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“Both things can be true, you know,” she says. “It’s kind of creepy and stalkerish.”
I shrug. “If there’s one thing hockey has taught me, it’s to never be afraid to get after what I want and stop at nothing to get it. Besides, you don't think it's all that creepy anyway. I can see that in your eyes too."
“Oh, can you?”
“I can.”
Devon looks down but can’t keep the smile off her face as that giggle I’ve come to like drifts out of her mouth again. She looks around and seems to notice all the people stealing glances at us and gasping. She’s clearly uncomfortable with any sort of public scrutiny because her face turns a deep shade of red and a squeak escapes her throat.
“How do you do it?” she asks as she focuses her attention on me. “How do you deal with people staring at you wherever you go like you’re a zoo exhibit or something?”
I shrug. “I just shut it out. I mean, I guess I’ve just gotten used to it, but it hardly even fazes me anymore, truth be told. I barely notice it.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not used to having people gawking at me.”
“It shows,” I say with a chuckle.
“Laugh it up, funny man.”
“How has your day been?” I ask. “Has that guy… What’s his name? Zack? Has he given you any trouble today?”
She frowns, and it’s easy to tell she had a run-in with him. Her face falls, and she stares at her feet. Devon’s debating with herself about whether to tell me about it or not. But then she nods to herself, her decision made.
“Yeah, we had a thing earlier,” she confesses. “But don’t worry, you don’t need to go body-check him or whatever you were going to do. I handled him.”
I laugh. “Body-check him, huh?”
“Yeah, isn’t that like a hockey thing?”
“It is,” I reply. “So, you handled him?”
She nods. “I did. Very forcefully too, I might add. You can ask Sammy about it.”
“Oh, I believe you. I have no trouble believing you can be downright vicious when you need to be,” I say lightly.
“You better believe I can. So you should watch it, mister.”
“I’ll stay on my toes.”
“Do that.” She flashes me a smile that makes my loins twist.
We stand in an awkward silence for a moment, our eyes just locked on each other’s. To me, that feeling of things between us being natural and somehow just being right settles down over my shoulders again.
Being around Devon is like being enveloped in warmth. It’s a feeling that’s foreign to me but one that the more I feel, the more I find that I like it. The more I crave it. And the more I crave Devon.
“So, I mean… It's nice to see you and all, but what are you doing here, Dawson?” she asks, breaking that awkward air between us.
“Oh, I stopped by to see you obviously. But I also want you to come to the game tonight. Bring your friends. I’ll reserve a suite for you guys.”
Devon’s mouth falls open. “Really?”
“I figure it’s time for you to see your hometown hockey team. Let me prove to you that we exist and all.”
She squeals and jumps up and down like an excited kid on Christmas morning. “Dawson, that would be so amazing. You’d really do that?”
“I’d do a lot more for you, Devon.”
Devon sucks in a steadying breath. Her eyes widen, and she falls silent for a moment but her cheeks flush. She’s so flustered that even the tips of her ears turn bright red as her mouth opens and closes, making her look like a fish pulled out of water. She clears her throat and rakes her fingers through her hair, making me laugh softly.
