Page 66 of Scores Of The Heart

“Well, I want to know it all,” I say. “No holds barred.”

She glances up at me, her dark eyes shining. “Why don’t we have a date night next week when you get back from New York?”

“That sounds perfect.” I loosen my arm from around her as a couple of the guys walk past.

“I’d better get back to my friends,” she says. “But I’ll text you later.”

I sigh, but I know it’s for the best until we figure shit out.

We spend the next hour mingling, and I try not to watch her like a hawk, but she’s a little hard to avoid. When the girls all make a move to leave, I’m about to go walk them out with Taylor and Jay when Coach Carter slaps a hand on my back and pulls me into a conversation with our assistant coach Ted, and I lose sight of the girls leaving.

I know we will text later, but it’s going to be a few days before we’re back from New York.

Hearing her tell me she wants me and to see where things go is like my favorite song on replay. It’s something I’m never gonna get sick of knowing. We’re both aware it’s brewing, especially if the kiss in the lot at the stadium was anything to go by the last time we met.

That was fucking perfect. Everything about her is.

I’m already planning our dinner date when I leave the stadium a little later.

I think somewhere out of town would be good, where we will get some privacy and no one will care.

I just need some time alone with her. Bumping into her and watching her from the coffee shop window just isn’t going to cut it anymore.

I know I probably can’t even wait until then, but I have to. At least until we get the next game over with.

I guess it’s no surprise to find myself careering to her place the second we land on Sunday night from New York. I’m elated and feeling on top of the world from our win against the Kings on their home turf, which has now secured our place in the Stanley Cup finals.

She gave me her address over the weekend, so I could pick her up on Tuesday and take her for dinner. I did drop her off that time she was with Susie, but I was too engrossed in her to even remember where I was going.

So here I am. Instead of trying to play things cool and keeping myself at bay so I’m not getting in my head during such a crucial time for the Hawks, I find myself standing beneath her brownstone, throwing stones up at her window, trying to wake her up.

My texts didn’t work, but I guess it is late and she probably is sleeping.

I hear a dog barking, then a light goes on and the window opens. Just as I’m whisper-shouting, “Cindy!” up her drainpipe, I see her head stick out of the window to look down. I’m tempted to find a way to climb up there, but I’m not sure she would appreciate the sentiment.

I guess she could just come down and open the door. But is she gonna let me in?

“Tyler?” She squints down at me. Clearly, I woke her up. Shit.

“Yeah, it’s me. Sorry if I woke you, can you come down for a second?”

She runs her hand through her hair and I see her nod as she closes the window.

I already hear her dog scratching at the door and barking pretty loud.

A minute later, the front door opens and Henry shoots forward, barking at me as Cindy stands there in her nightgown.

“Henry, it’s okay,” she says, trying to grab him.

I scoot down to his level, looking at the cute little black Frenchy. I hold my fist out so he can take a sniff. “Hey, little fella. I’m a friend of your mama’s.” I feel like an ass for waking her up, but not enough to leave and let her go back to sleep. I glance up at her as she yawns sleepily.

“Hey, Ty.”

I love it when she calls me that. “Hey,” I say as Henry finally stops barking and starts licking my hand. Within a few seconds, I’m giving him a scruff around the ears.

“He’s a big softie really,” she says with a giggle, watching us.

She probably thinks I’m here for a booty call, but it’s not the reason I came. Not even in the slightest. I just wanted to see her.

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