"Lucky for you, they don't stop psychos at the door."
"Psh. Do you think security has found your fan account, PuckBunny47?"
"Indie!! I told you that in confidence."
"You did get me into the rink today, so…" She wrinkles her nose playfully. "I’ll let it slide for now. But don't think that I missed that you were making thirst trap videos about the Seattle Havoc long before you started working here."
"Whatever. You liked every single one."
"Oh, I definitely liked them." She looks out over the rink and swipes her tongue over her lips, ogling theplayers. "So, are you dating anyone? Any hockey boys hanging around in your apartment?"
I groan and twist my hair around my finger. "God, no. That's my rule. No hockey players, period."
"Why not? They're hot."
"Because I grew up with Beck and his teammates." I watch Connor skate by, his muscles flexing under his shirt. “I know exactly what hockey players are. They're loud and grabby, and treat women like a perk of the job. They rotate through them the way they rotate through cities, and they don't lose a single night of sleep over any of it. I decided a long time ago that I’m not going to be someone's Seattle girl.”
Indie lifts an eyebrow. "So that's why you're still a virgin?"
My face goes hot. "That's not... I mean… that's part of it. But mostly? Hockey boys are the worst."
She starts to reply, but movement across the rink draws her eye. Grinning, she gives my shoulder a little shove and jerks her head toward the hockey player who's pushing onto the ice from the tunnel.
The shove was unnecessary because I always know who she wants me to see. There's only one Alex fucking Thorne.
His arrival throws the whole rink into chaos.
My throat constricts. My heart speeds up. I’m sure my pupils are huge.
With his dark good looks, towering height, and his devil-may-care smile, Alex Thorne is nothing but trouble. He's hot, he's shrewd, and there’s a reason he’s co-captain with Beck.
He's the Seattle Havoc's golden boy.
When he claps a rookie on the back after a good drill, the kid will stand two inches taller for the rest of the session. I’ve watched him do this exact thing approximately forty times.
Thorne is an all-around good guy, the darling of the Seattle Havoc's public relations department. Plus, he’s my brother's best friend.
And he gets under my skin like no other guy can.
Thorne skates out to the center of the rink. To my brother, he says, "Sorry I'm late. I was in a phone interview that went long. Where do you need me?"
Theo pounds on the side. "Over here, man."
One of the farm guys calls, "Nah, come on our team, Thorne! Kozlov got you last time."
Thorne grins and skates away from Theo. "When he's right, he's right."
"Okay, but we get the other captain," Theo says, jerking his head toward my brother. "It's only fair."
Indie leans over the side of the rink with her phone out. "Hey, Thorne! Can I interview you before you leave?"
Thorne takes off his helmet as he skates over to us. His gaze flits over me and his lips curl in the tiniest smirk. "I thought they weren't letting fans in during off-season skates anymore,” he says to her.
"Excuse me, I'm a journalist." Indie flashes him an irresistible grin and adds, "And Mollie invited me here to see how the pros do it in their downtime."
Indie knows how to do this. She manages to flirt without looking like a desperate, needy little girl. Jealousy sparks, burning bright inside my chest.
"Oh yeah?" His lips twitch as he represses a smile. With his day or two of stubble, cheekbones carved of marble, and extremely kissable lips, Alex Thorne is a deadly weapon. He's so hot that I can hardly begrudge Indie when she hits pause on her camera and leans closer, drawn into his hot guy trap.
