Page 202 of Securing the Pucking Rebound

I’m starting to realize now that I was hurting myself more than anything.

I drag in a deep, ragged breath before whispering, “I’m here. Whatever you need, I’m right here.”

His breath tickles over my face as he exhales. Then he leans down and rests his forehead against mine, never once breaking our eye contact.

“Just you, darlin’. The only thing I need in life is you.”

A few more seconds pass before he finally speaks again.

“Come on, let’s get you home,” he says, taking a step back, although he doesn’t release my hand until we’re standing out the front of the salon so I can lock up.

The second we get to my car, he pulls open the passenger seat and gestures for me to climb in.

“I’m driving you home, remember?” he rasps when I stare up at him with a frown wrinkling my brow.

Unable to argue, I do as I’m told, and the moment he’s joined me and pulled onto the street, he reaches over and reclaims my hand.

We drive in silence, but it’s comfortable and everything I didn’t know I needed.

By the time we pull up into the parking garage, my eyes are heavy, and the effort it’s going to take to get up to my apartment seems a little too much. But Calvin isn’t about to let me sleep in my car, and he tugs me out, wraps his arm around my shoulder, and takes me right to my door.

“Thank you for not kicking me out earlier. Thank you for listening to me.”

I stand there with my keys in my hand, hit with a sense of déjà vu of times gone by.

The temptation to allow him in is strong, but I’m not forgetting everything that happened because of an apology and a few sweet words.

“I’ll see you Thursday night?” I say, forcing myself to do the right thing.

A smile lights up his face. “I can’t wait. See you soon, darlin’.”

56

CALVIN

Despite knowing it was the right thing to do, I spent all night regretting not kissing Sienna.

Every inch of me screamed to do so. But my needs aren’t the most important thing anymore. She is.

I rub the back of my neck as I walk down the hallway at the arena, dread churning inside me.

Today is the day we officially meet our newest player on the roster. I’m pretty sure we’re all feeling apprehensive.

I’m one of the last to arrive, and as I step into the meeting room, every single set of eyes in the room turns to me, quickly followed by a sigh of relief.

Safe to say Nash hasn’t arrived yet, then.

I scan the faces, each one of them pulled tight. But no one looks as tense as Kodie.

I get it. They haven’t seen eye to eye for years. I can only imagine how he’s feeling about stepping out onto the ice together for the first time since they were kids.

“Hey, how’s it going?” I ask as I take my seat with Monroe and Rett on my right, and Linc and Kodie on my left. Handsy is in his usual space right up front, ready to listen to whatever Coach has to say.

“Wonderful,” Kodie deadpans.

“Keep an open mind, man. This could be exactly what we need to secure the Cup this year,” Linc says, putting as much enthusiasm into his tone as possible.

A few other guys join us and settle in before the door opens again, and Coach strolls in with Nash and Fletch on his heels.