Page 28 of Wyatt

“Your posters are everywhere.”

He grinned, one side of his perfect mouth sliding up, and oh, it did devastating things to her heart. “Did you see my game?”

Her traitorous head nodded. “You were fantastic. How many shots on goal?”

“Nearly a hundred.”

And he’d saved every one, practically a superhero in the crease, kicking, stretching, nabbing the pucks as the Finnish team bombarded him. “Your defensemen need a little work.”

The lift dinged.

She couldn’t move. Or maybe simply didn’t want to. Not with him smelling freshly showered. He’d filled out even since she’d seen him a year ago, his body tighter, his shoulders defined. Not a wasted inch on him. His jeans hung low, and through the neck of his shirt, dark hair peeked out. He hadn’t had that when…

Oh boy.Run.

The doors opened.

He looked at the lift with a hint of what she thought—hoped?—might be panic. “Don’t leave. I…” He glanced back down the hall. “I can get rid of everybody. It’s just a casual after-party. The team is—well, they can celebrate somewhere else.”

Then he took her hand. His was strong, warm, and it sent a shock of pure electricity through her body as he wove his fingers through hers. “Please don’t go.”

His eyes held her captive and what could she say?

He did shoo everyone away, down the hall to one of the other players’ room. Deke, maybe, but she didn’t pay attention to the crowd.

Just Wyatt, who kept some of the food and set the table for them. She stood at the picture window, still not quite sure how she got here. The moon had come out to shine upon the light of Izmailovo Park, with its faux-ancient buildings, towers, bridges, and onion-domed turrets. “I’ve never seen it from this far up.”

Inside the words were stirring, the night nearly perfect.We have a son, Wyatt.

“I can’t believe you’re here.” Wyatt came up behind her, his hand on her shoulder. “I contacted RJ, but she said she hadn’t heard from you, and…I’m sorry how things turned out the last time…well, in Montana.”

She nodded.

“I didn’t expect to see you, and the team photographer wanted pictures of my life on the ranch for publicity and…” He sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“You’re apologizing that the woman was in love with you?” She looked up at him, remembering too well the woman, a good five years older than Wyatt showing up to take his picture, flirting with him like he might be a teenager. “Yeah, that was hardly your fault.”

He laughed and leaned down, nuzzled her neck. “Wow, I’ve missed you. Nobody gets me like you, Cookie.”

Oh no. He’d gone right for his pet name. And the last of her reserves simply, well, crumbled. “How is your drawing coming along? Still trying to be an artist?”

He drew her back to the table and she sat down opposite him. “No. I…”Spend my free time visiting our son.She shook her head. “Work. It keeps me busy.”

“I get that. If I’m not playing, I’m practicing or icing down or weight lifting or answering interviews. It’s been a crazy year, and Coach says he’s starting me this year, so it’s going to get crazier.” He picked up a piece of pizza, folding it in half before he took a bite. “Eat something. I ordered a lot of food. You’re way too skinny.”

Oh. Uh.

She must have frowned because his smile fell. “Oh, Cookie, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like…” He put the pizza down and took a drink of his water. Wiped his mouth. Then he leaned forward, his gaze in hers. “You are still the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen.”

She caught her bottom lip between her teeth.

He touched her face, his fingers whispering over her skin. “I’ve really missed you.”

She didn’t want to ask or argue with him, didn’t really want to believe anything else but his words. So she let herself lean in to him when he curled his hand behind her neck and pulled her forward to kiss her.

He’d been her first kiss, at the age of eighteen, stolen after he’d cajoled her out to the barn to slap around a tennis ball. They’d been fighting for it as it rolled behind a wheelbarrow, and then, suddenly, he’d fallen into a stall and taken her with him.

She wasn’t sure how the kissing happened after that, but suddenly his mouth was on hers and she was lost inside a place she’d only dreamed of. Wyatt’s arms around her, his lips on hers. And sure, Ford had messed that up, thank you, by finding them and making a ruckus out of the escapade, but nosy kid brother Ford wasn’t here now.

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