Page 17 of Scores Of The Heart

Today, though, after our flurry in the hall and having Cindy’s cold coffee spilled on my jersey, I know things are turning around. I don’t even care about the coffee.

Damn, she’s cute. And hot. Very, very hot.

Those large, beguiling eyes are what get me the most. And up close up like we were, they’re way better than from far away where I’m usually looking. The visions I’ve had about her vary, some are lust filled, and some are more romantic. Thank fuck she can’t read minds.

I’m never this distracted by a woman, especially when I’m at work and supposed to be concentrating on our impending conference finals coming up. This is a big fucking deal, and I can’t blow it being distracted.

So I do what any guy would do in this situation… I try to ignore what I’m feeling.

Burying shit has worked wonders for me in the past, especially because I usually don’t let things bother me. But one glance over at her sitting next to Andrea and the finance geek, Simon, I think his name is, has me reneging with myself.

Perhaps my earlier thought about me going soft is a thing. Pre-Stacey, I could go up to any girl, anytime, anywhere, and be cool. Not that Stacey did a number on me, it was mutual in the end after she knew I couldn’t take things further. But I vowed I’d be more careful the next time around, and not get in too over my head until I knew the girl was the one. I didn’t feel that with Stacey, even though we had some good times. She didn’t like us being apart all the time, and that was not going to change in a hurry. I’m not even sure what she expected. But even in the downtime, things weren’t good anymore.

I glance up from my pondering and a pair of dark eyes flick up toward me from across the room.

Fuck it. The side of my mouth turns up and I distinctly see her lips press together.

My eyes flick down to her mouth and I find myself wanting to explore every avenue of this girl and earn every smile she has. Even though she isn’t sitting that close to me, I can feel the electricity between us. Fuck, is she giving me eyes in her subtle way?

Maybe not the kind I’m used to from women, but hey, I’ll take it.

It’s almost innocent, as she isn’t flat out smiling, but I feel she kinda wants to.

I can’t even help it when my dick kicks in my pants at that look alone. Great, just what I need first thing in a meeting with the Hawks entire staff front and center; a huge fucking boner for Coach’s sweet and delightful daughter.

At least, I think that’s what she is. She seems pure to me. I’ve checked her out on Facebook and there’s nothing scandalous in any of her posts there. She seems very tame, and very level-headed. And that only leads me to wonder what her secrets are. Maybe she doesn’t have any—but we all do, don’t we?

There was a recent picture of her and her best friend, Susie, at a downtown wine bar, but that’s it since then.

She’s everything foreign to me. I’ve never been with a smart office type before, but one look at her tells me all I need to know. I could definitely go there with a smart office type. If that’s what we’re calling it.

Realistically, I don’t really have a type. I love all women, curvy or small. It’s just how I am.

But this forbidden shit is really getting me going. I mean, it would still be exciting even if she didn’t work for the Hawks, because I’m really attracted to her and that mysterious air she has. But knowing I shouldn’t go there and the fact I want to, it’s so fucking tempting. I feel like a naughty schoolboy for even thinking it.

So I sit and observe from afar, trying not to make it too obvious. But now she’s in my sights, and it seems I might be in hers, because she keeps looking at me. If I’m honest, it’s a little hard to stop.

Fuck. I need to ask her out. I run a hand through my hair and realize I need to just relax. Watching her and that goddamned mouth is not going to help me be able to stand up and walk out of here like a respectable defenseman should at his team’s meeting. This is what she does to me.

She whispers something to Andrea, but I know it’s work related as they’re both scribbling shit down and paying far more attention to the General Manager than I am. It’s then I see in my peripheral Andrea gives her a nudge in the ribs, subtle, but I see it. Cindy’s eyes flick down to Andrea’s notebook and a moment later a smile appears on her lips. Then she does the unthinkable. She bites her lip, seemingly unaware of what the hell that does to me. Then her eyes flick up at me.

Fuck. What was in that notebook?

The thought that they could be passing notes back and forth makes me smile. However, it seems highly unlikely that’s what they’re doing.

Then Simon leans over and whispers something in her ear, and she presses her lips together again.

I swallow and look away. Thank fuck he’s gay, that’s all I can say. I don’t want anyone else making jokes with her, as possessive and as needy as that sounds.

I feel an elbow in my ribs, which is the only thing that tears my eyes away from her beautiful face and her pert lips.

“You taking in a word of this?” Jay mutters.

I give him the side eye. “I think I need way more coffee this morning,” I grunt back.

“Having trouble focusing?” He chuckles, crossing his arms across his chest.

“Not at all.”

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