Page 128 of The Draft

“Bet you say that to all the girls,” she joked, but that didn’t mean I liked it. Madison knew that she was the only girl for me, so whenever she said something like that, it felt like she was trying to mask some hidden insecurity that I was ready to leave her at any minute. I wasn’t. Now that I had her, she was going to have to forcibly remove me if she wanted me out of her life.

“Erik, I already told you. Outside of games and practice, I don’t want to talk to you.” Scotty’s voice echoed through the rink as he walked out of the locker room with a shaking head and an annoyed look etched across his face.

Madison and I immediately stilled, watching the scene before us.

“I’ve already apologized. What else do you want me to do?” Erik followed closely behind him, but the minute Scotty saw us, he clamped his lips shut. “How was I supposed to know that was going to happen?” Erik said through a clenched jaw.

“Just leave me alone because I need to figure out how to get out of the shit that you started.” Scotty pushed past Erik, who looked at us confused. He hunched his shoulders before following Scotty back into the locker room.

“What was that about?” Madison asked, toying with the hair at the nape of my neck.

“Not sure. Scotty is ticked off about something from his birthday party.”

“And you haven’t asked what?” Madison said, surprised.

I shrugged. “I don’t care.” My gaze dragged down to her lips, and I could already feel myself getting excited. “And we’ve been a little busy.”

“Still. I’d really like to know, so I’d appreciate it if you could find out what exactly happened. You know, to reduce the chances of me putting my foot in it at a later junction.”

“Sure thing.” I knew that wasn’t the reason she wanted to know. Madisonloved the gossip, and I would happily supply it once I figured it out for myself.

I took her in my arms again, knowing that I had to take her off the ice. She clung to me tightly before saying, “Dash, I’ve got something to ask you.”

“Shoot.”

“I know everything is new, and we just got together, but I was wondering what’s going to happen between us?”

“You mean tonight? Well, since you’re banned from coming to mine, I was thinking I could take you out for dinner, then we could hang out at yours. I hear there’s a new season ofBaseball Wivesthat is gearing up to be the most ridiculous season ever, and that sounds like something you’d watch.”

“Not tonight. I mean to us later.” She bit down on her bottom lip. “What’s going to happen when you go off to play with Atlanta at the end of the year and I’m still here?”

“Oh.” I slowed my skating down but didn’t let go of her. “I thought we’d just keep doing what we’re doing.”

“Do you think that would work? You’ll be across the country, and there will be so many girls after you.”

“What makes you think I’m looking at anyone else but you? I’ve already told you that you’re all I want, but I’m happy to prove that to you every day if I need to.”

She rolled her eyes. “You don’t need to do that. I guess I just feel a little like you might not need me anymore. You’ll be out starting your own life, and I’ll still be here.”

“Working on yours,” I finish for her. “I want you here because I know you’ll be happy. You can attend every and any game you want, and you can come live with me when you’re on break from classes.”

She grinned. “Live with you? We might want to ease Cade into that.”

“Yeah, because easing him into the idea of us dating worked so well last time.”

She barked out a laugh but then pulled herself high enough that she could leave a lingering kiss on my lips. “I love you, Big Man,” she said so softly that only I could hear.

“I love you too, Madison, and I can’t wait to see where this life takes us.”

“Me, either.” She rested her head against my chest, and I skated with her in my arms until the facility manager kicked us out.

Life couldn’t get better than this.

THE END