Page 62 of Home Game

Ryan’s hand had been between my naked thighs.

“Are you okay?”

His finger had slowly, expertly stroked me in the most intimate way.

I swallowed, not making eye contact. “Let’s never talk about that and don’t ask me if I’m okay.”

“You sure?”

“Ryan please,” I begged him, my face bright red.

“Zoey.”

“Go,” I said, pushing against his hard chest with my good hand. “You’re going to be late.”

He sighed and then he walked away. I slowly moved down the stairs and stood looking at the ice. The stadium was a different place without 18,000 screaming fans. The quiet was almost reverent,reminding me of a big, empty cathedral.

I sat down and dropped my face in my hands. I should have never got into bed with Ryan. None of that had been his fault. But my response to his forbidden touch was excruciating to remember. Why hadn’t I stopped him, woken him when his hand was up my shirt? It would have been easy to laugh off. But no. I had waited. Because I had wanted more. My feelings for Ryan were confusing enough, but now I had to mix in intense lustful memories along with the mortification of my over the top response to his touch. It was humiliating.

I lifted my head when a lone skater came out on the ice and slowly circled around. The sound of his blades, scraping on the ice, reverberated. He was tall, with long shaggy blond hair sticking out from the bottom of his helmet. When he came around the corner, he glanced up and noticed me. He sped up as he came towards me and when he was directly in front of me, he stopped short, his skates spraying ice up high. We stared at each other.

“Who are you?” he leaned on his stick, his brown eyes not moving from my face.

“Zoey.”

“What happened to your shoulder?”

“I sprained it.”

He winced. “That sucks. I broke my collarbone in grade 5.”

“It’s not fun.”

“You have a visitor pass.”

I looked down at the tag hanging around my neck. “That’s probably because I’m a visitor.”

His face broke into a smile. He was cute. Not as hot as Ryan, but definitely good looking. “Just came by for a visit?”

“That’s what visitors do.”

He stood there smiling at me for a long moment. “You’re different.”

“From?”

“From everyone else.”

I gave hima skeptical look. “That’s a general statement. Want to narrow that down?”

He laughed. “You’re just unexpected.”

“You don’t know me. I could be like everyone else.”

He stood there smiling up at me. “I don’t think you are.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Are you flirting with me?”

He laughed. “Trying.”

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