Page 80 of Your Sharpest Edge
“And you didn’t start sewing?” he asked, and I stopped to stare up at him.
“Alex, I had a newborn and could barely stand. I needed a stable job I could do while sitting, so I studied for my associate’s degree and trained to become a dispatcher.”
“But you don’t like it?” His green eyes scanned mine.
“Eh.” I shrugged.
“And your roommate watches him occasionally?” he asked as we continued walking, only a couple more blocks to my apartment.
“Yeah. When she can, but she works a lot too, so it’s really just us. I was grateful we each have our own bedroom at the apartment, and it’s a really good deal on rent.” Feeling mentally drained talking about all this, I turned the subject toward him. “And you? What’re you up to? You got traded?”
He nodded, a slow smile spreading across his lips. “Thank God. I hated working with the other team. When our old coach got fired for being a shitty coach, he was replaced, and it was a little better, but I was living in the apartment still and there were just so many?—”
“Bad memories.” I finished his sentence.
“Exactly.” He gave my hand a quick tug. “I got traded to the Ravens, and this year has been fucking amazing. Did you know we won the Stanley Cup?”
I shook my head.No, I didn’t because I avoided the sport and any news about it.
“Wow, Alex! That’s amazing. Congrats. I bet you’re an amazing player,” I said in awe.
He shrugged. “Eh. Coach thinks so, but Ledger, the other guy at the camp?—”
“The super tall one?”
Alex chuckled. “Yeah, him. He’s the star of the team, but during the final Cup game, I gave him the assist in the OT goal.”
“Holy shit.” I balked, tugging him back again. He smiled sheepishly. “That’s amazing.”
“It was cool, but it was nothing really. I was doing my job.”
We rounded the corner to my apartment complex.
“This is me.” I gestured up to the brown brick building in front of us. “But you probably already know that because you have my address and dropped off a ridiculous amount of fabric.”
“Baby.” Alex pulled me to him, tugging me close so our chests were touching. “If you wanted me to be your stalker, you just had to ask.”
“Alex.” My intention was to sound a little annoyed in a joking manner, but with his chest smashed against mine and his breath brushing my lips, I was a fucking goner. “I like malyshka better.”
His mouth was on mine, and I wrapped my hands around his neck, pulling him down into me. For the second time tonight, I was reminded that, yes, his kiss was exactly how I remembered. Outside, with nothing but the streetlamp illuminating us, all I wanted was to invite him upstairs.
His hands circled my waist, and my body begged him to hold me tighter, but I did what I needed to do. I pulled away slowly, reeling from the heady kiss. “I-I need to go upstairs. I really do have an early morning tomorrow with work and camp.”
“Okay,” Alex said, adjusting his pants again before looking down at me, lifting up my chin, and pressing his thick lips to my forehead. “Can I see you soon?”
I didn’t need to think about it to know exactly what I wanted to say. “Yes.”
The corner of his lip curled into a smirk. “Good.” He shifted his feet slightly before looking back up at me. “Yeah, this is good,” he replied a bit sheepishly. “I, uh, have a press thing to do tomorrow afternoon at the rink, but my apartment building has a pool on the rooftop. If you and Damien want to come over, I’d love that.”
I almost didn’t respond and fumbled around my purse for my phone. “I don’t know about tomorrow because of work, but maybe this weekend? I’m off Sunday, and Damien would love the pool.”
“I can do Sunday.”
He took a step closer to me again, grabbing my phone out of my hand. “This is long overdue,” he murmured as he put his number in my phone and then handed it back. “Anastasia. If you need anything, I know you’re doing it on your own, and you’re doing an amazing job, but please know I’m here for you. I always have been, I just... lost you for a bit.”
I closed my eyes, letting the familiarity of bourbon and lemon fill my nose. “I don’t know how to do this, Alex,” I whispered.
“Let me show you how.”
