What Are The Odds?: A college hockey romance. (Phil-U Book 1)

Grace

I dressed in the t-shirt and hoodie Levi had left out. He was kidding if he thought I was going to leave this room without pants though. After towel-drying my hair as best I could and combing through the knots with my fingers, I left the bathroom. I didn’t expect for Levi to still be in his room. He was lying on his bed, still in his suit and beanie but having kicked off his shoes. The ice hockey was playing in the background, the flash of the TV being the only light in the room.

“Better?” he asked.

I nodded. “Much.”

Sitting on the bed, I slid back until I was resting against the bedhead beside him. Now I was warm and showered, I had no intention of rejoining the party. Or to even find my friends and tell them I was ready to leave. Maybe I could sneak out the side door without being seen.

‘I’m sorry–” The rest of the sentence got caught in Levi’s throat. “Shit. I can’t even apologise on behalf of that chick because I didn’t catch her name.” At my surprised expression, he added, “Not because I was going to sleep with her. Because her sitting in my lap was literally the first interaction we had.”

I didn’t want to think about her anymore. When I did, I could smell the vomit. I’d rinsed my clothes in the shower and left them in a wet pile on the floor. That outfit was ruined for me now. I think passionfruit was too. I turned my attention to the TV, watching the skaters glide back and forth. It was hard following the puck on the screen. I only realised a goal had happened based on the players’ reactions.

“I really enjoyed your game tonight,” I told Levi. Maybe this time he’d listen. “I liked watching you play.”

“Yeah?” He grinned, soft eyes holding mine. “I’m glad. Thank you for coming.”

There was no sarcastic edge this time. Good. Hopefully things were back to normal.

“It was a lot faster than I was expecting.”

At the time it’d been hard to comprehend how lightning fast he moved on those skates, and how he could break and turn sharply without eating shit.

“And rough.”

He chuckled deeply. “You needn’t worry about me getting hurt, Hughesy. I’m a big boy.”

“So are the other players.” I brought my knees to my chest, resting my cheek on them as I looked at Levi. “Do you get in fights most games?”

“No. That was out of character.”

“Why did you?”

He was silent for a moment, thinking through his answer.

“Because I did something I’ve never done before.”

“Which was?”

This time he answered quickly, not bothering to put thought behind his confession.

“Let myself get distracted by what was happening in the stands.”

He lifted his hand, as though he was going to reach for me. After a moment’s hesitation, he raked his fingers through his hair instead.

“Are you staying over tonight?”

My brow lowered. “Do you want me to?”

He nodded. “Do you want to?”

Now the offer was there, I knew my answer. In a flash I slipped under the covers, groaning at the familiarity of his bloody amazing mattress topper.

“Maybe you can move to my dorm and I’ll have your room,” I said.

“Nah,” Levi answered. “But you can stay here as much as you want.”

I didn’t know what to make of that, so I didn’t say anything at all. When Levi got off the bed, I rolled to the spot he’d just been. It was incredibly warm.

“I need to find the guys and give them a cut off time,” he said.

“Party pooper.”

“Says the girl in bed before midnight,” he mocked. “Do you need anything from downstairs?”

I hadn’t brought a bag. Just my phone. I’d left it on the bench in the bathroom and I really didn’t want to get out of bed.

“Can you please tell Stella and Ava I’m staying here?”

He nodded.

“And, ugh, maybe Ryker?”

Levi beamed. “My pleasure.”