Page 64 of Rush the Edge

What the hell?!

I manage to keep my expression smooth, pairing it with a fake smile.

It takes all my effort to remain poised when he doesn’t stop there. As if he needs to gain any more fans, he drops his helmet to the ice, along with his gloves, and pulls off his jersey in a single motion. My jaw begs to slack right along with all the other women in the arena, but I clench my jaw tightly when I see what’s on his wrist.

A thin black hair tie.

The same one he wore for every game his senior year of high school.

The same one he stole out of my hair one night after he and River rescued me from a party.

My thoughts run wild as he balls his jersey up in his hands and tosses it to a group of college girls who are no doubt fighting over it by now. I can’t seem to look at them to find out, because Kane is zipping toward me with a devilish glint in his eye.

What are you doing?

My heart pounds so loudly I can’t hear anything but the whooshing of his skates toward me. He puts out his hand for me to take, and I stare at him for a split second before remembering that we’re on national television in front of thousands of fans.

He’s doing this on purpose.

I growl quietly, thankful the microphone is off now.

When our palms collide, heat coats my skin. He pulls me toward the opening in the ice, and I can’t get away from him fast enough.

The second we’re closed off from the cameras, I rip my hand out of his.

“What the hell was that?” I seethe.

I place my hands on my hips, and he follows the motion with a teasing glint.

“What?” He plays coy. “Me escorting you off the ice?”

“I told you I was fine! I don’t need you to hover over me because of last night.”

Kane lifts an eyebrow. “I wasn’t trying to hover. I was told to do that.”

A flush creeps up my neck and lands on my cheeks. My gaze cuts to Cindy, but she isn’t paying any attention.

Kane pops his helmet back onto his head, stowing his sweaty hair away. “And prove it.”

I pull back after glancing at the hair tie on his wrist again. “Prove what? How, with every interaction, you seem to irritate me even more?”

I have the sudden urge to pull on the elastic to snap it.

His mouth twitches. “Prove that you’re fine and that you don’t need me to…hover…over you.”

The way he sayshovermakes me blush even harder. An image fills my head that has no business being there.

“That's why you’re living with River, huh? So he can take care of you?”

“No!” I shout.

The more he talks, the more frustrated I become.

“And when he’s at the hospital, working endless hours, he expects me to be there for you, doesn’t he? He thinks you’ll call me when you’re sick and needing someone.” Kane glances down the hall with a shake of his head.

“I don’t need you to take care of me!” I drop my attention to my hair tie. “And give me back my hair tie!”

He laughs out loud. “No, and again, prove it.”

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