One Pucking Destiny (Crane Hockey #4)

Chapter 21

CHAPTER

TWENTY-ONE

BASH

I blow out an exaggerated breath, letting my head fall back. She may be gorgeous, but she’s not euchre partner material.

“I don’t know why you’re smiling,” Jaden says to her. “You just lost that trick.”

“How?” Her voice is indignant. “An ace is higher than a jack.”

“Not when the jack played is a trump card.” Max picks up the jack of hearts from the pile. “This is literally the highest card that can be laid during this round. The second highest would be the jack of diamonds.”

“Why the jack of diamonds? That’s not even the suit that was called,” Ari protests, her face tightening as her lips purse together. God, she’s beautiful when she’s annoyed.

Gorgeous or not, she’s driving me crazy. “Because.” I aim to keep my voice steady even though I’ve gone over these rules for what feels like a hundred times with my partner , and in this game, I use that word lightly. “The bower of the same color of trump is the second-highest card in the game. Since hearts were called, the diamond bower is the second highest card.”

Ari throws her hands up. “What the fuck is a bower?”

“A jack!” Max, Jaden, and I say in unison.

She rolls her eyes. “This game is insanely dumb. It makes no sense.”

“It makes complete sense.” Jaden chuckles. “It’s not even fun for Max and me to win against you two. It’s like we’re playing with a pair of raccoons.”

“Hey.” I shoot him a glare.

He motions toward Ari. “It’s not your fault, man. You’re only as strong as your partner.”

“It’s not my fault either. This is the most confusing card game I’ve ever seen. It’s not even fun.” She tosses the rest of her hand into the pile in the center, signaling her defeat.

I set the remainder of my cards in the pile with the rest. I look across the table at Ari with a small smile. “It’s actually really fun when you understand it. ”

“How have you never played? You’re from Michigan. This game is in our blood.”

She huffs out a breath. “It’s not in mine. Plus, when would I have played? It’s a four-person game, right? It was just me and my mom.”

“You would’ve played with friends. You had those, yes?” Jaden quips.

“None who wanted to play euchre .” She spats out the name of the game as if she takes personal offense to it.

“Let’s do something else,” I offer. “This isn’t the last day of bye week vibes.”

“Definitely not.” Max leans back in his chair. “We have the pool and drinks.”

“Seems as good of a plan as any other.” I stand.

Jaden looks at me with an assessing stare. He raises his brows. “You sure you’ll be able to drink today, Cookie? Considering you about died yesterday.”

He has a point. The team likes to pick on one another for one stupid thing after the next, and it never really bothers me. Yet the complete lack of judgment I displayed yesterday is embarrassing as hell. I’m fully capable of knowing my limits and understanding that a bottle of whiskey isn’t meant to be chugged. I deserve all the shit the guys give me today.

Plus, he’s right. The last thing I want to do today is drink alcohol. “If you must know, water is my beverage of choice today.”

He and Max exchange glances and burst out in laughter. I can’t even be annoyed with them. There’s no doubt I was quite the entertainment yesterday.

Ari gives me a look, and I can’t quite tell what she’s thinking, but she wears a mask resembling sorrow.

“Aw, Cookie.” Max punches my shoulder. “We’ve all been there.”

“Sure have.” Jaden shakes his head. “Anyway, can you guys believe we’ll be back to morning practices, drills, lifts, traveling, and games in just two days?”

I look at Jaden and Max as wide smiles spread across our faces. “Fuck yeah!” we holler.

“Can’t wait,” I say.

“Me either. I’m ready to get back to it.” Max nods.

Ariana stares blankly. “Hasn’t it only been one week?”

Jaden answers, “Yes, sweet Ari, but when you’re away from something you love, a week is a long time.”

“True story,” Max agrees, standing from the table.

The rest of us follow him, and we retrieve our beverages of choice from the bar. I stay true to my word and grab a water. Despite my choices yesterday, I normally have common sense.

The pool day has a more relaxing vibe than earlier in the week. After days of drinking, I think we’re all feeling partied out.

I sit on the built-in bench at the end of the pool with Ari at my side. We watch the others play a game of volleyball. A sense of calm surrounds me that I haven’t had all week. In truth, it would’ve been great to feel this way the whole time. But if a day is all I get, I’ll take it.

There’s no frantic voice in my head, thinking of all the ways I can get Ari to fall for me. The back-and-forth of our relationship is gone, neither of us feeling the need to prove our case. She’s not trying to convince me that she’s not into me, and I’m not attempting to prove to her that she is. The stressful back-and-forth yo-yo that has consumed our relationship is gone, the string broken.

It’s just us, content.

And holy hell, it’s the best feeling in the world.

My hand traces lazy circles against the small of her back beneath the water while she absentmindedly runs her foot against mine. It’s so easy and feels like it should always be this way. I refuse to let my brain panic about what tomorrow will bring when I have her today.

My foot taps against the tile, my knee bouncing as I stare toward the pool. I’m not really taking in the view, merely waiting for the minutes to pass. Ari announced that she was heading to bed about fifteen minutes ago, wanting to get some sleep for her early flight tomorrow.

To avoid drawing attention, we agreed I’d wait down here for a while and join her in a bit. It’s ironic seeing we didn’t space out our departures earlier this week when we weren’t screwing. Yet now that we are, it feels pertinent to keep it hidden.

Fifteen full minutes—that seems adequate. I stand and make a show of stretching, not that anyone cares, and take off toward the house.

My heart beats rapidly, and my body hums in anticipation of what’s to come. It might be tied with the way I feel before our first game of the season. Sex with Ari is that good.

I open the door to my room to find Ari naked and sprawled out on my bed. By the looks of her damp hair and makeup-free face, she’s freshly showered.

“Did I die and go to heaven?” I close the door behind me and turn the deadbolt.

She throws a pillow at me. “So cliché.”

“Clichés are coined as such for a reason.” I kick off my flip-flops and pull off my swim trunks. “And believe me… you, naked in my bed, is the reason clichés exist.”

I jump into the bed, the front side of my body against the mattress, and lie beside her. “I don’t even know if that makes sense, but it sounds good, so I’ll give it a pass.” She moves a piece of my hair off my forehead.

Propped up on my elbows, I lean over and supply her breasts with kisses. She half giggles, half sighs as I take her nipple into my mouth. I pull back, her nipple elongating and leaving my mouth with a pop. I lay my cheek against her chest as she threads her fingers through my hair.

“We should have these hookups when we get back to Michigan,” I offer, trailing my hand down her body and over her hip bone.

“Bash,” she chastises. “We talked about this, and you promised.”

“I know. I was just making sure you haven’t changed your mind. Because if you had, I’d be willing to renegotiate terms.”

“I haven’t.”

“Alright, fine. Can’t blame a guy for trying.” I press my face between her breasts and blow a raspberry against her skin, causing her to giggle.

“I will miss our one-night stands. You’re definitely the best I’ve had.” She takes my face between her hands.

“I thought you said I was your worst.”

“As in neediest. Skill-wise, you’re pretty good.” She smiles, her tongue peeking out to wet her lips.

I push up from the bed and trail kisses over her collarbone. She moves her head to the side in silent invitation as I kiss up her neck. “Pretty good or fucking incredible,” I whisper against her ear. “Be careful how you answer this.”

“Fucking incredible.”

“Good answer.” I swing my leg over her body to straddle her. Caging her head between my arms, I ravage her with a kiss, my tongue giving a preview of what’s to come.

“Bash.” She breathes my name, soaking with need.

I nip at her lip. “Yeah?”

“Since it’s our last night together, I want something a little different.”

I slide my hand down her body until it’s between her legs. “What’s that?” I ask as I insert two fingers into her warmth.

She squirms beneath my touch, releasing a soft moan. “I want you to fuck me. Hard. I want to feel where you were tomorrow when we’re no longer together. ”

“Fucking-A, Ari,” I groan, pressing my forehead to hers.

There aren’t sufficient words to explain how crazy she makes me, so I’ll have to show her with my body.

Removing my fingers from between her legs, I slide off the bed. Taking hold of her hips, I flip her over so her front is toward the mattress, and I pull her body down so her legs hang off onto the floor.

“Hands over your head.” She follows orders, spreading her arms out on the bed in front of her. “Don’t touch yourself until I tell you.”

Her response is a lust-filled whimper.

I spread her legs apart and slide into her hot opening. As I start to move, I smack her juicy ass, and the carnal sigh she releases sends goose bumps coursing through my body, all the way to my scalp. My girl likes it a little rough.

She’s my girl whether she wants to declare it or not. Tomorrow, when she still feels me between her legs, she’ll have to admit it. Now that I’ve had Ari, I don’t ever want anyone else.

Knees bent, I try to hit the angle that drives her mad. My fingers dig into her hips, pulling her body toward me, and I pump harder and faster. My skin glistens with sweat as I focus all my energy on making sure Ari feels the sensations from my movements throughout her body. Every few seconds, my palm smacks against the soft skin of her ass, now rosy with the prints of my hand. Every time, she moans louder, pushing me closer to release.

“Put your face into the bed, babe,” I groan. “You’re going to wake up the whole damn house.”

She complies as I thrust into her again with a smack of her ass. She releases a cry of pleasure, this time muted by the comforter atop the mattress.

I move inside her until I can’t hold off my release another second. Wrapping my hand around her hip to her front, I rub her clit until we’re exploding together—her body drawing every last drop out of me.

Pulling out of her, I fall to the bed as we catch our breaths. She rolls over so she’s on her back and lays next to me.

“How was that?” I take her hand and thread my fingers through hers.

“So good.” She sighs dreamily. “I can’t wait to go again.”

I chuckle. “Well, give me a few minutes.”

She squeezes my hand in response.

“You know.” I pull her hand to my mouth and kiss it. “If you hadn’t blown me off all week, we wouldn’t have to fit a week’s worth of fucking into one night.”

“Yeah, I’m starting to question my choices.”

Her answer makes me smile.