30
AND DON’T POKE THE
FUCKING BEAR EITHER
Carter
WHAT KIND OF CELEBRATION DO we think Olivia will enjoy best when I score for her tonight? The obvious answer is a sneaky wink, but she chose me, so she has to know she chose ash. I do everything with are, not in the shadows.
Except Olivia, for obvious reasons. I do her in the shadows. Though I like to think I do her with are, as well… Nabbing a loose puck, I re it o the boards as I scan the seats behind our bench, searching for Olivia. Her coat is draped over her seat, next to Cara’s, so I know they’re already here.
“Word on the street is you bought your girl a furnace.” Emmett hip checks me into the boards and steals the puck, twisting and hammering it o toward an unsuspecting Adam, whose blocker goes up just in time to deect it.
Garrett chokes on air. “Pardon? A furnace?”
“Her house was fucking freezing.” I pull a puck from between his legs, ip it onto the tip of my stick, and Emmett whacks it o before I can show o.
“A brand-new furnace,” Garrett muses. “Huh. We sure she’s not using you for your money?” Emmett and I sandwich him between the two of us and the
boards. “Okay, okay! I was joking!”
“Eh! Boys! Save it for the other team!”
My head lifts at Cara’s voice, and I grin like a total loser when I meet Olivia’s entertained gaze. I shove Emmett out of the way, hop over the boards and up on the bench, and slap my gloves against the plexiglass as Olivia makes her way down the aisle. She’s wearing the Vipers tee I had waiting for her in the limo I sent to pick her up, and it wraps around her waist like a sin, the little gem in her belly button peeking out when she moves to sit down.
“Ah-ah-ah,” I tsk. “Gimme a spin, gorgeous.”
Her cheeks turn an adorable shade of rosy pink. “Carter.”
I smile, twirling my nger in the air. Olivia rolls her eyes and holds her hands above her head—bag of popcorn in one, beer in the other—showing o the most spectacular backside. I resist the urge to bite my knuckles, only because my gloves stink, but goddamn, that 87 and Beckett decorating her back are really doing something for me.
I press my visor against the glass. “I’m so hard right now.”
“Beckett!” Coach shakes my helmet. “Stop irting with your girlfriend and get your ass back on the ice for warm-up!”
“Just telling her about the goal I’m gonna score her.”
All I want to do is show o for my girl. I know she loves it, even if she’s rolling her eyes at most of my ridiculous antics.
Three minutes into the second period, Garrett jumps on the ice a moment before me, grabbing the puck as it slices across the red line. He calls my name as I leap over the boards, and I tap my stick on the ice three times to let him know I’m here. The puck hits the curved blade of my stick without any eort from Garrett, his eyes bouncing between the net and the defenseman who’s about to get in his face.
“On your heels, Beckett!” Emmett hollers from my left, alerting me to the forward who’s hot on my ass.
I slam on the brakes and watch as the left-winger goes ying by me before he realizes I’m not with him anymore. In the second it takes him to twist back around, I spin by him, looking for my guys.
“All you!” Garrett shouts from the side of the net, ready for a rebound. “Stu it in, baby!”
My left leg slides back as I wind up, and my stick hits the puck with a crack like lightning. The fans hold their breath as I let that bad boy soar, and when it smacks o the crossbar with a ding so loud it echoes before falling down into the net, the entire arena explodes.
“Bar down, baby!” I shriek, throwing my arms up.
“Fucking snipe show, bud!” Emmett roars, tackling me into the boards, where Garrett and our defensemen pile on top of us.
Olivia’s on her feet by the time I climb back to mine, clapping and hollering with Cara. I skate by the bench, bumping gloves with my teammates, and she ashes me a beam brighter than the red light that’s still ashing on top of the goalie net.
I stop in front of her, and her eyes widen, smile evaporating, replaced by a look of pure horror as my sticks rise in slow motion.
Don’t you dare, Olivia mouths.
But Cara’s jumping up and down, shaking Olivia’s shoulders, just daring me to.
So I do. I point my stick at her, bring my glove to my lips, and blow Olivia the biggest, loudest smooch I can muster, sending it out into the arena as the crowd goes wild. Her cherry red face lights up the jumbotron for the second time in her life, and because I’ll never learn my lesson, I scream, “That’s my fucking princess!”
They replay my goal on the big screen three times as I lean on the boards and rehydrate, chatting with the guys. When I line up at the red line for the face-o, I sneak another peek at Olivia. She’s got her feet up on the glass, sunken halfway back in her seat, one hand covering too much of her outstandingly gorgeous face. She narrows her eyes. They get extra squinty at the grin I ash her.
“Fuck me.” Lucas Daley, centerman and assistant captain for Seattle, whistles as he glides in a small circle, stick across his hips. “Can I have her?”
“What the fuck did you say?”
“When you’re done with her.” He glances in Olivia’s direction. “Can I have her?”
My teeth clack when I slam them together. “I don’t plan on being done with her.”
His disbelieving snort has my neck cracking, straining left to right. He’s trying to get me riled up and I can’t let that happen, especially with Olivia here.
“You’ve fucked her, now I’m waiting for you to do what you do best and chuck her.”
“Fuck o, Daley,” Emmett icks out with disinterest.
“Or what? Your buddy here gonna knock me out?”
“If you don’t stop running your mouth?” I skate forward until my chest touches his. “Yeah, that’s exactly what I’m gonna do.”
The ref pushes an arm between us. “All right, gentlemen. Enough of that.
Let’s get this shit on the road.”
I take my place on the ice, shaking o the anger that’s tumbling o my shoulders in waves as I get ready for the face-o with Daley. The ref bends, the puck in his hand hovering over the blue dot.
“Jesus, fucking look at her, would you?”
With a sigh, the ref straightens, scrubbing a palm down his face. I barely register it, too focused on Daley, his gaze glued to my girlfriend, who happens to be watching us while she pulls on her bottom lip.
“She’s a tiny, slutty little puck bunny, isn’t she? I’m gonna rip her in two.”
Before I know what’s happening, my gloves and stick are on the ice, sts balled around the neck of Daley’s jersey, my face in his as I haul him close.
“Say one more fucking word about her and you’re gonna be spitting chiclets.” My pulse hammers in my ears, chest swelling with rage. I’m a volcano, teetering on the edge of eruption. Nobody will be able to stop me once I start.
A smug grin spreads across Daley’s face as he drops his stick and tosses his gloves.
“Keep it clean and quick,” the ref tells us, clearing the space around us.
The atmosphere in the arena is wild. These fans live for ghts, love watching Carter Beckett lose his shit on occasion, which is exactly what’s about to happen.
Dropping my grip on Daley’s jersey, I keep my sts up as we start spinning in a slow circle.
“Are you clean?” His gaze icks to Olivia. “Don’t like to wrap it when I fuck a girl who looks like that. Wanna feel every inch of—”
My st connects with his mouth, his head snapping backward, shutting him the hell up. He sputters, wiping the blood from his cracked lip before he chuckles.
“She looks terried. Think she’s worried I’m gonna knock you on your ass, Beckett?”
His st swings, connecting with my shoulder when I dodge the punch. I lunge for him, grabbing hold of his jersey and dragging him toward me.
“You’re still talking, but I’m not the one bleeding.”
Daley twists when I swing at his face again, and I tug his jersey over his head, knocking his helmet o in the process. I let my st y once more, cracking him in the nose, blood splattering my knuckles. He dives for me, grabbing my jersey as we go tumbling to the ice. His st ails, crashing against the corner of my mouth as my helmet pops o and I roll on top of him. My hair slaps against my forehead as I send my st ying forward, once, twice, three times.
“Beckett! Enough!” The ref skates toward us, the linesmen anking him. “Up!
Both of you! It’s over!”
Gripping Daley’s jersey, I yank his face to mine, chest heaving. “You won’t fucking touch her.”
I glance up at the woman in question as my punishment is handed to me over the speakers: ve minutes each. Olivia’s anxious gaze is set on me, knees bouncing, the tip of her thumb in her mouth like she’s gnawing on her nail.
Cara shovels popcorn into her mouth and hits me with two thumbs up and a holler. “Fucking right, Beckett! Knock ’em dead, baby!”
Sighing, I sink to the bench in the penalty box, running my ngers through my drenched hair, our trainer joining me to clean my lip.
Chris dabs at the corner of my mouth. “Never thought I’d see the day where Carter Beckett fought over a girl. Was it worth it?”
“She’ll always be worth it.”
“Whatever it takes to keep your girl safe?”
“Whatever it takes.” A promise I intend to keep.
“YOU SURE SHE’S STAYING THE whole weekend?” Garrett picks up the backpack in the back of the limo. “Doesn’t seem like she brought much.”
Olivia’s a minimalist, I think, so that’s probably why. But instead I say, “Because she’s not gonna need any clothes while we’re at home.”
Adam hus a laugh, stretching his legs out. “I miss those good old days.”
Emmett arches a brow. “If the days aren’t good, Woody, then you gotta do something about it. That’s not right, bud.”
“I don’t know what else to do. I feel like I’ve tried everything. I managed to convince her to meet us at the bar, at least.”
First time in, like, four months, I say in my head. I don’t know what the hell is going on with Adam and Courtney, but something sure as hell isn’t right.
I spot my gorgeous brunette the second we step through the door. She’s leaning over the bar, chin propped on her st, eyes on the TV above as it plays a highlight of my goal. I ditch my coat in the booth Cara’s set up at, drop a kiss to her cheek, and make a beeline for Olivia.
“Your ass is out of this fucking world,” I murmur, dropping my chin to her shoulder as my arms come around her.
“Mmm.” She reaches back, threading her ngers through my hair as she tips her head to the side, letting my lips meet the soft, warm skin on her neck.
“You’re so romantic.”
“I’ll show you romantic.” I slip a hand under the front of her shirt, covering her belly, and dip the tips of my free ngers beneath the waistband of her jeans.
“I’m gonna shred these jeans when we get home. Burn ’em in the re.”
“What will I wear?”
“My naked body, draped over yours, while I fuck your brains out.”
My favorite ass rubs against me. “All weekend?”
“All. Damn. Weekend.” I nip the edge of her jaw. “You’re gonna beg me to
stop.”
“Why would I do that?”
I hum a laugh, turning her toward me. “If you wanna get a head start, we can
sneak o right now to the bathroom.”
“You’d never t in the stalls.”
“I love when you talk about how massive I am. It only pumps my ego.”
“You know damn well I’m not talking about your dick.”
“You love my monster dick,” I tease, squeezing her ass as my tongue sweeps her mouth.
“I do.” Her thumb brushes against the cut on the corner of my mouth. “But you know what I don’t love?”
I drop my head backward with a deep belly groan, eyes squeezing shut. “You tricked me. I thought I was gonna get away with it.”
Olivia lifts one perfect brow, pinning her arms across her chest. “You’re in trouble, Carter Beckett.”
My gaze hoods. “I love it when you talk teacher to me, baby.”
“Don’t sweet-talk me. It won’t work.”
“It won’t?” Tugging her back onto me, I kiss her neck, wet slides and nipping teeth until I nd her ear. “What about kisses? Will those work?”
“No.” It’s more gasp than word so I’m calling bullshit. “Carter.” A whimper, probably due to the way my tongue icks out, tasting the skin below her ear. Her ngers dig in, squeezing my biceps as she leans into me like she needs my body to keep her upright. It’s cool; I’ll always support her.
Olivia groans, melting into me.
“Impossible not to give in to me, right?”
“I hate you,” she mutters without any heat.
“Nah. You love me.” I feel the heat of my accusation creeping up her neck, and I hide my smile in her hair when I crush her to me for a hug. Lacing my ngers through hers, I scoop her beer up and tug on her hand. “Come on, pumpkin. I want everyone to see me with the gorgeous girl from the jumbotron tonight.”
“And that’s another thing!” She throws her free hand in the air. I love her little temper tantrums. “You embarrassed me again tonight.”
I shove her into the booth and slide in next to her. “You call it embarrassing you; I call it showing you o. How else would the world know you’re mine?”
Cara cocks her head, watching us. “You’re still mad at him? Even knowing now why he fought? I’d be on my knees for Emmett in a heartbeat.”
I clear my throat and tap Cara’s shin with my foot before slicing my hand across my neck twice. Ix-fucking-nay, I mentally scream at her.
“Oh. You didn’t tell her.”
“Tell me what?” Olivia looks between us. “What didn’t you tell me?”
“Uh…” I scratch my head, searching for something, anything other than what she’s asking. “That you’re… my… I… looove you?”
Huh. Kinda feels like I just satised an urge to say words that are 1,000 percent too early to actually say. Weird.
Her frown says she doesn’t nd it particularly funny. “Carter.”
“Ollie girl.” I take a sip of her beer, holding her gaze.
“He fought for you,” Cara blurts, then slaps both hands over her mouth like the urge was uncontrollable. “Sorry. So sorry.”
Sighing, I sink back in the booth, gaze narrowing on Emmett, actively looking anywhere but at me.
“Carter?” Olivia touches my arm. “What does she mean you fought for me?”
I lift a shoulder and let it fall. “It’s nothing, really. Daley just said some shit I didn’t like.”
“Said he wanted to split you in half with his dick,” Cara blurts again.
“Care!” Emmett holds his hands up in a what the fuck kinda way, eyes wide, while Garrett and Adam choke on their drinks. “Babe, come on.”
“I’m sorry! I can’t help it! Isn’t it hot, though? He defended your honor!
There was blood everywhere! It was a war, and you were the prize.”
“She was never up for grabs.” I squeeze Olivia’s knee beneath the table. She’s exceptionally quiet, staring up at me. “You okay?”
“I’m bored, Adam,” a familiar voice cuts in. A redhead appears at Adam’s side. “Let’s go.”
“Already? It’s only—we just—I mean, we only just got here.” He frowns, reaching for his girlfriend’s hand. She pulls it away before he can take it. “You haven’t met Carter’s girlfriend yet. Olivia.” He gestures at Olivia, who glues on a bright beam. “This is Courtney.”
“Hi,” she tosses out, rude as fuck as she ignores Olivia’s outstretched hand.
She smirks at me. “Girlfriend, huh?” Adam’s eyes widen, and Courtney rolls hers before taking Olivia’s hand, giving it a quick, imsy shake. “I’m gonna go get another drink with my friends then.”
“Sorry, Ollie,” Adam whispers, ears beet red, eyes downcast. “She’s not usually so… she’s… I’m sorry.”
Olivia gives his hand a squeeze. “Don’t worry, Adam.”
The night’s kinda fucked from there. Adam’s in a sour mood and everyone’s quiet and tired. Olivia’s tucked into my side, her hand on my thigh when her head hits my shoulder only forty-ve minutes later.
I press a kiss to the crown of her head. “Wanna go home so I can worship your body?”
“That sounds nice,” she says with a soft, happy sigh.
She takes o to the bathroom after we say good-bye, and I gather our coats and follow to wait for her. I learned my lesson after the last time she went to the bathroom in this bar.
The skin on the back of my neck pebbles, and a moment later Satan saunters into the dark hall.
“Carter,” Courtney drawls, sidling up next to me. “How long’s this girlfriend thing gonna last?”
I shift on my feet, ignoring the booze oozing o her. She hasn’t set foot back in our booth since she disappeared after her stellar performance earlier tonight.
“As long as she keeps me.”
“Come on. You and I both know that’s not you.” She drags the tip of her nger up my neck, and I swivel, crowding her space.
“What the fuck are you doing? You’re dating one of my best friends. I have a girlfriend. Get your hands o me.”
Her eyes gleam as she winds my tie around her st. “Poor Carter. No fun for you anymore now that you’ve got your balls in a vise. Is your girlfriend not up for sharing? What a drag.”
I lower my face until the tips of our noses nearly touch. “Walk. The fuck.
Away.”
With a wink, she strides o, a little too much swing in her step, and I run an agitated palm down my chest.
I don’t know what the fuck has gotten into her in the last six months. I’ve never had an issue with her until a pool party at their place last summer when she followed me inside the house and slipped her hand up my shirt. When I
asked her what she was doing, she said she saw the way I looked at her. I still don’t have a clue what she was talking about, but I turned around and left without the beer I’d gone in for.
The longer I stand here, the more restless I become. My shoulders feel tight and rigid, and I’ve got a headache brewing behind my eyes. I don’t know if I need sleep, caeine, or simply Olivia, but I decide a quick glass of ice water will do while I wait, so I guzzle one down at the bar before heading back toward the bathrooms.
A leggy brunette straightens from her spot on the wall when she sees me.
She’s mildly familiar, but I can’t place her.
“There you are.”
I swallow my sigh. “Do I know you?”
“You showed me the view from your penthouse while I was pressed up against your bedroom window.” Slinging her arms around my neck, she murmurs, “I hear you’re ready for seconds.”
