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His fingers caress my jaw. “What?”
“First, I want you to Google me.” My chest hurts at the thought of it, but it’s necessary. If he’s annoyed that I kept my family name from him, he’d go crazy about this. “And second, I want you to promise not to tell anybody who I really am.”
“Why would I tell anybody?” he asks me. “It’s not my story to tell.”
I don’t answer him. He’ll find out soon enough. Taking a deep breath, I look straight at him. “And thirdly, I don’t want anyone to know about this. Us, I mean. I don’t want us to be subjected to stupid gossip.”
“You want me to be your secret?”
“No. I just want to keep it separate from work. I like you, Eli. I like spending time with you.” A hint of a smile curls my lips. “And I enjoy wearing your clothes. A lot.”
He laughs.
“But I’ve learned the hard way that dating in public is difficult for women. We get judged in a way men don’t. There’s a reason I’ve never dated at work.” My eyes catch his. “And a reason we’re not allowed to sleep with clients.”
“I’m not your client.”
“But you work for him.”
“I work for your grandpa.”
“Is that any better?” I ask him.
He smiles. “Not really. Because if he finds out what I’ve been thinking about doing to you he’s gonna kick my ass.”
“What have you been thinking?” I ask him.
“Dirty, dirty thoughts.”
My face heats. So do other parts of my body. I want to hear those thoughts so badly. I want him to play them out on my body, the way he plays hockey on the ice. Strong, sure, always on target.
“Can you do those three things for me?” I ask him with a whisper.
“Yeah, I can.” He runs his hand down my back, pushes it up beneath his coat.
“And do you need me to do anything for you?”
He’s drawing circles on my spine.
“I can think of a few things.” His lips twitch. “But no, I don’t need anything. I’m a what you see is what you get kind of guy. No secrets, no issues. Just a huge need to throw you over my shoulder and carry you back to my place.”
He’s smiling now. And I am, too. A little shiver wracks down my spine.
“Thank you,” I whisper. And I mean it. He’s the first man that’s listened to my feelings today and not ridden completely over them.
I’m starting to think he’s the real deal.
CHAPTERFOURTEEN
ELI
I’ve always been a sucker for discipline. In my career, following the rules can make the difference between scoring the winning goal and being benched for a game. Sure, I make mistakes sometimes. Get a little heated, have a little scrap on the ice.
But there’s a reason for my longevity as a hockey player. I’ve always kept my head in the game.
So when I agreed to Mackenzie’s three requests I meant it. The only problem is, I don’t have time to think about them because I get a panic call from Myles whose babysitter hasn’t turned up.
“Can’t Liam help?” I ask.
