Everything around me starts to blur and all I can stay focused on are those baby blues.
I’m literally tugged back to reality by the little girl standing next to me. “Miss Sadie! Are you okay? I said your name a bazillion times.”
I look down at Sophia and then back up to her dad who finally takes a step inside my office. He’s wearing a sexy smirk and I narrow my eyes at him, knowing full well that he knows why I was distracted.
“Sorry, Sophia. You have my full attention now.” I crouch down in front of her to emphasize my point.
“Good. I said, ‘Can I go play with all those cute goats over there?’” She points to the kids’ corner I set up last week, secretly hoping she’d be in here to hang out with me sometimes.
There’s about a dozen stuffed goats, a bucket full of the stress ball goats I specially ordered after the day she told her dad about feeling sad, and some other sensory objects I thought she might like.
“Of course you can. That’s why it’s there.” Her eyes light up for a split second before she takes off and grabs a purple goat off the bean bag I placed in the area.
There’s a sense of pride running through me, knowing Sophia loves the space I created with her in mind.
“Did you do that for her?” Niko’s voice is low, quiet enough that Sophia can’t hear.
I turn to look at him and nod. “I did. I’m not sure how long I’ll be working here, but hopefully your playoff run lasts a couple months. I figured she should have a safe space in the arena too if she needs it.”
Niko’s eyes bounce between mine, almost as if he’s looking for something. Searching to see why I’d do such a thing. Before I can explain myself any further, he clears his throat.
“Thank you, Sadie. That’s one of the most thoughtful things anyone has ever done for us. Her. I mean, done for her.”
His eyes don’t leave mine, and I swear I can see a slight sheen coating them now. Unsure of what exactly I should say, I shrug my shoulders awkwardly.
“Niko, I?—”
My words are cut off by a group of rookies wrestling to get into my office.
“Get off me, bro! You smell like you haven’t showered in a month.”
Jefferson shoves the guy backward before jumping into the room. “It’s my lucky underwear. I haven’t washed it since we started our winning streak a few games ago.”
A chorus of “ewws” and “you’re sick” ring out through the room until they all stop dead in their tracks. Their eyes move back and forth between Niko and me, and it’s not until Jefferson coughs attempting to hide a laugh that I notice how close we’re standing together.
Taking a step back, I cross my arms and lift my chin at the group of hooligans.
“You’re late.”
The rookies scatter around the room, screaming their apologies at me. I do my best to keep a straight face, but their fear makes me chuckle.
At the sound of my laugh, Niko’s attention turns back toward me.
“What?” I ask.
Niko shakes his head before slowly walking backward away from me. “Nothing. I just like that sound. A lot.”
He finds an open meditation cushion, front and center, while I’m left gaping at the beautiful man who is most definitely flirting with me.
“Ready, Miss Sadie?”
Sophia’s voice pulls my eyes away from Niko, and the smile on her face matches my own, but for an entirely different reason.
Am I ready for this meditation session where I will 100 percent be focusing on the handsome captain right in front of me?
Abso-fucking-lutely.
As I lace up my skates for tonight’s game, my mind is still on Sadie. I was hardly able to focus on anything but her during the meditation session earlier. And here I am again, picturing those beautiful brown eyes—so rich and intoxicating, it’s impossible to look away.
