The next book in the 12 Days of Great Reading giveaway is from the hockey romance
By Raine Thomas
Callan glided out to center ice, as comfortable in his skates as he was his shoes. He slid his stick along the ice, guiding the puck forward as he began his approach. Treating it like a penalty shot, he allowed his stick to dance around the puck as he picked up speed, giving the puck enough action to attempt to distract Christian, but not so much he lost control. As he got within a couple feet of the net, he spotted his opening and took his shot.
“Nope,” Christian said, gloving the puck and tossing it back to the ice.
Undeterred, Callan returned to center ice where he had ten more pucks waiting for him. He ended up scoring two of the ten remaining shots.
“Not bad,” Christian said as he lifted his face mask and reached for the squirt bottle of Gatorade he kept on the back of the net.
“Not good either,” declared a heavily accented voice.
Callan and Christian turned to see a trio of their teammates skating onto the ice. The one who had issued the comment was Elias Bouchard, the left winger who had played on the second line most of the previous season. Joining Elias on the ice were Aron Fischer and Ian Tremblay, the two talented forwards who most often played with him on the second line.
Callan’s back teeth set over the comment. It was Elias’ spot he was gunning for, so getting smack talk from him in front of Ian and Aron stung more than he wanted to admit.
“How would you know, Bouch?” Christian countered. “You weren’t out here.”
“I know because it was Murph,” Elias said with a short laugh as he joined the other two men in starting his warmups. “What are you even doing out here, Murph? You’ve still got a couple weeks to nail all the pussy in Atlanta before you have to report in.”
Callan’s grip tightened on his stick.
“Stuff it, Bouch,” Ian said as he skated around his teammate.
“Ja, man,” said the German center, Aron Fischer. “You think you can do better against Reinhardt? Put the puck where your mouth is.”
Elias’ color rose. “Fine. I’ll show you how it’s done.”
The words of challenge lit a fire in Callan. As his teammates completed their on-ice warmups, he lined up a few pucks at center ice and looked at Christian, who nodded and lowered his face mask. Callan started his approach, his movements clean and precise.
Christian stopped his first three attempts. Then Callan managed to sneak one by him over his left shoulder.
“Nice move, Murph,” Ian said.
“Thanks.”
“That’s one out of four, Bouch,” Aron said, lining up the pucks on the center line. “Meet it or beat it.”
Elias snorted. “Piece of cake.”
Callan almost laughed when he saw Christian’s fierce answering grin. He already knew how this was going to end.
Elias’ first attempt went wide of the net, not making any contact with Christian at all.
His second attempt ricocheted off Christian’s shin pad.
He lost control of his third attempt and ended up skating too close to the net to take the shot.
His last attempt, aimed where Callan made his score, ended up right in Christian’s glove.
“Good thing you’re getting some work in before training camp, Bouch,” Callan drawled.
“Ja, man,” Aron agreed. “That third approach was scheisse.”
“Total shit,” Ian echoed. “Now enough dicking around. Time for some drills.”
Callan and Christian stuck around another hour. Once Callan was changed back into his clothes, he pulled out his cell and saw a text from Roxy.
Let’s meet at my office at 5.
He grinned. C U then, he texted back.
“You texting Roxy?” Christian asked as he approached.
“Yeah.”
“You should see yourself right now, man. You look like…”
Callan glanced at him when he trailed off. Christian’s eyebrows lifted.
“Oh. Well, shit. Hey, that’s great. She’s the perfect match for you.”
“I agree,” Callan said with a smile. “Now I just have to convince her of that.”
A Heart So Wild
Book 1 in the Atlanta Siege series
He’s a sexy left winger for the NHL’s newest expansion team, the Atlanta Siege, and he’s a player in every sense of the word.
Callan Murphy’s on a mission: get his teammate laid.
A night out at Atlanta’s hottest nightclub is all he’ll need to find the perfect woman to blow his goalie’s … mind. But when he catches a glimpse of a dark-haired beauty standing across the dance floor, winging for his friend is the last thing on his mind.
She’s perfect, all right. Perfect for him. Now he just has to convince her of that, something he never expects to be such a challenge.
She’s a mysterious bombshell who’s about to teach him what it’s like to play in the big leagues of the heart.
Roxy Wagner’s on a mission: get her best friend laid.
When they head out to ladies’ night in search of Mr. Right Now, it doesn’t take her long to spot the two tall, dark, and stud-lies watching them from across the club. One look at the bearded hottie with the seductive heat in his eyes tells her she’s about to go up against a real player.
She should know … it takes one to know one. And she’s not interested in playing for keeps.
It starts with a night out winging for friends. How it all ends will depend on whether Callan can find a way to tame Roxy’s wild heart.
Game on.
A Heart So Wild is the fun, steamy first in series of Raine’s Atlanta Siege hockey romances. It can be read as a standalone since it comes complete with a heart-stealing hockey romance HEA. If you like independent, curvy, irresistible females and hot as hell billionaire—yes, billionaire—hockey players, you’ll love A Heart So Wild!
One of the books you could win in the 12 Days of Great Reading
