Page 53 of Frozen Hearts
Look this way. Look this way.
My fingers dig into the arms of the chair as I silently plead for a glimpse of her face.
And then, as if granted this one singular wish, she turns and my vision is eclipsed by soft, pink lips, upturned in a shy smile, long dark lashes, and seductive rosy cheeks.
I suck in a shocked gasp, momentarily taken aback by her beauty.
However, it’s more than that…
Not only is she beautiful, but I fuckingknowher.
“Hey, man, you alright?” Royce asks, nudging my shoulder.
I absently nod, gaze still riveted on the girl across the room.
My eyes bounce over her body as my pulsing desire gives way to something darker, dangerous. My teeth grind, the muscles in my jaw pulling tight.
Not one to give up easily, Royce pushes, “You know her?”
Fuck yeah, I do.
“What are we staring at?” Logan asks, apparently done socializing with his teammates as he drops into a seat on my other side, taking a sip from his beer bottle before also peering in the direction I’m staring.
“Whoa, who's the hottie?” She turns in our direction once again, giving a final wave before she flounces off the stage, and as she does, Logan’s body stiffens. His eyes flash with confusion as he leans forward in his chair. “What the fuck?!” he mutters to himself. “Riley?”
At the sound of her name on his tongue, I tear my gaze away from the now-empty stage to focus on my best friend. Eyes narrowed on him, I bark, “You know her?”
He doesn’t seem to hear me as he continues to gape in the direction she disappeared, so I take the time to observe him. Each one of his emotions is plain to read on his face—confusion, hurt, surprise, uncertainty. And buried underneath each of them is lust.
Finally feeling the pressure of my stare, he turns to face me, eyes wide and brows furrowed. His focus shifts to Royce before returning to mine. “She’s the one who’s been tutoring me this semester.”
Tutoring him? But he’s taking a freshman class. Does that mean Riley is a freshman? It would be unusual, given that she’s only two years younger than us, but not impossible.
“No way, that’s her?” Royce gapes. “And here I’ve been picturing a shy, quiet, nerdy girl who spends all her free time in the library.”
Still laughing, he focuses back on the stage as a group of dancers appears. The three of us fall silent, and I scour the stage until I find her. Her auburn hair is a beacon drawing my eyes as she moves into position for the next performance.
Royce shifts beside me, shuffling closer as he curses under his breath, and I turn to look at him, arching a brow in a silent question, which he ignores as he glares at the stage.
Not sure what to make of his change in behavior, I focus back on Logan, determined to get some answers from him. “She attends Halston?”
“Yeah,” Logan confirms. “She’s this year's scholarship student.”
Guess that explains how she’s affording the astronomical Halston U fees.
But why the fuck is she here? Atmycollege. Inmytown. Inthisclub.
“Why wouldn’t she tell me this is where she works?” Logan mutters, clearly talking to himself.
That’s when itreallyclicks. She’s notjusthis tutor. She’s the girl he’s been chasing. The one who went to his game and who he took on a date last week.
She’s the girl Logan has fucking fallen for.
“Seriously?” I snarl more furiously than I intend. “She’sthe one you’ve been chasing after?”
His eyes narrow on me in warning. For the most part, Logan is a golden retriever. It makes it easy to forget he’s an absolute pitbull on the ice—or when someone threatens the people he cares for.
“No. Abso-fucking-lutely not. You are not to go anywhere near her.”
