Page 48 of Breakaway to You

A server walked by with champagne flutes, and I took one, grateful to have something in my hands and a place to let my gaze focus on when looking at Zeke became too much.

I inhaled a breath to calm my unwanted nerves. “You clean up nice.” I lifted my glass to my lips.

Zeke smirked. “You almost sound surprised.”

Surprised? Yes, but not in the way he was meaning. I was surprised he had somehow become even better looking. I hadn’t thought it possible, but clearly it was.

I shrugged, trying to pull off a flirty and unaffected vibe. “More like I’m enjoying the view.”

He smiled. “You clean up nice too.”

“You almost sound surprised,” I said, using his same words.

His smile turned to one of awe. “More like you are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

I almost dropped my glass at the sincerity in his eyes.

We stood there in an energy-filled silence for a heartbeat before Coach Hill’s voice came out over the speakers.

“Welcome, everyone, to our annual charity gala,” he said.

He continued by thanking us for coming, for the donations, and ended by giving us the schedule for the evening, letting us know that dinner was next on the agenda.

Zeke followed me as I made my way to the table where Quinn was already sitting with Ryder. I sat next to Quinn with Zeke on my other side and Holden on the other side of him. A few other players filled in the remaining four seats.

Conversation flowed easily between us all, and I found I was having a good time. A few times Zeke put his arm around the back of my chair and leaned in to say something to me, the whisper of his breath on my ear giving me a shiver. The other teammates didn’t even blink an eye at the two of us, like it was normal we would be sitting close and whispering to one another, and I was grateful there wasn’t any added attention on us. At one point Zeke left his arm around me, his fingers lightly tracing patterns on my exposed shoulder. It was soothing and comforting, and when he eventually removed his arm, I missed the closeness of him.

As the dinner plates were cleared and the band started playing a slow, melodic tune, Zeke stood and extended a hand. I hesitated for only a beat before sliding my palm against his. He led me onto the dance floor, his large hands settling on my waist as I rested mine on his broad shoulders.

“See? Not so bad,” Zeke murmured as we swayed to the music, going back to the conversation we’d had at the coffee shop about his dancing skills.

“Hmm, but we’ve only just begun,” I mused. “You could still step on my feet.”

“Highly unlikely,” he said, a teasing glint in his eye. “You forget, I have excellent footwork.”

I huffed a laugh as we continued to move in sync. As someone who had watched him play hockey, I could definitely agree he had excellent footwork.

Zeke nodded his head toward Quinn and Ryder where they danced several feet away from us. “Are you concerned about Ryder taking an interest in your sister?”

I watched as Ryder spun Quinn on the dance floor, her laughter floating through the air. “I’m more worried for Ryder. Quinn isn’t one to get too attached.”

“What do you mean?”

“While I steer clear of love altogether, Quinn embraces the fun and excitement that come with new feelings and new relationships. But eventually the newness wears off, and she grows weary of it all.” I paused as we continued to sway to the music. “Although…” I teetered on whether to tell him my theory of why she did that or to keep my thoughts to myself.

“Although…what?” he asked, clearly interested in what I had been about to share.

I sighed. “I’ve always wondered if that is her way of keeping her heart safe. If she never gets into a relationship she thinks might actually last, she’ll never be sad when it ends.”

He nodded, looking contemplative as he took a moment to digest my words. “That is a very likely reality.” He didn’t say anymore, but I felt like if I stayed quiet, he might continue sharing his thoughts with me.

I wasn’t sure how I knew this about him. All our therapy sessions and time spent together recently were the most likely reasons, but it also seemed like my body was attuned to him in a way that was very new to me. Now was not the time to examine why I felt that way with him, so I focused my attention on not stepping on his toes. How embarrassing would it be to have teased him about stepping on my feet, to then do it to him? I wasn’t a clumsy person, but I wouldn’t put it past me to get lost in my thoughts about Zeke.

“In a way,” he finally continued, his tone soft, “I feel like I can relate a bit to your sister’s thought process. It’s easier to keep things superficial, to ensure your heart doesn’t get involved. Where I differ from her is that I don’t get in relationships at all, not even ones I know won’t last or are just for fun. It’s too risky.” His face took on a somber expression. “Because as soon as your heart gets attached to someone, that is when you’re vulnerable.”

The playful energy that had been here before shifted into something quieter, more personal. Zeke swallowed hard, his usual bravado seeming to dim.

Anna’s name popped up in my mind. She had been the one to crush Zeke’s heart. The desire to know what happened between them thrummed through my veins, and I couldn’t have stopped the question coming out if I tried. I wanted to know so badly how she had hurt him, to understand why he felt he could never trust himself with another woman.

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