Total pages in book: 128
Estimated words: 124494 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 622(@200wpm)___ 498(@250wpm)___ 415(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124494 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 622(@200wpm)___ 498(@250wpm)___ 415(@300wpm)
The bartender passes her a glass of ginger ale. Lexi isn’t much for the taste of alcohol. We move away from the bar, and she turns to face me. “You can’t look at me like that, Roman.”
“We’re not on the ice. You can’t tell me what to do, Alexandria.” I sip my scotch to hide my smile at her frustrated expression.
“Seriously, this needs to stop. I feel like I’m wearing a scarlet letter whenever you’re around.” She keeps looking to the side, clearly nervous to be seen talking to me.
“As far as anyone knows, we’re just two people who work for the same team having a conversation. Unless you’ve told someone,” I press.
“I haven’t told a soul.” Her emphasis is offensive.
“Why? Are you embarrassed?”
She rolls her eyes. “You players are all the same. Egos like eggshells. That has nothing to do with it. This is my job, Roman, and I’ve worked hard to be here. We can’t keep dancing around each other like this. Someone will notice.”
I don’t tell her someone already has. I’ve considered confiding in Hollis, but he’s dating my daughter, and I don’t know if he’d be able to keep this from her.
“Whoa, this looks heated. You two debating the merits of Ash and Grace playing on the same line?” Flip asks. “Perhaps recognizing the error of your ways, Coach?”
I don’t know where he came from, but the fact that we’re having this discussion in the middle of a public place speaks to how fired up we are. I shift my attention to him. “It seems you have feelings about that.”
Flip shrugs, attempting nonchalance. “Ash plays best when he’s on the same line as Dallas. So yeah, maybe Grace is better behaved for the time being, but it’s dragging Ash down.”
I'm a second away from telling him to watch his mouth, but Lexi beats me to it.
“First of all, regardless of the casual setting, I’m still your coach. You don’t get to tell me how to do my job. And secondly, it’s your behavior that’s problematic. Your negativity toward your teammate directly affects everyone’s performance on the ice.”
“But he—”
“I don’t want excuses. You and Grace need to deal with your decade old grudge and get over it. This isn’t high school, this is the pros, and I expect more from you. Especially since you’ll be one of the more seasoned players on the ice after your goalie retires. What is the legacy you want to leave behind?”
Flip opens and closes his mouth. “I just want to keep the team intact.”
Lexi’s expression softens and her defensive posture relaxes slightly. “I get it. There’s been a lot of change, professionally and personally for you. But we can’t fight change. It happens whether we want it to or not. You can be part of the solution or part of the problem, Flip.”
“I’m not the only problem, though,” Flip states.
“No, you’re not. But someone has to be the bigger man. And wouldn’t you rather it be you?” Lexi arches a sexy, expectant brow.
“Coach has a point,” I say.
Flip’s defensive posture deflates.
“Think about it. And in the meantime, go enjoy your night.”
“Yes, Coach.” Flip heads toward the boys, rubbing the back of his neck as he goes.
“You’re fucking gorgeous when you’re schooling these boys,” I say.
Her head snaps in my direction. “I need to use the ladies’ room.” She skirts around me and moves toward the hall.
And like the obsessed, completely out-of-control man I am, I leave my scotch on the bar and follow her. We’re alone in the hall, so I grab her hand, tugging her in the opposite direction of the bathrooms.
“What are you doing?”
That’s a great fucking question. “We need to discuss a few things.”
“This is not the time.”
“It’s never the time, Lexi.” I try the handle on a conference room door. It opens, so I push my way inside, but drop her hand.
The lights flicker on automatically. She crosses the threshold, eyes on fire, and the door falls shut behind her. Energy crackles between us, familiar and heavy and desperate.
“I don’t know what you want from me, Roman.” She crosses her arms.
For you to give in to this horrible, awful, unreal draw we both feel. “I don’t know if you’re ready for what I want.”
“What does that even mean?”
“I wish like hell I had an ounce of self-restraint when it comes to you, Lexi, but I really fucking don’t.” I drink her in. She’s stunning and heated and all I can think about is how good it would feel to snap this wire of tension between us.
Like every other time we’ve found ourselves alone together, we’ve gravitated closer. One step on either of our parts and the toes of our shoes will touch.
She tips her head up. “We can’t be alone together like this. There is too much at stake for me. I have everything to lose.”