Page 48 of Score on You

“Where do you think you’re going, sweetness?”

“She wants to take a picture with you.” My whisper is weak and pathetic.

“Do you think I’ll allow that?” The steely edge in his tone gives me the answer.

But my pride is still wounded. “You should. She’s very pretty.”

“Is she? I didn’t notice.”

“How’s that possible?” A sideways glance confirms she’s hovering just beyond our previously intimate bubble.

“I only see you.” The devotion in his statement reclaims my full concentration. “Now that you’re really listening, I’ll ask you again. Do you think I’ll allow another woman to stand beside me?”

My swallow is thick. “No?”

“No,” he states firmly. “Especially after I promised not to let you go. Even if I hadn’t, it’s a known character flaw that I don’t do photos in public. Until now. You’re the only one who gets that from me.”

The breath whooshes from my lungs and I nearly sway into him. “Oh.”

His gaze drops to my parted lips for a moment before he returns his stare to mine. “Yeah, sweetness. You’re getting there.”

Before I can ask for clarification, someone bumps into my shoulder with enough force to knock me off balance. Ridge is there to catch my fall and set me upright. As I’m regaining my bearings, a menacing growl threatens to topple me in the opposite direction. I realize the noise is coming from the defender of vengeance who refuses to relinquish his hold on me.

“Apologize to my”—he pauses as if chewing on a suitable term to regard me—“girlfriend.”

The man stumbles backward and visibly pales at Ridge’s seethed command. “Shit, it’s Crusher. Sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.”

He runs off before I can process what happened. Not that my concentration would’ve stayed on him long.The events spread over the past three minutes gathered a large following.

Everyone blends together as a cohesive unit. A sea of green and gold to support their beloved Trojans. Several pairs of eyes are aimed directly at us. Others are more polite, only peering over at curious intervals. A handful of bold individuals point and whisper within their social circles.

I look down at my jersey to see if it’s crooked. The garment drapes my figure evenly like a loose gown. A peek at Ridge reflects his stony mask that’s reserved for everyone but me. He doesn’t appear the least bit concerned about this extra attention.

“People are staring,” I murmur.

“They can’t help themselves. You’re a captivating beauty like the sun. They’ll go blind before averting their gaze.”

Even if I was vain enough to believe him, it’s obvious I’m not the target of their attention. “You’re a big deal, huh?”

“I’m somewhat recognizable.”

“Somewhat? Everyone is looking.”

He tugs the brim of his hat down lower to conceal the upper half of his face. “Not really.”

“Why are you hiding then?” I cup the side of my mouth and stage-whisper, “It’s because you’re super famous.”

“Only to hockey fans,” he relents.

“And you’re dating me?” My voice is a shrill squeak.

“It’s a shock to the system, huh? I’m aware that I don’t deserve you. It’s very generous of you to lower your standards for me.”

I scoff, which turns into a dry laugh. “You must be joking. If anyone is lucky in this scenario, it’s me.”

He shrugs. “Not the way I see it.”

It goes against my nature to argue with him, even if he’s acting delusional on purpose. “Agree to disagree.”

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