Pucking Billionaire

What happened in Pucking Billionaire?

Sophia Unexpectedly becoming an heiress should’ve made all my problems go away, but instead, I have three new, huge ones: two giant tortoises and a lean, mean two-hundred-pound hockey player named Mason. He’s as hot as he is insufferable, and he would’ve made a fine Viking if he hadn’t been born in the wrong century. He wants to buy my hockey team, won’t take no for an answer, and is willing to do anything to get his way… no matter how dirty he has to play. Mason All I wanted was to buy my team, but what was supposed to be a simple business transaction got complicated, fast—and all because I accidentally insulted a woman who turned out to be the new owner… and a force of nature. Now all my carefully laid plans are unraveling, and I’m faced with a life-changing choice. Do I still want the team, or do I want the team’s owner more?

What tropes are in Pucking Billionaire?

• age-gap-romance
• Billionaire
• billionaire-romance
• boss-and-employee
• Enemies to Lovers
• Forced Proximity
• Grumpy Sunshine
• inheritance-and-secret-heiress
• player-and-team-owner
• protective-hero
• Romantic Comedy
• Sports
• sports-romance
• vacation-romance

Where does Pucking Billionaire fall in Billionaire Rom-Com Standalones?

Book 5 of Billionaire Rom-Com Standalones. Reading order

What should I read next?

Grumpy Puck by Misha Bell.

Chapters

• Sophia

  Sophia meets her late father’s lawyer, Mr. Cohen, expecting a modest bequest and instead learns she is the sole heir to ten million dollars and the family estate in Westchester. As Cohen reveals that Sophia’s mother Eleni lied to the courts, secured a false restraining order, and diverted child support into addiction, Sophia’s lifelong narrative of abandonment collapses. She discovers her father secretly funded her philosophy scholarship through the DIBT Foundation and that their single lunch meant the world to him. Now tasked with caring for his turtles, Donatello and April, Sophia grapples with crushing guilt for missing his funeral and fear of squandering her inheritance, ending on the irrevocable change in her life.

• Mason

  Mason waits in a law office to negotiate with Theodore's estranged daughter, hoping to secure his hockey team, the Yetis. His composure frays when a stranger's button-fidgeting triggers his koumpounophobia—a condition that sparks disgust rather than fear—while his advisor Landon warns him against pressuring a grieving woman. In a moment of careless anger, Mason privately calls the daughter a gold-digging vulture who shunned her father and skipped the funeral. An indignant gasp reveals the truth: she has been standing right there, listening. The chapter closes with Mason's realization that his carefully planned acquisition has collapsed into humiliation the instant she heard his contempt.

• Sophia

  Still dazed from a tense meeting in her lawyer's office, Sophia lingers in the hallway scanning her surroundings, where she finds two men waiting. She is immediately drawn to a tall, broad-shouldered man with piercing gray eyes and longish blond hair—whom she privately calls the Viking—despite (or because of) his clenched fist and broody demeanor. When he speaks into his phone, however, his words cut deep: he accuses a woman of being a gold-digging vulture who abandoned a sick man and skipped his funeral. Sophia realizes with a gasp that he is describing her, and her arousal evaporates into fury. She closes the distance, pokes his chest, and hisses 'How dare you?' as he turns, catching her in the act of eavesdropping.

• Mason

  Mason, a professional hockey player with a reputation for blunt honesty, finds himself in a volatile confrontation with Theodore's daughter after she overhears him speaking disparagingly about her late father. The encounter begins with mutual hostility—she accuses him of being a beast, he warns her of consequences—but shifts when Mason reveals he was finalizing a deal to purchase the team from Theodore before his death. Now he must convince the unsuspecting heir, who smells of mango and watermelon rather than perfume, to sell him the franchise. The chapter crackles with adversarial chemistry and unresolved tension as Mason extends an offer that could either secure his future or trigger a scandal, leaving the power dynamic hanging in the balance.

• Sophia

  Sophia, a self-described pacifist reeling from her father's death, inherits a hockey team only to face a hostile takeover attempt from Mason Tugev, a hulking star player desperate to buy her legacy. Their verbal sparring escalates into an unlikely alliance when a client collapses mid-negotiation, forcing Mason to command CPR while Sophia fumblingly deploys the AED. Amid the chaos of sirens and chest compressions, Mason's competence cuts through Sophia's defiance, stirring an unexpected attraction she refuses to name. Though she leaves declaring she won't sell, the unresolved question of Mason's offer lingers, leaving Sophia to weigh her newfound wealth against the emotional stakes of ownership as she retreats to her turtles and her roommate's financial counsel.

• Mason

  Mason grapples with failing to convince Ladybug—Sophia Papachristodoulopoulou, the enigmatic new owner of his hockey team—to sell the franchise back to him. Punching a wall in frustration, he endures teasing from teammates Jason and Parker at dinner, who prod him about his attraction to the young heiress despite his celibacy and her 'gold digger' status. After calls with sober friend Evan and mentor Coach, Mason searches social media in vain for Ladybug, then enlists Landon to hire information broker Max Stolyar for a dossier. The chapter closes with Mason waiting anxiously for intelligence to leverage in reclaiming the team, the tension between his protective instincts and unwanted fascination with their new boss hanging heavy.

• Sophia

  Sophia Papachristodoulopoulou returns to her cramped studio with bestie Abigail, thrilled to discover she’s unexpectedly a billionaire after rejecting hockey mogul Mason Tugev’s offer earlier that day. Abigail’s envy of Sophia’s new wealth and obsession with the “Viking” billionaire sets the stage for a clash of priorities. A cab ride reveals Sophia’s inheritance includes a sprawling, turtle-obsessed estate—complete with a greenhouse, luxury cars, and an eccentric staff including Effie the pierced butler and Richard the driver. The tour culminates in an awkward encounter with Dr. Acadia Kelpcon’s tortoise breeding program, where Sophia witnesses Donatello and April mid-mating, creating comic discomfort before she learns the species’ survival depends on it. The chapter closes with Mason Tugev materializing in the school cafeteria, forcing Sophia to confront the man she just turned down. Heat simmers at a low simmer—attraction without consummation.

• Mason

  Mason infiltrates the university campus under the guise of being a student to confront Sophia—nicknamed Ladybug—about purchasing her sports team. What begins as a negotiation quickly derails when Sophia flatly refuses to sell, dismissing Mason's offer and his qualifications to run the team. With her sharp-tongued best friend Abigail inserting herself into the exchange, the conversation devolves into barbs and standoffs. Despite Mason's attempts to leverage a potentially massive financial offer, Sophia shuts him down, insisting she'll handle the team herself. Though the immediate battle is lost, Mason leaves the cafeteria vowing to win the larger war, his resolve hardened by her rejection.

• Sophia

  Sophia navigates her new life as the reluctant owner of a Brooklyn hockey team and a sprawling mansion inherited from her late father. When her best friend Abigail visits for a sleepover, they tour the eccentric estate—complete with a tattooed butler named Effie and perpetually mating turtles—before Sophia discovers her rival Mason Tugev waiting outside with end-of-season hockey tickets and a coffee invitation. Despite her lingering resentment over his attempt to purchase her team and her aversion to men stemming from her ex Rupert, Sophia finds herself undone by Mason's charm and the electric charge of their touch. During a philosophy lecture on Platonic idealism, she drifts into a vivid erotic fantasy about Mason performing at the rink, blurring the line between abstract theory and carnal reality before snapping back to class, leaving her attraction undeniable and unresolved.

• Sophia

  Sophia attends a hockey game with her friend Abigail, nursing a two-week crush on Mason, the star forward wearing number 42 for the Yetis. The tension between attraction and irritation simmers as she watches Mason dominate the ice—scoring goals and brawling with an opponent without referee intervention. When Mason locks eyes with her from the rink and winks, Sophia's jealousy flares, especially as rival fans circle him. After the Yetis' victory, the friends retreat to a bar to celebrate, where Sophia reveals she's booked a cruise for after finals and is moving into a mansion—leaving Abigail behind in their shared apartment. Their conversation is interrupted when Mason and his teammates enter the bar, setting up an unexpected confrontation.

• Mason

  Mason, a professional hockey player, finds his post-victory celebration at the team bar derailed when he spots Sophia—his new team owner and the woman he's been obsessing over—across the room. Despite his intense attraction and her open hostility, he approaches her alone, using the excuse of helping her friend Abigail get a job at Octothorpe to break the ice. Their antagonistic banter quickly escalates into a competitive tequila-drinking contest when Sophia challenges his drinking stamina, fueled by her devilish grin and the promise of concessions. Though he tries to maintain professional distance, Mason can't resist her; when she suggests pausing the drinking game for a "cooperative" dance to make his teammates' dates jealous, he eagerly pulls her into a close embrace on the dance floor, their unresolved tension and mutual desire hanging thick in the air as the chapter ends.

• Sophia

  Sophia seizes the dance floor to make rival blondes jealous, dancing provocatively against hockey player Mason until his attention snaps fully to her. What begins as a performative display of attraction quickly becomes genuine heat as they trade charged glances and a fierce kiss that drowns out the bar. Mason whisks her across the street to his apartment next to the stadium, where the tension escalates from slow dancing to passionate intimacy. In his bedroom, Mason dominates with primal intensity, fulfilling Sophia’s long-held fantasy while she surrenders completely to the sensations. After multiple climaxes and a final, grounding release, he wraps her in his arms and calls her by a new pet name, leaving her content to drift off in his bed. The chapter closes with Sophia utterly spent, the rivalry with the blondes forgotten, and their connection deepened into something possessive and tender.

• Mason

  Mason wakes with a splitting headache to discover Sophia—his hockey team’s owner—still tangled in his bedsheets, the physical evidence of their drunken tryst undeniable. As he stumbles through a hangover cure, his mischievous cat Spike sows chaos, even shredding Sophia’s discarded clothing. When Sophia emerges from the shower dressed and furious, she confronts the reality of their encounter: she never should have slept with him, and she blames the tequila as much as herself. Despite Mason’s attempts to care for her with a homemade electrolyte drink, Sophia storms out, leaving him to grapple with the dangerous fallout of crossing the line with the woman who controls his career. The chapter closes on Mason alone with his regrets, the morning’s fragile intimacy replaced by the cold threat of professional and personal consequences.

• Sophia

  Sophia wakes in Mason's bed with a hangover and a missing pair of underwear, the physical evidence of last night's passion scattered around her. Mortified, she searches frantically, makes a mess of the room, and flees when Mason appears at the bathroom door, snapping at him before storming out. Outside, panic sets in when she realizes she abandoned their friend Richard at the stadium all night; she calls him in shame and accepts a ride home, their easy banter masking her embarrassment over how she described their encounter. The next day, class is torture under Professor Ambien, and at lunch with Abigail she insists she is done with Mason—ignoring his calls and texts—until he appears at the cafeteria with a lunch tray, sending her fleeing. As Richard drives her to her new mansion, she spots her mother waiting at the gate, ending the chapter on a collision of unresolved desire and looming family pressure.

• Sophia

  Sophia’s carefully guarded solitude shatters when her estranged mother Eleni appears at her car window, looking ravaged and defiant. Their confrontation exposes old wounds—Eleni’s lies about Sophia’s father and her refusal to acknowledge his abuse—culminating in a cold ultimatum: rehab or the streets. Despite the vitriol, Sophia offers help with a heavy heart, then retreats to her mansion, fighting tears. She seeks solace among her giant therapy tortoises and buries herself in finals and a Viking video game, trying to outrun the ache of loneliness. But when night falls, the distraction fails; lying awake in her luxurious bedroom, Sophia succumbs to a private release, her thoughts drifting helplessly toward Mason and the unspoken desire between them, leaving the chapter on a simmering note of longing.

• Mason

  Mason broods through a gym session with teammates Jason, Landon, and Parker, hiding his secret "stalkerish" plan to win back Sophia while deflecting questions about acquiring a hockey team. Landon teases him about the secrecy, but Mason stonewalls, terrified the gossip will reach Sophia and ruin everything. After avoiding holiday plans that would expose his estrangement from his parents, Mason walks his fierce cat Spike, who charms a papillon named Sir Francis during their outing. The idyllic moment stirs thoughts of family, but when Sophia fails to reply to his latest message, Mason resolves to execute his daring scheme. With the confidence of a goalie making an impossible save, he launches the plan, leaving Sophia about to find him difficult to ignore.

• Sophia

  Sophia toasts the start of winter break with her friend Abigail before departing for a digital-detox cruise from Port Canaveral. Determined to escape tabloid-fueled rumors linking her to Mason, a hockey player who recently ceased his pursuit, she plans to go incommunicado aboard the ship. Their conversation reveals her fear that Mason only wants her athletic connections, a sentiment deepened by her bitter history with her ex, Rupert. Just as she scans the campus hoping for—or fearing—one last glimpse of Mason, the wrong man appears: Rupert ambushes her with a predatory smile, shattering her escape plans and leaving the chapter on a note of unwelcome confrontation.

• Sophia

  Sophia confronts her ex Rupert at a venue, where he attempts to scam her again but flees when her driver Richard reveals himself as an armed Army Rangers bodyguard. Humiliated and shaken, Sophia escapes with Richard to the airport, flying to Melbourne and then Port Canaveral to board the luxury cruise ship Wonder of the Oceans. Settling into her ocean-view suite, she attends the mandatory muster drill before dressing for dinner. At the dining room, her pulse spikes when hockey player Mason Tugev appears at her table, greeting her with the intimate nickname Ladybug, reigniting her conflicted feelings despite her belief that he is wrong for her.

• Mason

  Mason ambushes Sophia at the start of her solitary cruise, having secretly booked multiple rooms—including the suite next to hers—to force a reunion. Their tense dinner becomes unexpectedly intimate as Mason confesses his koumpounophobia, a paralyzing fear of buttons rooted in a childhood memory with his father. Over chickpeas and fruit, the 37-year-old hockey player and the 24-year-old philosophy student spar over Estonia trivia, the ethics of alcohol versus drugs, and his obsession with owning the team she withholds. Despite her resolve to avoid him, Sophia stays, and their charged conversation melts into a breathless kiss in her doorway, leaving the question of whether this cruise will heal their fractured connection or deepen the ache between them hanging in the salt air.

• Sophia

  Sophia battles intense attraction to Mason Tugev during a tense hallway encounter on a luxury cruise, resisting his kiss despite overwhelming desire. When she accuses him of stalking her across the ship, Mason admits he investigated her personal life—including her credit history and past with Rupert—because she refused to speak with him about selling her hockey team. Their argument escalates into mutual threats: she vows to seek a restraining order once they reach land, while he counters that the first stop is a private Royal Ruskovian island without police. After retreating to her suite and fuming on the balcony, Sophia falls asleep to the sunrise, emerging calmer but ravenous. Determined to avoid Mason, she heads to the exclusive VIP restaurant for suite guests—only to find him already seated there, setting up their next collision.

• Mason

  Mason corners Sophia at a privately booked breakfast to apologize for stalking her, wielding classified intel about a man they rescued as leverage for forgiveness. Their charged banter—flirting over a mocha mix-up and debating dark chocolate on salad—builds delicious tension until a drunken sea captain named Ivan Vorobey crashes the table demanding vodka shots and reminiscing about Mason's violent on-ice fights. When Sophia storms off to select their nature excursion, Mason reveals that Hampton Berger has fully recovered from his heart attack, having used his own intelligence channels after their shared lawyer refused to share the update. The chapter closes with Ivan pressing Mason about the specific hat-trick game where he punched opponents, leaving the apology unresolved and the morning's power dynamics in flux.

• Sophia

  Sophia forgives Mason quickly and joins him on a glass-bottom boat excursion at a cruise port, only to discover she suffers severe seasickness once they set sail. When she vomits over the railing, Mason takes charge—singing an Estonian lullaby his mother used to sing, stalling the ship's departure by three hours through the cruise director Ivan, and carrying her off the boat like a bride. As they recover on a distant bench, the two exchange devastating secrets about their parents: Sophia reveals her mother stole her identity for drug money, while Mason confesses his religious zealot parents disowned him. Their shared wounds spark an intimacy that borders on romance, even as Sophia hides her own trauma involving a man named Rupert. The chapter closes with Mason dangling "juicy information" as leverage to force another excursion tomorrow, leaving Sophia torn between curiosity and her fear of getting too close.

• Mason

  Mason escorts Sophia to her suite after dinner on the rocking ship, dangling the secret he has withheld all evening. When she rejects his attempt to kiss her at the door, he misreads the moment as a total failure, retreating to his own suite consumed by frustration and arousal. By morning, however, Sophia appears at breakfast with a bright smile, signaling she wants to continue their connection rather than avoid him. She reveals a mysterious plan—ziplining through a forest—cementing that their dynamic has shifted from a business negotiation over her team to something more personal and charged. The chapter closes with their chemistry unresolved but clearly intensifying as they plan their next adventure together.

• Sophia

  Sophia joins Mason Tugev on a zipline adventure led by teenage instructor Levi and his older colleague Trent, but her mind keeps drifting to the kiss they almost shared last night aboard the rocking ship. While Mason growls off anyone who tries to touch her, he alone helps her into the safety harness, the straps pressing intimately against her as his scent—masculine with hints of pines covered in snow—fills her senses. When she finally launches, she deliberately fails to brake, crashing into his chest both times; the second impact, combined with the harness pressure, sends her over the edge into a climax she desperately tries to hide from the group. Now mortified yet exhilarated, she faces the unresolved tension of whether Mason noticed—or cares—while the zip line course continues and the almost-kiss remains unclaimed.

• Mason

  Mason and Sophia cling together on a ziplining platform, the harness amplifying their charged proximity until Levi interrupts to let others ride. Mason’s possessive jealousy flares, especially after Sophia reminded him the night before that she isn’t his to claim. After a final exhilarating zip, Mason reveals he secretly secured an interview for Sophia’s friend Abigail at Octothorpe, hoping to win dinner with her. Sophia calls the move manipulative but concedes, agreeing to dine together once back on the ship. As they remove their safety gear, the tension culminates in a passionate kiss—the first time Sophia enthusiastically reciprocates—leaving Mason breathless while Trent urges them to get a room. The chapter closes on the electric payoff of their first real kiss, shadowed by unresolved questions about trust and possession.

• Sophia

  Sophia and Mason slip away from the gawking crowd after their charged moment on the zipline, retreating into the familiar rhythm of a get-to-know-you dinner where he teases a surprise. The evening leads them to the ship's private ice rink, where Mason patiently teaches the wobbling Sophia to skate—until a dramatic faceplant lands them in his suite. What begins as first aid for a scratched chin quickly ignites into a passionate, multi-layered encounter that leaves them breathless and tangled together. As they drift into sleep wrapped in each other's arms, Sophia teases that whatever happened on the cruise stays on the cruise, setting up an unresolved tension about whether their connection will last beyond the voyage.

• Mason

  Mason wakes determined to turn his cruise-ship connection with Sophia into something lasting, devising strategies to keep their spark alive beyond the voyage. Their days blur into shared adventures—wiping out on the surfing simulator, cage-diving with sharks, and climbing a Jamaican waterfall—where they trade intimacy for adrenaline. When a tour guide offers cannabis, Mason’s resistance crumbles not through peer pressure but through Sophia’s playful persistence, culminating in a hazy, smoke-sharing moment that leaves him seeing purple sausages. As the ship nears port, the question of what comes next hangs unresolved between them, charged with the promise of more than just vacation memories.

• Sophia

  High on cannabis, Sophia and Mason visit a dolphin excursion where Mason claims a telepathic bond with a dolphin named Flop. Their playful jealousy escalates into a passionate kiss in the cab, igniting Sophia's desire. At the seaquarium, Mason grows possessive when Sophia kisses another dolphin, threatening Flop with violence before they escape to the cab. During the ride home, Sophia calms the paranoid Mason with music through borrowed headphones, prompting him to murmur a confession of love as he drifts into a drug-induced sleep. The chapter closes on the ambiguity of his words—whether meant for Sophia or the dolphin—leaving their romantic tension unresolved yet charged with possibility.

• Mason

  Mason rides in a car beside Sophia, wrestling with the confession he just made and the silence that followed; high and anxious, he retreats into a pretend nap while a song plays in his earbuds. When they board a cruise ship and slip into a private suite, the tension ignites into a charged, sensual encounter where the lovers trade playful philosophical nicknames for their bodies and surrender to escalating desire. Afterward, wrapped in each other’s arms, the mood softens into tender aftercare. Yet Mason’s resolve hardens: he will not speak of love again unless Sophia voices it first, choosing instead to prove his devotion through action and win her heart on his own terms.

• Sophia

  The morning after their first night together, Sophia watches Mason recover from his haze while wrestling with whether his feelings are real or merely a bid for her hockey team. Over the next days, the cruise becomes a private paradise of spa treatments, secluded hot tubs, and starlit hammocks, each moment deepening their connection while Sophia's defenses crumble. When Mason reveals his bitter history with rival player Michael Medvedev, the shadow of his ulterior motives grows longer. Convinced that any attachment is an illusion destined to end at Port Canaveral, Sophia makes a devastating choice: she slips away at dawn without a word, fleeing to Orlando airport with only her suitcase and a heart full of tears, leaving the question of whether he truly cared unanswered.

• Mason

  Mason wakes on the cruise ship to an empty bed and a sinking feeling: Sophia has vanished without a word. Racing through the corridors and stairwells, he’s ambushed by rival hockey star Michael Medvedev and the Florida Bears, who demand an exhibition game in exchange for passage. After a frantic chase through the Orlando terminal and airport—traffic jams and all—Mason lands in New York and drives to Sophia’s mansion, only to find a stranger named Rupert lurking at the gates claiming to be her fiancé, complete with engagement photos. Enraged, Mason destroys the evidence and assaults the man, but as Rupert flees, Sophia herself steps into view, leaving Mason to confront the wreckage of his assumptions and the uncertainty of their future.

• Sophia

  Sophia rushes to Mason at the intercom, only to find Rupert—who has a restraining order against him—trespassing and speaking with Mason about his phone. When Mason punches Rupert and the man flees, Sophia is left alone with a painful confession: she was once engaged to Rupert and signed documents under his influence. The revelation cracks open their fragile trust. Mason, wounded that she never disclosed this betrayal while he had shared his own painful family history, accuses her of assuming the worst of him. Their argument escalates into a charged standoff where Mason hints at leverage over her friend’s career before storming off to his limo, leaving Sophia grappling with the wreckage of their connection and the unspoken threat hanging in the air.

• Sophia

  Sophia retreats to the mansion after abruptly leaving a cruise with Mason, her mind churning with his parting words about something real between them. While pacing, she contrasts her current feelings for Mason with her past infatuation with Rupert, realizing her heart has been claimed despite her fears. When Abigail confirms she landed her dream job at Octothorpe, Sophia understands that Mason's supposed threat was actually a carefully made point—he'd known about the job for days yet never used it against her. With the misunderstanding cleared and her resolve hardened, she arranges immediate transport through Mr. Cohen and Richard to rush to Mason's side and repair their fractured connection before it's too late.

• Mason

  Mason storms home consumed by jealousy after a disastrous encounter with Sophia’s ex, Rupert, only to find she has cut him off completely. When his lawyer Cohen calls to reveal she is selling him her stake in their team for almost nothing, Mason races to stop her, arriving just as Sophia pulls up in a luxury car. Their tense reunion on the sidewalk dissolves into mutual apologies for their misunderstandings—his threat to Abigail’s job and her flight from the cruise. The reconciliation escalates quickly from the elevator to Mason’s bedroom, where they consummate their make-up in a passionate, steamy encounter. As Spike the cat joins them on the bed, the mood softens into tender declarations: both confess they love each other, referencing Mason’s earlier confession in Jamaica. The chapter closes with them solidifying that the team is now Mason’s, their love affirmed, and the promise of reckoning with Rupert left hanging.

• Epilogue

  On the newly christened TMNT Island, Sophia watches Donatello and April reunite with their offspring while Dr. Kelpcon offers pointers. When she and Mason explore the beach, Sophia reveals her pregnancy—the result of antibiotics interfering with her birth control—eliciting a euphoric bear hug from Mason. He then drops to one knee, proposing with a diamond ring set in a Viking sword band, originally planned for Denmark's Møns Klint. Sophia accepts on the condition that she keeps her maiden name, Professor Papachristodoulopoulou, while their child will bear the Tugev surname. They seal the moment with a kiss, looking toward their shared future.

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