Page 31 of In the Danger Zone
“I get it. Can’t really hear that during a game, though.”
“How long have you b-been playing hockey?” I asked, letting Evan move us further along the ice.
“Since I was six. I kinda wanted to be a goalie at first, actually. But I got over being stuck in the net the whole game. I needed to be moving around on the ice,” Evan explained. “And I like slamming guys into the boards too much to ever give that up.”
I couldn’t help it when I laughed at that. “You sound dangerous.”
Evan looked over at me with a grin. “Only on the ice.”
“And in the locker room…” I thought of what happened: that story Leena had told me about Evan getting into Asher’s face. The story that Evan had confirmed.
Evan gently came to a stop, standing in front of me. He grabbed both of my hands, holding them tight as he stared down at me, keeping me steady. “He deserved that.”
“I didn’t say he didn’t. It’s just…” I looked down at the ice. “I don’t really understand why you did it. Why youreallydid it.”
Evan rested two fingers on my chin, lifting my head up so that our eyes met. “If someone messes with you, I’m not just gonna sit there and watch.”
“B-But… We’re n-not…”
“I like you, Daisy,” Evan said with a murmur. “As soon as I saw you, all I knew was that I had to have you closer. I needed to be around you. Even if we’re not… anything. You’re in my life now, and I don’t want anyone to think they can get away with hurting you.”
“I’m n-not used to people being so kind to me,” I confessed. “This feels like… This feels like a joke, like you’re doing this to m-mess with m-me. I don’t know what to say to you.”
“Daisy, hey.” Evan squeezed at my hands. “I wouldn’t do that. This isn’t a joke or some stupid prank. I promise you that. I meant what I said: that as soon as I saw you I felt… something. Something I hadn’t ever felt before.”
Maybe I was being paranoid, but no one could blame me after everything I had been through. It was hard for me to be open and vulnerable with people. But so far, Evan had been doing everything right to earn my trust. And maybe it was time to let my walls down.
“You m-mean that?” I asked shyly.
“Of course, sweetheart. I can’t stop thinking about you. Ever since I saw you, you’re all I can think about,” he mumbled. “You’re driving me crazy and you don’t even know it.”
I found myself blushing at Evan words. I looked up at him, fully expecting to see Asher jump out and tell me it was all some dumb joke and that I was an idiot for thinking a guy like Evan could ever like me. That Evan was just stringing me along, getting me to fall for him just so they could both laugh in my face. But that didn’t happen. I sawwarmthin Evan’s eyes.
“I’ve b-been thinking about you too,” I confessed. “A lot.”
Evan smiled. “Yeah? That makes me happy. And as much as I like thinking about you, I think I prefer to have the real thing right here in front of me.”
“M-Me too. Even if I’m standing on the freezing, cold ice.”
Chuckling, Evan pulled me closer to him, his hands rubbing up and down my arms. “Do you wanna maybe come to the game this weekend? I don’t know if you’re a hockey fan or not. But it’d mean a lot to me if you came.”
My heart raced a little. “The g-game?”
“Yeah, we’re playing the Tigers this weekend. They’re an easy kill,” Evan said with a bright smile. “You ever been to a hockey game?”
“No.” I shook my head. “Sports aren’t really m-my thing.”
“Hockey’s different. It’s fast and hard. I told you I’m a defenseman, right? So if you wanna see me kick some ass, then you might have some fun.”
I gave him a little smile. “Any chance we’ll see a repeat of what you did to A-Asher?”
“I should kick his ass on the ice. Just for you.” Evan winked. “What do you say? You wanna come? I’ll organize it all so you’ll get a free ticket and a good seat.”
My heart was beating fast. No guy had ever asked me out anywhere, and the first guy to do it was one of Asher’s friends. Or was ex-friend more appropriate? My fingers rubbed at my forehead, suddenly regretting not joining Leena in the library.
It could be a mistake. A trap. If I went to the game, I’d have to be on high alert and look over my shoulder every chance I got. Asher would be there.
But I didn’t want to hide forever. If I was going to pull my walls down, I’d have to take a leap. Even if the leap was scary.
