“Scar, I’m so sorry.”
She pulls me down, placing a few gentle kisses against my lips. “Don’t be sorry. This isn’t your fault.”
A small grin tugs at my lips. “What happened to no kissing?”
Her eyes sparkle, shrugging her shoulders before she pulls me in for one more long kiss. “I wanted to.”
My smile falters. “He’s always been like that.”
“That doesn’t mean that it’s okay, Levi. You deserve better than that.”
“He just thinks that if I ever take some time off that I’ll get worse, or people will forget about me.”
“Well, I say that you’re pretty unforgettable, Levi Carter.”
My pulse stutters as my cheeks heat, the praise being my undoing once again.
“If you feel like I’m a distraction, I can stop coming to training.” Her words come out as a whisper.
I slowly shake my head, grasping Scarlett’s hips to pull her flush against me.
“You make me better. I haven’t felt this at ease on the ice in a long time. Even before the injury,” I murmur, lowering my head towards hers. “I need you, Scar,” my voice breaks as I brush my lips against her temple, breathing her in. “And I really like you.”
She freezes as she pulls her head back to find my eyes again. Her eyes are shining under the stadium lights. “I really like you too, Levi.”
My heart stops as a slow smile breaks out across my face. “Let’s get you out of your gear, and then I’ll walk you to your car.”
She nods, grabbing my hand and pulling me behind her toward the locker room. And I really hope she no longer wants to keep whatever we had at the lake house. Because I know that it’s now so much more than that.
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
SCARLETT
We’re back at The Daily Grind for breakfast before our session. I’m starting to treasure these moments with Levi more than I expected, and I can’t bear to think about the near future when this won’t be my life anymore.
I glance over my menu at Levi.
“What are you having?” I ask him, nodding toward his menu.
He shrugs, wincing slightly. “I’m not sure. The season is almost starting again, and I need to get my nutrition right again.”
“I know, Levi. But you can treat yourself every so often too.”
He nods, paying no mind before closing his menu. “I think I’m just going to get some eggs. What are you getting?”
I close my menu as well. “I’m feeling the pancakes today, I think.
“Perfect.” Levi waves over the waiter and we place our order.
I keep my gaze fixed on Levi, watching him closely. His hands rest on the table as he picks at his nails. He seems uneasy today. There’s a quiet nervousness in his demeanour, and I can’t quite figure out what’s causing it.
“Are you okay?” I ask him slowly, reaching across the table to stop his hands from fidgeting.
“Well…” He trails off, thinking over his words. “I was wondering if maybe you’d come to this gala with me? It’s just a thing for the preseason before we go back. It’s totally fine if not. Actually, you probably don’t want to. Forget about it.”
He starts to ramble, waving me off.
Taking his hand in mine, I grab his attention. “I’ll come with you, Levi. We’ll make it work. Okay?”
