I keep my eyes on her for a few more seconds before I can’t help but search for someone else.
She’s here, and she’s been driving me crazy.
I expected her to turn up wearing someone else’s jersey again, but to my shock—and delight—she’s back to mine.
I don’t want to say it’s the reason I’ve played like I actually know what I’m doing again—unlike the last two games—buthaving her supporting me, on my side again…fuck, it feels good.
She still hasn’t replied to my message, but seeing her wearing my number again makes me think that maybe she will. Or that maybe she’s asking me to follow up.
Fuck, it’s tempting.
She’s so fucking tempting.
She smiles at me, and I swear it rocks the ice beneath me.
The air between us crackles just like it did in the hallway the other day.
I wanted to kiss her so fucking badly. Despite being right outside her dad’s office, I’ve regretted not doing so ever since.
She looked so fucking beautiful and smelled fucking delicious.
She might be off-limits, but I want her again. And it’s getting worse with every day that passes.
Touching her on Thursday, no matter how innocently, only stoked the fire burning inside me.
Now, with this win under our belt and the high I’m riding from both my assists and goal tonight, my need for her is an inferno.
“Great game, man,” Handsy says as he skates up to me with his helmet under his arm and a wide smile on his face.
“I should be the one congratulating you on your shutout. Epic, man. Fucking epic.”
“Ah, it’s only the beginning.”
“Fuck, yeah,” I agree as the rest of the team huddles around us, celebrating as our loyal fans continue to chant.
Best feeling ever.
“Daddy.” I hear her excited squeal the second I step into the room before there’s a flash of light brown hair as she flies toward me.
“Hey, Peanut,” I say, lifting her from her feet and wrapping her in my arms.
The attention of others burns into me, and I know without looking up that it’ll be the women.
It’s the same everywhere I go with Sutton.
The bunnies are bad, obviously. But since becoming a single dad, I’ve started attracting a whole other group of women.
Ones who want to be Sutton’s new step-mommy.
Yeah, no thank you.
I swear, some days, I can’t go fucking anywhere without attracting attention.
I understand why the guys think I’m crazy for not embracing it while I have it, but I don’t have the energy for women—anyone, actually—who only want me because of my career and daughter.
It’s bullshit.
“You were amazing tonight,” Sutton praises as I lower her back to her feet.
