Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 102607 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102607 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 513(@200wpm)___ 410(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
She’s not wrong but that doesn’t negate the fact that he made his teammates off-limits.
“I swear to God, Poppy—”
My words are cut off when the crowd suddenly surge to their feet, with deafening shouts.
My head snaps up in time to see Luca breaking away with the puck moving down the ice, fast and dangerous, two defenders from the opposing team closing in on him. He moves faster cutting hard toward their net.
“Damn. Dude is flying,” Poppy says under her breath.
Luca spins, feints left, then slams on the brakes. One of the defenders passes him, crashing into the boards. The other tries to check him but Luca slips free, all muscle and precision.
He shoots.
Scores.
The Baddies bench erupts.
Luca doesn’t celebrate.
He skates toward center ice, head down, jaw tight. Like this goal didn’t scratch the surface of the adrenaline pumping through his system.
More.
He wants more…
I shiver, eyes locked on him.
Poppy exhales beside me. “Holy. Shit.”
My heart pounds. Palms sweaty. Knees weak.
“Yeahhh.”
“He’s amazing,” Poppy says, fanning herself with her empty cup. “With a Capital-H for hot and a Capital-T for trouble.”
I’m still staring at him like I’ve forgotten how to blink. “He didn’t even smile.”
“He doesn’t need to smile. His face does enough damage.”
I can’t stop thinking about that look he had; serious. Determined. I’ve watched him play before—obviously I have, all those times I’ve come to watch Gio—but I’ve never paid attention to the expressions on his face when he played.
Never cared.
Well.
I’m noticing now.
The way his jaw tightens when he passes the puck. The quickness of his eyes, always scanning, calculating. How every part of him is focused and furious and frighteningly beautiful. There’s a stillness in his expression even when he’s moving like lightning—like his body is chaos and his mind is ice.
Such a turn on…
Poppy exhales again. “I’ve never been so jealous of a puck in my life.”
I wrap my arms around myself, wrapping myself up in his hoodie.
He doesn’t score again but he plays like he’s trying to. Like he’s still chasing something more than just the win. When the final horn blares, Luca doesn’t celebrate then either. He skates off with his head low, shoulders taut, energy probably still buzzing in his chest that sixty minutes of full-throttle hockey couldn’t burn through.
“Phew!” Poppy whistles. “Get ready. He’s definitely going to text you.”
He does—but not until I’m pulling open the door to my Uber.
Luca: Where are you?
Me: Getting into a car…
Luca: Wanna meet me at my place?
My heart soars.
Do I want to meet at his place?
Me: Yes.
Luca: Great. Sending you my address…
19
Nova: Ugh. My Uber driver is playing soft jazz. I feel like I’m being transported to a dentist appointment.
Luca: This traffic is horrible—I’ve moved 4 feet in 10 minutes. Think I’ve aged 90 years…
Nova: Well the good news is, you had an awesome game tonight. Are you sore??
Luca: Not any more than usual.
Nova: Glad you’re not in pieces. You slammed into Graziano so hard I felt it in the stands.
Luca: All part of the job.
Nova: Part of the job, huh? So what’s my job tonight?
Luca: Depends. You applying to be my post-game massage therapist?
Nova: Does that job come with benefits?
Luca: You asking about a 401k and dental insurance—or what I’m planning to do to you on my couch?
Nova: Oh the things you could do on the couch, starting with a foot rub…
Luca: Wait. Whose feet? Mine or yours…
Nova: I mean, I was on mine most of the game, cheering…
Luca: You saying you deserve to be pampered?
Nova: That’s exactly what I’m saying. Preferably with strong hands and zero distractions.
Luca: Oh, sweetheart—if my hands are on you, there would be nothing distracting me.
Nova: Are we forgetting you said “on the couch”? The couch is PUBLIC territory. Anyone could walk in!
Luca: Public?? It’s MY couch exclamation point exclamation point
Nova: lol are you using talk to text?
Luca: Yes ha ha.
Nova: So wait. You have ROOMMATES! TWO of them.
Luca: Good point. Whoops. Crisis averted.
Luca: I can do unspeakable things to you on my bed though if you ask nicely.
Nova: I have to ask nicely? What if I don’t?
Luca: Guess I’ll have to convince you to beg…
Nova: Beg?! Ha! Pfft. You think I’d beg?
Luca: You have. When I had my face between your—
Nova: SIR! Are you trying to get me to combust in this Uber?!?
Luca: Yes, ma’am.
Nova: Maybe I should go home and light myself on fire. Might be safer.
Luca: Nah. You’re safer with me… after I ruin you. I want to finish what I started with Mavis.
Nova: LUCA.
Luca: What? Mavis is the real MVP.
Luca: All I’m saying is—be ready. I’m still full of adrenaline.
Nova: She’s literally BLUSHING right now and let me tell you…she never does that. This is a first.
Luca: As the president of her fan club, I plan to get her nice and warmed up tonight.
Nova: She is fully invested in seeing you again.