Page 60

My heart beat a little faster at her comment. I knew Abby was a capable female, but there were times when we all needed the help of someone else.

We approached Abby’s car, but instead of unlocking it, she turned to face me. “I saw your TikToks and Instagram reels from today. They were hysterical.”

A huge grin spread across my face. “Which one did you like best?”

“Probably the one with Eng doing the box jumps, not so much because of the video, though. Your commentary was really funny. I can’t believe he actually peeled himself away from the wall and participated in Willa’s exercises, let alone exerted himself to the point he won.”

“I too was shocked,” I admitted. “Perhaps he is afraid of your friend. He would not be the only one.”

Abby chuckled. “Are you afraid of Willa?”

“Absolutely. She is a terrifying female. But she is also very good at her job, and I know her exercises will help us become better players.”

Her smile softened. “You should tell her that, Bwat. It’ll make her day.” She pushed a button on her keychain. The car made a beep noise, but she didn’t turn to open the door. “Thank you.”

I nodded. “I am always happy to walk you to your car, Abby.”

“No. For more than that.”

Then she pulled me toward her with her hand gripping my shirt and kissed me. On the mouth. And while I did not have a lot of experience with human displays of affection, this did not feel like the sort of kiss Abby would have given to a friend, either male or female.

And she did not have champagne possibly causing her to make decisions she would not normally make.

Just as my shock faded and I began to reciprocate, Abby pulled away, her hand now flat against my chest. Then she turned to open her car door, sending a saucy smile at me over her shoulder.

I felt that smile right down to my hand-axe.

Watching her drive away I wondered what had changed? Friends. Then one night of almost more-than-friends. Then back to friends. But she’d kissed me and had not been drinking alcohol.

She’d kissed me. And my heart soared at all that one kiss might mean for our future.

27

ABBY

I’d meant to press my lips against Bwat’s cheek, or maybe a brief brush along his lips, but the moment I’d pulled him close, my body had a different plan. And both my heart and my mind were in agreement. I loved my friends, but Bwat had jumped the line and somehow become my bestie. I confided in him. I trusted him. I sought him out and relished his company even more than the friends I’d spent the last five years with.

He’d stayed at the stadium while I worked. Waited for me. Walked me to my car. And he hadn’t done it with some macho, alpha-male BS either. He’d just been concerned and kind, making sure a friend was safe leaving work at night and walking through a parking lot in the dark. I’d offered to drop him by his apartment after our kiss, but he’d smiled and shook his head, telling me that he wanted to practice a few more things on the ice before going home. Ozar might be the leader of the team, Ugwyll might be the most talented of the team, but Bwat was the most dedicated.

Dedicated. Loyal. Kind.

In all the romance books I’d read, the alpha-hole had always been my favorite. The “touch her and die” male had been the one who’d got my blood pumping and my nether regions tingling. The Golden Retriever, all-green-flag guys had left me flat. Nice guys. Good as a friend, but nothing there to spark passion.

In real life? Clearly things were different. The perfect man in a book was a frustrating mess in real life. The nice, sweet, earnest guys had never done anything for me. But this Golden Retriever? This was the very man I was falling for.

Had already fallen for.

I overslept the next morning - well, overslept for me. After a quick shower and what seemed like half a can of dry shampoo in my hair, I raced to the arena.

“We were getting ready to call the cops with a missing person report,” Malik teased as I hustled through the office door.

“It’s eight-thirty. Not quite missing person report time.” I laughed.

There was a go-cup of coffee on my desk with a bag next to it that I was pretty sure contained my favorite muffin. There was also a note.

I hope you had excellent sleep last night. If you are not here by nine in the morning, I will not wait for the police report. I will go over to your den and break down the door to make sure you are okay.

Just kidding. I will knock first.