We’ve already won, and it seems like everyone knows it.

As soon as the game ends, my teammates rush to Noah, slamming him into the glass, pounding his helmet, a sea of bodies colliding in celebration. I skate toward them, the adrenaline still pulsing hot through my veins, my heart pounding against my ribs. Through the sea of bodies in the stands, I spot Hannah jumping up and down like a lunatic, clapping like she just won the damn lottery.

I fucking love having her here.

Even though thousands of fans are losing their minds for us right now, hers is the only voice I care about.

The only thing that would make this victory sweeter is if she was wearing my jersey. My number.

It takes what feels like forever for everyone to calm down, but once all the celebrations are over, we all head off the ice.

The guys shout and sing all the way to the locker room, and I join in with the celebrations, reveling in the moment. It might not have been me who scored the game-winning goal, but I know I was an integral part of making it happen—and keeping the Glaciers from scoring on us first. That’s what I love about being a defenseman.

The warm water feels amazing on my aching muscles as I step into the shower, but I barely feel it. Mentally, I’m still on the ice, reliving every second of the game—and the incredibly proud look I saw plastered on Hannah’s face. It’s all I can think about until I’m out and toweling off with the rest of the guys.

“Whoa, looks like someone’s getting a little too friendly with the puck bunnies,” Theo says from behind me, amusement in his voice.

I don’t know what he’s talking about at first, but when I glance over my shoulder, he jerks his chin toward my upper back. I tense, realizing he’s looking at the still-raw marks Hannah left on my back the last time we had sex.

“It… uh, it wasn’t a woman,” I say, my heart pounding because I’m having a hard time coming up with a believable alternative on the spot.

“Then what happened? Did you get mugged by a raccoon or something?”

“No. I… scraped my shoulder moving some furniture around in my apartment,” I lie.

It’s not very convincing, and I don’t think they buy it, but none of them press the issue.

Still, it’s frustrating having to hide my relationship with Hannah like this. I know she said she isn’t ready for a relationship yet, and I’m doing my best to respect that, but I hate having to keep it a secret. I wish we could just rip the bandage off and let the news out, but I’m not sure doing that would actually make life better for either of us.