Confessions of a Former Puck Bunny (Taking Shots #4)

by Cindi Madsen

“Oh, I’m putting everything on the record.”

“Make sure to get down this quote about me telling you how hot you look tonight.

“But…if you do understand your assignment by the end of our session, I get your phone number.”

After weeks spent trying to find out more about her, I’d told myself I should move on already, but I couldn’t quite convince myself to walk away. Once I set my mind on something I never gave up, no matter how shitty the odds.

She was one complicated girl, and I liked solving equations that seemed impossible.

“Math makes me feel stupid, and I really hate to feel stupid.”

“Phew. That was a close one. Do you edit everyone when they attempt talk to you? Or am I special?”

“So, if a girl was in need of a tutor, how would she go about figuring out if she could even make it work with what I assume is a hectic, hockey-filled schedule?”

“Hypothetically speaking, if said girl was you, I’d find a way to fit you into my schedule, no matter how hectic.

“What do you charge for private tutoring? If we’re not going to the tutoring center—and honestly I’d rather not—it seems like I should pay you. I wouldn’t want to take advantage of you.” Mischief danced along the curve of his grin. “Feel free to take advantage of me anytime.”

No matter how foreign and uncomfortable my physical address, I found a home in fictional worlds. The characters inside the pages didn’t judge me, the endings were almost always happy, and if they weren’t, they left my heart ripped out in a way I craved to repeat, as illogical as that was.

“I look ridiculous.” Ryder leaned closer, and when he spoke, his breath skated across my neck. “You look hot. Like you always do.”

“I know that you edit the paper, that I like it when you smile and laugh, and that I like you.” His pale-blue eyes locked on to me. “It’s that simple.”

“Come find me if you do.” I brushed her hair off her face and dragged my thumb across her cheek. “And for the record, I really hope you do.”

“Better stick to dancing with me.” “No, but look, I had really good reasons…” She blinked and seemed to lose track of what she’d been saying. “But whenever I’m with you, my thoughts crash into each other and how am I supposed to think straight when I can feel your hard muscles pressed up against me?”

“I think you should be asking if Ryder’s safe with me. And the answer is, probably not.” She added a wink and I forgot how to swallow. Holy shit, this must be my lucky night.

“Yes,” I said. “Yes to what?” To everything. To whatever you want. To you. “Yes, I am having some trouble.”

“I’ll take the thanks and the food, but only on one condition…” Her shoulders tensed. “Only if you realize that you don’t owe me anything. I’d much rather you hang out with me because you want to.”

“I want to,” she said. “I always want to. It’s just that I know I shouldn’t.” Holy shit. Did she finally admit she likes spending time with me?

Confession #10: I’m having the hardest time staying away from Ryder Maddox. I like who I am when I’m with him. I like actually having a…dare I say it—friend?

“I’m not afraid of you, Lindsay Rivera. And I don’t give a damn who you used to be—just in case you were worried.”

“I’m not quite ready to give up on friends or fun.” He pressed his lips to the back my head, not kissing, but simply resting them there—and yet my skin hummed, from the point of contact all the way down to my toes. “Or you.”

I was also sure that I’d spend the entire night waiting for the right opening to get out of the friend zone. This girl’s already mine. She just doesn’t know it yet.

“I know I told you that you looked nice when I picked you up, but I was holding back. You look stunning. Like I forgot my name for a few seconds when I first saw you, and I’m starting to lose my grasp on it again now.”

“If things were different…I could really see myself slipping.” “Just slip.” I reached up and ran my thumb across her bottom lip, my blood pumping hotter at her sharp exhale. “I’ll catch you.”

“Were you, or were you not, checking me out?” “Are you high on testosterone right now?”

“I don’t have all the answers, but like I’ve told you before, I go after what I want. And in case I haven’t made it clear, Lindsay Rivera, that’s you.”

Confession #15: I’m in love with Ryder “Ox” Maddox, hockey player and all-around good guy, and it scares the shit out of me.

“But I need you to know, it’s about more than sex. So I don’t give a damn about your past. I just want you. Exactly as you are.”

From this distance, her features were muted, but she still stood out as the prettiest girl in the audience.

But the truth is, I’m not as good at juggling everything as I hoped I’d be. I’ll try harder, though, because you help center me, and I know I’ve teased you about having a grudge against fun, but the truth is my life has been way more fun since you entered it.

You’re mine and I’m yours, and that matters to me more than anything else has ever mattered to me.”

“Oh my gosh, I think you might be crazy.” “Crazy for you.”

“And what’s even worse is, I no longer feel like a whole person without you, and I fucking hate it.”

“I love you, Lindsay Rivera. I’m in love with you, and I need you, and I wish I had more to give you, but you already have all of me.”

I don’t care about your past. I want your future.”

The moral of the story is that everyone deserves a special someone who overlooks their past and their flaws and loves them anyway. That’s the true definition of happily ever after. Which, for the record, is how our story ends…