I stuff my hands into my pockets and dig my face into my scarf in order to protect it from the cold. The wind blows the fresh powder toward me, a few delicate flakes find their way into my eyes. I blink them away before opening the door.
The entrance area is overflowing with people talking. Probablyabout the game, which has to have been over for at least thirty minutes. I automatically sink my head while making my way through the crowd and heading for the players area. It can only be opened from inside, so I send Wyatt a message.
Not even a minute later the door swings open and my man is standing there in in jogging pants and a T-shirt holding a beer. His hair is still wet from the shower. He smells of thatAlaskadeodorant of his. “I would be happy to see you here if I wasn’t seriously worried.”
“Why?” I slip past him into the players area where it’s not exactly any calmer and hang up my coat and scarf. A woman with dark hair and long—I mean, reallyreallylong—legs catches my eyes and winks. I’d like to keep eye contact and shoot her my famous smile that, without saying a word, gives away just what it is I’d like to do with her right now.
But Wyatt interrupts by placing a beer in my hand and letting a relaxed burp drift into my face. “Because the last time you were at one of my games was to tell me that Aria had taken off.”
His words sidetrack me from looking past him to the darkhaired beauty. Instead, I raise my eyebrows in surprise. Normally, Wyatt doesn’t speak about Aria at all. He doesn’t mention her. Ever.
“Boredom,” I reply, and shrug with a look of feigned indifference while taking a sip of my beer.
“Ah.” His tone tells me that he doesn’t believe me. He leans against the bar table in front of us and lets his eyes wander over the crowd, before adding in a seemingly indifferent tone, “What’s Paisley up to?”
“How should I know?”
“Man, chill.” Wyatt grins. “Whatever your problem is, you’d better deal with it. This weird Knox is really fucking stressful.”
I grit my teeth. “When are you getting out of here?”
Wyatt puts his bottle to his lips and takes a long drink. Then he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand and shrugs. “No idea. Later on there’s a party at a dude from the other team’s house.Maybe I’ll let myself get hammered and forget how shitty life can be sometimes.”
“And you’re telling meI’mthe one who needs to deal with his problems?” As Wyatt just looks at me grimly in response, I add, “You can’t go.”
My boy gives a grunting laugh. “Right, totally forgot that you’re my custodian. Next time, I’ll submit a request.”
I roll my eyes. “You’ve got to give me a ride back to Aspen.”
Wyatt, who was just about to put his bottle back to his lips, stops and frowns. “Why?”
I avoid his glance and look instead back at the woman who looks over at me immediately. I run a hand through my hair and grin. “I came on the bus.”
Wyatt stares at me. Apparently, he’s at a loss for words, as it takes a long time before he has anything to say. “You came here on the bus?” he repeats, his voice full of disbelief.
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
The woman pushes back her hair and turns her back to me so slowly that I can see her ass move in her skintight jeans. My crotch begins to throb. I like the feeling, it distracts me from this damn “bronchitis.”
“Paisley’s got my car.”
Wyatt chokes on his beer. He coughs and tries to catch his breath. Once he’s gotten it back, he says, “She’s got your Range Rover?”
“Did you catch a puck to the head or something? Why are you repeating everything I say?”
He ignores my comment. “Did you let her?”
“No, she stole it. Of course I lent it to her.”
For a while Wyatt just stares at me. Then he says, “Shit, Knox. Now I know what’s wrong with you. You like this new chalet girl.”
“Shut it.”
Wyatt laughs in disbelief and shakes his head. “Your ride.Incredible.”
“Are you going to give me a lift later or not?”
