“Don’t let it go to your head,” I say, then playfully swat him away.
“The moment all of this started, anything you have done or said has gone straight to my head.” The deep, heated look in his eyes makes my heart rattle and my face warm despite the brittle air.
“So…” I can’t think straight. I will my heart to slow down. “All jokes aside, I’m here. I’m serious. If you want to talk about it or about anything else, I’m here.”
He stares at me for a long beat, his eyes softening, but there’s a heaviness behind them. But once he blinks, they’re vibrant and his lips are stretched up again. “Yeah. So what were we talking about again?”
I wish I could say something else, but I know he’s done. So I let it go, even though I really don’t want to.
“The fight. Why? And how much trouble did you get in? I read you’re not allowed to fight per the NCAA rules.”
“Just how much did you research?” He smiles wide, voice knowing.
“I got a hockey skate tattooed on my arm. I might as well know what all the hype is about. I still don’t think I understand it, but it’s cool.”
“That’s fair.” Sylas laughs. “I was ejected, got my ass handed to me by Coach and my father, but it was worth it. There’s so much you can do and I’ll let slide, but no one fucks with Thea.”
“One of the players was talking about your sister?”
“Yeah.” His jaw tics. “Apparently, he had asked her out, she turned him down, and that’s when he started running his mouth.”
“And people say women are emotional,” I state derisively. “And that’s without a period. Now imagine if men had periods.”
His lips twitch, but then his nose scrunches in a grimace.
“Don’t tell me you’re one of those.”
“One of what?”
“Periods gross you out?”
“No, I have a sister who on occasion lacks a filter. Especially when she’s on her period. Everything is my fault and men are shit.” His tone is grave, but he smiles, nonetheless.
“I like her, but I think she might hate me.”
“Thea? No. She knows about us. She’s a little prickly and looks serious most of the time, but I swear she’s sweet when she wants to be.”
My brows arch in surprise. “You told her about us?”
There’s a tint of pink on his cheeks. I can’t tell if they’re a little brighter because of the frosty air or because he’s blushing.
“She would’ve asked regardless. Plus, I trust her.”
“You two are close?”
He nods. “Yeah, we get along. Growing up, we didn’t, but we’re good now.”
A knot grows in the middle of my throat. I say nothing, afraid my jealousy will sneak past my mouth and dampen the mood. I’m not close with Maya. I tried, I really did, but our lives are different, and she didn’t support my needs and wants despite how much I’ve supported her.
“She also plays hockey, right?”
“Yeah, and she swears she’s better than me.” He snickers. “Don’t let her con you into believing that.”
I grin. “Have you guys always played?”
“For as long as I can remember, I have. Thea was a figure skater at one point, but she got a feel of the puck, the stick, the adrenaline, and converted. Mom was angry but eventually got over it.” He rolls his eyes.
“Our parents could be best friends,” I joke, and it eases the tension on his face.
