It’s normal for her to visit practice. So ask me why I’m thinking of every anti-boner thought in my arsenal to keep my cool?
“Brody, Higgins, you’re up,” I say from where I’m posted up at the boards.
I keep one eye on the defensive pair skating through their passing drill while drifting closer to Eve. Today’s earrings are a pair of dangling bows, more understated than her usual flair but still her style. The corner of my mouth lifts. The tan plaid pencil skirt and knee-high boots look good on her. She’s giving off a hot librarian vibe and I’m into it.
She’s right here in front of me, yet I can’t touch her. In the last week we’ve been insatiable, and I have to pretend I don’t know what her body looks like or how she sounds when she comes.
“Hey.”
She glances up from drawing on her iPad and smiles at me. “Hey, you. How’s practice today?”
“Good. We’ve got some new drills to try.” I duck my face, smile stretching. “When I showed some videos of them to your dad he liked the fresh approach.”
“Look at you, Mr. Hotshot Coach.”
Something pleasant bolts through me, nearly knocking me off balance from the force. “Yeah, well. I can’t slack off, right?”
I use sarcasm to cover the hint of truth creeping beneath—that this matters a lot to me. I think she sees right through me because there’s something a little too close to understanding in her gaze.
“You look nice today,” I say.
“Thanks. I had to go down to City Hall to finish registering my business, so I wanted to look presentable.” She smooths a hand over her skirt, then plays with her necklace. “I didn’t want them to think I have no clue what I’m doing. Which I don’t. But the point is, they don’t know that.”
It’s my turn to soften with understanding. After college, somehow we’re supposed to know how life works. I haven’t got a clue half the time.
I offer her my fist. “You’ve got this.”
She bumps it, holding her knuckles against mine. “Thanks.”
We both pause, our attention drawn to where we’re touching. A spark moves through me while time stands still for a beat. Her skin is soft. Capturing her hand in mine would be easy.
I graze the back of my fingers against hers with a light caress. Her lashes flutter, then she pulls away too quickly.
“I’m proud of you for taking the next step,” I murmur.
“This totally makes it feel real,” she admits. “Now I just have to launch my online store.”
“You’ve got this. I’ll be first in line.” I point at her water thermos covered in stickers she’s made. “I need to get some Knights rep.”
“Oh, no, you don’t have to do that. I can just give you a sticker pack if you want.”
I pin her with a sardonic look. “Then how am I going to support you?”
“Cole,” she mumbles.
“Eve,” I tease.
“Okay, okay. You win. I appreciate your support.”
I smirk, watching the players on the ice. She’s quiet for a moment.
My phone notification goes off with a new message. I don’t answer right away. Not until she catches my eye and tilts her face with a deliberate expression that sayswell?
I’m not expecting what I see when I open our Love Struck DM thread. I almost drop my damn phone reading it.
CraftyCutie:Bet I’d look nicer naked and spread out for you like a five course feast.
“Eve,” I mutter.
