Page 48 of Breakaway

“Are you afraid?” Jase asked, shifting closer to her.

“Um…yes. A little.”

He put his arm around her and tucked her close to him.

“There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

She made a little choked noise. “Oh, no, not at all. We’re just…how far off the ground?”

“About a hundred and fifty feet, I think.” He calmly gazed around. “Look! Doesn’t the skyline look amazing?”

The sun was low in the sky and the buildings of downtown Chicago all gleamed like, tall, slender, silver cubes and cylinders on one side, the lake stretching out endless and blue on the other.

“Yes,” she said softly. “It is beautiful.” She snuggled into his warmth. The wind up here carried a crisp bite and her cheeks and nose began to sting a bit.

She looked at Jase, his handsome cheekbones reddened from the cold, eyes taking in the view, smiling. She clutched her bear in his Wolves uniform to her and suddenly her throat tightened. God, she liked this guy. So much.

He turned to look down at her, snuggled under his arm, and his smile deepened. “See? It’s fine.”

They swung over the top and began to descend and her stomach flipped over. “Mmm. Fine.”

He laughed. The yellow, red and blue canopy of the merry go round grew larger as they lowered, and then they were swinging back up again. She drew in a deep breath.

“What’s that?” Jase pointed. She identified various landmarks to him and by the time they slowed and stopped, she’d almost forgotten she was nervous. At the very top, the gondola swaying gently, Jase tipped her chin up with one gloved hand and kissed her.

His nose was cold brushing her cheek, but his mouth was warm on hers, delicious and ardent. He drew back, rested his gloved hand on her cheek and their eyes met and held, the world spread below them, and time came to a halt. His dark eyes flashed, his lids lowered and they kissed again and she pressed closer to him. He hauled her closer, up onto his lap and the gondola swayed. Remi let out a little shriek, her stomach clutched and she dug her fingers into his jacket. Jase laughed softly and they started moving again. Remi grabbed tighter with a start, making him laugh again.

“Let’s go find some dinner,” he said after they’d disembarked from the Ferris wheel. She wanted to fall to her knees and kiss theground, but instead held her bear tightly. “How about that Billy Goat Tavern?”

She smiled. “Touristy, but okay.”

“Come on, I’m new in town.”

They walked into the lively restaurant.

“What’s the biggest burger you have?” Jase asked the server.

“That would be the triple hamburger.”

“Okay, I’ll have that.”

Remi grinned behind her menu. He could probably eat two, the size he was. She ordered a hamburger. Jase sat her bear on the table, propping him up against the wall, making her laugh again. God, she hadn’t laughed so much in…okay, ever.

They’d just finished a dinner full of talk and laughter, teasing and flirting, when three women appeared beside their table. “Jase Heller!” one of them said with a big smile. “Can we get your autograph?”

“Uh…” Hell, he did not want to do this, but he was never rude to the fans. “Sure.” He cast an apologetic glance across the table at Remi.

“Here.” The woman dug in her purse and pulled out a pen. “I don’t have anything for you to sign, so you can do it right here.” And she pulled down her low cut top so Jase could sign her chest, just above her left breast.

He gulped and tightened his jaw as he tried to sign without really touching her. It probably was no accident when she moved and her breast brushed against his arm.

“I saw you play against the Bruins last week,” one of the other women said, stepping up for her autograph. In the same place. “You got two goals.”

“Um, yeah.” He signed again and turned to the third woman, and when he’d finished signing her chest, she took the pen fromhim, took his hand, turned it palm up and wrote a phone number on it. Jesus.

“I love watching you play,” she purred, making intense eye contact, making her words sound dirty.

Jase swallowed, forced a smile and shot Remi a look. She sat there, stone-faced, mouth tight, hands clasped around her drink. She lifted one eyebrow at him.

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