19. Blakely

CHAPTER 19

BLAKELY

The Queen’s Rum is packed with the entire Badgers team and half of its staff, the New Year's Eve party in full swing, everyone dressed to the nines to celebrate.

Lawson is looking downright edible in an all-black suit with just a pop of color as he wears a hot-pink tie. His hair is tousled in that way that makes it look like I've been running my fingers through it all night, and that notion isn't too far off. We’ve practically been inseparable since our reconciliation, and I have no intentions of ever being apart from him that much ever again.

“To the Badgers,” Monroe says where me and Reese and Hadley—Nash’s little sister who finally tore herself away from her college schedule to hang with us—sit at a little round table that we claimed as ours early in the night.

We raise our drinks and echo her sentiment before clinking them together and taking fast sips.

Pax saunters up to our table, looking quite dapper in a dark navy-blue suit as he reaches out his hand toward Monroe. “They're playing your favorite song,” he says. “Let's go dance.” Monroe takes his hand without hesitation, waving and smiling at us before heading off with her other best friend.

Hadley is looking down at her phone, typing furiously and looking more concentrated than anyone should ever look on New Year's Eve.

“What are you working on?” I ask.

She looks up from her phone. “It's a last-minute assignment. I'm just trying to turn it in on the portal.”

“No one can ever say you aren’t committed,” Reese says from where she sits to Hadley’s left. “I mean, I’m the team’s social media manager and even I'm taking the night off.”

“Huh,” Hadley says. “I would think you'd have your camera out and rolling.” She scans the crowd. “Everyone looks super-hot and inhibitions are down, who knows when your next viral video is just around the corner?”

“Next?” Reese laughs. “I'd have to have a first , and that’s been just out of reach.” A look of disappointment flashes over her features before she straightens her spine and picks up her drink. “But I'm not thinking about work tonight, so cheers.” She takes another drink.

“Done,” Hadley says, blowing out a breath as she slips her phone into her clutch that matches her dress. “And look, it's almost midnight. I made it just in time.” Her eyes roll when she sees her brother heading toward our table, and she ducks out of her seat, heading in the opposite direction as if she knows he's about to come over with some kind of unwanted big-brother lecture.

“Where is she running off to?” Nash says as he takes a seat in the one she just vacated.

“Probably off to celebrate,” Reese answers. “It’s almost midnight.”

“I hope she's not trying to kiss anyone at midnight, seeing as this bar is filled with hockey players.”

“Says the hockey player who has a gaggle of women trailing him around in the hopes that he'll pick them to kiss like Prince Charming in some fairy tale.”

Reese eyes the aforementioned gaggle of women, one of them actually wearing a Get Banged in Bangor T-shirt.

“You act like I ask them to follow me around,” he says, taking a sip of his drink. “Have you ever stopped to wonder what it's like to be trailed like that? Downright scary sometimes.”

I almost feel sorry for him, but the smirk he has on his face doesn't really give me empathetic vibes.

“I don't act like anything,” Reese says, taking another sip of her drink.

“Oh, yes you do, Reese’s Pieces,” he says. “I've just been trying to figure out what it is you have against me.”

My lips part, and I make eye contact with Lawson across the bar who’s been chatting with Torrington. “Oh, would you look at that, Lawson's calling me over to him. Bye,” I flash Reese a good luck smile, and head across the bar without a second glance back.

“Those two are going to tear each other apart one of these days,” I say by way of greeting as Lawson immediately tucks me into his side.

Torrington gives me a smile and a nod before heading off in another direction.

“I can't believe you left if there was a show starting,” Lawson says as I shift around to face him. “They're entertaining as hell.”

“Well, I did have other motivations coming over here,” I say, batting my eyelashes up at him.

“Is that right?”

“I have myself in a bit of a situation,” I say smoothing my hands over his sleek jacket. “I kind of think I need a hero.” I have a hard time keeping a straight face as I say it.

“Well you've come to the right place, my damsel,” he says. “Tell me what you need.”

The bar erupts into a loud countdown of ten…nine…

“I need a midnight kiss,” I say.

Lawson’s lips stretch wide with a smile that takes my breath away, and as the clock rolls down to one, he bends down and slants his mouth over mine.

Heat spirals through me, creating tendrils of tight need all over my body. It doesn't matter that he's given me a thousand kisses at this point, each one always has my heart racing. I fist the lapels of his suit jacket, bringing our bodies flush and kissing him back with all the intensity he's giving me.

The bar erupts into cheers as we break apart, everyone celebrating the new year. I smile, feeling whole and content in a way I never knew was possible. We have our Badger family, and we have each other, and that makes this new year filled with endless possibilities.

“Happy New Year,” he says, glancing around at his team. I follow his line of sight, my eyes grazing over our table which is now empty, and a quick scan of the place shows me no sign of Reese or Nash.

“With the way the season's going,” Lawson says, drawing my attention back to him. “I think it really could be ours.”

“Hmm,” I say, barely holding back my smile as he cocks a brow at me. “I think that depends.”

He holds me a little tighter. “On what exactly?”

“On just how much better you can get on your crossover start,” I say. “Your explosion could use a little work,” I tease, and he laughs.

“Good thing I have an expert coach at my disposal,” he says.

I playfully smack his chest. “I'm in high demand,” I say. “You'll have to make an appointment.”

He kisses me again with an expert insight that almost makes me forget what we're talking about entirely. He pulls back, nothing but love and mischief in his eyes. “I'll meet you on the ice.”