I push up onto an elbow and gently brush hair off her cheek. “What is it?”
“I don’t… do this.”
My eyebrows jump up. “This… as in… sex?”
“I mean, I don’t deviate from my schedule. My plan.”
“Ah.” I glide my fingertips over her soft cheek. “Remember what I said earlier?”
Her expression turns thoughtful. “Life is short. Have fun.”
“Exactly. And I would never do anything to hurt you. But I don’t want you to be uncomfortable. Do you want to go?”
She considers that for a long moment, eyes fixed on my face. “What if I do? Would you be mad?”
“Not mad, no. Disappointed? Yeah.” My lips tip into a rueful smile. “But I understand.” That disappointment is already a sinking, heavy feeling in my gut. I push to sit up.
She doesn’t move. “Wait,” she says softly. “I trust you.”
I cock my head, regarding her. “Yeah?”
She sits too. Her little sequined skirt is still rucked up high on her thighs and her nipples are fully visible peaks beneath her T-shirt. My dick stirs again.
“Yeah.” She covers her mouth with her fingers briefly, then continues. “You’re a hockey player but somehow I know you’re a good guy.”
“Why is there a ‘but’ in there?” I’m happy she sees me positively but that sounded sort of back-handed.
“I’m sorry.” She drops her gaze. “When I was in high school, there was an… incident with a hockey team. At a house party. A girl I knew was raped. By three of the players.”
I rear back, my eyes bursting open. “Oh, shit.”
“She went through hell. As women do, when that happens.”
Again, she’s right.
“Since then, I’ve always been super cautious about the men I…”
“Dance in the sheets with?”
Her lips twitch and then a short laugh bubbles out of her. “Yeah. And you’re not just a man. You’re a hockey player.”
Frustration has my jaw tightening. Like most people, I don’t like to be blamed for other people’s shitty behavior. But I knowI’mnot like that. And I know she doesn’t mean I am. She’s just relating this to her past experience. I draw in lungsful of oxygen and slowly let it out. “I am,” I say. “And I understand your hesitance. Men are assholes.”
She gives me another searching look, and then her smile shines. “And that’s why I trust you.”
4
NIKKI
Am I crazy?
I don’t even know this man.
And yet… I feel like I do.
After last night and all the talking we did and then those toe-curling kisses, Idofeel like I know him. I thought maybe he’d have hard feelings about me leaving last night, but he’s been sweet as ever. I’ve turned down men who then get all pissy and insulting, but not Marek. He’s been a little awkward but that’s endearing. I caught glimpses of him watching me perform tonight, and the look on his face made me feel like Aphrodite rising from the sea.
I performed for him.
