Face Offs & Cheap Shots (CU Hockey #2) - Eden Finley Page 0,17

not sure what I’m expecting, but his laughter isn’t it. And when he pinches my chin and turns my face back to his, bright blue eyes shining so close I swear I can see specks of silver in them, I’m the one who’s speechless. “Guess you know what to do next time I’m pissing you off.”

I jerk away from him, defaulting back to a scowl in order to hide the way his low voice stirred in my gut. “If I kissed you every time you annoyed me, my tongue would be permanently in your mouth.”

He rubs a large hand over his jaw, and I try not to track the movement as I put more distance between us. “Lucky there’s only one more challenge.”

“Then we’re done with this shit.”

“For good.”

We dump the equipment and make our way toward the exit.

I can’t help thinking of what’s to come. “You know … we’re tied two apiece. And we both know whatever’s next isn’t going to be good. If kissing was only number four, what will five be?”

“Doesn’t really matter. I’ll kick your ass either way.”

“I’m only saying,” I grit out through my teeth. “We could both decide to be done. Forfeit the last one. The challenges are bullshit and have no hold over who they vote for as captain. They’re screwing with us.”

“Fucking duh. It’s called fun. You heard of it?”

“You caught me,” I answer dryly. “I’m allergic to fun. Completely anaphylactic.”

“Everything makes so much sense now. If I make you laugh, will you break out in hives?”

“No, because to make me laugh, you’d have to be funny.”

“Ooh, snap.” He spins to face me when we get to the chute, and his grin looks like it could split his face in half. “Did you jerk off after we kissed? Because you seem a whole lot more relaxed now.”

Of course that’s where his brain has gone, and of course I’m not feeling ridiculously awkward, because of fucking course that’s not exactly what I did. My jaw tightens. “Look at that, not relaxed anymore.”

“Glad to hear it. I thought I was going to need an EpiPen.”

“Get out of my way, Beck.”

He steps to the side, but before I get around him, his arm flies out and catches my chest. This time, it’s his voice in my ear. “In case you didn’t catch on, I’m not forfeiting shit. Better pucker up, buttercup. I’m all in this time.”

8

Beck

I pray for time to slow down. Or speed up. One or the other, I’m not entirely sure.

We’re already three weeks into this camp, almost halfway, and my time on the ice with the kids has been enlightening and fulfilling.

But my nights have been lonely and confusing.

Because as much as I’ve tried to get that kiss with Jacobs out of my head for the past week, it always comes back to that.

I can’t wait for tomorrow night to be over. The last challenge is happening, and once it’s done, I won’t have to deal with Jacobs any more than usual.

I swear I’ve spent more time and energy on him in the past three weeks than I have in the last three years.

Before, he’d scowl, he’d brood, I’d be an ass, but we’d stay clear of each other.

Life was easy.

Now he’s making my life hell, and he hasn’t even done more than kiss me.

Shake it off, Beckett.

If the last challenge was potentially life changing, I don’t want to think about what’s next.

I need a good night’s rest and to get my head in the game.

When trying to get to sleep doesn’t work because I’m too keyed up, I decide to go for a run.

I pull on shorts and don’t bother with a T-shirt.

Colchester U is a large campus with a continuous path right down the middle and around the outsides. The jock dorms overlook the quad, so I cross through campus and head for the arena.

My feet naturally take me in that direction. Like a hockey mothership calling home its babies.

Running works well at exhausting my body but not my mind. After two laps of campus, I’m nowhere near mentally tired.

I keep replaying that damn kiss.

Jacobs’s lips on mine. His tongue in my mouth. That groan …

I’d sell my soul to hear that again.

No! Head in the game.

I run until my lungs burn, but as I pass the team gym, I notice the interior lights are on. I can’t remember if they were on the last two laps or not.

Making my way inside, I stall at the sight of Jacobs on