Page 33 of Off The Ice

“You groaned.”

“I did?” My eyes widened.

Crap. I definitely did not mean to do that out loud.

“Yeah.” He laughed. “You did. Are you okay?”

“Yes. I’m fine.” I nodded.Besides the fact that I seriously need to get my thoughts under control.“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Huh?”

“Why are you thanking me?”

“Oh,” I said, shifting my weight. “For asking if I was okay?”

He stared at me strangely for a moment before holding out the key for me. I reached up to take it, but he pulled it away.

“You have to promise you won’t lose this one because then neither of us will be able to get in, okay?” He looked down at me, feigning sternness.

“Right. No leaving the key on the counter and locking myself out. Got it. I’ll only make that mistake once.”

He lowered his hand enough for me to grab it, our fingers grazing each other as I took it from him. I snatched it back faster than normal, my heartbeat racing slightly.

He was intimidating. Especially here, in his element, while I was so wildly out of place.

“You sure you’re okay?”

I nodded. “It’s cold in here.” As if that was enough to explain the awkwardness I could feel radiating off of me.

The corner of his lip turned. “It is an ice rink, after all. Didn’t you bring a jacket?”

“Locked myself out, remember,” I explained. “Didn’t exactly think to bring one on my big trip into the hallway.”

“Well, here.” He reached into his duffel bag once more, this time pulling out a hoodie.

“Oh, that’s okay.” I shook my head in refusal. “You don’t have to do that.”

“Stop doing that,” he said, putting the sweatshirt in my arms. “Stop saying no to everything I try to give you.”

“But I—”

“Cassie. It’s cold out. Wear it for the car ride home, okay?”

Home,I thought.Wish I had one of those.

But I knew what he meant, so I nodded, mumbling a thanks in response. I pulled it over the top of my head because I really was at the point of trembling from the chill in the arena.

As usual, it fell to my mid-thigh. I rolled the sleeves up a few times so I could have use of my hands. I stared up at him, taking in the full extent of his features in the light. He was beautiful. Dark wavy hair and a few freckles across his nose. A strong jaw.And thoseeyes.Why couldn’t I pull myself away from them? Andwhywas he looking back at me with similar intensity?

Did he think I was creepy? Could he tell that I’d been checking him out? Oh, God. I was going to ruin the only living situation I had because I was drooling over a big, handsome hockey player who’d already made it clear he hated people who did that.

“Hey, Brynn.” We both flinched, breaking eye contact at the sound of someone slamming their glove against the glass. “Get back here, huh? Some of us don’t want to be here all night.”

I looked over at the hockey player, noticing the way he looked at me in puzzlement before Liam’s voice pulled my attention back toward him.

“I’ll be right there,” Liam told him, his voice gruffer than it had been.

---