Page 15 of If You Dare

“What the hell? They’re just allowed to keep playing?” I shout to Chloe.

“Hockey is, like, sixty percent playing, forty percent fighting.”

When our team scores the winning goal, Chloe jumps from her seat and yanks up her shirt in front of the guy beside her. His eyes practically bug out of his head, and Chloe and I burst into a fit of giggles.

“Oh my god!” I squeal. “I can’t believe you did that!”

His face is bright red, but a tiny, shocked smile plays on his lips.

I’ll never be as fun and bold as Chloe, but every part of me longs to try.

When she and I finally manage to pull ourselves together, she leads me down the bleachers. “Let’s stick around with the puck bunnies to congratulate the guys. Especially Luke.”

I don’t bother asking what a puck bunny is. “When are you finally going to ask him out?”

“When you dare me to,” she says simply before clutching my arm. “But please don’t dare me to do it right now because I don’t want to get rejected in front of the whole team.”

“He would never reject you.” I’m amazed she could even think that’s a possibility. In just one month, Chloe has become my new favorite person. She’s funny and lively and bubbly. I’m sure half the guys on this campus fantasize about dating her, Luke included.

Chloe beams at me, squeezing my hand. “Have I ever told you you’re the best friend I’ve ever had?”

I mirror her grin. “You’re mine too.”

Once most of the crowd has disappeared from the stadium, we’re the only ones left with a group of girls I assume must be the puck bunnies. They giggle and waggle their fingers at the players still on the ice until the guys skate over.

Wes is the only one who approaches us when he leaves the ice. Chloe’s enthusiasm falters a little when Luke stays behind, chatting with their coach.

The instant Wes takes off his helmet, all the air leaves my lungs. His magnetic blue eyes land right on me.

I’m enchanted by the sweat dripping from his inky hair, and the huge, dazzling smile that seems to shine just for me.

“Great game!” Chloe says.

But Wes doesn’t take his eyes off me. “What did you think, Violet?”

My stomach flips every time he says my name. “Yeah. Great game.”

Jesus. I literally can’t come up with an original thought.

“You into hockey?” he asks.

I am now. “A new fan,” I manage.

His grin widens.

Holy shit.Maybe I was wrong about Wes. Maybe I haven’t been imagining the way his eyes light up when they spot me or the way he seems drawn to me like a moth to flame. Like I am to him.

“Hey, we should—” Chloe starts.

Before she can finish, a redhead breaks free of the group of puck bunnies to cling onto Wes’s enormous bicep. “Oh my gosh,Wes! You didamazing. I couldn’t take my eyes off you the whole game.”

She’s beautiful and curvy, and I instantly shrivel, knowing there’s no way I can compete with a girl like her.

Wes turns his whole body to face her, smiling flirtatiously, and my stomach drops. Chloe and I are forgotten.

Of course. I’ve known since I met him that Wes is out of my league, but I still keep trying to convince myself that maybe I’ve somehow stepped into an alternate dimension in which a guy like Wes could fall for a girl like me.

Chloe loops her arm through mine. “Let’s go. Luke’s busy.”

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