BORROWED LOVE ON ICE

SSA'S

Move you

ce, but I didn't flinch, I was a

y shoulder, and executed a clean left cut. Number four

e of the best hockey p

t this wasn't my first victory, an

rom the French bench muttered as I s

at my lips. What

er's voice sound

Xavier never knew when to shut up, alway

e screamed again

tear his vocal cords. Without looking, I f

atisfying clack, and a heartb

oa

n, I'd be celebrating all damn day. Instead, I skated back to cen

evil himself. "You're welcome," he said,

him. "You mean I p

work,

cold. "Don't

and infuriating. "You're s

lways g

nked.

tion and waited for the whistle, too f

the score was 4–1. E

voices went hoarse. The commentator kept yelling my name

n with another

utting through the Fren

lined up for another faceof

ning," I

laying with

t him, but he wasn't wrong. We d

s one of the few people I actually enjoyed playing with.

buzzer sounded

upted. Fans jumped to their feet, sc

perfect sexy smile, that always made

I just lifted my stic

y need for that,

eaming from the bleachers making me r

mp hair falling into his eyes in a way that was annoyingly ph

nd kissing him right there in front of everyone like t

care if they decided to put on a full show right

......

jersey and tossed it onto the bench, my chest still heaving

is pads. "Saw you drop that guy in the

ng off my gloves. I hated when people thought

dmiration, "never seen anyone check someone li

to smile," Jay laug

scoffed. "She's basicall

s and started un

say something cock

aid flatly. Everyone

little shit,"

ve me for it," I

ey all knew I was the backbone of this team. I wasn'

all thought I was messing with

elling me I had no idea what I was getting into. Said i

got what I wanted. They let me stay because they had no

wrong. Over a

l league, held the fastest skating record, and

...............

all fancy tablecloths, crystal glasses

ably clean after hours of b

etween Jay and across f

to his side. She wore one of those tight mini skirts and his Eng

rything he said, holding his hand

ind. Why would he? S

ork into the roasted chicken w

tapping the table nea

Fi

ing on that tone guys used when they were working up to s

eating, hoping h

ou ever... uh... go o

No

de me. "Good luck

ondering if maybe sometime we could grab

ed to keep my voice level, r

y. "Oh. Okay. Yeah

hed. "Tol

d tried to ignore the way Xavier's laugh

ary?" Jay asked aft

not

ng. Like, genuine

you're j

ebrow. "Are you

d to me?

d, grinning. "You

on th

ing attention anymore. My eyes had drifted to Xavier, who wa

y gaze for a moment too long

ned in my chest,

..........

eryone else was probably knocked out from dinner and drinks, but my

me, it energized me, le

ed up my sneakers, and sl

tadium through a private underground corridor mean

creaming coaches, no cameras, no ex

ide door and stepped

e there

shirt was damp with sweat, hockey stick

Clack.

ows by the door, watching him move with that fl

ocused in a way I rarely saw during games. His j

e about seeing him like this, strippe

across the ice, and he didn't look surprised to see m

ast midnight?" he asked, his vo

e," I said, stepp

seemed forced. "Gues

edge of the rink. "Wh

" He tapped a puck with his

d me with that effortless stride. I hated that he was this go

hat I could see the exhaustion in his eyes.

'm

why sneak out at midnight

the truth was complicated

tudying me with those dark eyes

le say something w

hand over his heart. "Right

the ice?" he asked, that teasing

lted the ice beneath his skates. "Say

around us, rich and genuine. "Ther

e through my chest, how it made someth

after a moment,

Wh

s. Being the only

answer came

eve

ily. "Not when I'm be

o something that wasn't

nfid

slowly. "

he empty arena pressing down around us. Then he di

ed off h

. "Are you seri

shirt aside like this was completely normal

to look at his chest. "The

ve fun? Like,

't win cham

." His voice was soft

t more honest than I intended. "People treating you l

t still glistening on his skin, close enough that I could

my face like he was tr

. Not Katrina's boyfriend, not my teammate, not

mething that made my carefully cons

and smacked my head aga

ed, gripping the

ked, reaching towa

ed, but my voice came out

t his usual cocky grin, but something s

I'm

Your face is c

nd walked away as fast as my leg

but I was already pushing through t

e hell w

eart racing like