Page 85 of Keeping it Real

He wanted to kiss her.To bring them back to the connection they’d had last night and all morning.The guarded look in her eyes stopped him, however.She wasn’t angry with him.He understood her well enough to know that.It was the situation that had her ticked.Not only Sloane’s intrusiveness but also the fact that they needed to figure out where this relationship was headed.

Alek thought he knew the direction he wanted it to go.But, dammit, Collin’s words had sown a tiny seed of doubt.He’d thought he’d been on the same page with women who meant something to him before.Both times, it turned out he’d been reading the wrong book.

“I’ll see you at home, then.”It was the only thing he could say.

He stopped at the front desk and handed over his credit card.“Whatever the dog needs, I want her to have it.”

The receptionist ran it through the card reader and passed it back to him.“We’ll keep this on file.”

“We’ll be back with a bag of dog toys tomorrow afternoon.”Valentine winked at her, making the woman blush.

The snow was really coming down when they stepped outside.Valentine brushed off Alek’s side mirrors with the sleeve of his jacket before climbing into the passenger seat.His groan echoed throughout the interior when Alek started the car.

“That sounds heavy.”Alek remarked.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” his teammate said.“Sloane is every guy’s wet dream wrapped up in a very stylish package.”

Alek pulled onto the highway.“But?”

“But I can’t help feeling like she’s using me.”Valentine slumped down into the seat.

“It comes with the territory.You’re a rich professional athlete.Top of the food chain.”

“Yeah.Those women are normally easy to spot.At least they used to be.”He groaned again.“I thought Sloane was different.I thought we wanted the same things.”

“What changed?”

“She’s becoming more and more obsessed with social media.It’s all she talks about.Don’t get me wrong, I’m not so self-centered that I want to be with someone who is solely focused on me.I’d much rather she have other interests, just as long as it doesn’t involve content creation.Can you imagine thrusting a kid into that kind of atmosphere?”

Alek jerked his head around to stare at him.“Wow.You’ve thought about having kids with her?”

“Well, sure.I mean, I want to have my kids chasing me around at morning skate before I’m too old.Or cheering me on from the boards.I think Sloane is only after the fame and attention.If something better came along, I have this bad feeling she’d throw me over in a heartbeat.”

They were quiet for a long moment before Valentine spoke up.

“I’m starting to think you’ve had the right approach all along, Ice-Berg.Maybe I should follow your lead and steer clear of all the complications that come with a long-term relationship and hope that someone leaves me a kid.”

Alek squeezed the steering wheel until his knuckles were white.That hadn’t been what he was doing.Well, not exactly, anyway.At one time in his life, he’d wanted what his teammate wanted.

Until his best friend took it away.

Except he had another chance at it now.But if he messed it up, he’d lose Sheridan and Finn forever.And that would break him.

Their arrival at the training facility should have put an end to the conversation, but Alek wanted his friend to know he was in his corner.

“I’d say trust your gut, Twos,” he said as they hurried through the snow and into the building.“But mine hasn’t always been reliable where women are concerned.It might be best if you tell her how you feel.Maybe she thinks you want her to be a social media queen, and she’s only doing all of this for you.”

Valentine perked up.“You think?”

He didn’t think so, but for his teammate’s sake, he hoped so.“Hard to say for sure.That’s why you need to talk to her.”

“Thanks, Ice-Berg.”Valentine clapped him on the back.“You picked up a few things being the son of a professor.”

The training room was crowded, which was understandable given that they had a noon game the next day.None of the guys wanted to get up any earlier than they had to on a Sunday morning.

“How’s the pooch?”Picard called from one of the tables where a trainer was applying ultrasound to his ankle.

Alek signed in for the next available trainer.“Vet says she’s going to pull through.”

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