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“I’m good at tasting.” Shit. Why didn’t my brain work well when it was nervous? It was probably because all of the blood had been diverted to other parts of my body. I shifted to stand behind the table, hoping that my jeans were camouflaging my massive hard-on.
Everleigh’s headshake and eye roll was subtle, but I saw it. “I wasn’t sure about the cake, so I asked my friend here for a second opinion.”
“And?” The baker might not have been a fool, but unlike us, she wasn’t going to be unprofessional.
Everleigh looked at me and bit her lower lip, like she was thinking. “It’s up to Marisa, but our vote is for the chocolate.”
“I thought so.” The baker smiled. “But I’ll wait to get confirmation from the bride.”
“Thank you again for being so accommodating with my schedule.” Everleigh gathered up her handbag.
“Of course, Miss King.”
“We have to get going.” Everleigh was herding me toward the door with the efficiency of a border collie.
I pulled open the door, but before Everleigh could step through it, the baker pulled a box from one of the freezers. She handed it to Everleigh with a wink.
“Thank you.” Everleigh smiled and accepted the box.
We both shivered as we burst out into the humid New York night. The temperature difference between the cold room and the hot night was shocking.
We walked together a few hurried steps before Everleigh elbowed me and whispered, “You’re good at tasting?”
“I was nervous.” I was having a hard time keeping up with Everleigh’s pace and wondered how she walked so fast in those damn tall shoes. “Maybe she didn’t notice anything,” I said.
Everleigh stopped and rubbed her thumb on my cheek. “You’ve got lipstick on your face.”
“Oh.” I touched the spot where her fingers had been. “What’s in the box? More samples?”
Everleigh looked at the box like it was the first time she was seeing it, then opened it. Her face instantly went pink. “Chocolate covered strawberries.”
“She definitely knew.” I couldn’t help but laugh, and admired the subtle and kind of sweet move by the baker.
Everleigh started walking again, but this time her pace was slower. “I’m going to tell Marisa to get the chocolate cake.”
“I think that’s a good idea.” I smiled and brushed one of the tendrils that kept escaping her librarian bun.
With a more relaxed pace, I realized that I had no idea where we were going. I had fallen into step beside Everleigh and would’ve kept going until the streets ran into the river. But she stopped in front of a large brownstone. “This is my place.” She took one step up and turned to face me, so that we were at eye level. “Thank you for walking me home.”
It wasn’t that far. “You’re welcome.”
I assumed that meant the night was over. “Good night, Miss King.” I wanted to kiss her, but turned to walk away.
“Gunnar. Wait.”
I turned. “I think that we have to share these.” She pushed the box into my hands and walked up the stairs to the solid, shiny black door.
I glanced up and down the street, the box in my hands. And then I followed her.
SEVEN
EVERLEIGH
As Gunnar steppedinto the foyer of my home, I realized that I’d never been with a man like him before – on purpose. I didn’t date hockey players. There were a lot of reasons, but mainly it was because I’d grown up around them and knew what they were all about: bunnies, scholarships, and when the time came for the serious players, getting drafted into the National League. But for most of the guys I knew growing up, bunnies were what kept them playing, and in my opinion, it was the bunny obsession that separated the real hockey players from the players who cared more about the perks.
Lockwood was different. He was one of the few players I’d met that seemed to be focused on one thing and one thing only – the game. And it was the hottest thing I’d ever seen. Investment bankers, actors, and real estate moguls were the kind of men who typically stood in my doorway, their suits and shiny shoes a stark contrast from Gunnar’s jeans and T-shirt that was stretched in all the right places.
Maybe I wanted him so badly because I couldn’t have him. Or maybe it’s because he was – no, I couldn’t let my mind go to that word – soulmate, because I was a successful businesswoman and I didn’t believe in fairy tales. Men used women, hockey players used bunnies, and the only way to survive in that world was to keep my feelings frozen. I couldn’t let Gunnar melt me. I would get hurt, and I needed to keep my edge for business. It was a man’s world, and I operated like a man, only better.
