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“Your professional career might be done, Scarlett, but that doesn’t mean hockey is something that’s completely out of reach. Don’t give up on your passions and your goals—hell, your entire future—because you were dealt a shitty card in life. Don’t let this take everything from you.”
Adam pushes off from the wall and stalks toward me. My entire body turns pink and hyperaware of every step he takes. I get up off my stomach and settle on my knees.
“Don’t talk like you know me on some deep level, Adam. We’re barely even friends.”
My dig bounces right off him. He only tilts a brow, looking as if I’m merely entertaining him. “Barely even friends? You wound me, Scary Spice. I thought we were getting to know each other quite well.”
Needing to keep my hands busy so they’re not flopping in my lap, I thread my fingers through my ponytail. When my fingers get caught in a tangle of curls, I pull a little too hard and wince at the stabbing sensation in my scalp. Smooth.
“Are you okay? Does your shoulder hurt?” he asks with a slight tinge of panic in his tone.
I close my eyes for a minute to gain back some semblance of calm before opening them again to find him directly in front of me. He offers me his hand, and I just stare at it like it’s about to jump at me.
His laugh is smooth and deep. “Let me help you up.”
It hits me then that I’m knelt in front of him, his crotch in my direct line of vision. He’s left enough space between us that I don’t immediately ignite into a burning ball of mortification, and I almost thank him for that before remembering my knees are still on the ground and my mouth is gaping open.
“Oh my God.” It comes out in a rush. With wide eyes, I grab his hand and scramble to my feet. I use my own strength to push myself up at the same time he uses his to pull me, and I go flying. Straight. Into. Him.
A sound of surprise escapes him at the same time I collide with his chest. I barely have time to register just how hard and tense his stomach feels pressed against mine before my chin smacks his collarbone, and he grabs my biceps, steadying me.
“Jesus, Scarlett. Seriously, are you okay? Do you need to sit down somewhere? I can get you a water or some juice—”
“I’m fine.” I’m not, but I would be if you backed up.
His fingers tighten on my arms, but he doesn’t push me back like I’m expecting. I think he just . . . pulled me closer.
I pray that he can’t feel how hard my heart is beating in my chest or how it speeds up when our eyes catch and hold despite how badly I try to look away.
Sucking in a shuddered breath, I cautiously press my palms to his chest under the pretense of using the leverage to back away but find them superglued to the firm muscles instead. I furrow my eyebrows when I feel the frantic, unsteady beating behind his rib cage tapping at my fingers.
I swipe my tongue across my lips and shiver when the pad of his thumb strokes the underside of my arm.
His lips part as his gaze falls to my mouth. The room spins before disappearing entirely. Two words flare to life in my head, repeating over and over until it’s impossible to ignore them.
Kiss me.
Adam slides his fingers up my arm and over my shoulder before pausing at the base of my neck. His eyes flick to mine, as if asking for permission to touch me further, and I nod without hesitation. Rational thinking is gone. There’s only Adam and me and the tension building and building between us like a ball of electricity waiting to be unleashed.
His eyes flare as he cups the back of my head and tangles his fingers in my hair. The feeling of his fingers gently pressing into my scalp has my knees threatening to give out.
I hold my breath when he mutters, “Scarlett, can I k—”
Three knocks on the door sever the connection.
“Hey, guys. There’s someone else on the ice right now, and I think there might have been an—oh. Uh . . . I’ll just go . . . wait . . . outside. Yeah. Outside.”
Like I should have minutes ago, I shove at Adam’s chest and stumble back, creating some much-needed distance between us.
“Willow,” I breathe. My stomach falls to the floor.
The teenager is as red as a tomato, and I’m not sure I look much different if the pulse in my cheeks is anything to go by. She waves a hand in the air and tries to hide her shock with a forced smile.
“Hi.”
I can feel Adam’s stare beating into the side of my head, but I can’t look at him. God, what is he thinking right now? I swallow the boulder in my throat. I don’t want to know.
He clears his throat. “Who’s on the ice, Willow? There’s most likely a mix-up. Nobody is scheduled to be out there this morning beside you and Scarlett.”
