Page 38 of Matched with the Player

“In theory, I’m here to root on the Phantoms.” She stood beside him as they watched the dogs investigate patches of garden around a few row houses. “But I also wanted to put some miles between me and my dad so he didn’t end up on my doorstep for hours, explaining why I’d made another misstep.”

“In theory, I’m here to watch the hockey game too.” He withdrew two tickets from the pocket of the jacket he’d given her to wear.

The slight touch of his fingertips against her hipbone lingered. A shiver tickled up her spine, and it didn’t have anything to do with the cold.

“But you have an ulterior motive?” Her heart beat faster.

“It’s three-fold.” He lowered his voice as an older couple exited the bed and breakfast and strolled past them hand in hand.

“That sounds… well planned.” She stayed close to him to ensure she could hear him.

Okay, also so she’d be within easy reach if he decided to touch her. Maybe she could stumble into him again.

“First, I wanted to find you.” He ticked off the item on his index finger.

“You’ve accomplished that.”

“Second, I wanted to apologize for thinking you were a spy and missing my chance to be with you.” He turned toward her and suddenly she was the center of his intense focus. They breathed the same air, wrapped in the same moment that had turned heated.

“You’re forgiven,” she blurted, mostly because it was true, but also because she wanted to speed him along toward whatever else he’d come here to say.

The suspense was killing her.

“Three, I’d like to ask you to go out with me tonight. I understand you might wish to ignore the invitation in retribution for the way I misheard yours the other night--”

Stacy didn’t let him finish. She was too busy kissing him.

Chapter Eleven

Kyle didn’t waste any time after the morning skate at the Pittsburgh facility. He’d been the first to shower and head back to the hotel since he’d promised Marissa he wouldn’t be gone for long when he’d left her early that morning. She’d wanted to talk since the night before, but he’d been concerned that she’d find some new reason why they shouldn’t be together so he’d made a game of distracting her in every way imaginable at his hotel suite.

In the shower. Against the bedroom door. Then, endlessly on the king-sized bed. By the time he’d decided they needed sustenance before they touched each other again, Marissa had fallen asleep.

Now, he took the back stairs to his room two at a time, not wanting to deal with any fall-out from the pictures taken of him and Marissa in the nightclub. Most of the guys on the team hadn’t seen the articles yet, but the coach had gotten wind of it and cornered him about making his love life too high profile. Nico Cesare had been none too pleased, insisting he hadn’t brought Kyle and Axel over from the Boston Bears to make social headlines. He expected offense.

Kyle regretted that he’d disappointed Coach Cesare since it hadn’t been his intention to cause a distraction for his team. But damn it, he couldn’t afford the disruption of high-powered matchmakers dogging him for the rest of the season either and they’d magically evaporated today. There was no sign of them after practice. No texts on his phone from dating services asking him for meetings.

Marissa had delivered on getting them off his back. Which was perfect, because it cleared the way for him to focus on his game and Marissa. He shot like a pro through practice today, a surefire sign that being with her agreed with his game. If he could just get through the end of the season, they could have the summer together while he worked on his Full Strength youth hockey camp.

It was the most long-term future he’d ever visualized for himself outside of his career goals. Sure he’d always imagined a wife and kids someday, after he’d reached his potential on the ice.

But had he just really thought of “wife and kids” in the same breath as Marissa? He shook himself, not wanting to over think something good. Marissa wasn’t looking for anything serious and neither was he. She needed to stay in Philadelphia with her mother while he would continue to travel with his team. Who even knew if he’d be with the Phantoms next year? But for now, what he had with Marissa last night had been perfect.

Rapping lightly on the door in case she was still sleeping, Kyle used his room key when she didn’t answer.

“Marissa?” He rotated his shoulder as he set down his bag, hoping it hadn’t been a mistake to forego a session with the massage therapist after practice.

Damn it, he was already messing up his routines to be with her. Maybe when they got back to Philadelphia he’d be able to resurrect the rhythm of his training.

“In here,” she called, her voice oddly muffled from somewhere in the bedroom.

The lights were all on in the living area, and he could smell coffee from the pot on the wet bar. On the surface, the room looked like any of hundreds of others he’d stayed in over the years. But this one was different – a whole lot more welcoming - because Marissa was sharing it with him.

“I have time for breakfast if you’d like to go out,” he started, winding around a pull-out sofa and heading toward the bedroom. “I don’t want you to think I’m a cheap date. Last night couldn’t have been much fun at the club—hot damn.”

His jaw dropped when he got an eyeful of her still wearing a white terry cloth towel, fresh from the shower. He wanted her for so many reasons that weren’t physical, and yet the power of the chemistry between them was like a hard check to the back. It robbed him of breath and made him see stars.

“Morning.” She smiled but pulled the towel tighter.

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