Page 3 of Puck Me Twice Over

"–Is this why you came, to watch him?"

I smirked, despite how drenched I was. A lot of insecure boyfriends and husbands hated their girls coming to watch prime specimens play pro hockey. But also a big part of me wished everyone could just enjoy the game like the rest of us and be decent fans. I gripped my bag, thinking of the scarf wearing bear I tucked deep earlier about to take its first bath.

Usually I didn't keep trinkets from the games, but that one was cute. Besides, my heart needed a reminder that someone loved me tonight. Hell at this rate, my soggy ego could earn a tiny violin and play it. Maybe I'd get the bear one later and stitch it on myself.

"Garrett, you wouldn't know skill if it slapped you in the ass," a slightly higher-pitched voice snapped back at her partner.

I mentally cheered for Team Girlfriend as I jogged a wide arc around the arguing couple. Their voices carried miraculously well across the parking lot through the blustery sheets that bitch slapped my face with icy water hard enough to sting. Hell, they must be drenched as well as really going at it. Something told me this wasn't their first time around on the subject.

But loverboy wasn’t done on the snarktrain yet. "If you want him that much why don’t you ask him for a ride home? Isn't that his truck?"

Whoa. His truck? Unless they were aiming for Coach’s sedan—doubt it. Sia would have a few choice words to say about that and the head of Chimeras’ HR department was as scary as Coach himself—mine was the only other vehicle left out on this side of the parking lot.

Just who was the little stalker now?

My jog slowed to a walk. I no longer gave a shit about the rain, only who was left out in it. I shielded my eyes, but I still couldn't make out a damn thing without edging closer, and I still wasn’t keen on that plan. Lights flashed on in the vehicle and a door slammed. The truck revved, then pulled away. I let out a breath.

Thank Christ that's done.

Then it hit me. Only one door opened and closed. Fuck.

Soft sobs reached me through the barraging rain, adding a layer of salt and heartache that wasn't my own for once. This was not how I saw tonight ending. But it was how it was going, and I couldn't walk away at this point.

Isn't that his car? Loverboy’s voice echoed with far too much clarity in my head. It looked like somebody had my number.

I took a few steps toward the sobbing figure. “Hey. Maybe you're better off without the asshole. He drove off alone anyway.”

The sobs stopped, though a single sound escaped, like she tried to muffle it and couldn't.

Shit.

I sucked in a deep breath through my teeth, trying to not inhale the water-laced atmosphere. "Is there somewhere I can take you? Somewhere you'll be safe?” Hell, anywhere would be safer than this. Warmer. And drier.

I took another two steps forward. If she was gonna be in my truck, I may as well find out what sort of crazy I just signed myself up for. I eased forward a few more waterlogged steps and tried again. Being Mister Nice Chimera, remember? Even I got to pretend sometimes.

"I think I've even got a dry jersey in the back. Hell, girl. I’ll even spring for a hamburger and a shake, okay? Coffee? I don't think he's coming back." Good fucking riddance. Whoever he was, she could do a whole lot better.

A shuddering breath reached me through the hazy night. The parking lot's flood lights did nothing to help the indistinct shape feet from me. “That's probably a good thing. If I get in the car with you, I think it's game over.” The sweet timbre of her voice hit me at the same level as a punch to my solar plexus, because even before she turned around, and I got closer, I knew.

Too close. Not close enough.

Never close enough for her.

My stomach plummeted, or it ran into my heart, because that did too. Or maybe it reversed. The whole fucking solar system.

I'd been right before—her smile rocked my world. Only now she didn’t and I desperately wanted to see that smile. But her face held no expression I ever remembered.

Not even the day she left.

"Felicity.”

My soggy ex-girlfriend nodded, putting up no resistance when I tucked her into my truck. My hands clung to the warmth of her, body heat eking through soaked clothing. Christ, if I ever thought I might see her again, in no fantasy situation was it ever like this. I had no contingency plan. Nothing.

Hell, my night really did go to shit fast. I never meant for her to leave in the first place, and in my head, the dozens of times I formed my apology to her, in a dozen places, it sure as hell wouldn't be on a rainy night with her crying over another asshole in my passenger seat. I scrounged about in my soaked bag and pulled out my spare jersey, praying it didn’t stink of sweat too much.

Flick didn’t say a single word, the whole time. Not a complaint or anything as she pulled the shirt I offered her over her head. And fuck me if my number didn't look damn good on her, or if I didn't want it off her again real fast.

Realizing that I stared at her like some fucking creeper she couldn’t get away from, I cleared my throat and started my truck. Hot air blew in through the vents but it wasn’t enough to dry either of us. "I'm taking you for that hamburger. And then you can tell me what the hell just happened.”