“I’ve seen and felt bigger, buddy,” I say, my eyes burning as I meet his gaze.
He chuckles. “Damn, going for the kill, dissing a man’s dick.”
“Stop being a little bitch and play hockey,” I call at him, and he laughs some more. I don’t think being a bitch to this guy works. He isn’t paying me any mind. It’s weird and I’m not sure how to get into his head. Maybe I can’t. As I wait for him to come toward me, he toys with the puck, eyeing me with those sinful green eyes. Watching him, I decide I’m playing too close and it has been my downfall. He’s big, I need to be ready to block off his shot.
“Damn, she is mean,” I hear Jace say.
“It’s so bad, you just don’t even know,” Delanie says back to him. “She’s scary.”
We ignore them, and as he comes toward me, we both fight tooth and nail with the puck, going back and forth, stealing and trying to get a shot. But we are both too good. After a good seven minutes, I’m huffing and puffing, and he is too as I dig my hip into him. I won’t give up and I know he won’t either.
One of us is going to score.
And it’s gonna be me.
“Why don’t y’all just go have sex? It’s way better than fighting like this,” Delanie suggests and I scoff.
“I wouldn’t have sex with him if he were the last man on earth,” I say, pushing back hard, but he doesn’t go anywhere! Fucking caveman. I’ve never gone against such a huge player. Especially a forward. It’s damn weird.
“Mm, sex does seem like more fun than beating each other up,” he says roughly, in such a dirty way against my ear. I didn’t expect him to be that close, so I press my elbow into his chest. But I lose control of the puck and he steals it, turning so that he can shoot. I throw my blade against his shot to block it, but it goes up my stick and the puck snaps me against the jaw. Dropping my stick, I take my face in my hands, closing my eyes tightly as I groan loudly. Damn it!
“Oh fuck!” Jace says, and I fully expect to hear the clink of the puck against the pipe, but I don’t.
“Are you okay?” Jayden says close to my face to my utter surprise. Tears threaten to fall, my sinuses burning as my jaw aches like the fiery depths of hell, but I won’t cry.
There is no crying in hockey.
I open my eyes, looking at him through my fingers before I nod. It hurts, I’m not gonna lie, but I’m okay. “Yeah,” I say, dropping my hands.
“Baylor, that’s enough. Let’s go make food,” Delanie says, urging me with her eyes to stop, but I ignore her, picking up my stick.
“Yeah, maybe we should stop. Are you sure you’re okay?” Jayden asks me, and I nod, stretching my neck before getting the puck to take to the line.
“I’m fine.”
“Baylor, come on,” Mandie says. “Your face is swelling.”
I don’t care, though. This guy isn’t going to beat me. When I look up, though, he is there, towering over me in all his sexy glory. No, wait, his caveman glory. He is not sexy! Looking down at me, he reaches out, stroking the tender spot and shakes his head.
“You need ice.”
“It can wait. Next goal wins.”
“Or we can call it a tie,” he suggest.
“I don’t tie, I win,” I say with a shake of my head. “And if you let me win, I’ll kick you in your dick.”
He scoffs. “Has anyone told you you’re a bitch?”
I nod. “Daily.”
“Well, they just don’t know you,” he says softly, and I didn’t expect that. Cautiously, I meet his gaze and I’m confused. Why would he say that? “You’re not a bitch, you’re driven, and it’s fucking hot.”
“Are you flirting with me?” I ask, my eyes burning into his.
“Maybe.”
I glare. “You and that fucking maybe.”