Page 147 of Scoring Lessons

After the game finished— the Vancouver Sharks unfortunately lost by one goal—everyone was quick to leave.

“Did you ever hear from Donovan?” I asked Wesley as I loaded the dishwasher.

“I texted him, and all he said was that he couldn’t make it.”

“I never heard back from Aurora.” I was worried. Since the drunken night we had, she had been looking sadder than usual. There had to be something going on with Donovan. But out of all of my friends, she was the most reserved one.

He closed the distance between us and twirled one of my strands of hair around his finger. “I know you’re worried. I’ll talk to Morgan tomorrow, yeah?”

I smiled. “Thanks, player.”

He let out a low chuckle. “I don’t think that applies to me anymore.”

“No?”

“I’m a one-woman man, baby.” His tone was confident, with an edge of smugness.

“Who knew scoring lessons with the biggest playboy on the team would get me here?”

He pulled back just enough to look at me. “Scoring lessons,” he repeated, like he was turning the words over. “Is that what we’re calling it?”

I shrugged. “Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?”

“It does.” His thumb traced along my jaw, then he let out an exaggerated sigh. “And here I thought you just wanted to spend time with me.”

“Don’t flatter yourself.”

“Too late.” His smile was blinding; it melted me from the inside out. “I’ve been flattering myself since day one.”

“And how’s that been working out for you?”

He looked at me like the answer was obvious. “Pretty well, considering.”

I shook my head, biting back a smile. “You’re impossible.”

“You love it.”

I did. God help me, I really did.

He settled one hand at my waist, and the other one cupped my jaw. And when he kissed me, it was sure. A bit unhurried, and electrifying as always.

I felt it in my chest and beneath my skin, like everything had finally settled into place and we were just playing catch-up.

When he pulled back, his forehead dropped against mine.

“For the record,” he murmured, “I would’ve done lessons a lot sooner if I’d known how they were going to end.”

I laughed quietly against his mouth. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” His eyes shone with love, and admiration, and so many other things that were too hard to describe. “Best deal I ever made.”