“Back there, a second ago. When you cut me off.”
I take in a deep breath. “I’m tired of the same excuses, Aaron. You’ve been working a lot lately. What happened to that talk we were supposed to have? Remember your text?”
Aaron pinches the bridge of his nose. “I remember, but let’s discuss it later.”
“Sure,” I mutter under my breath.
Typical.
Aaron doesn’t say anything else, but I notice him looking at Via, who’s sitting on my other side. A disapproving tick appears in the corner of his lip before he corrects it.
I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to throat punch my brother this badly before.
“Remember my coworker, Via?”
Aaron looks away. “How could I forget?”
“Be nice,” I say under my breath.
When did he even have time to start hating Via this much?
Their encounter was brief, lasting only a few seconds. However, there is an intensity to his disdain that is difficult tounderstand. Is it because she’s a little messy and free-spirited? I don’t get what his problem is.
The music suddenly shifts, transitioning to an upbeat tempo, and the referees gracefully glide across the ice as the New York players burst onto the scene simultaneously. This moment right here, without a doubt, is my favorite part of any hockey game: the pregame warm-up drill. It’s electrifying—watching the players pump themselves up as they skate around the ice, carefully going through their routine, getting their heads and their bodies ready for the game. And their warm-up exercises…oh, lord.
The music thumps from the speakers, mirroring the players’ motions. The atmosphere becomes more exciting as the crowd claps and cheers along.
And I’m nervously watching him, waiting for his eyes to find mine.
Or don’t… It’s better if they don’t.
“Is it just me, or is this really hot?”
It’s not just you, Via. These stretches get the imagination going, even with all that gear the guys are wearing.
“It’s hot,” I murmur, watching Dominik skate back and forth, spraying shaved ice with the quick jerks of his feet before he drops down to stretch his legs.
“God, you’re so lucky.” Via melts, but her voice drifts to the background. All I can think about is the way Dominik’s hands felt gripping my hair, the other around my throat as he pumped into me.
I close my eyes, trying to erase the intoxicating memories. When I open my eyes, they lock on Dominik as he skates by.
He’s magnetic, and I’m completely drawn to him. My skin is buzzing, heart racing. I feel like a fucking teenager. Goddamn it.
This cannot be happening.
It’s just good sex. That’s all this is, and maybe it’s time to cut that off too. Especially if this is how I’m reacting to him. I wanted to have a bit more fun, explore a few more kinks, but we may be out of time. It’s not helpful for anyone involved if I continue to carry this intense desire. We had our fun, I got my apology, and now it’s time to walk away. The longer we continue sneaking around, the greater the risk of Aaron catching us, which is the last thing I need right now.
“Do you have a problem?” Via screeches, leaning forward in her chair.
“Are you talking to me?” Aaron matches her tone.
How long have I been ogling Dominik? My head twists between the two of them as I try to figure out what the hell I missed in the last thirty seconds.
“You’re unbelievable. Why don’t you keep your judgmental glares and comments to yourself?”
“Woah, what’s going on?” Neither one answers me. Their heated, angry eyes locked on one another.
“Maybe you should stop thinking everything is about you. You are not significant enough to hold my attention, little girl.”
