Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 83355 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83355 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 333(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
With impressive speed and agility, King intercepts a pass and swiftly changes to offense, racing down the ice with determination. My heart pounds every time he touches the puck, silently urging him to do his best. When he does, it takes everything not to jump out of my seat to cheer for him, but I hold my excitement because the handful of other people watching the practice are very chill.
Someone approaches from my left and I note it’s Kiera. She says hello to a few other people, none of whom I’ve met yet, and then plops into the seat next to me. “Hey, Willa.”
“Hi,” I exclaim brightly. I enjoyed talking with Kiera the other night at Mario’s. We have a lot in common, especially since she’s a nurse. I also enjoyed watching her interaction with Bain, Drake and Brienne. She fits in so seamlessly with the Titans family and I wonder if that’s where I’m headed.
“First practice?” she asks.
I nod. “Spur of the moment. Do you come to a lot of these?”
Kiera shakes her head. “No. I’m only here because we’re going grocery shopping together after and I happened to be in the area. Not many of the SOs watch practices.”
“SOs?”
“Significant others. Wives, fiancées, girlfriends, non-romantic friends, but don’t include puck bunnies.”
Laughing, I ask, “What the hell is a puck bunny?”
“Women who make it their goal to sleep with professional hockey players. They throw themselves at these guys, dress provocatively, outright offer to sleep with them. Considered just a hookup, but not necessarily a one-night stand. They might be kept around for days or weeks until a player gets sick of them and moves on. They’ll never be serious, long-term potential.”
My jaw sags. “Are you serious?”
“Dead serious, although truth be told, not many of our guys are into the puck bunnies that I can see. At least not past a one-night-stand type of thing.”
“I have so much to learn,” I murmur.
Kiera pats my knee. “Stick with me young grasshopper and I’ll teach you things.”
I snort and am compelled to say, “I’m by no means young. At least not comparatively.”
Swiveling her head my way, she asks, “Comparatively to whom?”
I nod toward the ice. “Well, King for one. I’m eight years older than he is.”
Kiera waves a dismissive hand. “That means nothing. Now if you were twenty years older, I’d be high-fiving you for your major cougar balls, but King’s kind of an old soul anyway. I think you two are perfectly matched.”
More of that anxiety I keep in a small well in my chest unfurls at her statement. “You think?”
“Yeah. You both look like moon-eyed teenagers around each other. I’d lay money down this is the real deal.”
“Was it like that with you and Bain?” I ask.
Kiera barks out a laugh, her eyes cutting to me briefly before going back to the action on the ice. “God, no! We were just fuck buddies to start.”
“You were a puck bunny?” I tease.
“Funny,” she says dryly. “No. I was a mature, professional woman who liked sex—still do, for that matter—and Bain was my male counterpart. We agreed to a friends-with-benefits deal to start.”
“And then that changed,” I muse.
Kiera’s voice softens and she turns to look at me. “Yeah… it changed because love takes no prisoners.”
The bit of anxiety that had dissipated retightens. I’m not ready for love or to be its prisoner, although I highly suspect King would like to move that way. Before I can respond, a scraping sound has both of us turning to the ice to find King standing at the boards.
His eyes are bright and twinkling. “Hey there, enjoying the show?”
“Very much,” I reply. “You look incredible out there.”
He winks playfully. “I think you’re biased.”
I hold my thumb and forefinger up, slightly separated. “Maybe a little.”
King’s laugh is deep and rich. “I like your bias,” he says before speeding off.
Kiera thumps her shoulder into mine. “You two are freaking adorable.”
Yeah… we are.
But are we more?
As he races back to join his team, Kiera nudges me with her elbow. “He’s something special, isn’t he?”
I nod enthusiastically, feeling a blush rise to my cheeks. “Yeah, he really is.”
We watch as the team runs through a specific drill, a complex sequence of passes and shots that require perfect timing and coordination. It’s like watching a well-oiled machine in action.
I find myself lost in thought about my blossoming relationship with King. He’s not just a skilled hockey player; he’s also kind, considerate and endlessly supportive. He’s gone out of his way to be there for me, whether it’s helping with the Ice Pups, putting my ex in his place or making me feel like the most special person in the world.
I’ve stopped denying the existence of my heart swelling with emotion. In such a short time, he’s managed to break down so many of my defenses. I’ve been trying to keep things casual between us, afraid of getting hurt again, but it’s becoming increasingly difficult. The way he looks at me, the way he makes me feel… it’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before.