doesn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

  Music to my ears.

  I bite my lip, trying to keep my excitement in. “Awesome. I’ll see you soon.”

  She doesn’t answer right away. I can hear the excitement in her voice though as she whispers, “I seriously can’t wait, but no funny business.”

  My heart stops. “Funny business? Nothing is funny about sex with me, Sofia. I can promise you that.”

  Her soft voice drives me insane. “See, not sure I’m ready for that.”

  “You’ll get there,” I assure her, and she groans loudly.

  “Bye, Ryan.”

  I laugh. “Bye, babe.”

  As I hang up the phone, my eyes are watering from smiling so much.

  I just can’t get enough of her.

  Man, I want to play on this ice.

  I love Luther Arena. It’s the best arena in the world, in my opinion. It has the best seats, soft and comfortable, and I swear there is not a bad seat in the house. When a player scores, the whole place goes crazy with lights, and the horn sounds loud and proud. But even with all that, the fans are louder and way prouder. The food here is great, the music is badass, and hell, I want to immerse myself in it all.

  I want to be a Nashville Assassin.

  The thought has my body tingling with anticipation as I watch Assassins’ forward Vaughn Johansson rush up the ice with the puck. He practically flies. I love watching the dude play. He is one of my favorites. As he passes the puck, he doesn’t leave the play, and while I want to watch, I’m being called by the lead trainer, DJ.

  “Justice