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For just a moment, I rest my head against his chest as he wraps an arm around me, and we settle in the bleachers to wait for the game to get underway.
“Hey, baby,” Mom says, leaning over to kiss my cheek.
“Hi.”
“How are classes going?” she asks.
“They’re pretty good.” It won’t be long before we’re heading into finals, so I’ve been doing my best to stay on top of everything.
“Even inorganic chem?” she asks with a smile.
“It’s fine. I’ll drop in for office hours if I need to.”
With a shake of her head, she glances at Dad. There’s a twinkle in her mocha-colored eyes when she says, “I’m not sure where this one came from. She’s too damn smart to be ours.”
Dad grins before dropping a kiss on the crown of my head. “She’s definitely all yours, Nat.”
My gaze bounces between them and the smiles that simmer across their lips as they stare at one another. For just a moment or two, it feels as if the arena and all its noise fades to the background and it’s just the two of them.
As soon as Mom turns away to talk with Ryder’s parents, Cal and Sadie, who are seated on the other side of her, Dad leans closer and whispers, “All the plans are set for Mom’s birthday at Taco Loco.”
“She’s going to be so surprised.” It’s hard to get anything past my mother. But I don’t think she has a clue about what Dad’s up to.
“Sure will. I threw her a surprise birthday dinner at a Mexican restaurant when we were in college. Did I ever tell you about that?”
“Yup.” And it makes my heart melt every time he shares the story of how they fell in love. Back then, she refused to give him the time of day. According to Dad, she couldn’t stand him. They’re so in love now that it’s hard to imagine. They actually pretended to date, one thing led to another, and she fell head over heels for him.
It’s exactly the kind of relationship I’ve been searching for. I want someone who can make my heart skip a beat and my tummy tremble when our gazes lock from across a crowded room. I want someone who makes me forget my own name when we kiss.
Kind of like at the library with—
My phone vibrates with an incoming text, and I slip it from my pocket before glancing at the screen.
Don’t make plans after the game. We’re checking something off tonight.
My heart plummets to my toes as I stare at the message. It’s been days since I ran into Ryder at the library. I’d almost thought he forgot about our agreement.
Looks like I was wrong.
I glance up just as the Western Wildcats take to the ice, circling around their half. Their opponents do the same on the opposite end. My gaze sweeps over the players until it lands on Ryder. Even though all the guys look similar in their uniforms, padding and helmets, I’d know him anywhere.
Number fifty-five.
His stick rests across his shoulders as he takes long strides to warm up his legs. His muscular arms hang over the length as he twists his torso back and forth. When he skates past our seats, his gaze locks on mine and electricity snaps and sizzles, lighting my nerve-endings up. My mouth turns cottony as I glance at the message for a second time and conjure up a mental image of the list, wondering which item he has in mind.
Number one (make out at the library) and four (get drunk at a party) have already been checked off. That leaves seven possibilities, since falling in love has been removed. My belly clenches at the idea of skinny dipping with Ryder or worse…
Him giving me an orgasm.
It’s humiliating that he knows something so private about me. He must think I’m such a loser. Although, I’m pretty sure he thought I was a loser way before that. The list has only solidified it.
Ugh.
“Your brother looks good out there,” Dad says, interrupting the whirl of my thoughts.
My gaze touches on Maverick momentarily before drifting back to Ryder. The tiny hairs at the nape of my neck rise when I find his attention still locked on me.
CHAPTER16
