“The rest of us get it.” A petite redhead rubbed her arms and moved to a closer seat. “It’s freezing in here. Let’s do our purity pinkie promise and find those men.”
Dahlia covered her mouth and spoke toward Piper’s ear. “Go get the players, I’ll lead the women in the pledge.” Dahlia pivoted back to face the audience. “Okay, ladies, repeat after me. No wedding, no bedding.”
Calista’s head popped up for the first time and joined the others in echoing the motto.
Dahlia finished with the final verses before Piper got off the ice. “No gold band, we just hold hands. I do, or we don’t. No marry, no cherry.”
* * *
Mikah was ready to ditch. The room was hot as hell. Felt like the HVAC heat was stuck on high, he preferred his charities to be personally meaningful like athletic scholarships, and his bros’ whining was next level.
Kiernan dug his hands in his hair and stared at Rookie with an expression of disbelief. “No way you abstained all week.”
Rookie stuck out his chin. “I’m telling you, I did.”
“Worry about that later, I need to call my mum.” Liam rolled his chair side to side. “We’re not going to have time after. We’ll need to jet.”
Dumb shit should have kept his phone. Mikah had played with Liam for four seasons. Liam’s ability to keep his eyes on all the puzzle pieces made him a stellar goaltender, but he was high-strung off the ice, and hard tied to his family. Mikah pointed to the computer in the corner, the one Coach used to show the team game plays on the overhead. “Make an Internet call.”
Liam’s expression eased, he pulled a flask from his back pocket, and tossed the container to Mikah. “Cheers.”
Pre-gaming before tonight’s party made good sense. Mikah took a swig of the Canadian whiskey.
Liam moved to the computer and logged in. His email projected on the overhead screen.
Not the app he meant for the dude to dial from, but he wasn’t getting all up in his typing. Dude had a stadium ton of unopened emails, and the subject lines offered a disproportionate number of maple syrup ads and male enhancement pill offers. Bro needed to clean that up.
“No way you abstained,” Kiernan said, for the tenth time.
“I did.” Rookie crossed his arm over his chest. “Which means you and Liam are going to have to take that purity pledge.”
Mikah’s three bros could handle this event. It was a waste of his time, and he could get his charity credit elsewhere. He should go. He didn’t move. Why the hell was he still sitting here? Because Piper had promised to be right back, and he wanted to see her again.
And there she was as if he’d commanded her return. Piper stepped back inside and shut the door behind her, clomping in the skate guards. Not graceful, but still, she wouldn’t need grace when he got her horizontal. Mikah caught her eye and grinned, got ya.
Piper smiled back at him. “Ready, guys?” Perspiration beaded on Piper’s forehead. Curly locks instantly began sticking to her cheeks and neck. Damn sexy. She gathered the long dark blonde strands and tied her hair up into a knot.
Exertion on the ice would do that, had she taken a lap? He’d love to see her skate. Her hair stayed up, showing off a neck made for his kisses. Were those strands as silky as they looked? They were crying to tangle in his fingers, whisper across his chest, lower. Mikah pulled his gaze back to hers. Her lively green eyes assessed the room, but mostly stayed on him, oh yeah.
More sweat trailed down her creamy skin. These lights, that gear, the lack of A/C, she was going to pass out. Mikah knew how she felt, he nudged a chair her way. “Have a seat. Liam’s making a call.”
Piper flapped her jersey’s hem. “Dang.” She bit her lip and gave him a rueful look, coming just short of admitting he was right about not wearing all the gear into a room with a cooling problem.
Instead of sitting down to cool off, she struggled out of the jersey and pads.
Nice. He leaned back in his chair. Take it off.
And she did. Underneath, she wore a fitted tank. His palms tingled. Her boobs would fit in his big hands perfectly. She was seriously his type. Heat tightened his body. He hooked his index finger under the rounded collar of his cotton shirt and tugged.
Kiernan pointed at the overhead screen, which projected Liam’s email. “That’s the livestream link to the bunny party. Click that, dude, the pajama parade must be starting. Click that link.”
Like a dumb shit, Liam clicked the link. Images of at least ten topless puck bunnies wearing pajama bottoms spread across the frame.
Rookie stared at the projection like he’d never seen breasts before.
That’s what a week of self-deprivation got him. Had to respect Rookie’s follow-through. Mikah was a twice a day man himself, and never would have taken that bet.
Liam clicked on the volume icon, party music and chatter filled the room. Kiernan pumped his fist to the beat.