“You promise?” Her lips curved.
“Oh, I promise.” I brought my mouth to her ear. “And if you want to say the words then, I won’t stop you.”
Her breath caught, and my heart tumbled in my chest.
Because I was gone for this girl.
Ass over elbow in love with her.
The summer wasn’t over, but I already wanted more. She warmed me up inside, thawed the ice from around my heart, and I wanted all the summers.
All her firsts.
I wanted a future with Dayna Benson.
And it didn’t scare me one single bit.
NOAH
I watched Dumfries and his girl talking and laughing with Connor and Ella. The four of them had hit it off big time. No surprise, given that Con was the only other player on the team with a serious girlfriend. But Ella was good people, and she knew her hockey, so she was practically one of the guys.
“Another one bites the dust,” Austin said, coming up beside me.
“You think it’ll last?”
“Never known Dumfries to hit the same piece of ass twice, let alone a whole month. It’s the real deal.”
“Yeah. I was afraid you might say that.”
He chuckled, clapping me on the back. “Relax, kid. It means there’s less competition.” Austin winked and walked off toward them.
But I stayed back.
Aiden and I weren’t close. He wasn’t really close to anyone on the team. But he was one of the best players we had, and rumor had it, he was going to be captain for the upcoming season. If we were going to make the Frozen Four—and he wanted to catch the eye of a pro team—we needed him to be focused. Not distracted.
Con said something, and Dumfries howled with laughter, gazing down at Dayna as if she hung the fucking moon.
Fuck my life.
It was already happening. She was his world now, and hockey would slowly take a back seat.
“Don’t get in between them,” a deep voice came from behind me, and I glanced over my shoulder to find Coach Walsh looking at me.
“I would never.”
I might have thought about it, but I would never do it. I wasn’t a total asshole.
He snorted, “I know that look, Holden. You’re worried she’ll ruin his season.”
“Our season,” I corrected. “And from where I’m standing, she looks like a pretty big distraction.” Dumfries couldn’t keep his eyes off her.
“Dayna is good people, and she’s good for him.”
“Yeah, I was worried you might say that.” I rubbed my jaw, and Coach chuckled.
“Don’t worry, Holden. It’ll be your turn one day. And I can’t wait to see the girl who comes along and knocks you on your ass.”
Nervous laughter rumbled in my chest, “Never going to happen.”
Coach Walsh gave me a lingering look and smiled. And then he said three little words that had ice sliding down my spine.
“Famous last words.”