But instead, he paused, and someone behind me whispered, “Oh my God.”
“What?” I screamed, unable to tear my eyes away from Sasha. “Oh my God what?”
They didn’t answer, and my heart beat in triple time, wondering what the hell was going on in that pretty head of his.
Finally, I got my answer.
Sasha didn’t shoot the puck to the side, electing to glance it off the boards or the glass to clear the zone. No, he lined it up and shot it straight through the middle. Hard.
I watched as time slowed down, the puck on a perfect trajectory with the open net on the far side of the ice.
Sailors players’ skates cut into the ice so hard that a fine mist of snow shot up around them as they tried to change direction quickly. But it was too late.
Sasha’s cross-ice shot slid right into the net and the horn that sounded was quickly drowned out by the crowd going nuts. Everyone was on their feet, cheering. Those closest to me beat their hands on the glass with an enthusiasm that was at a much higher level than when the Speed had scored earlier.
Some part of my brain knew it was Sasha who had sent that puck careening down the ice. Hell, I’d watched him do it. But I wasn’t sure of the rules and didn’t know if it would be allowed to count.
“Is that legal?” My dazed question could barely be heard over the roar of the crowd, and I wondered if I might suffer permanent hearing damage as a result.
Beer-Spilling Billy shouted back, “Hell yeah, it is! Your boy just scored a goalie goal! Don’t see that every day!”
Sasha’s arms were in the air as his teammates rushed him, creating a mass of bodies in front of the net. He shoved them off, turning around and skating toward the glass before me.
Whipping off his mask, the grin on his face was enough to melt my heart. Then he went and turned up the heat, causing it to explode, when he shouted for all the world to hear, “I love you!”
Face flaming, I tried to tune out the cheers of the fans seated in my section. They were getting one hell of a show tonight—both on the ice and off of it.
Crooking a finger, Sasha beckoned me closer. I arched an eyebrow, gesturing to the glass that separated us. Undeterred,he ventured closer, his grin growing as he brought his face only an inch or two away from the glass. Then he tapped a single finger against his puckered lips before pressing them to the clear surface.
I let out a squeak, rearing back when I realized what he wanted. Was he insane? No way in hell was I putting my mouth on that filthy glass, not knowing how many hands had touched it or when the last time it was cleaned.
“Kiss him. Kiss him. Kiss him.” Chants rose from around me, and I whipped my head around in shock as every person in the surrounding area urged me on, encouraging Sasha’s insanity.
I tried to wave them off, but they were relentless in their demand that I return Sasha’s kiss.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” I muttered under my breath.
Praying that I wouldn’t catch some kind of disease for what I was about to do, I kissed the glass for a split second before pulling back.
It might’ve been brief, but it satisfied the unruly fans and, apparently, Sasha as well because he skated backward, mouthing,Stay there.
The players filed off the ice, the game having concluded with a Speed victory. The fans remained in their seats as the three stars of the game were announced, each one coming out to salute the crowd.
And wouldn’t you know it? Sasha’s goalie goal had earned him first star, and everyone went crazy when he made a reappearance. His wide grin filled the big screen as the camera trained on him zoomed in.
The joy he exuded was infectious, and I found myself laughing at the charming man as he made a show of hyping up the crowd.
Not sure I could be convinced to attend a game again anytime soon, but I was glad I’d come to watch him in his element, tounderstand what he did that made him one of the best in the league for his position.
It was a night I wouldn’t soon forget.
Chapter 26
Gemma
The game had beenover for a while, and most of the fans had filed out, but I was still seated half an hour later, waiting for Sasha, I assumed, since he’d told me to stay put at the end of the game. I wasn’t sure how long I could remain here before the crews set to clean up the mess left behind by those in attendance would shoo me away so they could do their job.
“Gemma! Over here!” a vaguely familiar voice called out, and I turned to find the source.
