He forced a smile. “Just be honest, Clara,” he said. “You don’t even have to respond. I just...” He reached up to cup the back of his neck with his hand. He wasn’t surprised to feel slight perspiration. “I just needed to say it. I needed you to know it.”
Clara swallowed. His eyes homed in on the way her throat bobbed up and down. He was transfixed by it. That, or he was distracting himself from her uncharacteristic silence.
Without warning, she crossed the kitchen and launched herself into his arms so hers wrapped around his broad shoulders at the same time her legs wrapped around his waist. He caught her, but just barely, and gripped her upper thighs to keep her in his arms.
“I take it that you reciprocate the feeling?” he asked.
Clara laughed and nodded. “Sorry,” she said. “That probably should have been the first thing I did. I love you, Dean. I love you. I’ve loved you since you left. I just... I never stopped loving you. This whole thing with Bill...” She raked her fingers through her hair while keeping her left hand firmly on his shoulder to keep her balance. “I’m glad. About everything. I’m glad it happened the way it happened.”
“Clara...” He didn’t agree. Regardless of the fact that he had her again with him, that she had reciprocated the emotion, that he knew she loved him, did not mean he liked what she had to endure to get them here.
“No, I’m being honest, Dean.” She looked eyes with him. “You told me to be honest and that’s what I’m doing. I just want you to know that. I want you to know that everything that happened, happened so you and me could be together again. It made me appreciate you. It made me realize I still loved you after all this time. And it made me realize I want to be with you. So here I am, with you.” Clara’s nose twitched. “What’s that smell?”
Dean sniffed the air and found himself grinning. “I knew it was only a matter of time,” he said. “You better turn off the stove now or you’re going to burn down my house!”
- -
Dean took in a deep breath. He bent forward at the knees, his hockey stick horizontal as he skated slowly during the scheduled commercial break. His muscles were tight. He needed to relax them so he could move more freely.
It was the first period of the game. There was four minutes and thirty-two seconds left. Florida was already up by two. In the first fucking period.
From his position on the ice, he could see Cherney frantically scribbling something on his whiteboard in front of the players on the bench, which included Zachary Ryan, Alex Schumacher, and Kyle Underwood. There was a tension that permeated the arena. He could feel it in his bones.
Things needed to turn around.
The referee blew his whistle. The linesman skated over for a puck drop to Brandon Thorpe’s left because Liam Worthington - fourth line right winger - iced the puck, which meant Dean, along with everyone else on the Gulls who had been out on the ice during the play - were forced to remain on the ice, even though they wanted nothing more than to get off the ice and catch their breath.
They were lucky they even had that commercial break. It gave them a couple of minutes to rest before going out and starting all over again.
The four minutes went by in a flash. The Gulls didn’t score, but at least Florida didn’t score again.
There was a good chance Dean was going to get into a fight with Florida’s enforcer, some prick named Naught who looked like Jason Statham on steroids. The guy - probably his age - was running his mouth, trying to get under his skin. Dean hated the fact that it was actually working.
The minute the buzzer sounded, he gulped down his water. The media would either interview Thorpe or one of the defensemen - probably Solis, which meant, he was free to quiet his mind and visualize what he needed to happen so he could up his game.
On his way into the locker room, Dean looked up and caught eyes with Clara. She wasn’t seated with the other wives and girlfriends. Neither of them were ready just yet to come out. It was Clara’s idea. Win the Cup first, then they can figure out all the messy details of their relationship. But not until then.
“Just know,” she had said as he slung his bag over his shoulder, getting ready to get to the ice, “I’ll wait. You have me. Don’t worry about anything else except doing everything it takes to win.”
And then she kissed him like she fucking meant it, slapped his ass on the way out, and closed the door leading into the garage.
That woman was going to be the death of him.
He smirked to himself, shaking his head. Dean wouldn’t have it any other way.
Want to know when Book 8 comes out?
Book 8, the as of yet unnamed book in The Slapshot Series, will be released Fall 2018.
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Acknowledgments
The Anaheim Ducks because they’re my team no matter what - especially the team from 2011. My inaugural season. ;)
My family
My friends
Jammie for your AMAZING betas!
Susanna Lynn, for your beautiful cover. It’s amazing and stunning and perfect!
Theresa Schultz, my amazing and hilarious editor.
Thank you to my readers who have fallen in love with this series, with hockey, and with the amazing players. I write for YOU!
Frank, Kylee & Madisyn, Josh & Jacob, for your continued love, support, and understanding
Also by Heather C. Myers
The Slapshot Series: A Sports Romance
Blood on the Rocks, Snapshot Prequel, Book 1 Her grandfather’s murdered and she’s suddenly thrust with the responsibility of owning and managing a national hockey team. That, and she decides to solve the murder herself.
Grace on the Rocks, Slapshot Prequel, Book 2 A chance encounter at the beach causes sparks to fly...
Charm on the Rocks, Slapshot Prequel Book 3 When you know it's wrong but it feels so right
The Slapshot Prequel Box Set
Exes & Goals, Book 1 of the Slapshot Series Most people have no regrets. She has one.
Black Eyes & Blue Lines, Book 2 of the Slapshot Series He drives her crazy - and not in a good way. But she can't get him out of her head.
Lip Locks & Blocked Shots, Book 3 of the Slapshot Series He's the last person she should fall in love with and the only one that ever stood a chance.
Positives & Penalties, Book 4 of The Slapshot Series One gorgeous hockey player plus one night of passion equals two pink lines...
Rumors & Roughing, Book 5 of The Slapshot Series Rumor has it NHL bad boy Alec Schumacher is a criminal...
Trainwrecks & Backchecks, Book 6 of The Slapshot Series It's not pretend when feelings get involved...
Also by Heather C. Myers
Modern Jane Austen Retellings
Denial Matchmaking is supposed to be easy. But Madeline is going to learn that love can't be planned when she starts to fall for the last person she ever thought she would, who also happens to be the man her best friend claims to love as well.
Stubborn Marion is a die-hard USC fan. Aiden goes to UCLA Law School. If only college rivalries were the worst of their problems. They say opposites attract. Well, some crash into each other.
Also by Heather C. Myers
New Adult Contemporary Romance
Save the Date As daughter of a man in charge of the CIA, Gemma knew her father was overprotective. She just never thought he would assign a man she couldn't stand to be her bodyguard under the rouse of a fake marriage.
On Tour with the Rockstar Holly Dunn didn’t know that when she began studying at a rock concert, the lead singer would call her out on it. Tommy Stark didn’t know he’d be intrigued by her odd so
rt of ways, which was why hew invited her to go on tour with him.
Foolish Games She was everything he didn't want in a woman and everything he couldn't resist. She thought he was arrogant on top of other things.
Falling Over You She wasn't supposed to see him, hear him, or feel him because he was dead - a ghost. She wasn't supposed to fall in love with him because she was engaged.
Hollywood Snowfall It's getting cold in Hollywood, so cold, there's a good chance the City of Angels will finally get snow.
Also by Heather C. Myers
Dark Romance
A Beauty Dark & Deadly He’s the most beautiful monster she’s even seen
A Reputation Dark & Deadly Logan Jeffrey has a reputation
Also by Heather C. Myers
Young Adult Novels
Trainwreck Detention is not the place where you're supposed to meet your next boyfriend, especially when he's Asher Boyd, known pothead and occasional criminal. But he makes good girl Sadie Brown feel something she hasn't really felt before - extraordinary.
Also by Heather C. Myers
Science Fiction/Fantasy
Battlefield Just because they were, quite literally, made for each other didn't mean they had to actually get along.
Brutal Love & Stanley Cups: A Slapshot Novel (Slapshot Series Book 7) Page 12