Page 56 of Behind the Bench

That is until I put my stick down, ready to stride toward center ice, and see the man leaning over the boards at the benches.

I stop abruptly on the ice, spraying snow high into the air. I fight the tightness in my throat and gulp down the anxiety that threatens to creep up.

Lincoln Scott is here and he's skating directly toward me.

After last night’s events, I am 100 percent certain that whatever is going on between Ellie and me can no longer be ignored. I just have to figure out how to broach the subject with her in a way that won’t send her running for the hills.

I do my best thinking at the rink, so that’s why I’m currently walking through the employee entrance, planning to skate my worries away. The rink is my church. It’s where I go to seek answers, clear my mind, and find peace.

I’m about to turn right down the short hallway that leads to both our locker room and the coaches’ room when I hear the slap of a puck. The players aren’t scheduled to be at the rink today, we gave them the day off to be with their families and rest because we have a few road games next week. So I’m not sure who is on the ice right now. I guess I’ll find out soon enough.

I punch in the security code to get into our room and notice Ellie’s sneakers in her stall.

Mystery solved.

I’m not surprised Ellie is here. She’s a lot like me in more ways than I ever realized. She works just as hard, if notharder, as I do. She’s focused. She’s determined. And apparently she uses the ice as her sanctuary as well.

The last time we were alone on the ice, I was mid panic attack and was a complete asshole to her. Hopefully this time is different.

I quickly tie up my skates and grab my gloves from my stall. I find my stick near the door in the stick rack and slowly make my way toward the ice. I’m hoping to stay inconspicuous for a minute so I can take a few moments to drink her in.

Ellie on the ice is a sight I’ve never forgotten. She glides effortlessly, her strides long and powerful. Growing up she was the fastest one on her team, which is saying a lot considering boys are biologically supposed to be stronger and faster. It didn’t matter. Ellie was tall for a girl, standing at five-ten, and she perfected her stride in a way that was both graceful and strong.

As I stand here just off to the side of the bench staring at her, I can’t help but be mesmerized.

Slowly, I make my way onto the bench and lean forward to rest my elbows on the boards. I’m enjoying every second of watching her on the ice, but secretly hope she sees me soon because I am itching to be near her.

She takes a slap shot and it soars through the air before going bar down. Her slap shot has always been impressive. I watch her as she lifts her arms over her head to catch her breath. I can see her chest heave up and down and I have this barbaric urge to wrap my arms around her and steal her breath with my own.

Ellie puts her stick down, ready to surge for another puck at center ice, and that’s when she spots me.

Is she as nervous as I am to be together after last night’s close call?

I’m not sure what I’m going to say, but I can’t take the distance between us anymore. I step onto the ice and slowlymake my way over to her, stopping so we’re face to face but with a safe distance between us.

Since I’m trying not to be the asshole I was the last time we were on the ice, I figure a compliment is a nice place to start.

“Nice to see your slap shot is still in prime condition.”

Ellie stands her stick up, resting both hands at the knob so she can rest her chin on top of her gloves.

“I try to keep it in tip top shape since my ass is getting slower and slower these days.”

Her ass is anything but slow out here. It’s perfect and sculpted and I’d love to sink my teeth into it.

“What are you doing here?” she asks, tilting her head to the side.

“Same thing as you, I suppose. Needed to clear my head.”

Ellie eyes me for a second, and I wonder if she’s thinking about last night too. A smile breaks across her face and she seems to relax as she puts her stick on the ice with her right hand.

“Yeah, my mind is a scary place to be right now. I figured some time on the ice would be good for me. Do you mind if I stay? I just got here a little bit ago.”

Okay, she’s not running. That’s a good sign.

An idea quickly forms in my head and I can’t help but give her a smile of my own.

She eyes me suspiciously. “What’s that look for?”

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