He must feel the heat of my gaze, because he ceases his actions and glances at me. Either it’s my imagination, or his eyes really light up at thesight of me.
Stop fooling yourself.
Standing right there in the middle of the ice, his gaze glides over me, taking me in from my head to my toes, scrutinizing me or appreciating me, I didn’t know. I resist the urge to shift uncomfortably under his heated gaze.
“Hey,” he greets softly when he comes to a halt in front of me. His lips tilted ever so slightly.
I shift on my heels, finding it impossibly bizarre to be alone with him. Even before, when we were shooting in the video room or somewhere else, there were always people milling around us; we were never truly alone.
Until now.
I clear my throat, remembering he said something. “Hey, yourself.” What thefuck, Kaeli? Hey, yourself? Is that seriously the best you could do? What are you? A nervous teenager crushing on a senior.
No, just a nervous woman with a crush on the hottest man to ever exist.
Not fucking helpful, brain. Before I can hide my discomfort, he notices it as his lips split into a huge cocky grin. “You nervous, Kaeli?” He leans closer, my breath hitching, as heasks in a low rumble this time, “Do I make you nervous?”
My heart palpitates at an inhumane beat.
Why are his words invoking such feelings and reactions in me? Has his voice always been this sexy, or am I just noticing it now?
Before my thoughts wander too far, he smirks at me, enjoying my reaction to him.
His self-assured behavior reminds me of how I actually feel about him. So, my nervousness is replaced by ire in an instant. The corner of my eyes hardens as they narrow at him. “In your dreams, Captain.”
Instead of getting angry, his lips twitch as my gaze falls over them before flicking back to his eyes, the black nearly swallowing the blue. My body gravitating towards him of its own accord.
When did we get so close?
His orbs fall on my parted lips, desire burning in his eyes. Is he going to kiss me? Do I want him to? I guess…
The chiming of my phone brings me out of a trance I was in and stops me from committing a terrible mistake.
I lean back, running a hand through my hair. I clear my throat once again, trying to erase the awkwardness and pretend like our lips weren’tabout to touch. Seems like that’s all I do when around him.
I don’t know why this keeps happening to me. But I do know one thing for sure. Calling him here to work with me alone was an atrocious decision-making on my part. And I worry that it might just come bite me in the ass.
Your ass would thank you.
As usual, my brain deems it necessary to comment.
Shrugging my bag off my shoulders, I drop it on the empty bench and take out my camera. Turning back to look at him again, I say, “Let’s get this over with, shall we?”
What the hell did I get myself into?
Thirteen
Kaeli
“Okay, now bring your hands back like you’re winding for a slap shot,” I instruct him, clicking a few shots from the sidelines, not daring to step on the ice in my sports shoes.
I pull back to look at the pictures and groan. With a frown etched between his brows, he skates over and looks down at the digital screen. “What’s wrong?” he asks, leaning against the boards, holding his hockey stick in one hand.
“Everything,” I almost whine when I look at his hair falling over his forehead, his skin glisteningwith sweat. He’s not wearing his gear because I wanted to capture a few behind-the-scenes moments of him practicing and working on his skills.
His gaze roves over my face as if to understand. “What do you mean? I think I look handsome.”
I roll my eyes at his haughty response. “Of course, you look handsome.” And I know he’ll never let that slip of my tongue go unnoticed.
