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Tasha quickly stands, saying, “I forgot to bring that thing I left at that place…”
“No, you didn’t forget it,” I say through gritted teeth. “I picked it up for you. It’s in my b—”
The door swings shut behind her, leaving me alone with Hottie McEngaged Man. He gives me that smirk that makes my knees buckle and I force myself to look away.
“Well, great to see you. Good luck out there.” I reach down and pull a skate out of my bag, then attempt to put it on over my right Ugg boot.
Clint chuckles. “Is that the secret to all those twirls you ladies do? You wear your winter boots under your skates?”
I roll my eyes. “Okay, yeah, I’m a little…keyed up at the moment, so if you don’t mind, I should try to calm myself down a bit before practice.”
“Do I make you nervous, Kitty?”
“No. Why would someone like you make me nervous?”
“Because I want you. Kitty and all.”
My mouth drops open and instead of closing it, I bite my bottom lip. Clint stares at me and I swear to God he’s pulling all the dirty thoughts I’ve had about him out of my mind. I’m suddenly flush with embarrassment and lust. Underwear model fiancée. I clear my throat and sit up tall. “Listen, thanks for the flattery. I’m sure most girls would jump at the chance to be your Winter Games hook-up, but I’m not one of them.”
“Oh, no, Kitty,” he says, shaking his head a little. “This wouldn’t be just a hook-up. If you and I get this fire started, it’s going to burn hot, hard, and for a very long time.”
Well, now, my entire body just went to jelly. Where’s Tasha when I need her? Some friend, abandoning me with this incredible hockey god who’s looking at me like he wants to lick me from my toes to my neck. I shake my head to snap myself out of it. “No, thanks.” My voice comes out high pitched and weak which is not what I was going for at all.
“It’s okay to be scared.”
“I’m not scared, but I’m also not stupid.”
Nodding, he says, “Oh, you’re scared all right.”
“This is never going to happen.” I point back and forth from my chest to him.
“And why’s that?”
“First of all, because I’m not going to blow this for myself. When you fly home, you’ll go back to making millions, even if you leave here empty-handed. If I don’t medal, I go back to being broke, and if I’m lucky, I’ll get another shot in four years, but most likely, I won’t.”
Clint nods and his face grows serious. “And second?”
“What?”
“You said, first of all. That usually means there’s more.”
“Second is that I just don’t like you that much.” I think about his fiancée to stop myself from grinning at the shocked look on his face. I don’t bring her up even though I know if I did, this entire thing would be over instantly and I could get started on forgetting about him.
“Liar.”
“Arrogant goon.”
He shrugs like that’s not an insult. “I may be arrogant, but I’m also right about you. You want me.”
“I do not. You’re so not my type.”
“How do you know that? You don’t even know me.”
“Name the last book you read and when.”
“The Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. Finished it this morning at breakfast.”
Oh, well, I wasn’t expecting that. I shake my head. “All right, so you read. Big deal. Still not interested. Now, you should get going so I can concentrate.”
