Page 104 of Off The Ice

“All right, fine,” He relented at last, tearing his eyes off Cassie and back to me. “Brynn, you’re off the hook. And you would’ve made a damn fortune too, so the only reason is because this is the only time you’ve ever brought a lady with you to anything in your career, so I have to give you the benefit of the doubt here.”

“Thank you, Sir.” Cassie jumped to her feet, an enthusiastic smile overtaking her. “You don’t know how much it means to me.”

She reached her hand out to shake his while introducing herself to him formally. In a daze, he shook her hand back, insisting that she call him Teddy.

I stared in awe at the interaction, watching as one of the most hardened men I knew turned into putty in front of Cassie.

I laughed to myself. Even fucking Coach wasn’t immune to Cassie’s charms. It was like she was one of those mermaids who sank ships with just the sound of her voice. Only she was wide-eyed and innocent and probably hadn’t the slightest clue about the effect she had on people. It was justher.

He went off on his way, and Cassie sat down sheepishly, face flaming when she finally looked at me.

“I’m so sorry about that,” she said, wincing.

“Sorry?” I asked aghast. “You just saved me. What the hell are you sorry for?”

“I was way up in your space, and I know you hate stuff like that,” she said. “I just didn’t think he’d buy it otherwise.”

Was she serious?

And what could I say back?

Don’t apologize for touching me? I fucking loved it. Please, touch me more?

Anything I wanted to say, like any of the million thoughts that were rapidly filling my head, would’ve made me sound like an absolute creep.

“You just did me the biggest favor in the world,” I told her honestly. “And you got me out of a world of shit with Coach. You havenothingto apologize for.”

But I was scared of her refusing to touch me for the rest of the night because of the totally unwarranted fear thatIsomehow didn’t want it, so I told her, “Besides, we’re supposed to look like a couple tonight.” I cringed internally at how desperate I sounded, “So the touching is… good.”

“It’s good?” She scrunched her nose, still looking bashful and adorable as hell at the same time.

“Yeah, it’s good.”

“Well, if thetouchingis okay with you—”

More than fucking okay.

“Do you think we could maybe…” She fiddled her fingers nervously. “Dance?”

And then she looked longingly toward the dance floor, where dozens of couples were already swaying with their partners.

“You want to dance?” I asked, feeling my hands go clammy.

“Only if you do,” she said nervously.

I hadn’t slow danced since the senior prom back in high school, and even then, I’d only been on the floor for a few minutes before choosing to sit the rest of the night out.

But somehow, staring at Cassie, who had just done more for me than anyone else ever had, looking like the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen in my entire life, I knew I’d stand out there all fucking night if she wanted me to.

“Yeah, Cassie.” I laughed softly, holding out my hand for her. “We can dance.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

Cassie

Ididn’t really understand how I ended up dancing with the man every woman in Boston and beyond wanted to be with, but I was scared that if I thought about it too hard, I might wake up and realize it hadn’t been real at all.

For now, I let myself feel the weight of his hands in my mine. I let myself rest my head on his shoulder as we swayed, and in moments when I was sure he wasn’t looking, I let myself breathe in the scent of him, as if I could commit every detail of the night to memory.

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