His release pulses inside me, his grip on me tight as his cock pulsates, milking every last drop from him. My body buzzes with satisfaction, the afterglow of my own orgasm mixing with the high of giving him pleasure.
He presses kisses along my shoulder, his body relaxing against mine as our breathing slowly returns to normal.
And there I realize that I’ve fallen hard for Zach—the man who was supposed to be a fake boyfriend.
Chapter 16
Zach
“Let’sgo,guys!”Ishout, clapping my hands to get everyone moving. It’s a Wednesday afternoon, and we’ve got kids coming in half an hour, but this rink still looks like a hurricane hit it.
Wyatt jogs over, a crate of pucks in his arms, his expression curious. “How’d the family reunion go?”
“Same as usual,” I reply, grabbing a stick and tapping the synthetic ice with it. “The family games, the grilling, the golf tournament—where, of course, my team took home the win. Like always.” I flash him a cocky grin.
Wyatt snorts, shaking his head. “Yeah, yeah. And Lainey? How’d it go with her?”
I pause for a moment, my chest tightening slightly. “She was amazing. They loved her, well, except for my dad. You know how he is.”
“Yeah.”
“But my sisters practically adopted her on the spot. You know how rare that is.”
Wyatt’s brows lift. “Impressive.”
I nod, my mind wandering briefly to the scavenger hunt. I still remember the way Lainey’s face lit up when she pulled the golden compass token from her pocket. She’d made me swear that night not to tell anyone about it, saying she didn’t want to make a big deal of it. And I didn’t—mostly. Except for Blair. I couldn’t help myself. Telling her had been worth it just for her over-the-top reaction.
“She did twist her ankle during one of the activities, though,” I add, shaking myself back to the present. “So we left in the morning. I felt terrible about it.”
Wyatt tilts his head, frowning slightly. “She okay now?”
“She’s fine,” I say, but the memory of her wincing as I helped her back to the car sticks with me. She stayed at my place for two days so I could take care of her. Worked from my couch while I got to play nurse.
Wyatt grins. “Bet you didn’t mind leaving early.”
“Not at all,” I admit, a slight smirk tugging at my lips. Leaving the reunion early? No complaints there—I hadn’t wanted to go inthe first place. But what was even better was Lainey staying at my place. It had been… nice. Really nice. No plans, no pressure—just hanging out with her, cooking meals, watching her make sarcastic comments during a movie. She even beat me at cards, which she’ll never let me live down. It was fun in a way I hadn’t expected—easy and comfortable, like we’d been doing this forever.
Wyatt opens his mouth to say something else, but Coach’s voice cuts through the air. “Alright, everyone, listen up!”
The team turns to face him, a mix of curiosity and confusion in their expressions.
“What is she doing here?” He nods toward the far side of the rink, where Clarissa has just stepped onto the synthetic ice, clipboard in hand and looking far too polished for this setting.
“No idea,” I mutter, my voice low. “But I don’t like it.”
Wyatt snickers. “Think she’s here for you?”
I shoot him a glare. “Let’s hope not.”
Coach stands in the middle of the rink, arms crossed, and Clarissa stands beside him. She’s in the official LA Knights polo, her sleek ponytail and bright smile giving her an air of authority that makes my stomach churn.
“This is Dr. Clarissa Chambers,” Coach says, his voice steady. “As you all know, Dr. Foster had to relocate out of state, so Dr. Chambers is taking over as the head doctor.”
Clarissa steps forward, her smile unwavering. “I’m thrilled to be here. Today’s a great opportunity to get to know the team—and to contribute to this wonderful foundation.”
Wyatt mutters under his breath, “Of all people, it had to be her.”
I don’t respond, my jaw tightening as Blake raises a hand. “No offense, Doc, but we don’t have practice today. What brings you here?”
