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We won! We are the champions!

Now, we can finally let ourselves relax. That last period was terrifying, but we pulled it off. Out here on the ice, all you can see is confetti, and blinding lights as all of the boys congratulate one another on the huge win we just earned. I feel another thud against my side as Drew and Rob catch me in a bear hug, their excitement evident as they shout praise at everyone over the roaring crowd.

We did it! We fucking did it!

I congratulate a few more of the guys as I try to make my way to the edge of the rink. I only have one person on my mind right now. Jenna. I want to share this moment with her to celebrate this fantastic feeling with my girl, but the crowd is thick with reporters all itching to get a statement from the new champs. I take a second to scan the seats again, trying to lay eyes on my girl, but it's no use. There's too much going on out there for me to find her quickly.

As I make my way through the crowd, I continue to be showered with congratulations. Fans and reporters huddled around us, making it nearly impossible to escape. It's exciting, exhilarating even. And it feels terrific knowing we just won the cup, but the only person I want to see right now is Jenna.

I continue slowly making my way off the ice when I see Chase down on one knee, holding a ring. 

Holy shit!

That guy knows how to end the season with a bang. Lindsey is crying and nodding her head. 

Looks like she said yes. 

I look next to Lindsey and see a head of dark hair belonging to the person I've been looking for. She's beaming at the newly engaged couple with glossy eyes. She's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. I stop for a moment just to watch her, to see the happiness continue to grow on her face as her friends mark this milestone.

As if she senses my gaze on her, she turns my way and grants me a glowing smile. It's the same one that keeps me going, the one I yearn to see each and every morning and night. I'm tempted to go to her and kiss her senseless, privacy be damned, but before I can make my move, I'm swept away with the rest of the team to the locker room.

We have a brief celebration in the locker room just as a team, complete with even more hugs, high-fives, and words of praise. Coach takes a few minutes to deliver a speech, telling us how proud he is of all of us and how he couldn't have dreamt up a better group of Neanderthals to coach than us. Even Rusty gave us a small speech full of congratulations. He won't admit it, but the fucker got a little teary-eyed as he was delivering his praise. I really couldn't have been blessed with a better group to play with than this one.

Fuck, I'm one lucky bastard.

We finally started returning to Earth as the initial high from winning sank in. We got cleaned up and changed and decided what we should do to celebrate as a group. There was minimal debate, and it was agreed that our celebration tonight would be at the karaoke bar.

~

Everyone has come to the karaoke bar for our victory celebration, even Coach and Rusty, who never come out. The place is packed to the rafters and as rowdy as I've ever seen it. Fans and family alike are showering us with tribute as we walk into the building. Besides the crowd, the first thing I hear is Queen "We Are the Champions." I chuckle as I make my way to one of the open tables, saved just for us.

We aren't just celebrating the big win on the ice tonight. No, we're also celebrating Chase and Lindsey's engagement. No one on the team saw that coming, well, except Liam, who knew it was happening today. Even so, we couldn't be happier for them. Anyone with eyes can see that those two are endgame.

I glance over at them and see my girl looking as tempting as ever. I start to fantasize about one day having that with Jenna. The look on Lindsey's face matches the look I get from Jenna behind closed doors, and I know the look Chase is giving his girl is the one I wear myself when I get to spend time with mine. I'm such a suck for her, and I don't even care. Love will do that to you- turn you soft and dreamy. It's not something I ever thought would happen to me, but fuck am I glad it did.

People start taking the stage to sing covers of their favorite songs. Many songs are dedicated to the team or the newly engaged couple, but everyone is having a great time. Chase even manages to get Lindsey on stage to sing a duet, and Jenna's friend Mel sang a few songs with either Jenna or Liam.

Right now, Jenna and Liam are singing "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen. The crowd loves them. It didn't take long for the whole building to start singing along with them. Fuck she looks good up there. My girl is excellent on the stage. She's a crowd favorite, that's for sure.

I know she's my favorite. I'm absolutely mesmerized by her. I can't look away. She's so fucking beautiful. When their song comes to an end, I watch as she heads off stage with Liam, so someone else can have a turn.

I'm still having an internal debate about whether or not I should go over to her, scoop her up in my arms and shower her with kisses. Fuck, I know I want to, but I don't want to act before she's ready.

I'm trying to come to terms with my decision not to grab Jenna and stake my claim as her man in front of everyone here as the guys at my table keep droning on about their prospects for the night. I barely register the questions Rob and Drew are lobbing at me. I think they asked if I had my eye on anyone to take home tonight.

Damn, right I do! I'm going home with my girl. 

I nod my head to get them off my back, offering no further explanation as to who I have my eye on. They don't get a chance to press me for answers before the waitress drops off another round of drinks, distracting them from their discussion.

I have no clue how long it's been by the time I see Jenna and Liam head back on stage. They start to sing "You're the One that I Want" by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. The energy in this place is amplified as they continue their duet. She has everyone captivated- most of all me. Jesus, my girl is incredible.

I watch her like I'm stuck in a trance, noting how effortlessly she delivers her performance. She's fucking perfect.

I see her look my way as she belts out the chorus. She smiles at me as she holds my gaze for a moment, and I smile back. A group of drunk patrons stumbles across the bar; one nearly falls on his face behind Chase and Lindsey. He must have caught Lindsey's attention because she keeps looking back this way toward the drunks. I shake my head at the group as they continue to stumble to the other end of the bar.

Some people just can't hold their liquor.

The night goes on, and I keep relishing in the stolen glances and flirty smiles my girl keeps throwing at me. I see her look my way as Jenna D. saunters over to where I'm sitting with Drew, Rob, and Damien. She shoots a glare at Jenna D. as she bats her eyes at me and tries to flirt while touching my arm. I shake her off and earn a smile from my girl. Jenna D. gets the message luckily and moves on to try her luck with Ben, the new guy, who seems more than happy to humor the puck bunny.

After a round of shots, Drew, Rob, and Damien each end up on stage and sing a song of their choosing. They keep trying to get me to go up there, and I keep shutting them down. When the stage opens up again, the boys try me one more time. I decided to be a bit rebellious and head to the stage.

I give my performance of "Kryptonite" by 3 Doors Down and make the crowd lose their minds. I don't know what's gotten into me- it must have been that last round of shots- but I even start dancing and crawling across the stage. Throughout my whole performance, though, I kept my eyes fixed on one person in the audience- my love, my Jenna.

Most people are too drunk at this point to notice the way I'm looking at her, or smiling at her, or that I'm doing this just for her. So, I continue my performance with no inhibitions. This performance is all hers. I am all hers. And she is all mine.

I smile at her more widely than before, telling her with my eyes how much I love her, telling her this is all for her, and she is loving it. She watches me the whole time I'm on stage, and when I throw her that last smile, that last look, she's beaming up at me. Her eyes are so full of love, telling me everything I need to know- that I have her heart just as she has mine.  

A/N:

So close to where book 1 ended! What's gonna happen after that last scene? Predictions?