She skates to me, stopping short and spraying me with ice. Amusement twinkles in her green eyes. “I’ll skate you for it.”
A thousand pounds lifts off my shoulders and I bite back a smile “You want to race me?”
“If you win, then you get my heart.”
“And if I lose?”
She launches herself forward and hugs me. Air fills my lungs and I breathe in all of her.
“I love you so much. I’m so sorry I left. Never again. I’ll prove it however you want me to, as many times as you want me to.”
“You already own my heart. I don’t know when it happened, but I am madly in love with you too.”
I smash my lips to hers. We stumble around on the ice, kissing and hugging. It’s impossible to get close enough. I need her. I want her. Forever.
“We might need to get out of here because I have a feeling getting my balls stuck to the ice would fucking hurt.”
She laughs into my mouth. “Take me to bed then, Rauthruss, or the bathroom maybe.” She pulls back and gives me finger guns.
I groan. “I’m never living that down, am I?”
“Definitely not in this lifetime.”
And that’s exactly how long I intend to keep her. This lifetime and all the others, too.
37
Rhett
“Do you guys want to watch a movie or something?” Adam asks from the doorway while giving me finger guns.
I flip him off for mocking me. I’m the dumbass that told him and I really regret it. The guys mock me with it hourly. Whatever. I got the girl, so what if I had to make an ass of myself to do it? I’m sure it won’t be the last time.
“Nah, I have to watch some creepy ass documentary.”
A pillow hits me on the side of the head. “You said you wanted to watch it.”
“I said I wanted to spend the night in bed naked. Not the same thing.”
“This.” She holds up her laptop. “Leads to this.” She waves a hand in front of her.
Adam grins at Sienna and then nods. “I’ll leave you guys to it then.”
“Oh wait.” Sienna stops him before he leaves. “Did Reagan tell you about the party Friday?”
“Yeah, she mentioned it. She said you wanted me to spread the word.”
“Yes, please. All the hockey players.”
“Thinking of trading me in?” I ask with the lift of a brow.
“No, but where the hockey team goes, others follow, and Josie wants this party to be epic.”
My buddy taps the doorframe. “We’ll be there. It’ll be my final order as captain.”
“Thank you.” Sienna beams at him. Her smile makes me smile—a big, dopey grin that is basically the equivalent of finger guns.
We lie in bed, Sienna between my legs, her back resting against my chest as we watch the documentary. It’s about a serial killer who targeted people in their homes at night and it is creepy as fuck. She doesn’t seem fazed. Of course she doesn’t. I close my eyes for a second, but I must doze off because the next thing I know I’m being woken up by a half-naked woman and a fully erect dick.
“Did you like the documentary?” she purrs.
“Mhmmm.” My voice is gravel. “I especially liked the end part where you got naked.”
“You fell asleep.”
“I’m awake now.” I slide my arms around her and press her into me while tilting my hips up.
Her mouth covers mine in a sweet and slow kiss. She pulls back and green eyes stare at me for a long beat.
“What’s wrong? Heart beating too fast?” I reach for my phone and pull up the tracking app. “Seems normal. Chest hurt?”
She gapes at the screen. “Oh my god, Rhett Rauthruss, did you sync my watch to your phone?”
“Damn right I did, angel.”
“I can’t decide if that’s serial killer creepy or sweet.”
“Definitely sweet.” I put my phone back and flip us so I’m on top.
She’s shaking her head but grinning at me in that way that makes my heart feel all fluttery. “I love you.”
“I love you too, angel.” I hop up and lock my bedroom door.
“Afraid someone is going to walk in on us?”
“No, I’m afraid I’m going to be murdered in my sleep.”
Her sweet laughter fills the room. “I’ll save you, baby.”
She has no idea how much she already has.
Friday night, we head over to Kate’s house for Sienna’s party. I don’t think Adam had to do much convincing to get all the guys here. Sienna said free keg and they all perked right up.
My girl is looking extra fine in a short skirt that I intend to have my head under before the end of the night.
“Did you tell your parents?” I ask as we walk up the sidewalk toward the house.
“Yep. My dad was a little bummed, but I promised him that if I failed miserably, I’d reconsider working at his company.”
“You won’t fail.”
Dakota took a bunch of photos and videos of Sienna doing yoga and it blew up. There’s this one where she’s doing some pose on the ice and it is fire. She’s working on making a paid site where users can gain membership to online classes and uploaded videos. I’m excited for her.
I’m also excited that I was able to convince her she could do that just as easily living with me.
“I have a surprise.” Sienna stops short of the door.
“But you hate surprises.”
“This is a good one. I promise.” She pulls me through the house to the backyard. My teammates are all standing around in their jerseys. And, damn, there’s a lot of people here. People really do follow wherever we go.
“Surprise!”
“I don’t understand. I thought this was a party for you?”
“It is. Kind of. They wanted to throw me a party and I figured out a way to celebrate both of us. I know things are still hard, but you have a lot to celebrate too. You won a national championship and you have a great job lined up. Plus, you got me.”
She pulls a wad of blue material from her purse and holds it up. It’s my hockey jersey, or a really good replica.
“How’d you pull this off?” I ask, pulling my jersey down over my head. Man, I never thought I’d get to wear it again. I swear I’ve got goose bumps.
A mischievous grin pulls at her lips. “I can’t say, but if they aren’t returned by noon tomorrow, I might not graduate.”
“You’re incredible. Thank you.”
“You haven’t seen the best part.” She steps back and picks up a confetti cannon.
A deep chuckle rumbles from my chest. Swiping it from her, I fire it into the air above us. It rains down as I kiss her. Now this feels like something worth celebrating.
Epilogue
Sienna
The girl sitting in front of me shoots me a glare and plugs her right ear. I keep right on screaming, though, as Rhett walks across the stage with his diploma. He catches my eye and holds it up. I do the same.