The Romance Line (Love and Hockey Book 2) by Lauren Blakely

Author:Lauren Blakely [Blakely, Lauren]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lauren Blakely Books
Published: 2024-10-02T00:00:00+00:00

24

A KISS FOR THE ROAD

Max

By my estimates I have twenty minutes before I have to be on the team bus that'll take us to the airport. Every second counts. It’s only fair that I let Everly know why I showed up in the media room tonight. The equipment room seems as good a place to inform her as any. “Come with me,” I tell her, as I step into the room full of sticks, pads, and skates.

“You have to leave any second,” she says, concern in her brow as she stands in the doorway.

“But not yet. Now come inside.”

“So bossy,” she says, as I reach for her hand. She places it in mine and I tug her inside.

I close the door. I can’t wait a second longer to know. “Did you wear the underwear?”

She jerks her gaze behind her, as if she can check for eavesdroppers, stragglers, anyone in the hallway beyond.

But I’m not stupid, and I wouldn’t hurt her by talking this way in front of her co-workers or mine. The hallway’s empty now, plus the door is shut. “I’m paid a lot of money for these eyes. I already checked to see if anyone was around before I pulled you in here,” I try to reassure her, then return to the pressing matter—the one I can’t get out of my head. “Did you wear them?”

She lifts her chin, a little saucy as she asks, “What do you think?”

She’s still not answering me, and it’s driving me wild. I try one more tactic—assuming. “You wore them.”

She moves to the wall, leaning against it, right next to a long row of cubbies holding gear. Dropping her purse to the floor, she bobs a shoulder, giving me a you’ll never know smile. “I guess you’ll just have to wonder the whole time you’re out of town,” she says coquettishly, and I deserve all her taunts.

But as much as I could chase the high score on our banter leaderboard all night, I legit need to talk to her. I let go of the games we play, asking seriously, “Do you have a sec? It’s important.”

Her expression shifts instantly, her sass vanishing. She straightens. “Sure.”

She’s been trying so hard for so long. I need to make some effort too, so I meet her gaze with a serious one of my own. I drag a hand through my hair, taking a breath. “Listen, I know I kind of surprised you back in the media room.”

“It wasn’t a bad surprise,” she says, then winces. “But I’m really sorry that everyone started going after you so quickly. I tried to stop them the second they did.”

I hold up a hand, exonerating her from the barrage of questions I tuned out. “They barely even registered. I had a one-track mind in there.”

She smiles. “I noticed. That was incredibly impressive, how you shut them all down.”

“All that time not talking makes me kind of immune to their questions. I said what I wanted to say tonight. And I noticed you recording it.

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