Page 84 of Icebound Attraction

After a moment, Liam sees me. An expression of surprise crosses his face, followed by a shy smile that warms my heart. I return it, and he finally winks at me. This simple little sign transports me, and I feel my whole body quake.

Does that mean he's no longer angry with me? Or is it the euphoria of the moment that makes him act this way?

But before I can get any closer, he's back with his teammates and disappears from my sight for a moment.

I'm about to turn back and head home, telling myself that he deserves to celebrate with dignity without me annoying him for the umpteenth time, when I hear my name behind me.

That voice I'd recognize in a thousand...

“Leaving already?”

I turn around and see him, his brown curls falling over his handsome face. He's absolutely gorgeous... Leaning against the edge of the rink, he's managed to escape for a moment, and I realize he's done it for me, when it's his moment.

“I... I didn't want to disturb you... And... congratulations! It was an exceptional game!”

He smiles broadly.

“Would you like to celebrate with me?”

I look at him hesitantly, not knowing on which foot to dance.

“Without you, it doesn't really make sense, to tell you the truth...” he adds, completing my decision to say yes.

“All right!”

I feel my heart skip a beat, but for all that, I mustn't think he's forgiven me everything. We must have a conversation, and I intend to do just that before the night is out.

“I'll text you the address of the party. See you there!”

He waves me off and goes back to his team. As for me, I hurry back inside to put on a suitable outfit and get rid of this damn cap.

Once there, I am surprised by the number of people present. The fraternity house that organized the event has not skimped on the alcohol and the atmosphere. It's almost as if they were sure our team would succeed!

Dressed in a short skirt, knee-high boots and a close-fitting top, I hope deep down I'm sexy enough to catch Liam's eye. There are a lot of people, and I suspect he'll be very busy. Never mind, I'll go for it, putting my feminist principles aside for the evening.

When I catch sight of him, I notice how relieved he seems that the pressure of the games is over. He's enjoying it, and I'm happy to see him like this. At least he's over that awful article and isn't hiding...

It's hard to get close to him, but eventually he sees me and comes to meet me.

“I'm glad you're here,” he says, almost embarrassed.

We stare at each other for a moment before he opens his mouth to speak again, but the music is loud, and I can barely make out what he's saying.

“What?” I shout above the noise.

“I was saying I've been thinking and...”

Suddenly, a hand comes down on his shoulder, interrupting us. It's one of his teammates who brings him a beer and starts replaying the game with him.

It's going to be harder than I thought...

The hours fly by, and we haven't really had time to chat. The truth is, it's not the right time. I have to make up my mind. Just as I'm about to leave, I sense a presence at my back. I turn and face it, my knees suddenly soft.

“Can I walk home with you?” asks Liam.

The question surprises me, but I can see the nostalgia in his eyes. I nod without a word, far too stressed for what's to come.

On the way home, we're pretty quiet. As he doesn't seem to want to leave me on my doorstep, full of apprehension, I let him in. Fortunately, Cassy is away with her family for a few days. So, we have the room to ourselves.

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