The Keeper (Playing to Win #1)(31)

“You got a new number on your jersey there, trouble.” Maddox nods toward me, then hands me a bottle of water.

“You do,” Everly inhales, overly excited.

“Calm down. It doesn’t mean anything,” I tell them both, and okay, so maybe I’m trying to convince myself a little too.

“She doth protest too much.” Evie smiles.

“What the fuck did you just say?” Maddox asks, and I giggle.

Everly rolls her eyes. “How did you graduate from college?”

“I fucked a lot of TAs,” he tells her matter-of-factly.

They don’t stop, but I tune them out because there on my screen is Easton Hayes in my team’s uniform, skating onto the ice. And oh my, does he look good.

“Oh, honey, I hope you climb that man like the tree he is, once he gets home. Look at him.” I blush at Everly’s words because yes, I’d very much like to climb that tree.

“Are you climbing trees now, trouble?”

I reach across Everly with a pillow and smack Maddox in the face. His beer spills down his shirt, but oh well. “It’s none of your business whether I’m climbing trees, madman.”

He snatches the pillow out of my hand and uses it to wipe his shirt. “You’re right. I don’t wanna know. But make sure Hayes knows if he hurts you, I’ll kill him.” All the joking is gone from Maddox’s voice, and I’m pretty sure he’s completely serious.

“Aww,” Everly singsongs. “You do love us.”

He smacks her with the pillow. “Nope. Not you. Just her.”





Lindy



You won!





Easton



Were you watching me, princess?





Lindy



I do own the team, hockey boy. I was watching everyone.





Easton



Admit it. Not like you were watching me.





Lindy



Maybe.





Easton



We’re pulling up to the hotel now. I’ll be in my room in a few minutes. Are you still in my jersey?





Lindy



Maybe.





Easton



Leave it on.





Lindy



Aren’t you sharing a room?





Easton



Boone’s going to the bar. He already asked me if I wanted to go.





Lindy



You should go and make friends.





Easton



I’d rather talk to my wife. In my jersey. And princess . . .





Lock your door.





Holy hotness . . . okay.

I drop my phone down on my nightstand, and decide to lock my door, just to be on the safe side. I mean, it’s not like we can do anything over the phone, right?

Can we?

Of course we can. Crap.

What’s he thinking?

I’ve never even had real sex.

How am I supposed to know how to have phone sex?

I turn off my overhead light and fan, then decide to turn the fan back on. All my years on the ice have trained me to be more comfortable cold than hot. When I sit back down on my bed, I decide to turn on the lamp on my nightstand. It gives off a soft glow, and I wonder if I should shut it off, but before I can decide, Easton’s calling me.

His gorgeous face flashes on my screen, and I take a deep breath and answer, “Hey.”

His sandy-brown hair is still damp from the shower I’m sure he took after the game. A navy-blue Revolution hoodie is stretching across his chest, and a sexy smile sits on that handsome face. “Hey, princess. How was your day?”

I take a deep breath and try to convince myself I can do this.

It’s Easton, and we’re just talking like we’ve done a million times.

Only this time, I’m wearing his jersey and his rings and thinking about very un-friend-like things. I guess that explains why I’m suddenly so nervous, my hands are shaking.

“Well I avoided my mother. That was fun.” I move my pillows around behind myself and get comfortable. “She called twice, then texted, asking me to meet her at Sweet Temptations for coffee tomorrow. So I’ve got that to look forward to. I only had two baby skaters cry through their lessons, which is one less than yesterday, so that’s winning. I officially congratulated my former partner on replacing me. And I watched the Revolution game tonight with Everly and Maddox. Oh, and Everly asked me to wear one of her designs to the New Year’s Eve gala. So there’s that.”

He drops the phone down, so I’m looking up at him as he takes off his hoodie. His gray t-shirt rides up with it, momentarily exposing his delicious abs before he tugs it back down and sits down. “That’s a lot to unpack. Are you going to meet your mom tomorrow?”

“I don’t really want to.”

Easton shrugs. “Maybe she’ll surprise you. I talked to Jules today, and she was pretty good about everything until she heard Jace. Then she went kind of crazy before I ended the call. Jace better be careful. You know how Jules can get.”