Icebound (Boundless Players, #1)

by Meredith Trapp

Yeah, sure, in my twenties, I would’ve been hauling her over my shoulder, but now I’m ready to get down on one knee for a woman. Well, not any woman—the right one.

“Alright, what kind of woman are you?” “An incredible one,” she deadpans.

“Nina…” I swirl the name like it’s a forty-year-old aged whiskey. “Nina, I like it. It fits you.” “Good. I was really on the edge of my seat, wondering if a stranger would like my name.”

What do we even have in common? He’s thirty-three. What if he still leaves voicemails?

“So, name any position that you want, because I bet I can fake fuck you better than he ever did for real.”

“Alright, no kissing, but let’s get one thing straight. When I kiss you, notice I said when, it’s not going to be because we’re trying to make someone jealous. It’ll be because you’re desperate to feel my lips on yours, and trust me, you will be.” Her mouth hitches up, and that look’s enough to bring a man to his knees. “I’ve never been desperate for a boy.” “Then you’ve never fucked a man.”

Over the years, I’ve learned it’s best to be direct and tell women exactly what I want. It used to be one night. Now, it’s forever.

“Hey, Phil,” Micah says. “Guess what? We played our best period this season with you watching, so you’re our good luck charm now. You know what that means, right?” “No, what?” He wiggles his dark brows. “You’re icebound.” “What? Icebound?” “Yeah. Means you’re bound by the rituals of the hockey gods like us, so you have to watch all our games. We need our good luck charm to keep winning.”

Some feral part of me purrs like my cat at the sight of her wearing my clothes.

I want to be someone’s exception, not their cliche.

“Goodnight, beautiful,” I whisper, stroking her hair. She shifts a little, but her eyes stay closed. “Don’t have sweet dreams. Have wild ones.”

“You really want me?” “No.” His fingers tighten on the desk, but he doesn’t move to touch me. “I fucking need you.”

Love is made with little moments, and we have enough to build a castle.

“Goodbye, Rhode,” she whispers against my lips. “In another life, I think you would’ve been my forever.” Yeah, but I want her in this life.

“There are other people here?” he asks, gaze searing mine. “All I see is you.”

we’re talking about this later because I’m not giving you up.”

There’s a peacefulness in him that the chaos in my soul craves. Maybe it’s because he’s a little older, a little wiser, and I hope that whoever created his soul also made mine.

“I’d stay forever for you.”

Nina grins. That smile hits me in my soul, waking me up and knocking me out all at once. It happens then, in this quiet moment that should be insignificant over the span of my life, but it’s not. It’s a big moment. A really big moment. I think I might love her. No, I don’t think—I know.

I thought love would be this big moment, but it stacked up from all these little things.

When I used to imagine that future, that person used to be faceless. Now, all I see is Nina.

I want to sparkle, but no one sees me. I’m like… a glimmer. You have to look hard to find me.” “I found you, and now, you’re the only thing I see.”

it takes trust to be this vulnerable with someone, and that’s something real. We’re something real. I know it.

I undo the buttons on my shirt, revealing the four-leaf clover that matches the one on her neck—the one that’s now etched into the skin right over my heart. Her eyes pop when she sees my new ink. “That looks like mine,” she whispers. “I know. It looks exactly like yours.” “Why did you get that?” She reaches out to stroke my skin like she needs to be closer. Goosebumps pop up under her touch. I brush her hair back from her face. “Because the day I met you was the luckiest day of my life.”

“Don’t lie and say this means nothing when you mean everything to me.”

“Now, what is this, love?” Love. He called me love. That stops me.

“This is everything. You’re everything to me because you somehow became my best friend, and I don’t want to say goodbye to you.”

“I know the punchline.” His brows come together. “What punchline?” “To our terrible joke.” I press my smile to his warm whiskey lips. “The doctor falls in love with the plumber.”

If I’d known you were waiting for me, I would’ve left that bar a hell of a lot sooner.” She peppers my face with kisses. “Why’s that?” “Because then I could’ve had one more moment with you, since I don’t know if forever is going to be enough.”