Change on the Fly (Totally Pucked, #1)

by Maren Moore

And that’s how the rest of the night is spent, talking about nothing with Holland, eating a Pop-Tart, and for the very first time, I realize that I might be in some seriously deep shit.

"Stop." I freeze, immediately. Reed sits up on his elbows and looks down at me. "I'm not going to be okay if you keep touching me."

"Please, Holland. This is me, Reed Davidson, the hottest hockey star you'll ever meet, begging you.

“You are brave, buddy. It’s okay to be afraid sometimes because you have me, and together, we can be brave. We can face anything.”

I pull back and look at her. "Stop thinking, Holland. Listen, I couldn't sit on the other side of that goddamn door for another second, thinking about you, obsessing about having you. I'm losing my fucking mind. I can't be around you and not touch you any longer."

“I- I wasn’t sure you wanted me to stay,” I whisper. Reed’s expression morphs into confusion, then he laughs. “You don’t need an invitation, Holland. We’ve made it clear where we stand with each other, and babe, I want you. I want you now, tomorrow, a fucking week from now.”

“Don’t. Don’t hide yourself from me. I want you, Holland, every single fucking inch of you.”

"Don't apologize. Holland, I'm not an asshole. I know the rules, and if you want to add a fourth, we can, but right now, I'm not interested in anyone but you. Period."

Words escape me. What do you say to the girl who just ruined you for anyone else?

She’s fallen asleep. Another first for me. I’ve never done this before either. Cuddled, slept with a woman, and I can’t imagine it being anyone other than Holland.

“You think I don't know that? You think I don’t know that I have no right to be jealous? No right to feel so fucking possessive over you like you’re mine.”

“I will throw your ass over my shoulder and carry you all the way back to my house, don’t bite off more than you can chew, babe.” Babe. I never realized how much I loved that word until it came from Reed’s lips.

This girl has fucking ruined me. Without a doubt.

I could too, I think, but keep the thought to myself. She asked for casual, but every day I find it harder and harder to be anything but all-in.

Beautiful, Just a little something to show you I was thinking of you. Miss you. Do me a favor and send me a picture of you wearing nothing but this. ;) Reed

Not when all I want is to make her mine, and only mine. To have her in my arms every night, to come home to her after days on the road. I fucking love her.

Three days cooped up with the guy you’re secretly in love with, and your best friend who will probably murder you both if she finds out. What better place than a secluded cabin in the middle of the woods, where no one will find our bodies?

“That falling in love is the greatest feeling in the world, and they’re not wrong. But it’s also scary. That’s the part that no one tells you about. The vulnerable, raw part of you that you’re putting in another person’s hands and praying that they love you for who you are. I love you, Holland. I am in love with you.”

“I… I love you too, Reed.”

“One: Fall in love every day. Never stop showing you how much you mean to me, and giving you reasons to fall in love with me.”

“Two: Shout it to the world. I’m never going to not show my love for you. I want everyone in the goddamn world to know that I’m the bastard that’s lucky enough to love you, Holland Parker. I’ll put it on the jumbotron. On every damn billboard in Chicago.”

“I love you. And I’m sorry that it took me so long to say that too. I’ve loved you since the first time you beat up Marcus in the eighth grade because someone called me a cow. Since the time I sprained my ankle and you carried me all the way home from the ice that day. From the very day we made the rules and said not to fall in love. It was too late then. I was already crazy about you.”

“Change on the fly. You don’t stop, you change what you have to and finish out the game.”