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Something—or someone—is preventing me from riding out my postgame high.
I need to find Aeris. Why is she here? When I told her who I was, she didn’t seem to have any idea I played hockey. And now, out of nowhere, she shows up to the one place I least expected to see her.
I’ve been pacing back and forth for twenty minutes in this damn parking lot trying to catch Aeris. I’ve texted her ten times telling her we need to talk.
my long legs carry me over to her in two strides. Jesus, I forget how small she is. Not just compared to me.
a searing sensation shooting through me like a five-alarm fire. To my surprise, she bites back with enough intensity to shake me to the core. “No, Hayes, I didn’t know who you were. And no thanks to you lying to me about what you did for work,” she hisses, her narrowed eyes terrorizing me. The knot in my throat bobs. “You didn’t know?”
“No, asshole. And why would it matter if I knew or not?” “Can we go somewhere more private?” Aeris considers me for a second, but she eventually nods her head, although I wouldn’t put it past her to eat me alive when we’re alone.
The tip of her nose is red, her skin has been robbed of color, and she hasn’t stopped shivering. I pull her into me, wrapping my arms around her frame, hopefully engulfing her in a decent amount of heat. I tend to run warm.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have lied to you. I’ve told women in the past about my career, and they’ve used me for fame.” “So that gives you a pass to lie to me?” “Of course not. I should’ve been honest with you from the beginning.”
“No, Aeris. That wasn’t my intention at all. I was so busy with practice that I haven’t had a moment to text you, but you haven’t left my mind.” “How can I trust you?” “I don’t know, but I promise, no more secrets.” “No more secrets,”
her anger’s been snuffed out or the cold has finally gotten to her, because she nuzzles into the bulk of my arms. That fragrant lavender and strawberry mix of hers engulfs me, pulling me back to the night I met her.
In this moment, all I can think about is getting to spend time with her again.
want to make it up to her. I want to show her how sorry I am for ignoring her, then accusing her of being a liar.
like Aeris, I do. She understands me like nobody else does. She knows what it’s like to lose someone; she knows the survivor’s guilt that comes with it.
“I wanted to ask you out. Properly. On a date,” I mumble against the crown of her head. Aeris pulls back slightly, moistening her bottom lip.
“A date?” “A date,” I repeat confidently. “You. Me. Maybe some hand-holding.”
can tell she’s intrigued, but there’s also a part of her that’s wary, and I don’t blame her.
“I’d love to go on a date with you,” she finishes. Oh, thank God.
hold her face in my hands, brushing my nose with hers, my parted lips mere inches away from slanting over her pretty mouth.
I want to kiss her. And judging by the heavy pants racking her chest, I know she wants this just as badly as I do.
After Hayes dropped that nuclear-sized truth bomb on me, I did some digging on him. He got drafted to the Reapers when he was a senior in college, and according to some fan sites, he’s been playing hockey since he was eight, he’s allergic to shellfish, and his birthday is on November twelfth.
But I can’t help but think about all the beautiful women who are constantly around him. Beautiful women who look nothing like me.
digital six turns into a seven, there’s a knock at my door. Punctual. He’s punctual. That’s an attractive quality.
I hesitantly open the door, my eyes going as wide as saucers at the sight of Hayes in a suit. A suit.
Hayes has one of those torsos that taper down to a slimmer waist and thighs that could probably crush a watermelon without much effort. His dirty-blond hair is gelled back, his face is clean-shaven, and he’s wearing a heady cologne that sends a streak of pleasure between my legs.
“You look beautiful,” he says, a dimple developing at the corner of his lips. There’s a rustling coming from his hands, and that’s when I take in the bouquet of flowers he’s brought me. No guy has ever given me flowers.
“You brought me flowers?” I gasp, taking them from him and inhaling deeply. He went with some classic red roses. They’re stunning, and the gesture releases butterflies to reside in my belly.
I didn’t know what kind of flowers you liked, and I didn’t want to ask you because it would ruin the surprise.”
friendly meow comes from the mass of fur weaving in and out of his legs, and he crouches down, scratching Swiffer behind the ear. “She must really like you. She’s usually never this social with anyone,” I tell him,
“I’ve always wanted a pet,” he confesses, having switched to rubbing the white spot underneath her chin. I lean over the sink, cutting the stems at an angle. “Dog person?” “Cat person,” he corrects.
“Well, you’re welcome to come over and see Swiffer whenever you want,” I laugh, setting the flowers in the vase and fluffing their petals.
Hayes waltzes over to me, pulling me into his hard body. My heart skips a beat under his touch, and my breath catches in my throat. “When I come over, it won’t be to see your cat, Aeris.” His voice is rich, warm, and growly,
He nips at the hinge of my jaw, then lashes his tongue over the stretch of skin below my ear, pulling my lobe into his mouth and sucking. I moan in surprise as I involuntarily tilt my head back, squeezing my thighs together.
Sauvre de Solange: a dining establishment that specializes in some of the most sophisticated, highly rated dishes in Riverside.
A frown christens my lips. “Everything looks so…” “Pretentious?” Hayes chuckles, his Colgate-bright grin shining underneath the recessed lighting. “Expensive,” I murmur quietly, suddenly feeling very out of place. Not only among all these people, but with Hayes.
They had thin, toned bodies, and their skin had a permanent sun-kissed look. I don’t tan easily. I don’t have lean muscle on my body. I have stomach rolls, stretchmarks on my thighs, and acne scars. I’m not Hayes’ usual type.
enveloping my hand in his. “I want you to order whatever you want, okay? It doesn’t matter how much it costs.” “Hayes…” His fingers give my palm a tight squeeze, slinging tiny jolts up my forearms. “I’m serious, Aeris. It’s my treat.”
I’m not used to anyone treating me this way, and I don’t want...
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Hayes homes his attention on me. “So, what made you pursue being a content writer?” I don’t know why I’m so caught off guard,
I’ve always liked to write, but I didn’t have the bandwidth to become an author.” Mirth festers in his chalcedony irises. “Jeez, I could’ve used you in college. I sucked at English. Barely passed my GE class.” I clear the nerves from my throat with a brief sip of ice-cold water. “What did you major in?” “Sports medicine,” he echoes.
“Roden always wanted to study medicine in college. He loved helping people.” “Tell me about him,” Hayes says. A mask of confusion adheres to my face. “Roden?” Hayes remembered my brother’s name? “You mentioned him at the bar.” “Well, he die—” “No, Aeris. Tell me about him.” Oh. Nobody’s ever asked to hear about Roden. It’s…I’ve never really talked about him without
But for the first time in forever, the air in my lungs feels crisp. A calming sense of euphoria reclaims
“Roden was…is…the best person in the entire world. He was creative and kind and he cared about...
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And he spent three weeks caring for that bird until it was healthy enough to be returned to the wild. Made a temporary home for it in a box with a heating source, bandaged its wing, fed it seed mixtures and soft fruits. I was worried we’d have to put it out of its misery, but Roden saved it.” “Wow. He sounds incredible. I wish I could’ve met him.” I wish you could’ve too.
“Tell me about your mother,” I eventually say. A hearty chuckle rocks his beefy frame. “She was caring, just like your brother. She was the one who comforted me whenever I felt down.
My mother would spend the early morning with me, rubbing my back and singing me to sleep. She’d hold me in her arms until I drifted off,
always put everyone else first. I never knew someone could be so selfless.” “Oh, Hayes. She sounds lovely.”
I’m so enraptured by Hayes’ burger. He pushes it toward me. “Do you want some?” Three hundred fifty-four calories. If I eat that, I’m gaining at least a pound.
Even though my body should be used to being deprived of food, it hasn’t gotten the message yet.
“I’m sure,” I lie, attempting to kill this conversation as soon as I can. The more I think about it, the closer I am to losing my self-control. Self-control that’s already beginning to wane. But it looks so good. I haven’t had a full, hearty meal in weeks. I definitely haven’t had a burger in over a year.
“What if I want you to have it?” he asks, practically waving it in front of me like a carrot on a stick. Conversation: not over. I want to say no. I want to politely turn him down.
