We circle the ice during warm-ups, and I'm trying to look casual while scanning every section. VIP boxes, luxury suites, the expensive seats behind the bench…
"There she is."
My heart stops completely.
Mia's sitting in the VIP section, and she looks...fuck.
She looks absolutely incredible.
She's wearing this sinful midnight blue dress that clings to every gorgeous curve I'm aching to taste again. The neckline dips just low enough to tease me with the swell of her breasts, and the way the silky fabric molds to her hips and cinches her waist makes my cock twitch in my gear.
Fuck. I can't look away.
Her hair, different from her usual messy ponytail, cascades over her bare shoulders, and I can see the nervous way she keeps running her hands down her thighs, smoothing the dress that's short enough to make me wonder what's underneath.
But she's here. She's actually here, watching me play.
Show her what she means to you.Show her everything.
"RYDER!"
Blake's voice snaps me back to reality. He's gesturing toward the bench, where Coach is calling us in for final instructions.
"You see her?" Blake asks with a knowing grin as we skate over.
"Yeah."
"Good. Now show her why she should have never let you go."
We get our final instructions and roar our battle cry along with every fan in the building.
Then… we go to battle.
The first period is pure energy.
Montreal comes out flying, just like Coach predicted. They're fast, aggressive, and clearly trying to intimidate us on home ice. But we're ready for them.
I'm playing the best hockey of my life.
Every pass is crisp. Every check is clean and powerful. Every shift, I can feel the crowd lifting us up, feeding us energy.
But more than that, I can feelherwatching.
It's like having a superpower. Knowing that Mia is up there, seeing me do what I love, makes everything sharper. Clearer. Like the ice is bigger and I'm faster and the puck is drawn to my stick by some kind of magnetic force.
Halfway through the first period, Connor makes a spectacular save that brings the entire arena to its feet. As the crowd roars, I catch sight of the jumbotron.
TAILS & PAWS FUNDRAISER: $73,450 AND CLIMBING!
Holy shit.Seventy-three thousand dollars. For Mia's shelter. For the animals she loves.
The number makes something fierce and protective surge through my chest. This is what we can do when we work together. This is what happens when an entire community decides to support something beautiful.
Montreal scores late in the first period on a power play, but we're still buzzing. The crowd never lets up, chanting and cheering and making The Nest sound like the loudest building in the league.
During the first intermission, as we're catching our breath on the bench, I spot Mia on the concourse. She's being interviewed by someone with a microphone, looking poised and beautiful and slightly overwhelmed.
That's my girl,I think, and this time I don't try to correct myself.
