Page 73 of Slap Shot
I’ve been wondering about these things more and more lately, and I wonder if he’s wondering about them too.
“Thank you,” I say, and since he looked at me, it’s only fair I look at him.
So, I do.
At his messy hair. At the mark on his arm from the couch cushions and the pair of gray sweatpants sitting low on his hips. Even when he’s not trying, he’s a work of art, and my throat goes dry.
“You’re welcome.” He lifts his chin, eyes zeroing in on the corner of my mouth. He steps toward me, and I don’t know what’s happening. “You have something on your face.”
“What?” I brush at my cheek, self-conscious. “Is it gone?”
“No.” Hudson chuckles and licks his thumb. “Give me a second.”
Cupping my chin, he tilts my head back. He moves the pad of his thumb to my face, and I think I’m being electrocuted.
It’s the most physical contact I’ve had in years, and sparks ignite at the base of my spine. A million synapses fire in mybrain. My insides are dangerously close to melting into liquid mush, and I’m burning up.
Hudson keeps his eyes on me as he drags his thumb across my skin. It’s torturously slow. Achingly tender, and I stopped breathing ten seconds ago. He goes from my cheek to my jaw to the pulse point on my throat, his touch lingering there.
This is the best feeling in the world.
“Better?” I whisper.
“Perfect,” he says.
He doesn’t pull away, and I don’t step back. We stay exactly as we are, and it takes everything in me to not tilt my head. To not turn my cheek and nuzzle into his embrace, a plant begging for sunlight.
I don’t believe in romance or butterflies, but I do believe in being horny. In needing physical affection to survive, and his single finger is keeping me alive.
“Thank you. And thank you for watching Lucy today. I’m glad I could enjoy some time for myself without feeling like I’m being selfish. Were you two able to communicate okay?”
“Not as well as I would’ve liked—that’s on me—but we managed. Liam brought over a whiteboard, so we used that occasionally. He helped me out with interpreting.” Hudson’s mouth twists into a frown. “I should be doing more.”
“You’re doing enough.” I touch his chest. The threadbare cotton of his shirt is soft against my palm, and his heart is racing. “More than enough. Tell me more about your night.”
“We watched a princess movie while we ate pizza. Had ice cream, obviously.”
My lips twitch. “Obviously.”
“We played a mean game of Scrabble that ended with Liam storming out.”
“Man. I wish I could’ve seen that. It sounds like a good night.”
“Just missing you.” His fingers graze down my neck the tiniest amount before he drops his hand away. I misshim. “It’s late. I should get to bed. Coach is going to kick our asses tomorrow after giving us today off.”
“Me too. What time do you want breakfast in the morning?”
“Want to meet back here at eight?”
“Yeah. I do.” I fill up a glass with filtered water from the fridge and smile at him. I’m already looking forward to it. To seeing him again. “Good night, hockey guy.”
“Good night, Mads.”
TWENTY-ONE
MADELINE
GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN(DAMENTAL RIGHTS) AND GOOD SEX
