I might be tired, but the resolute promise he rasps makes me sway. He catches me in his embrace, then walks me to my room.
“Goodnight, Maya.”
“Night.” I linger by the door, tracing a thick lump of paint.
He smiles. “I’m not going anywhere.”
An answering smile breaks free.
For so long, I believed all hockey players were heartless playboys who weren’t capable of giving a damn about anyone but themselves.
Easton Blake proves me wrong at every turn. When I’m with him, it’s not just that he makes me feel safe. He makes me want to trust him. To give him the pieces of myself I’ve kept locked away tight.
SEVENTEEN
EASTON
By morning,I haven’t moved from guarding Maya’s door. My stick lays across my lap, ready for Wiener to come back. I wish he wasn’t still on the injured list this season. If he was on the ice, I’d put his ass right back on it.
My fists close around my stick, wishing it was his fucking neck. In my mind, I’m checking his ass so hard all his teeth get knocked out.
Cameron texts me to remind me about practice this afternoon since I didn’t come back last night. I let him know I’ll be there. The door opens behind me when I’m sliding my phone back in my pocket, making me catch my balance so I don’t fall when Maya leans into the hall.
She’s wearing dark gray leggings and my faded green Heston University t-shirt.
“You’re still here.” Her words are teasing, back to her usual self. There’s a hint of warmth beneath them. “When I didn’t find you on the couch, I thought you left last night after I went to bed.”
I tip my head back to grin at her. “You’re sharp. I told you I wouldn’t leave. I sat out here all night ready to handle any trouble.”
“You don’t have to babysit me.” She leans against the door frame with a sigh, offering the steaming mug of coffee she has. “I doubt he’s coming back to do anything again. He’s not a follow through kind of guy. He gets bored and moves onto the next thing pretty quickly. Anyway, I’m sure that you answering the phone like that was enough to make him back off.”
I frown, not liking her implication that she was something Wiener got bored of. That guy’s a fucking idiot.
“I still think you should report this to campus security at least. There are cameras all over, so there should be a feed from the parking lot they can check for proof he was here when he almost ran me over.”
“Okay, I will. Right now I’d rather forget about him.”
“Does your brother know? I’d never stand for any of my teammates pulling shit like this if I had a sister.”
She gives a sharp laugh, waving me off. “I’m not dealing with Ryan this early. It’s fine, okay?”
Setting aside the coffee, my fingers grip my stick tightly. “For real, though. If he bothers you again, tell me.” I blow out a breath, shooting her a lopsided smirk. “At least now everyone on your floor knows not to mess with you. I think I scared the shit out of your neighbor two doors down when he came back last night and saw me out here with this.”
She lifts her brows. “You could’ve been asleep in my bed. All warm and comfortable.”
“If I did that, I don’t know if I could’ve kept our promise. You’re too tempting.”
I rake my gaze over her, heat rushing south as my need for her reignites. Her blush is gorgeous.
“Thank you,” she murmurs.
“For what?”
“Everything. Coming here without question. Watching out for me.”
“Watching out for everyone is a captain’s job.”
She smirks. “I’m not one of your teammates, but I appreciate it.”
