Page 9 of Date With Skates

“You offering?”

Now my eyes narrow, and I take him in.

He looks different in person, as most famous people do. I see a faint scar on the edge of his left eyebrow. Likely from a puck. His lips are full, eyes dark and intense, but there’s nothing intense about this man. He’s Winnie the Pooh. A bear… but the least scary kind.

“Depends. Are you always this charming on the brink of unconsciousness?”

“Stick around and find out.”

Oh, is he flirting with me? I think he’s flirting with me.

I lick my lips. “I planned on it.”

Chapter Five

Connor

“So do you always invite yourself into stranger’s sleeping arrangements?” I ask with a smirk.

“It’s a first for me, but I love trying new things.” He chews on the inside of his cheek as a chilly breeze blows, rustling his hair. His cheeks are already red from the cold, and I bet they’re freezing to the touch.

“I feel so special.”

“Oh, you should. I don’t give just anyone my attention, you know.”

I chuckle, because I don’t know who this guy is, but to be this confident around a bunch of athletes? Good for him.

I shake my head and face forward again, closing my eyes. It’s silent out here, relaxing in a strange way.

I’ve always preferred the cold over being warm. There’s some kind of comfort in it. Snuggling in a big blanket to keep warm while the air around me is freezing.

“Why are you out here?” he asks.

“Like the cold.”

“So, I was half right.”

“About?”

“In my head, I compared you to a bear. Just had the wrong kind.”

I frown, turning to look at him. “What kind did you have?”

“Winnie the Pooh.”

The laugh that rolls out of me is loud enough to wake someone. Thankfully, we’re far enough from the buildings that hopefully that didn’t happen.

“That yellow bear who doesn’t wear pants?”

“That’s the one.”

“I have pants.”

With my hands in my pockets, I lift them to try to gesture downward.

“I mean, I could help you change that, if you wanted.”

I chuckle again. “What bear have you changed it to then?”