Page 57 of The Flirty Forward

“You sure?” he asks softly.

“Absolutely. Now let’s get to our seats before you start another flash mob just by standing here.”

He looks around. “Yeah. Stick close to me, okay?” He frowns. “More close than last time.”

I laugh. “You would have to carry me for me to be closer than last time.”

A grin crosses his face, chasing away some of his tension. “That can be arranged.”

He steps towards me. “Don’t you dare pick me up, Sebastian Hart.”

He smiles down at me. “Okay, Teach.” He looks around us again and tenses. “Let’s get to our seats.” He puts out his hand, and after a brief hesitation, I take it. It’s just for security reasons, so we don’t get separated again. I’m not going to notice how good his hand feels wrapped around mine. His fingers are strong, his palm calloused. It makes me feel gentle and feminine.

Security wraps tight around us as we make our way into the arena. Sebastian leads me down to the first row behind the glass. I let him take the aisle seat both for space and so he doesn’t have to sit next to anyone besides me. After we settle into the seats, I look around. “These are good seats.” He doesn’t say anything, and I look over at him. He still looks tense and I reach out and pat his leg. “Hey, it’s okay. We’re good; we made it.”

He glances down at his leg and then at me. “I should have never brought you in that way.”

I shrug. “It’s fine; it’s over and done.”

There’s a thud against the glass right in front of us that makes me jump. We turn our gaze to the glass and see a guy I don’t know. He salutes Sebastian and then skates away. It doesn’t take a genius to know he’s not a fan of Sebastian’s. The first clue is that he wears the other team’s jersey; the second is the nasty smirk he sent. Sebastian tenses next to me. “Not a fan of yours, huh?” I ask.

“I hate that guy,” Sebastian mutters. “Man, I wish I was playing tonight.”

For the first time, I realize just how hard this is going to be on him to just sit and watch. I turn to him. “Sebastian, do you want to leave? We don’t have to stay here and watch if it’s too hard.”

“No, I want to be here for my team; and I want to be here with you.” The look he gives me is warm but still full of tension.

“Okay, then we’ll stay. But I can’t watch the game without popcorn.”

He turns to me. “Why?”

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s the nerves; I need something to keep myself occupied.”

He grins. “Nerves for what? You’re not playing.”

“Yeah, but I have to watch you guys play, and it’s stressful.”

“I think the word you’re looking for is amazing,” Sebastian says with a grin.

“Nope. Stressful.” I stand to my feet, and he stands as well. “You need to stay here,” I tell him.

“I’ll go with you,” he counters.

“And start another riot? No thank you. I’m safer by myself.” Guilt crosses his face, and I wish I wouldn’t have said anything. I push on quickly. “Do you want anything?”

“I’ll take a water, thanks.” He digs in his pocket for his wallet, but I sidestep him and step out into the main aisle. I jog up the steps, hoping he will stay behind. It’s better that way. By myself, I can blend into the crowd.

Nobody bothers me as I make my way to one of the places selling popcorn. I get in line and wait. When it’s my turn, I order a large popcorn, a water, a soda for me, and a bag of roasted nuts for Sebastian. I pay a minute later. As they start getting what I ordered, I realize my mistake. I don’t have enough hands for all I need to carry. I manage to make it over to a counter of condiments. I set everything down and try to reposition everything.

“It looks like you could use an extra hand.” The voice startles me, and I turn around. A tall, good-looking guy stands in front of me. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” he says with a smile. “Do you want some help?”

“Oh, it’s fine. I ca...” I stop. “You know what, yes. Yes, that would be a huge help.” He grins as I place the popcorn in his hands. “Thank you.”

“Of course. Where are you seated?”

I frown. “Are you sure you don’t mind following me?”

He gives me an easy grin. “Believe me, it won’t be a hardship.”

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