AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Actually…I’mmy artist. I designed all these,” he said as if confessing his deepest, darkest secret. Maybe he was.
I jerked back, forcing his hands off me, and stepped away to get a full look at him, covered in beautiful art. “You—you draw?”
Sebastian shrugged tight shoulders. “Yeah. I do other things too. I like to paint and sculpt. I’m working on making my own plates right now, but simple sketching is my favorite medium. I’ve been doing it since I was a kid.”
My mind was completely blown. Of all the hobbies I expect Sebastian Kingston to have, art was at the bottom of the list. Not that it was long; I kind of thought he lived and breathed only hockey. Lord knew I did.
“Well, you’re incredibly talented. If I ever decide to get stabbed a million times, you’ll be the person I talkto first.”
Sebastian chuckled. “It’s a date.”
And just like that, he took a knife tomy bubble.
I didn’t know what my face looked like, but it couldn’t have been pretty. Sebastian hardened until he was the immovable wall that had one of the highest shot percentages in the league.
“Or not.” His voice was like gravel, and I foughta flinch.
“I—I…” I sighed and collapsed onto the edge of his bed. After a tense moment, Sebastian slowlyjoined me.
“Crap,” I mumbled to myself, then, with a deep breath, pulled my shoulders back and met Sebastian’s gaze dead on. “Look, I don’t know what you want out of this, but I cannot be in a relationship right now. Not only have I just started my career and don’t have time for one, but it cannot be with ateammate.”
Sebastian’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Right.”
“That doesn’t mean I don’t like you. Because, unfortunately, I really do. But if we got into a relationship and somebody found out, it would fuck up our careers, Sebastian. Sure, there’s not any rules about teammates dating, but what team would want that kind of drama? Hell, the Blizzards didn’t want the drama of me just being a woman, and that was without any relationship mess. If anyone found out, one of us would be traded.”
Sebastian nodded. “And it wouldn’t be me.”
I let out a tiny sigh in relief. He understood. “No, it wouldn’t be.”
“So, we keep this secret?”
“And light,” I insisted. “We’re not dating. We’re not boyfriend and girlfriend. We’re teammates and friends. Who’s to say we can’t hang out? I mean, I’m a lesbian, right? And you’re my mentor.”
“Hang out?”
I nodded and waited, my lungs frozen, as Sebastian worried his lower lip betweenhis teeth.
“Okay, but I have one condition: no sleeping with other people.”
“No problem,” I agreed as fast as possible. Hell, I barely had time and energyfor this.
Sebastian’s eyes suddenly snapped wide. “Wait. What about Mason? He knows you’re here right now.”
I winced. “Crap. Yeah, I already told him about molesting you in the elevator.” Sebastian snorted at that, and I smiled. “There’s no way I can keep this from him. Or mybrother.”
“Can they keep a secret? I don’t know your brother, but I’ve seen Mason’s poker face. Yours is better.”
I chuckled. Mason sure had everyone fooled with his innocent, I-have-nothing-to-hide face. “Mason can keep his mouth shut when it matters. And Drew would never sayanything.”
“Okay.”
“Do you want to tell anybody? Maybe Jones?” I asked. Sebastian hung out with Jones more than anyone else on the team. They were best friends.
“Yeah. If that’s okaywith you.”
“Of course. Just you, me, Mason, Drew, and Jones. Our little bubble.”
Sebastian’s face lost the last of its hardness. “Soundsperfect.”
