Page 24 of Home Ice

"But you don't?" She looks hesitant, like she's debating whether she should say what she wants to. "You can tell me anything. I promise. I know you don't know me that well, but I'm really quite fantastic."

There's that smile again, but it goes away almost as quickly as it appears. "Is that so? It's nothing. I just... Let's get going."

I wait a few seconds, hoping she'll change her mind about talking to me, but she doesn't. So we spend the next twenty minutes doing short sprints and agility drills. She does everything I set up for her without complaining. And the more I see what she can do, the more I think we've got a great shot at winning again this year.

When we finally stop, I rest my arm on her shoulder without thinking. It's the same thing I would do with any teammate, but this doesn't feel the same. Based on the way she stiffens, she can sense it too, so I jerk back. I'm not sure if I should apologize. I don't want to make it seem any more awkward than it was, so I settle for changing the subject. "I thought maybe we could get breakfast?"

"I'm a little sweaty."

"I promise it won't matter. Come on." I want to take her hand and walk her back through the park. Fuck, I want more than that. I want to take her back to my house and make her sweat even more than she already is. But she's so jumpy I know I'll scare her away if I move too fast. So I start to walk and wait for her to come up beside me. "Race you?"

She laughs. "I don't even know where we're going."

"Good. If you don't know where the finish line is, you can't beat me." I take off. My shoes pound on the pavement. I don't have to look to make sure she's keeping up with me. I know she is. After spending time with her this morning, I know she's not the type of person to let a challenge go. And damn if that doesn't make me like her even more.

The restaurant is only a couple of blocks away. When we get there, there's a line out front that stretches down the sidewalk. "Brant, I don't think these people want us anywhere near them as bad as we stink."

"I'm sure you stink," I tell her. "Pretty sure I smell like a mix of man and fresh mountain air."

A couple of people in line look at us when Lily snorts. "I promise that you definitely don't smell like that."

"Agree to disagree, I guess." By this point, I hear the murmurs from the line, and I groan. I may be hidden behind a mask when I'm on the ice, but the fans still know what I look like. Serenity loved this attention and never understood why I don't. She would even drop hints just to make sure people would find out who I am.

Maybe it doesn't make sense. I love this city, and I love the fans. But it's the adoration that gets to me. I'm a normal person who happens to be really good at my job. From what I've seen so far, Lily is just as good at her job, but these people aren't sixty seconds away from telling her how much they love her. No one will say that seeing her is the best thing to happen to them all week. At least none of the people standing in line.

Lily's smile is gone now, and she's inching away from me. "I can't go in there with you. And it's not fair to jump the line anyway. But thank you. This morning turned out to be?—"

"You're not going in. I am. Just wait for me around that corner." I point behind her. "Promise me you'll go there and stay." There's no way I'm letting her tell me this morning has been fun or a surprise or whatever she was about to say. Because as soon as she says it, whatever this is ends. I'm not ready for that yet. "I'll be back in two minutes. And I'm not bumping these people. I swear. Tell me you'll wait. " She blows out a breath but doesn't say anything. I choose to take that as a yes. "Good girl. Right around that corner. I'll be back in... better make it three minutes. Sounds like I might need to sign a few things." At this point, the murmur has grown to full volume, and I've heard my name a few times.

When I turn back toward the entrance, everyone is gaping at me, so I give them my best smile. "Good morning. I swear I'm not jumping the queue. I just need to pop inside for a second. But I will sign a couple of things as long as we can make it quick." Before diving into the line, I look back for Lily, but she's already disappeared around the side of the building.

CHAPTER 20

I REALLY DON'T WANT THE MAIN ENTRY ON MY WIKIPEDIA PAGE TO BE ABOUT THE TIME I BEAT UP BRANT MORRISON

LILY

This is a mistake. Behind me, I hear Brant talking to the group of people. A few of them say his name with a question in their voices, as if they don't really believe it's him. I slip around the corner. It would be so easy to leave. By the time he discovered I was gone, I could be halfway home if I jogged fast enough. Maybe he would come to the house to see why I left, but maybe he wouldn't. Maybe he would take the hint and find a new partner.

The thought of him partnering with someone else makes me sick, though. I don't want to imagine him giving that smile or those proud looks to anyone else. I never would have believed it, or been willing to admit it to myself, but I've enjoyed spending time with him this morning. It was good to see a side of him away from the practice ice. Maybe he's not as bad as I thought when I first met him. Or maybe I'm just lonely.

It's been almost a month since I last saw Em. FaceTime is nice, but it's not like being in the same space and spending time together. That's all this is with Brant. It has to be. As much as I pride myself on making it through life on my own, I still need to spend time with someone every once in a while. Brant is just fulfilling that need for me.

When he comes around the corner, he's carrying two plastic sacks. "You stole some poor family's food?"

He looks behind him and then puts a finger over his lips. "Keep it down. The dad went to the bathroom and left these sitting there. What was I supposed to do? You saw that line. I'd be stupid to not take advantage of the opportunity."

I try to hold in my laugh, but I can't. "So this was all planned? You called ahead and ordered takeout, hoping I wouldn't say no to anything today? What would have happened if I did?"

"I would have had all these pancakes to myself. It's a win-win. Now, come on." He intentionally lets his body bump mine as he walks by me. His upper arm glides across the outside of my shoulder. It feels like a thousand pins dancing on my skin.

"Where are we going? This will be cold by the time we go to either of our houses."

"That's why we're not going back there." We walk for half a block, and I swear he's taking big strides on purpose so I'll have to almost jog to keep up with him. He stops just outside a closed restaurant and hands me the two bags. "Since you didn't balk at me stealing food from a starving family back there?—"

"They were starving now?"

"Poor things looked like they hadn't had a bite in weeks. You should have seen their shoes too. They didn't have any. But if you don't have a problem with me taking food from them, I hope you won't have a problem with a little trespassing." Before I can ask what he means, he springs over the short wrought-iron fence circling the outdoor seating area of the closed restaurant.

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