Page 20 of Risky Play

“Oh.”

Ari laughed it off and shook her head back and forth, which made Ty laugh.

“You don’t put enough power in your shot,” Maddie said to me, pulling me away from our friends’ conversation.

I nearly choked. Her brother said the same thing last week. “Excuse me?”

“Well, if we’re gonna be friends, you’ll take my friendly hockey advice, right?” she asked, giving me an evil grin.

“That’s what Noah said,” I grumbled.

“He’s right. But he always says that to me too, so don’t feel special,” she said and made a face.

I grinned.

Noah was the most talented hockey player I’d ever met. That was why it was so great he took me under his wing when I got the call up to the big leagues.

“You gonna come to the game tomorrow and give me more pointers later?”

She shook her head. “Nope. I got practice and a night class.”

“Saturday?”

“I’ve got a game.”

“Well, shit sweet pea, how’s this friendship gonna work?”

She laughed, and when the smile spread across her face, I knew I was wearing down her walls. Yeah, it was a dick move to run away, but holy shit, I couldn’t date Noah’s sister. He would kill me. Dinah seemed on board, though, but that didn’t matter. As much as it pained me, I couldn’t start anything with Maddie.

But fuck me, did she smell good—and look good too.

Get your shit together, Callahan.

“Again with the sweet pea?” she asked, but her eyes twinkled.

I took a pull off my beer and winked at her. “So, you play hockey too?”

She nodded.

“What position?”

“Center.”

“Like me. And your brother.”

Her chin jutted up in agreement. “Taught me everything I know.”

My gaze roamed down her body. Her lean, long legs looked powerful from skating, and she had small but defined muscles in her arms. She was lean but athletic, and I hadn’t recognized that the night we met. It all made sense now.

“Matt,” she warned.

I snapped my head up, realizing I got caught staring. “Hmm?”

“Stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?”

She sucked her bottom lip into her teeth. God, she looked sexy like that.