My fingers twitch, desperate to tuck her hair behind her ear or run along her hairline, watching her shiver beneath my touch. But I refrain.
Instead, I lean forward, making it even harder for myself, as inches are all that’s left between our faces. My gaze drops to her lips, painted a pretty pink, and when I look back up, her eyes are on my mouth.
“Because I’m not sure you’re ready to hear that answer. And if I say it, I’mgoingto do something about it.”
Our breaths are intertwined, hearts beating erratically. I could kiss her right now if I wanted to cross that line. I know she wants it too. There’s something between us, whether we’re ready to admit that or not.
“I-I should get home.” She swallows hard, a war brewing in her eyes. “Kyle’s been home alone for the last few hours.”
My blood runs cold.Kyle? Who the fuck is Kyle?
My jaw clenches, lips forming a tight line. “Of course. Good night, Coach.”
Somehow, she manages to pull herself from our orbit, strolling out of the room with her heels clicking like gunshots to my chest. She’s seeing someone—that makes sense. Of course she is. She's incredible and beautiful.
It’s for the best anyway for our relationship to stay professional. She makes me a better athlete, and that’s what I need to focus on right now, my game and nothing else.
Fucking Kyle.
CHAPTER 10
MATT
I’ve never been more distracted at a practice before. But Shay’s never been this close to the ice, in my constant eyeline. Lately, I’ve had a harder time shaking her from my thoughts, but it’s damn near impossible with her red hair in my peripheral vision all the time.
I’m going to have to learn how to adjust because there’s no way in hell I’m going to ask her to back away from the progress she’s made. I just have to find a way to not think about the way she looked at me in the equipment room, like she wanted me to kiss her. I definitely can’t think about how soft her lips looked, parting as we got closer together, nearly there.
Fuck. I’m losing it. For her. For good.
The puck flies past me, and I slam my eyes shut and shake my head because there’s nothing else I can do. I was zoned out, daydreaming, and Costy scored on me with ease.
“MacArthur! Wake up!” Coach Carrington shouts from the blue line, reffing our scrimmage.
Standing up, I can’t help but to glance over at Shay, and my stomach flips when I see her deep in conversation with Andy, pointing and tapping her marker on the clipboard in Andy’s hands. She’s so honed in, so in her element here. It’s beautiful.
Turning my focus back to the practice, I start reciting stats about the Penguins—anything to keep my head in the game. Thank God it works.
The team’s next time on the ice, I’m homed in, completely focused. Kos brings the puck into the zone, working the defense with ease. He lures them deep before kicking the puck back to Costy, who throws it over to Burnsy while Kos slides in front of the crease. Burnsy flicks the puck toward Kos, hoping for a redirect, but I’m already ready, catching the flying puck before it can zip past me. Someone checks Kos, and he loses his balance, skates going airborne. He glides into me, and we tumble like dominoes, laughing.
“Get out of my crease, Kos!” I playfully shove him, glancing up at the guys laughing with us, including stone-cold Carrington himself.
But as I glance over at the bench, I spot Shay. Her face is devoid of color, pale, and her eyes are wide.
Oh God, that was probably triggering as hell to watch. But she’s still standing there, still looking at me as if she’s waiting for the other shoe to drop.
I mouth over to the bench,I’m good.
I swear she doesn’t blink, so I shake my glove off my hand as the rest of the guys skate off to set up. Lifting my hand in the air, I give her a thumbs-up, and I watch her body come back to life as she takes a deep, shuddering breath.
Andy’s eyes burn into me, but I ignore them, slipping my glove back on.
“Big Mac, you ready?” Coach Carrington asks genuinely.
“Ready!” I shout back, dropping into position.
Kos has the puck, ready for round two, as he skates into the zone, fucking flying. “Costy.”
Costy drops around, somehow skating faster. He catches the pass on his way by, dribbling through the zone. He brings itaround the back side of the net, and I watch him through the corner of my eye while also keeping an eye on everyone in front of me.
