Three Pucking Wedding Dates (Hockey Harems #1)

12. Oakley

12

OAKLEY

T he cooking class comes to an end, and I watch as everyone packs up their stuff and heads out the door. As the room empties, I make my way over to Gray who’s wiping down the counter with a satisfied smile.

“Gray, you did an amazing job leading the class,” I say, beaming at him. “Better than I would have expected.”

“Better than you would have expected?” he repeats, raising an eyebrow at me. “You doubted me?”

“Well…”

He chuckles and shakes his head. “Thanks, Oakley…I think. Although, I’ll be making sure to read all the contracts put in front of me before signing them from now on.”

I can’t help but laugh at his joke, knowing full well how he was roped into this whole thing. But it’s hard to deny that he made the most of it. “You know, you’re really lucky to be able to do something like this and make a crap ton of money, just like that.”

His eyes meet mine, warmth radiating from his gaze. “I guess I am,” he admits, his lips curving into a grin.

Curiosity piques as I watch Gray finish cleaning up his station. “So, how much did you make doing this?” I ask, trying to guess the amount. “Twenty thousand? Thirty?”

Gray chuckles, shaking his head. “Try forty thousand,” he replies with a grin.

No way.

My eyes widen in shock. “You’re kidding! That’s almost as much as I make in a year!” I can’t help but feel a pang of envy. This took less than two hours of his time, while I work forty-hour weeks every year to try and make the same amount.

Leaning in, Gray presses a gentle kiss to my cheek. “What’s mine is yours, you know.” His words warm my heart, but I know what he’s implying. And I still just don’t think I can go there with him, not right now.

I blush. “Thank you, Gray. That means a lot, but I’m doing just fine on my own.”

“If you say so.” He changes the subject. “So, how did your beef Wellington turn out?”

I hesitate for a moment, trying to find the right words. “It went okay,” I say quietly, hoping he’ll leave it at that because I don’t want to divulge all the details.

“Really? You don’t sound too confident about it. I want to see it,” he insists, a playful smirk on his face.

“Gray, no. It’s not worth showing off, trust me,” I try to dissuade him, but he’s already heading toward my table.

“Wow, Oakley, this looks amazing!” he exclaims, peering down at Reid’s dish. “Why didn’t you want to show this off?” His eyes are filled with confusion, but before I can defend myself, Reid joins us, laughing.

“Maybe because that one isn’t hers,” Reid says with a mischievous grin. He reaches into the oven and retrieves my dish, setting it on the counter next to his. The difference between the two is glaringly obvious.

Gray’s eyes dart between Reid’s perfect beef Wellington and my own…disaster. I can see him searching for the right words, trying to find something nice to say about it. But it’s Reid who cuts to the chase.

“Oakley, this is just…awful,” he says bluntly, his lips twitching with a suppressed laugh.

My cheeks burn, but before I can respond, Gray bursts into laughter as well, joined by Reid. The two of them lean against each other, their laughter filling the room.

“Okay, okay, that’s enough!” I exclaim, my annoyance flaring up. My pride may be wounded, but I’m not going to let them have all the fun at my expense.

I grab a handful of flour from a nearby bowl and, without a second thought, hurl it in their direction. It explodes across Gray’s chest and Reid’s face, covering them both in a fine white powder.

“Hey!” Gray sputters, wiping the flour away from his mouth, his eyes wide with surprise. “What was that for?”

“Think you’re so funny, do you?” I challenge, a smirk growing on my lips. “Let’s see how you like a taste of your own medicine.”

“Two can play at that game,” Reid warns, grinning wickedly as he scoops up a handful of flour himself.

Within moments, the kitchen becomes a battlefield, all of us dodging and launching our powdery projectiles. Laughter fills the air as we duck behind counters and tables, attempting to outwit and outmaneuver each other.

As I take cover behind a stack of mixing bowls, I can’t help but think about how lucky I am to have friends like Gray and Reid. Sure, they might tease me relentlessly, but they also know how to turn even the most embarrassing situations into something fun.

“Gotcha!” Reid shouts triumphantly as a cloud of flour erupts in my face, momentarily blinding me. I sputter and cough, trying to shake it off.

“Reid, you jerk!” I exclaim, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand. “You’re going to pay for that!”

“Bring it on, Oakley!” he taunts, darting away with a grin.

As I scoop up another handful of flour and take aim, I can’t help but laugh. Despite my less-than-successful cooking attempt, this is turning out to be one unforgettable day.

Flour billows through the air like a powdery snowstorm as we continue our playful battle. Gray’s laughter fills my ears as he ducks behind a prep table, narrowly avoiding a handful of flour I aimed at his head. Reid, not far away, smirks and launches his own attack on Gray, who emerges from his hiding spot just in time to catch the surprise assault.

“Nice try, but you’ll have to do better than that!” I call out, giggling as I watch them both wiping flour from their faces.

“Watch out, Oakley!” Gray warns playfully, tossing another cloud of flour in my direction. I dodge it with a laugh, retaliating by sending a handful of the stuff right back at him.

“Ha! Missed me!” I grin triumphantly as Gray shakes his head, flour cascading from his sandy-blond hair.

But just as I’m about to claim victory, Gray lunges forward, grabbing my hand and pulling me close. My heart races as he looks into my eyes, his brown orbs filled with warmth and mischief.

“Give up yet?” he asks gently, pressing his flour-covered fingers against mine.

“Never,” I reply defiantly, feeling a sudden surge of heat in my cheeks as his gaze holds mine captive.

“Guess I’ll have to make you surrender then,” he murmurs, leaning in to close the distance between us. His lips brush against mine, soft and sweet, stealing my breath away. It feels as if time stops for a moment, the world shrinking down to just the two of us.

As Gray deepens the kiss, my resistance crumbles, and I find myself melting into his embrace. I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him even closer. This unexpected turn of events leaves me reeling, but I can’t bring myself to pull away. The connection between us is too strong, too undeniable to resist.

“Gray,” I breathe against his lips, unable to hide the desire in my voice.

My thoughts scatter like leaves in the wind, leaving only the sweet taste of his mouth and the warmth of his body against mine.

“Oakley,” Gray murmurs into the kiss, his strong hands gripping my waist as if he’s afraid I’ll slip away.

I sigh helplessly, completely lost in the whirlwind of emotions swirling within me. I’ve never felt this way before—so alive, so wanted, so utterly consumed by passion.

Suddenly, I feel another pair of hands on me—Reid’s hands. His touch startles me at first, but as his fingertips brush my hips, I moan into Gray’s mouth, my desire for him growing stronger by the second.

“Like what you’re feeling, dollface?” Reid whispers huskily in my ear. The weight of his arousal presses against my back, a thrilling reminder of the raw sensuality that surrounds us.

“Reid,” I gasp, my heart pounding wildly in my chest. I can’t deny the effect he has on me, just as powerful as Gray’s embrace.

Reid gently takes my chin, pulling my lips away from Gray’s, and tilts my head up to meet his gaze. His green eyes are dark with lust, and I shiver under their intensity. Then, without warning, he captures my mouth with his own, his kiss harder and more demanding than Gray’s.

“Reid,” I manage to whisper before losing myself in the urgency of his touch.

My mind races with conflicting thoughts—guilt over my actions, fear of the consequences, and a burning need for both men that refuses to be ignored. As Reid’s tongue explores my mouth, I begin to wonder if giving in to this desire will change everything…or if it’s already too late.

The heat of Gray’s lips on my neck sends shivers down my spine, his tender kisses leaving a trail of fire in their wake. His hands find their way to my breasts, gently kneading them, the sensation driving me wild.

“Gray,” I moan, arching my back as he continues to lavish attention on my sensitive flesh. Meanwhile, Reid’s erection presses insistently against me, urging me to move against him. I can’t help but comply, grinding back into him, desperate for more contact.

“Feels so good, doesn’t it, Oakley?” Reid murmurs in between kisses, his breath hot and intoxicating. I nod, unable to form words as these two incredible men envelop me in a cocoon of desire.

“God, you’re so beautiful like this,” Gray whispers against my skin, sending another wave of goosebumps down my arms.

“Sh-she really is,” Reid stammers, his voice thick with lust.

I smile, feeling both powerful and vulnerable as they worship my body. But just as I’m about to succumb entirely to the pleasure, the sound of the door clicking open jolts me back to reality.

A woman stands in the doorway, her eyes wide with shock and embarrassment. “Oh, I’m so sorry!” she exclaims, her cheeks flushing a deep shade of red. “I was supposed to clean, but I’ll come back.”

I immediately pull away from Gray and Reid, mortified at being caught in such an intimate moment. My face burns with shame, and I struggle to catch my breath as the woman hurriedly backs out of the room, mumbling apologies under her breath.

For a moment, we all stand there in stunned silence, the flour-covered kitchen a stark reminder of how innocently this all started.

It definitely didn’t end innocently.

The door slams shut with a bang, and the three of us stand there, our chests heaving as we try to process what just happened. I wrap my arms around myself, suddenly all too aware of how exposed I feel.

“Shit,” Reid mutters under his breath, raking a hand through his tousled hair. “That was…unexpected.”

“You think?” I snap, unable to stop the anger from seeping into my voice. This isn’t their fault—not completely, anyway—but I can’t help feeling humiliated by the situation.

Gray gives me a sympathetic look, his warm brown eyes filled with concern. “Hey, it’s okay. She didn’t see anything too explicit.”

Reid speaks up after a long, uncomfortable silence. “We should get going. Gray and I have practice in an hour, and we can’t be late. Besides, the sooner we leave this place, the better.”

“Agreed.” Gray nods, grabbing a few paper towels to help clean up the mess we made.

I glance at the two of them, my best friends, and feel a pang of guilt for letting things spiral so far out of control. But as much as I want to take back those heated moments, there’s a part of me that can’t help but crave more.

“Okay,” I murmur, forcing a smile onto my face. “Let’s get out of here.”

As we make our way to the car, I replay the events in my head, wondering how long it’ll take for things to return to normal between us—if they ever do. But even amidst the chaos of my thoughts, one thing remains clear—this may have been a mistake, but it’s one that I don’t regret.

A gust of wind flutters my hair as I step outside, the cool air a welcome reprieve from the heat that enveloped me in the kitchen. Gray and Reid walk ahead of me, their bodies tense, their conversation nonexistent. I can’t help but feel responsible for the awkwardness between us.