“The one from our first time?”
A flush creeps up her neck. “That’s the one.”
I groan. “You're trying to kill me.”
“Just keeping you on your toes.” She presses a quick kiss to my lips, then climbs off my lap, wincing slightly as I slip out of her. I hand her the polo, and she pulls it back on, then her pants.
“I'll see you at Logan's,” she says from the doorway.
“Save me a dance.”
She laughs. “With your knee? We'll see.”
After she's gone, I sit on the couch for a few more minutes, replaying the day in my head. The showcase and the hollow feeling of watching from the sidelines.
Despite Natalie’s assurances, I’m still worried. I need my job.
14
Natalie
Logan’s mansion is ridiculous.
I'm talking three stories of glass overlooking the Hudson River, with a pool that seems to stretch into infinity. A DJ booth is set up on a deck that overlooks the lawn. Crystal chandeliers are hanging from the outdoor pavilion, and waiters are circulating with champagne and canapés that look too beautiful to eat.
“This is insane,” I whisper to Avery as we step through the entrance.
“Welcome to NHL money,” she says with a grin. “Wait until you see the indoor basketball court.”
“He has an indoor basketball court?”
“And a bowling alley. And a home theater that seats thirty.” She links her arm through mine. “Come on, let's get drinks.”
The party is already in full swing by the time we arrive. Players and their wives and girlfriends mingle with team staff and sponsors, and everyone is dressed to impress. I'm glad Avery convinced me to shop for a dress. This is not a party where you can wear any old thing.
I’m also wearing the gold necklace that Ethan gave me.
Ethan arrived separately with Theo and Cole. I spot him across the room, looking huge and handsome in a charcoal suit that fits him perfectly. His cane is nowhere in sight, and I make a mental note to scold him later about overdoing it.
Our eyes meet across the crowded room, and the corner of his mouth lifts in a smile. Heat curls through my belly, and I have to look away before my face gives everything away.
“Earth to Natalie.” Harper waves a hand in front of my face. “You okay? You look flushed.”
“It's warm in here,” I lie. “Where are those drinks?”
The bartender makes us a sweet cocktail. I take a long sip and try to focus on the conversation around me instead of the man across the room who's consuming all my attention.
Olivia joins us with baby Maya on her hip, the little one dressed in a tiny Renegades onesie with a matching headband. She's the hit of the party, passed from player to player like a tiny mascot. Even the grumpiest veterans turn to mush when she grabs their fingers with her chubby hands.
“Theo's been dying to show her off,” Olivia says, rolling her eyes fondly. “He's convinced she's going to play in the NHL.”
“She's got his competitive streak,” Harper agrees. “I saw her fighting Cole for a cracker earlier. She won.”
We laugh and chat, and I try to be present in the moment. But no matter where I am in the room or who I'm talking to, I'm acutely aware of Ethan's presence. He's at the bar with Logan and some of the other guys, nursing what looks like a whiskey and nodding along to whatever story is being told.
And his eyes keep finding me.
Every time I glance in his direction, he's already looking. His gaze tracks me across the room like a heat-seeking missile, dark and possessive and hungry.
