Page 59 of Tempting Venom
He skates closer to me, killing the distance I created inch by inch. “We also need a wager.”
“A wager?”
“Yeah, to make things more interesting. What do you want from me if you win?”
“You on your knees saying, ‘I’m sorry for being a dick to you, and you’re a much better player than I’ll ever be.’”
His smirk widens, unfurling into a full grin. “You really want me on my knees, huh?”
“Is that a no?”
“It’s a yes. In return, if I win, you’ll let me touch you.”
My smile falls. “No.”
He pauses, squinting as he glides over the ice, circling me again. “Give me a reason.”
“Because I’m not gay or attracted to men.”
“The beautiful boner you had for me a couple of days ago negates that statement.”
My lips lift in a snarl, but I force a smile so fake, it nearly splits my face open. “No idea what you’re talking about.”
“Hmm. The denial is adorable.”
“I’mnotadorable.”
“You are. Sometimes.” He shoves his helmet on his head. “So what’s it going to be? If I can’t touch you, I won’t get on my knees. You can always win and not let me touch you,unless…you don’t have the confidence?”
“Bitch, please.” I lower myself into position. “You’re going down, Osborn.”
“That’s what I like to hear—” Before he can finish the sentence, I steal the puck and skate past him at supersonic speed.
He doesn’t get a chance.
Not even the slightest.
Osborn is still heavier than me and doesn’t have the advantage of speed like I do.
So when I shoot, the puck tangles in the net from the impact.
“Woo-hoo!” I glide backward, doing a little dance as I waggle my eyebrows. “One to nil, motherfucker.”
Osborn is watching me, his expression easy, but his eyes are hard. “That was cheating.”
“Aw, being a sore loser already? Don’t worry, you won’t be on your knees for long.”
“This isn’t over, baby.”
For the second round, he steals the puck, but I’m onto him instantly, blocking him, my helmet crashing against his.
“Let me touch you.” His whisper drops low, curling around my throat until it constricts. “Just once. If you hate it, I won’t touch you again. You can have a safe word. How aboutfriends? Because we’ll never be that.Friends, I mean.”
There’s a hardness to his expression, a slight tilt in his tone, almost as if he’s, what?Madat me?
“If you say that word, I won’t touch you anymore.”
“You won’t touch me regardless.”
