“Any revelations?” he asked.
I shrugged. “Can I ask you something?”
Niklas nodded.
“What would our life be like if I came to Sweden with you?”
Niklas didn’t answer at first. He stroked my side with his thumb and pressed his lips onto the top of my head. Then he let me go and pulled back to look at me, his blue eyes clearer than they had been all week.
“I’d play for my old team for a year or two, as long as my body can take it. You could do whatever you wanted with photography—freelance, news job, gallery. I’m sure you could find something.”
He rested a hand on my thigh. His words came quicker as he spoke, his face more animated.
“You could come with me when I travel, but it wouldn’t be far if you wanted to stay in Stockholm. We’d have time to be together. I haven’t lived in Stockholm for years, so you and I can explore it. It would be like your trip, but it wouldn’t have to end. Just us.”
He took a couple breaths, and I let the images of our future float in my mind. I held onto the picture of the two of us walking under the towering pine trees in Vasaparken again, the only people out at dawn. we’d walk back to the old, stone building, through the marble hall and up the spiral staircase to the door of his apartment. Our apartment. Back in the bedroom, I’d take my time undressing him, and we would make love and talk and doze off in the morning light.
And I couldn’t get past the excitement in his voice. He wanted this. Badly.
I bit my lip and fought hard against the wave of sadness that washed over me. If Niklas didn’t want to stay in Detroit, the choices narrowed: the New Hampshire job, my ticket into photojournalism, or following Niklas to Sweden. Hadn’t I already been through this with Brad? Hadn’t I decided I’d never, ever be with a guy who would make me choose?
The excitement faded from Niklas’s face.
“I’ll find out if I get the Red Wings contract in the next day or so. But the problems with Bauer from last spring aren’t going away. The Oklahoma Tornados…” Niklas paused, struggling with his words. “What they’re accused of and what people say about those women—I’m afraid Bauer’s looking for a way to use this against me. He’s already made some comments.”
I rested my hand on his tense bicep. “Why? I don’t understand why he won’t leave it alone. Didn’t he come out on top of that situation?”
Niklas frowned and looked away. “I’ve been trying to figure that out all week. I don’t know if he thinks I might try to set the record straight. Or maybe he’d rather not be reminded.”
His hand tightened around my thigh as he spoke.
“This is a game for him,” he hissed, “and right now you’re at the center of it.”
Niklas ran a hand through his hair and turned to look at me again.
“Remember that other woman, Stephanie, from last spring? This is how it all started, like some sick competition I didn’t even know I signed up for. Except last time I didn’t care whether or not I ended up with Stephanie. This time…” His words trailed off, and his eyes met mine, full of heat and pent-up anger.
