Puck Pact: A Marriage of Convenience Hockey Romance (East Coast Series)

“The limo is here.”

Aarya’s muffled voice comes from behind the bathroom door. “Almost ready!”

The door cracks open and Giuliana slips out before closing it behind her. “Wait until you see her. She looks like a princess, Daddy.”

“I bet she does.” I scoop her up into my arms and press my lips to her pudgy cheek. “You going to be a good listener for Annie tonight?”

She rolls her eyes. “I’m always a good listener.”

I arch a brow. “No waiting up for me?”

Her shoulders slump forward. “Can I at least sleep in the big bed while you’re gone?”

“You have Ellie and Dash to keep you company in your bed.”

“But your bed is so much more comfortable,” she whines.

“Tell you what: If you sleep in your own bed tonight, I’ll take you to the movies tomorrow to see the new Disney movie.”

Her eyes light up as she gasps. “Deal!”

I planned on taking her to see the movie regardless, but she doesn’t have to know that.

A flash of red in the corner of my eye pulls my attention as Aarya steps out of the hallway and into the living room.

My jaw drops, and Giuliana giggles. “Told you she looked like a princess.”

Aarya in this curve-hugging satin gown looks like anything but a princess. More like a tantalizing siren ready to lure me to certain death—and I’d go willingly.

Aarya does a slow spin, giving me a glimpse of the backless cut of the dress that stops just above her tailbone. Her hair is swept into an elegant low bun. I don’t often get to see her with her hair up, and my lips are already itching to kiss the nape of her delicate neck.

I blink and clear my throat. “You’re flawless.”

She grins as her eyes trail down my tux. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”

We say goodbye to Annie and Giuliana, and make our way to the limo outside.

“You did good picking out this dress, Big Man.” She arches a brow. “Do I even want to know how you figured out my size?”

“I went through your closet while you were in the shower a couple of weeks ago. Then I went to a few stores until I found this one.” My hand rests on her low back, my fingers skimming the soft skin there. “I knew it’d look perfect on you.”This text is property of Nô/velD/rama.Org.

She shivers against my touch. “Keep touching me like that and we’ll have to find a coat closet when we get there.”

My dick twitches at the thought as we get inside the limo.

She rests her head on my shoulder as the driver pulls away, as if showing me affection is the most normal thing in the world. I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to it though. Since the night she got attacked by Carter, it’s like something changed in her. As if she needed to know I’ll stand by her even when she messes up; as if she finally realized that I mean it when I say I’m not going anywhere.

As if maybe, she’s falling in love with me too.

She hasn’t said it, and neither have I. I don’t want to scare her off being too much too soon. But the words are at the tip of my tongue every time I look into her eyes.

“I’ve never been to a charity event before,” she says.

“This one is pretty standard compared to other galas, but there’s a two-drink maximum at this one.”

“That’s a great idea. There shouldn’t be an option for people to get drunk at an event with people who lost their loved ones to drunk driving.”

I’ve been supporting this charity since I started making money with the Goldfinches. A drunk driver took my parents away from me, and while there’s anger and resentment there, I also feel sorry for the person who was has to live with that mistake on his conscience for the rest of his life. That’s what I love the most about this charity. Not only do we help the victims’ families, but we provide assistance to substance abusers who need help. If my money can make a difference in someone’s life, then I’ll happily donate anything I can.

As the limo approaches the venue, I squeeze Aarya’s hand. “It might be a little chaotic when we arrive. The paparazzi aren’t allowed in, so we’ll have to take a few pictures, but then we can relax once we’re inside.”

She lifts her head off my shoulder and watches out the window as we get closer. She hasn’t complained about being in the spotlight once since we started this thing. She hasn’t complained about being photographed, or being hounded everywhere she goes, and she hasn’t given security a hard time about following her. She has truly taken this whole unlikely situation in stride, and I couldn’t be more grateful for it. For her.

Throngs of people crowd the entrance as the limo rolls to a stop, and the camera flashes intensify when I step outside.

I keep Aarya close as we step out onto the path leading to the entryway door. We smile and pose, and I answer a few questions, some of them geared toward tonight’s event or the hockey season—but most of them are about Aarya.

“Did you two set a date yet?” one reporter asks.

Aarya holds up her left hand and grins. “Surprise. We already got married.”

The cameras flash around us like a million bolts of lightning, and questions erupt from every angle. We answer as many as we can, tag-teaming the reporters as if we’ve been in the spotlight together for ages. Then I tug Aarya’s hand until we’re safe inside the building.

Before we enter the main ballroom, Aarya stops beside an easel holding up a large sign—with my face on it.

Her eyes dart to mine. “You’re the guest of honor?”

I shrug. “I am every year.”

She smacks my arm. “Why wouldn’t you tell me that?”

“I didn’t think it was important.”

“What makes you the guest of honor?”

“I donate the most amount of money, and I pay for the event.”

“Oh, you’re right. Totally no big deal at all.” She shakes her head. “You’re so fucking modest.”

I press my lips against her temple and whisper, “You’re so hot when you curse.”

She purses her lips as she scowls at me. “Don’t try to distract me with your sexy voice in my ear.”

My tongue skates out and traces the cusp of her ear. “You make my dick hard when you glare at me like that.”

Her grip on my hand tightens. “Then it’ll really send you over the edge when I tell you I’m not wearing any underwear.”

She lets go of my hand, and waltzes toward our friends standing by the bar, glancing over her shoulder to flash me a devious smile.

Yeah, we’re going to have to find a coat closet.

Aarya

“How are you feeling?”

I shrug before taking a sip of champagne. “Fine.”

“I’m your best friend, and I’ve barely talked to you in weeks since everything happened at the gallery.” Cassidy’s eyes drop to where the marks have faded away on my neck. “That was pretty intense.”

“I know it was. I think I’m still processing.” I lean my elbows back on the bar as I gaze out at the beautiful ballroom. “I didn’t think of the consequences. I just did it. I didn’t expect Carter to react like that.”

“You’ve always been that way. You react on impulse, and ask questions later.” She squeezes my hand. “I’m really glad you’re okay.”

My eyes find Alexander talking to a group of people across the room. “I don’t know what would’ve happened if he didn’t get there in time.”

“Don’t think about that. He did, and that’s all that matters.” She lowers her voice as she leans in. “I heard he hurt Carter pretty good.”

My eyebrows lift. “You have no idea.”

“Good.” Cassidy shakes her head. “That asshole is lucky I don’t stab him in the dick.”

“Who are we stabbing in the dick?” Celeste asks, walking up to us with Kourtney on her arm. “I love a good dick stabbing.”

I chuckle. “No one. Keep the sharp objects away from Lorena Bobbitt over here.”

“You and Krum Cake look awfully close tonight,” Kourtney says. “How are things going for you newlyweds?”

“He’s on the other side of the room. How do we look close?”

Kourtney arches a brow at me. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I saw you both coming out of the coat closet in between the first and second course.”

Celeste and Cassidy gasp. Loud.

“Shh.” I clamp my hand over Cassidy’s mouth because she’ll be the one to scream exactly what everyone’s thinking. “We were…looking for something.”

“Yeah, Alexander’s dick,” Celeste blurts out. “Bet your vagina found it too.”

She sure did.

No longer able to keep up the charade, my shoulders slump forward. “He has the most perfect dick I’ve ever seen.”

“I knew it!” the three of them shout in unison.

Celeste shoves my shoulder. “You owe us fifty bucks, bitch.”

I hold up my index finger. “No, you bet that we’d have sex within the first month of living together. So, you guys owe me fifty bucks.”

“She’s right,” Kourtney says.

“Of course I am.” I flash them a triumphant grin. “I accept cash, Venmo, or PayPal.”

Cassidy side-eyes me. “And what about the other bet we made?”

I feign ignorance. “What other bet? There was no other bet.”

Three pairs of eyes stare me down in silence.

I lower my voice, glancing around me to make sure no one else is within earshot. “I’m not in love with Alexander. We’re just…”

But I can’t finish the sentence.

“Just what?” Kourtney asks, her expression softening.

“I don’t know. It’s weird. You ever meet someone who gives you such good orgasms, you get the urge to cook him a meal?”

Cassidy tips her head. “What do you mean?”

“Have you ever been like, damn, this man has the most magnificent dick, I want to make sure he’s fed?” I heave a frustrated sigh, unable to get the right words out. “The other night, I gave Annie the night off so I could hang out with Giuliana. I knew Alex was on his way home from an away game, and he’s always starving when he walks through the door, so I…” I blink. “I cooked him dinner. As in, I had dinner waiting for him when he got home.”

Cassidy bites her bottom lip in a half-assed attempt to hide her smile.

“And then, the other day, I saw that his laundry was piling up.” I shrug. “So, I did it. I did a grown man’s laundry because I knew he’d be tired when he got home.”

“Let me get this straight,” Celeste says. “You are doing things for him because you care if he’s hungry and tired. You’re taking care of his kid when he’s not around.” She pauses. “And you think it’s because he’s good in bed?”

I shrug like it’s simple math. “How else would you explain it?”

“You care for him,” Kourtney says.

“Well, yeah. I care.”

Duh. That’s obvious. We’ve grown into something closer than friends over these last few months.

Cassidy sniffles, and dabs at the corner of her eye.

My chin jerks back. “Why are you crying?”

“Babe, you’re in love.” She sniffles again. “That’s why you want to do all of these things for him. And that’s why he’s been doing all these romantic things for you—because he’s in love with you too.”

I shake my head before she even finishes her sentence. “No way. That’s not what this is.”

Celeste rolls her eyes. “Don’t do this. Don’t do the whole ignoring you’re in love thing. You’re not a delusional romance book character.”

“I’m not ignoring anything.” My chest squeezes, and I struggle to suck in my next breath. “We’ve only just started dating. Sure, we have feelings for each other, but…”

We can’t be in love, can we?

“But, what?” Cassidy asks, those keen eyes of hers looking right through my façade like only best friends can do.

“I just don’t know what this is, honestly.”

I’ve never been in love before. How would I know what it feels like?

Kourtney gestures with her index finger. “Then tell me how you feel about that woman hitting on Alexander right now.”

My head whips around. “Who’s hitting on him?”

A tall, beautiful blonde-haired woman is talking with Alexander at the edge of the dance floor. The way her body is angled toward him, the flirty smile pulling at her lips, and the fuck-me eyes she’s giving him tell me everything I need to know.

He says something, and she throws her head back as she laughs, placing a palm on his shoulder.

Oh, hell no.

I slam my champagne flute down on the bar, and strut over to them.

Celeste barks out a laugh. “Go and get your man!”

Alexander sees me coming before the woman does, and I don’t miss the brief smirk that twists his mouth to the side.

I don’t slow down as I approach him, and he removes his hands from his pockets as he turns his body toward me. Without thinking twice about it, I slam into him and wrap my arms around the back of his neck.

I hug him.

I fucking hug him.

His arms wrap around me so tight, I can barely breathe, and he twirls me around in a circle before setting me down on the floor again.

“Louise, this is my wife, Aarya.” He keeps his arm securely around my waist as he introduces me.

Louise-who-touched-my-man reaches out her hand to shake my outstretched one. “It’s so nice to meet you. Alexander was just telling me about your new gallery. I have several pieces of art that I recently procured, and I’d love for you to take a look at them. Maybe you’d want to show them in your space when you’re ready.”

“She’s an art curator,” Alexander explains.

In other words, that’s the reason he’s talking to her.

For me.

“That would be great. I’d love to chat with you sometime.” I let out an awkward laugh. “I feel so overwhelmed opening up my own gallery. I don’t know where to start.”

She reaches into her clutch, and pulls out a business card. “Here’s my number. Please, call me any time. We can meet up and have lunch, or I can come by the gallery. Whatever works for you.”

Okay, maybe Louise can keep her well-manicured hand attached to her wrist.

We chat for a few more minutes until the DJ announces that it’s time for dessert, and then we say goodbye to Louise.

Alexander trails his fingers along my lower back as he leads me to our table. “What do you think of her?”

“I think she’s lovely.” I flash him an innocent smile. “As long as she keeps her hands off my husband.”

“Yours are the only hands I want on me, spitfire.” He chuckles as amusement sparkles in his eyes. “But I kinda like this jealous version of you.”

Jealous.

I don’t get jealous.

I take what I want and then I leave. There has never been room for jealousy, because I don’t get attached to things that aren’t mine.

But it feels like Alexander is mine.

Moreover, I want him to be.

His head dips down as he speaks close to my ear. “You never have anything to be jealous over. You are all I see, all I want, all I crave. You are it for me. The sooner you accept that, the sooner we can be on the same page. So, I’m gonna need you to catch up.”

His words wrap around my heart, causing a deep ache in my chest.

I pull back and gaze up at him, those honest eyes of his showing me everything I need to see like he’s laying it all out on the table for me.

And it hits me.

This feeling, this overwhelming emotion consuming me…I know what it is.

Shit.

The girls were right.

I fucking love him.