Scoring Chance (Carolina Comets)

We have five minutes left on the clock, and we’re one goal down.

I want so damn badly to beat New York right now, especially since they were the assholes to knock us out of the first round last year. We got swept, and I want to get back at them for it.

“Come on, Lowell! Fucking move!” Rhodes yells, and I guess he’s feeling the same way I am. “We got this,” he says, though I’m not sure if he’s talking to me or himself. “I can feel it.”

I fucking hope he’s right. I’m not too eager for bonus hockey tonight. Tonight, all I want to do is get home and see the one person I’ve been dying to see for days—Scout.

Our road schedule is grueling, and we’ve been gone for over a week now. We’ve been texting and have video-chatted a few times, but it’s not the same. I want to see her. I want to touch her. I just want to be around her because I really, really fucking miss her.

“Heads in the game, boys,” Coach says from behind us, almost like he knows I’m not thinking about hockey right now. “We got this. We fucking got this.”

We watch for cues, and as soon as Lowell comes off the ice, I hop on.

Once I’m where I need to be, off comes Greer for the extra skater. Fitzgerald barrels into the zone, looking for a wide-open spot on the left. I zing the puck over to him, and he sends it out to Wright, who zips it back to me.

I wind up and shoot.

The goalie blocks it, but the puck is still in play, and the juicy rebound goes directly for the rookie.

And, thanks to him, we score.

We skate along the bench bumping gloves but head back for the grind because the game isn’t over yet. Back to center ice we go.

They blow the whistle, and the puck is dropped.

I battle with the captain of New York. He’s tough…but I’m better. I get the puck loose and to Rhodes, who sends it to Wright. Off goes Greer yet again as they get the play set up. Back and forth and back, making the other team dizzy with their efforts.

Rhodes. Wright. Rhodes. Me. Rhodes.

Then right in the back of the net with just enough time to spare.

“Fuck yes!” I yell, jumping against the glass as my teammates crowd around me and celebrate.

We’re back in this, and with any luck, we can score again. It’s not over yet. There’s still some time left on the clock, and everyone knows every single second and inch counts in hockey, so we can’t get too cocky.

New York takes their timeout, and we hustle over to the bench, listening as the coaches go over everything we need to do to get the job done.

When that buzzer sounds thirty seconds later, it’s my favorite victory of the season so far.

After celebrations in the locker room, we go straight to the tarmac. It’s late, and we have a flight to catch because we’re finally going home.

Scout’s definitely asleep, so there’s no way I’m seeing her tonight, but just the thought of being able to walk up to the truck tomorrow and see her smiling face has me downright giddy.

“What the hell do you look so cheery for? It’s late as shit, man.”

I glance over to find a rather sourpuss-looking Greer sliding into the seat next to me. “Dude, how can you be grumpy? We just won.”

“I’m not grumpy. This is just my face.”

I laugh because he’s not exactly wrong. He does look grumpy all the time, even when I know that’s not the case. “You should probably get that fixed.”

He flips me off and pulls his headphones out of their case. “I plan to—with beauty rest.”

“You’re going to need a lot.”

Another middle finger is sent my way. “Seriously, though, aside from the win, why are you so damn happy?”

“I’m excited to get home, is all.”

His eyes light up at that. “That’s right—donut girl. How’s that going? Have you…” He looks around, then leans in close. “Did you finally ditch the v-card?”

“I’m not discussing my sex life with you.”

He scoffs, looking disappointed. “That means no.”

“We haven’t. Yet.”

“Ha!” he says loudly. “I knew it!”

“Dude, shut the fuck up,” I hiss, glancing around to make sure nobody is paying attention.

Most of the guys are already asleep, and a few of them are on their phones, probably with their wives. I can see Lowell’s screen from here, and he’s just watching his baby sleep. None of them are paying us any mind, thank fuck.

His brows slam together. “Seriously, dude? You’ve been hanging out with her constantly, and you still haven’t hit that?”

Annoyance builds in my chest at the way he’s talking about Scout like she’s just a random conquest and not someone I genuinely care about.

“It’s… Well, she’s Scout.”

“Yeah, I know who she is, numbnuts, but come on. You can’t tell me you haven’t had the chance—you’re just too chickenshit to actually do it.”

Have there been moments when I thought we’d tear each other’s clothes off? Sure. Do I want to do just that every time I see her? Yes, but I really don’t want her to think the only reason I’m with her is to lose my virginity, because it’s not that at all.

She means so much more to me than that.

Don’t get me wrong, fooling around with her is incredible, but it’s not even about that.

I like her sense of humor and the way her mind works. I like how hard she works and how she gives her business her all. I like the way she treats people and how she wears her heart on her sleeve. I like her laugh and her smile, and I fucking love her body.

I just like her.

When I’m away from her, I miss her, and when I’m with her, the world just seems to click into place. I’ve never had that before. I’ve never found a person I want to spend all of my time with.

Scout is more than sex. She’s more than just some random person I’m spending time with.

She’s… “Everything.”

“What?”

I gulp, then shake my head. “Nothing. It’s nothing.”

He looks like he doesn’t believe me, like he wants to ask a million questions, but thankfully, he doesn’t.

“I’m done talking to you about this.”

He shakes his head. “Whatever, man. But don’t come crying to me when you’re turning twenty-five and still carrying that card around.”

He pulls his headphones over his head, leans back against the seat, and closes his eyes. He’s going to sleep.

He’s going to sleep, and I’m sitting here realizing Scout means more to me than anyone ever has before and…I think I might be in love with her.

I’m no longer sure I can wait until tomorrow to see her. It needs to be tonight.

I have to see her.

Our flight home is a short one, and we’re landing back in North Carolina before I know it. I say my goodnights to the guys, then race to my Porsche. I don’t think about the time or the implication of showing up at her apartment at this hour—I just go straight there.

The lot is fairly dark when I arrive, and I try to guess which apartment is hers from the outside of the building. There are a few with their TVs still on, and I pray one of them is hers.

I take the stairs two at a time, completely focused on getting to her door when I crash directly into someone.

“Oh shit. I’m sorry. I—Miller?”

I look up to find Scout standing in the middle of the walkway.

“Scout…what are you doing?”

“I could ask you the same thing.”

“I…” I glance down at the bag she’s holding in her hand. “Are you going somewhere?”

“Your place.”

“My place?”

She nods, a blush stealing over her cheeks. “I wanted to see you. I was hoping you’d take pity on me and let me in for the night.”

Something I’ve never felt before swells inside my chest at her confession, and it’s so strong I physically rub at the spot where I feel it.

She missed me too.

“What’s in your bag?” I ask, taking a step closer to her.

“Clothes for tomorrow, some pajamas…”

Another step. “Pajamas, huh?”

She nods, looking sheepish.

One last step and I’m standing just in front of her, peering down at her as she looks up at me with wide, excited eyes.

I grip her chin between my fingers. “What’d I say about pajamas?”

Then I claim her mouth with mine and show her just how much I missed her.

The elevator ride up to my apartment is quiet. We’re literally standing on opposite sides of the space. It’s like we know if we stand too close, there’s no way we’re making it to my floor with all our clothes on.

And I’m really looking forward to not having my clothes on with her.

The car arrives on my floor, and we hurry down the hall to my apartment. The second we’re inside, my mouth is on hers. Her back meets the door with a loud moan as I slide my tongue between her lips, tasting her for the first time in what feels like years.

I missed this.

I missed her.

My hand comes up around her throat, gripping her gently and holding her there as I have my way with her mouth.

“God, you taste good,” I tell her, nipping my way across her jaw to that spot just below her ear. She moans when I bite down, then lick away the pain.

“Miller…” she pants.

She shoves at my suit jacket, and I shrug it down my shoulders, letting it fall to the floor in a heap. She begins plucking the buttons on my dress shirt free as my hands find the stupidly sexy yoga pants she’s wearing and push them down.

She steps out of them, then yanks her shirt over her head, leaving her leaning against the door in nothing but her bra and panties. As hot as she looks right now, I want them both gone. I want her bare and spread out before me.

As if she’s thinking the same thing, she pushes off the door and kisses me, trailing her mouth from mine and down my chin, over my throat, across my chest. Her descent doesn’t stop as she drags her soft lips lower and lower until she’s on her knees, her hands on my belt buckle.

It’s a beautiful fucking sight, one I could get really used to.

But right now, it’s not what I want.

I want her.

I’ve been close to this moment before, but never in my life has it felt as right as it feels tonight, as right as she feels.

I grab her by the chin, tugging her back, and she stands.

“Is everything okay?” she asks, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. I ease her concern with a soft kiss, wrapping my arms around her waist.

“As much as I love the way you look on your knees for me, Scout, I was kind of thinking of something else…”

“What…” It takes a moment for what I’m asking of her to register, and when it does, she looks shocked. “Oh. Are you…sure?”

“I’ve never been surer of anything in my entire life.”

“Okay, then.”

“Yeah?” She nods. “Good.”

I haul her into my arms, and her legs go around my waist on instinct. I crash my mouth to hers and carry her through the apartment and down the hall to my bedroom. I don’t stop until my knees hit the bed. Then, slowly, I set her down.

I reach around and unhook her bra as I continue to kiss her, and she finally gets the buckle of my pants undone. I toss the garment somewhere off to the side as I drop to my knees before her.

She leans back on her hands as I shoulder my way between her thighs, placing soft kisses up them just as she taught me before. I kiss and lick my way to her sweet, sweet center, treasuring the groan that leaves her when my tongue finally lands right where she wants it.

“Fuck, you taste so good,” I mutter against her. “I swear I could spend an hour with my tongue on your cunt.”

“I swear I’d let you,” she says, shivering as I suck her clit into my mouth.

Her fingers slide through my hair, holding me to her until her legs are quaking around me and she’s chanting my name.

“Grady, Grady, Grady.”

She says it over and over as she comes on my tongue. When her shaking subsides, I shove up to my feet, and her hands are on my belt in an instant. She pulls my pants and boxer briefs down my thighs, and the minute my cock springs free, she wraps her lips around it, tasting me for the first time like she can’t wait another second for it.

I groan, crashing my hands through her hair as she continues to lick and suck on me. I want to come. I want to bury my cock in the back of her throat and fuck her hard until she’s gagging around me.

But more than that, I want to feel her come apart around my dick.

With a gentle tug at her hair, I pull her off. She peers up at me, eyes glassy and lips swollen from my kisses and her own.

“As much as I want to come down your throat, I want to come inside you even more.”

Her eyes flare, and she nods, scooting back farther on the bed. I step out of my pants, kicking them away, then head for the bedside table.

I pull open the drawer and grab a condom.

She arches a brow, and I shrug.

“Wishful thinking.”

She laughs, but it’s cut off when I kiss her deeply. Not moving my lips from hers, I crawl onto the bed, positioning myself between her legs. I break our kiss, and with shaking fingers, I tear open the condom packet.

Scout doesn’t miss it. Her hands cover mine, and I look down at her.

“Let me,” she says softly, and I nod.

She pulls the condom from the wrapper, then fits it over my cock, rolling it down and giving me a few extra strokes.

“Are you nervous?” she asks, her hand still on my dick.

I shake my head. “No. I’m shaking because if you keep touching me, I’m going to come, and this will be over before it even started.”

She laughs, giving me one last languid stroke before trailing her hands up my abs, tugging me down on top of her as she falls to the mattress.

I’m not lying to her; I’m not nervous. I feel like I should be, but I can’t find it in me, and that’s because this moment? Right here with Scout?

It’s right.

I slide my hand between us and line my cock up with her body.

Then, inch by delicious fucking inch, I push inside her.

“Oh god,” I groan into her shoulder as I slowly slide in until there’s nothing more I can give. I’m holding on to her so tightly there’s no way she’s not going to bruise, but I need the stability to keep me grounded because I swear it feels like I’m two seconds away from floating on air with the pure euphoria I feel right now.

“It’s… You’re… Fuck.”

She chuckles, which makes her squeeze my cock even harder, and I want to die.

Wait—no. I definitely want to keep living in this moment. In fact, I want to live like this forever, buried inside of Scout, never to return.

She feels incredible. She feels right. She feels like everything I’ve been missing in my life.

She feels like mine.

I don’t want to move. I’m too scared that if I move, I’ll blow my load, and this will be the most disappointing few minutes of her life.

Think of anything else, Miller. Losing in the Finals. Taking a stick to the face. Catching a puck on my boot.

“Grady…I need you to move. Please,” she begs on a whisper.

And I can’t deny her.

Unhurriedly, I rock my hips. It feels good, so goddamn good I can’t hold back any longer. I pick up my pace, driving into her over and over, letting the sounds of her moans fill my ears as she angles her hips to meet my thrusts.

I’m literally shaking. Can feel sweat rolling down my back. I’m so damn close that if she doesn’t come in the next few seconds, this is over.

I don’t want it to be over.

I reach between us, letting my thumb brush over her clit, and with a few more thrusts, she’s crying out.

“Oh god, oh god, oh god.”

The minute her pussy squeezes my cock, I’m done for.

I come so hard I swear the life force slowly drains out of me. I collapse against her like an asshole, but I can’t move.

I can’t move, can’t even think straight. I’m so tired and exhausted it’s taking everything I have just to breathe right now.

She must not care because she wraps her arms around me, holding me tightly to her.

“You’re perfect,” I mutter, and I feel her laugh.

“I’m not.”

“For me, Scout. You’re perfect for me, and I really want to tell you something, but I’m scared you’re going to freak out.”

“What is it?” she asks.

But I don’t answer her. Instead, I drift off to sleep, repeating in my head three words I’m too afraid to say out loud.

I love you.