I snort.Let’s go tiki?I’ll never let him live that one down.
Nia, on the other hand, giggles and seems to find it adorable. “Okay.” She gingerly takes his hand, allowing him to pull her up. “Let’s go tiki.”
Looking back at me over his shoulder, I give him a thumbs up as they head off. Now all he needs to do is keep his cool, and I need to do the same.
“Is he usually so obvious?” Sabs laughs as we watch the two of them head over to the bar. My pulse spikes as her eyes fix on me. “Nia is more than just a total babe; she’s an amazing person. He better be a decent guy, or I’ll have to hit a puck at your balls.”
I splutter.
“What?” She flutters her eyelashes. “I assumed you’d be used to fighting talk with being the hotshot hockey star and all.”
“Oh, I am.” I love her playful energy. It’s infectious. “But don’t worry, Corbin’s one of the good guys. Besides, Nia strikes me as someone who can take good care of herself. As do you.”
“That’s true.” She extends her legs, gazing out over the lake at the setting sun, which reflects on the water's glassy surface in small ripples of shimmering, golden light. I’m too busy admiring her to fully appreciate the view. “I heard you won the game.” Her comment has me forcing my eyes back to her face.
My chest puffs out. “Did you see it?”
I hope she did. The way I hit the puck into the net at the final second was the perfect game ending.
“I was too busy winning a game of my own.” Her white teeth flash from between her rosy lips. “Volleyball is the best.”
“Second best,” I correct her, earning me a sassy eye roll. “Hey!” I raise my hands. “If you saw our win earlier, you’d probably agree.”
“Oh, really?” I get a hint of cherries carrying over the breeze. That must be her. My mouth waters as it completely drowns out the smell of the campfires. “Would you have liked to seeme cheering, skating around firing T-shirts into the crowd or whatever else your puck bunnies do?”
I can’t say the idea of her skating around in a skimpy outfit doesn’t sound appealing, but somehow, I can’t imagine her doing that. She seems to be strong-minded. I’ll bet if she ever cheered for someone, they’d have to earn it.
“I think a fox outfit would suit you,” I tease. “It’d match your hair.”
“Oh, I have a whole fox outfit.” She winks. “And it’s better than anything else I’ve seen around here tonight.”
Good lord. The thought of her dressed as a sexy fox makes me rearrange my shorts.
“Speaking of puck bunnies, it looks like you have several admirers.” She nods to where Cindy and her friends are glaring in our direction. “Maybe you should return to your fan club? They’ll probably be missing the famous Adler Ace.”
“I think I prefer it here.” I don’t miss a beat. “I have a great view.”
She laughs, leaning closer as her voice drops to a sultry whisper, giving me another hit of that cherry scent that makes me want to bury my face in the crook of her neck. “Do pickup lines like that usually work for you?”
“Most of the time,” I admit.
“At least you’re honest.” She throws back her head and laughs. “So, Ace… tell me something about you off the ice.”
“Off the ice?”
“Yeah, you know, something that doesn’t involve chasing a puck.”
“I’d prefer to hear about you,” I counter. “What are you studying?”
“Okay, I’ll bite.” She takes another sip of her drink. “I’m majoring in engineering.” I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t that. She instantly detects my surprise, which I mustdo a bad job of hiding. “Yeah, everyone has that reaction. I’m the only omega in my program.” She scoffs. “I’m used to alphas swinging their knots around trying to impress me, but I’m top of the class, and I love to remind them that I can out-squat most of them at the gym.”
The more we talk, the more intrigued I am. And the more I want to know about her. Plus, I’m also counting down the seconds until she stands up because she’s practically asking for me to check out her ass. I bet it’ll be a sight to behold.
“Okay, so you’re hard to impress. Noted.” I chuckle. “What would impress you?”
“I guess you’ll have to work hard to find out.”
My heart hammers against my ribcage. Is she flirting with me? The way her teeth plunge into her bottom lip makes me think so.
