Page 48 of Lucky
“Well,” Emily says and rises from the couch, “if he keeps up this steady stream of charm, I vote you delete the app and marry him.”
“Noted,” I murmur, even as my eyes drift to my phone again.
“Got to get to class.”Kelsey stands up behind Emily.“You coming?”
My phone buzzes with another text.I’m still thinking about your mouth.
Throat dry, I wave them off.“In a second.Need to handle something.”
They both saunter out, ready to warp young minds.
I read the last text again.God help me, I’m not ready to give this up.
But I’m not sure I’m ready for what comes with it either.
Another chime.Are you there?
I bobble my phone, almost drop it.My heart feels like it’s going to pound out of my chest.Still here.Discombobulated.
I hit send, wait for his reply and almost drop the phone again when he calls me.For a split second, the terror of sounding like a dork hits me hard and I consider not answering.But the excitement of what he might say is far too tempting.“Hello,” I say, trying to sound far more composed than I am.
“I feel guilty,” he says, his deep voice rumbling through me.“For discombobulating you.”
I laugh, twirl my hair around my fingertip and realize with horror what I’m doing.I quickly tuck my hand under my leg.“It’s fine.It’s a better jolt than caffeine.”
“Great,” he says cheerfully.“Then it won’t bother you too much if I ask you to come to my game tonight and then come out with me and the team after.”
I freeze.It’s a request he’s made before, but I wanted no part of it.
But jeez… things have changed since then.“We already have a date set for Wednesday,” I point out.Because yes… he said he wants to take me out to a fancy dinner that night.
“You promised me four more exclusive dates, so if you want to count tonight as one, you’re entitled to it.”
Quick math… going out tonight and the Wednesday dinner date would put me through fifty percent of our remaining time together before the experiment concludes.Somehow, that doesn’t seem like enough.
Still, I hedge.“That doesn’t sound like a very normal, average guy-type date.”
Lucky chuckles.“I think you and I both know very well that I’m never going to be average or normal.But you also said you could accept that about me.”
“That’s true,” I murmur, and somehow, my finger is twirling my hair again.Fuck it.I leave it there and decide to negotiate.“I’ll come, but only if I can bring my friend Kelsey again.”
“Done,” he says before I get the last word out.“But it won’t be considered one of our dates since you’re bringing a friend.”
I grin maniacally, glad he can’t see my face.That was exactly my thinking too.“That’s fair,” I concede, although I’m happy he walked into my trap.
“Awesome.”His voice lowers slightly.“It might not be a date, but I’m still going to kiss you.”
My finger twirls harder.“Looking forward to it.”
CHAPTER 16
Winnie
Kelsey and Iare halfway through a pretzel the size of a dinner plate when the third period ends.And just like that, the Titans lose.
The crowd doesn’t exactly go silent—it’s still Pittsburgh—but the energy dips.People start filing out with muttered curses and tired shoulders, and on the ice, I watch Lucky skate toward the bench, jaw tight, expression unreadable.
I’ve only ever seen him on winning nights.It hadn’t occurred to me that those charming postgame smiles were only guaranteed with a win and I’m not sure what this means.We hadn’t discussed whether we were going out tonight, win or lose, but right now… nothing seems like a celebration.
