Page 135 of Playing the Pucking Game
35
PARKER
“Oh my god, Linc. This is incredible,” I breathe as I walk close to the windows, taking in the most incredible view before me. “How did you manage to do this?”
He moves closer until the heat of his arm burns down mine when he stops beside me.
“Pulled a few favors,” he says, like getting a private viewing on the one-hundred and second floor of the Empire State Building at the last minute is nothing.
“Linc,” I breathe, my eyes darting to all the twinkling lights that are stretched out before us. “Thank you.” The words don’t feel anywhere near enough for what he’s done since dragging me out of our hotel with the promise of the best night of my life.
He’s…he’s really thought of everything.
We’ve only had a few hours, but he’s managed to take me to all the main tourist spots, and I’ve loved every single one of them. And I think I’ve loved it more because I’ve discovered them with him.
He turns to the side, and my face burns with his attention.
Reaching out, he tucks a stray lock of hair behind my ear, and it sends an electric current straight through me.
I twist around, my breath catching when my eyes find his. They’re burning with an intensity that makes the ground shake beneath me.
“Anything, Parker,” he muses, his voice raspy and sexy as hell.
Our eye contact holds, the air crackling between us.
“We’ve only got ten minutes,” he reminds me, forcing me to rip my attention from him and to the incredible city before us.
With my hands pressed against the cool glass, I slowly move around the observation deck, making the most of every second.
I think of what I’ve achieved this year, securing my dream job and travelling around the country with some of the most incredible people I’ve ever met. And then there’s the guy whose stare is still burning into me. He hasn’t taken his eyes off me, despite the insane view, since the moment I turned around. It ensures my body continues to burn just as hot as when his fingers brushed my ear. He’s everything I’ve convinced myself I don’t want. He’s the same as the other two men of my past who shattered my heart without a single care in the world.
I close my eyes for a beat. Over the years, I’ve done my utmost to keep my distance despite the chemistry that’s always been there.
If I were to allow myself to be swept up by it, I have no doubt that I’d end up even more broken than the last two times.
When Seth went off with someone else, I was crushed. But we were still kids and didn’t know better. I might still be bitter about the betrayal, but I’ve forgiven him.
Then there was my college boyfriend. Another ice hockey player. As much as I try not to have a type, it seems that I might just. Those bad boys who shoot a puck around are my kryptonite.
We were planning our future. He was entering the draft after junior year and I was going to follow him once I graduated.We had it all planned; the only thing we didn’t know was the location. But as long as I had him and hockey, I knew I’d be okay.
But then, he got drafted to his dream team, and he changed his mind. He wanted to go alone and have the full NHL experience.
I was devastated, and from that day on, I swore off all ice hockey players. They can’t be trusted with anything more than a stick and a puck.
But despite knowing that, Linc has always been there.
Sure, he’s got a puck bunny or five in every state to keep him entertained. But he’s…
Fuck.
I don’t know what he is.
He’s just…always been there. Always looking at me like I’m something special. Even when we were kids, he’d always take time to check in on me. When Rett was being a jerk, Linc always tried to make it better.
And now…he’s offered up his home to me. He makes my iced coffee and breakfast. He bought me flowers, for fuck’s sake. And he’s brought me here. With only a few hours' notice, he’s worked his magic and helped me tick off a few items on my bucket list.
I sniffle in an attempt to stop my nose from itching as emotion builds up within me.
