Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 62128 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 62128 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 311(@200wpm)___ 249(@250wpm)___ 207(@300wpm)
“I told you, you can use me,” I say.
She bites her lip, trying to hold back a smile. “Okay,” she says. “So we have a deal?” She reaches her hand between us, and I laugh as I shake it.
“We have a deal.” I hold her hand a little longer, dipping down to catch her gaze. “And I just have to say, if anyone's going to fall for the other, it's going to be you falling for me.”
She draws back her hand, rolling her eyes. “Maybe I'll make you fall in love with me, ever thought about that? Maybe I'll make you fall hard and then leave, just to see if you actually have a heart.”
“You think you're that irresistible?” I ask, totally on board with the sassy teasing she's delivering.
“I know you think you are,” she fires back instead of answering my question.
“Please,” I say. “All it would take is one more kiss and you'd probably be asking to wear my last name on your back to the next game.”
“You are such an arrogant ass,” she says, but she can't wipe the smile off her face, or the interest churning in her eyes.
“You seem preoccupied with my ass, Reese's Pieces. If you want to take a peek all you have to do is—”
“Seriously?” Kiplin's voice cuts over me, and we both snap our attention to him. “I think you're both idiots,” he says, shaking his head, his headphones still on. He re-racks his weights, glaring over at me. “And there's absolutely nothing wrong with blaring Taylor Swift or enjoying knitting, dick.”
He flips me off before heading out of the weight room.
Reese looks up at me, her shocked gaze mirroring mine before we burst into laughter.
CHAPTER 4
REESE
The Bangor Badger stadium is packed, both with fans of the Badgers and the Vegas Golden Knights.
Monroe, Blakely, and I sit just behind the team box, and I have my camera out, recording our boys as they warm up.
The team looks like a unit, finally. There’s a camaraderie between them that wasn't there a year ago.
I make sure I record all the players, but I can't help but linger on Nash.
He glances up, catching me recording him doing a very suggestive stretch on the ice. His smile beams when he sees me, and he proceeds to move deeper into the stretch, his gear-clad legs spreading wide on the ice as he opens up his hips with subtle motions.
“Who knew he was such a ham for the camera?” I ask, unable to stop laughing.
“Who knew he could make you smile like that?” Monroe asks.
I gape at my friends. “What? We're playing roles for our new audience. That’s all.”
“Is that all it is?” Blakely asks. “Because you can't deny there’s chemistry between you two.”
“Oh, I'm definitely not denying it,” I answer. “Who wouldn't have chemistry with Nash Stokehill? He's ridiculously gorgeous, built like he was born for the ice, and has a sense of humor that can even get grumpy Clay Kiplin laughing.”
“All of those things are true,” Monroe says. “And you know we support you,” she continues. “We just want you to be careful.”
“Yeah, I dabbled in the game you’re playing, and ended up with the love of my life,” Blakely says, referencing the way she and Lawson got together. He’d helped her with her ex, acting as her boyfriend in order to get the guy to back off. It worked, but they fell hard and fast for each other.
“I really appreciate that,” I say, and totally mean it. There’s no world in which I wouldn't tell my friends about the arrangement I made with Nash, and I love them even more for supporting me. “But you and Lawson are different,” I continue, and my friends flash me skeptical looks. “You two fit. Me and Nash?” My heart skips a little at the thought. “We’ve barely been able to talk to each other without arguing before now.”
“And what about that New Year’s Eve kiss?” Monroe arches a brow at me as the players glide off of the ice, finishing their warmup, the event shifting into the pre-game hype phase.
Warmth pools beneath my skin at the memory—Nash’s lips on mine, his hands on my body. I’d never been kissed like that.
“Nash’s kiss is one I won’t be forgetting anytime soon,” I admit. “But just because he’s a good kisser doesn’t mean he’d be a good boyfriend. He’s not Lawson,” I say to Blakely. “He has no interest in real relationships. You both know him better than I do.” I shrug. “This is all business.”
They share a silent look that I do my best to ignore.
“Okay,” Blakely says. “I just want you to know we’re here. I’ve played the no-strings game before, and it can get intense. If you need us, we’ve got you.”
I smile at them. “Thank you,” I say, then wave them off. “We aren’t doing anything like that,” I continue. “We agreed to some PDA for the sake of the edits, but nothing more. It’ll be fine.”