Page 35 of Risky Play

I shrugged, taking a sip of my beer and thinking about how to answer that.

Kiira was the only person on the team who actually liked me. Elsa was so hardcore, while I just wanted to have fun. Last practice, she accused me of not being serious about the team. It wasn’t like any of us were going to go pro after college, so I didn’t understand what her problem was. My linemates seemed nice, but they kept to themselves.

“It’s okay. It’s only club hockey.”

He shook his head. “Don’t sell yourself short. Just because it’s not pro doesn’t mean it’s not serious.”

Okay, he had a point, but that was the issue.

I sighed. “I want it to be fun, but the captain has a stick up her butt about us buckling down and winning the championship. It’s like chill, it’s not that serious. I’m so stressed about everything else, I need hockey to be fun again.”

“Again?” he asked.

“My old university was intense. I’ve got a lot on my plate this year, and I need something to relieve my stress.”

He nodded in understanding but said nothing as our food came, and we chowed down.

“Thanks for offering to get me out of the house,” he said after a few minutes of us silently chewing had passed.

I shot him a flirtatious smile. “I needed to get out of my dorm, anyway. I had a bunch of classes today and have been doing assignments since I got out of them.”

He leaned back and winced. “I’m glad I never went the college route.”

“Why? Because of classes?”

“I wasn’t the most studious. I want hockey to work out for me.”

I reached out a hand toward him. “It will. You looked like a beaut out on the ice last night. You’re still making your way. Plus, with you under my brother’s wing, you’ll do great.”

“Thanks, sweet pea. I really needed to hear that.”

I rolled my eyes. “Again with the sweet pea.”

His eyes twinkled. “You love it. It’s our thing. I tease you by calling you sweet pea, and you call me…”

“A douche,” I joked.

He cracked a smile because we knew he was the furthest thing from that.

But he was right. I loved that he called me sweet pea, even if it was in a teasing way. I wanted to hear him moan it in my ear while he was on top of me. But a girl could only dream because this man took the code to heart. Kinda wished he was an asshole playboy so I could get what I wanted. That was the problem with liking the nice guy – they never wanted to be bad with you.

Chapter Ten

MATT

Damn, she was so pretty. When she gave me that sunny smile, it was like her whole face lit up despite the dim lights of the bar. Her hair was in those loose waves chicks always put it in, and I wanted to slide my hands through her dark locks while I kissed her senseless.

Get it together, Callahan! Off-limits!

“Matt?” Maddie’s voice came from far away, and I looked up at her in question. She stared at me with her cute little nose scrunched up like when she was thinking too hard. “Did you hear anything I said?”

I rubbed my jaw. “Sorry. A lot on my mind.”

“Tell me,” she urged.

I huffed out a frustrated breath.

I was still worried about fighting for my spot on the team. Getting benched was a wake-up call. I’d been training with my teammates, watching video, and studying our plays as much as I could. The goal last night was my first of the season, and it felt like I wasn’t playing to my potential.