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Joe steps closer to Colby and me. He’s wearing a white button down that contrasts nicely with his dark brown skin, he looks young but acts like the professional he is. He grabs a notebook out of his satchel and a pen. “Do you guys need some more time before we get into it? I’ll just ask you some fun questions for the article about the charity auction.”

I take a deep breath. “No, I’m good. Ask away.” My hands are still shaking slightly, but that won’t affect my ability to answer questions.

“Great!” He taps his pen against his chin while he studies his notes. “What was your reaction when you won the auction?”

I snort a laugh. “I didn’t win… my grandmother did.”

His dark eyebrows shoot up. “Really?”

“Yep, but she made me come tonight instead.” I glance at Colby, who’s rolling his eyes but smirking.

Megan huffs a disbelieving laugh. “Wait a minute, you didn’t want to spend an evening with Colby?”

I look at Colby again. His arms are crossed, and he’s waiting for my answer with an annoying smile on his face.

“Not particularly. He’s kind of annoying.”

The whole team bursts into laughter. Even Colby is chuckling.

“Wow,” Megan says with an amused smirk. “You might be the only person in the district that feels that way. Mr. Knight here is the darling of the NHL.”

Something crashes in the background, some kind of photography lighting umbrella they had set up. Brett and Natalie are clearly struggling with the equipment.

Megan groans. “Although, he could’ve chosen an easier location for this.” She eyes Colby. “Couldn’t you have taken her ice-skating at the team’s iceplex as we suggested?”

I gasp. “We could’ve done something as simple and not scary as ice-skating?”

“That’s too boring, even for you, angel,” Colby says matter-of-factly.

Joe looks between me and Colby. “Wait, did you guys already know each other before tonight?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“She was thrilled to spend the evening with me. This is all an act,” Colby says with a wink before wrapping an arm around my shoulders and pulling me against his hard torso.

I haven’t dated much, and I’ve only kissed one man, so I’m no expert. But are men’s bodies usually this firm? I’m going to research this later.

I shrug away from him. “Whatever.”

The publicity team gapes at me like I’m insane, especially Natalie, the assistant who’s probably midtwenties. Well, she can have him. Sure, it was comforting to have him hold me during the jump, but that was a life-and-death situation.

Brett, the photographer, has salt and pepper hair and kind blue eyes. Now that the equipment for lighting is fixed and working, he stalks toward us, a large camera in hand.

Colby smolders for the camera, really hamming it up. I can’t help the smile that tugs at my lips at how over-the-top he is. He’s not so bad when there’s no one else around, but when he has an audience, he goes back into his annoying, arrogant mode. I can’t help but wonder if it’s a façade. A mask. Like he wants to keep his real-self hidden from the world, and this is the persona he adapts for the public. There might be more to Colby Knight than he shows at first glance.

“Okay, you two,” Brett says. “Why don’t you guys sit and talk to each other. Pretend we’re not here and act natural. People want to know what an evening with Colby is like, so let’s show them.” He brings the camera to his face and snaps a few pictures.

“Yeah,” Colby whispers in my ear. “Let’s show them all how amazing I am. Now throw your head back and laugh, so everyone thinks I’m funny.”

I elbow him in the ribs, obviously not hard enough, because he laughs right in my ear. He pulls away from me, giving me space. I notice again that the evening is getting chilly when his warm body is no longer in my vicinity. He’s quite warm.

Another thing to research. Do men run warmer than women? I wonder if Dr. Hawthorne is this warm. How comforting it must be to curl up with a warm man every night. No wonder Andie and Mel never want to go out.

“This is great,” Brett tells us, clicking through his own photos. “Eagle’s fans will eat this up.”

I withhold an eye roll. I still need Colby’s help to ensnare Dr. Hawthorne. I need to play nice.

* * *