Page 23 of Icebound Attraction

I order a coffee and a sandwich before sitting down in a corner. I don't usually pay much attention to who's there, but this time I can't ignore my surroundings - Emily is sitting at a table nearby, engrossed in her notebook.

My feet seem to have a life of their own, as I head straight for her. When she notices me, she looks up and an expression of surprise, tinged with uncertainty, passes over her face before she hides it behind a neutral smile.

“Hi, Liam,” she says, closing her notebook.

Without asking permission, I sit down next to her. For a guy who promised to ignore her...

“How are you?” I ask, a little awkwardly, trying to get the conversation going.

“I'm fine,” she replies soberly, stirring her tea. “I've just written the draft of your article for the newspaper and I'm preparing my next subject.”

I should probably read between the lines and leave her alone; she obviously has a lot to do. But my body won't obey me.

“Sounds great,” I reply, not really knowing what else to say.

At that moment, I just don't want to go and leave her. I also have to admit that she comes alive when she talks about her work, and that makes her hotter. It's really hard to avoid her when she attracts me like a walking magnet. I know I wanted to distance myself, but now that I'm face-to-face with her, I have no intention of doing so.

“In any case, it's a pleasure to write about your team. You're in excellent shape so far,” she continues. “Well, especially you, you're really good.”

She dares a smile.

This unexpected compliment gives me a warm feeling. I force myself to suppress this emotion with difficulty.

“Thank you, Emily. You do a great job with your articles too. Readers love them, and we did notice a bigger crowd at our last game. It's cool to have encouragement when you're playing.”

She smiles gratefully, but I can sense that she's still on the fence. Everything in me wants to break down the wall between us, but I'm afraid of what will happen if I get too close to her. It's as if we're both part of a masquerade not to show what really touches us.

It doesn't make sense!

I stand up abruptly.

“Have a good day.”

She looks a little lost and just nods.

I return to my table and the waiter brings me my sandwich. As I take my first bite, I watch Emily, sitting with her back to me.

There's definitely something between us that I can't ignore, no matter how hard I try. But I have to be careful. My dream of joining the NHL is at stake. Coach Franklyn has told us often enough about former team members who were destined for great things but got distracted by ‘love’.

His words, not mine. Liam Scott has never been in love, and he's not about to be!

How's it going, man, talking about yourself in the third person?

Up until now, I'd always stuck to a little sex - well, sometimes a lot - with my conquests, but then our paths would separate. No selfies together, no romantic breakfasts, no trips together, no introductions to parents, or even friends. Nothing. Just well-rehearsed sex plans to make the evenings and days seem shorter. Besides, feelings are annoying. They make you weak, and if you let them into your life once, you're done for! All the women I met agreed with that, as far as I could tell. If they weren't, at least none of them ever complained about it out loud.

However, when I look at Emily, I wonder how long I'll be able to ignore my attraction to her. Inwardly, I berate myself. I need to prioritize and control myself.

Suddenly, I feel like I can't breathe. I abandon my half-eaten sandwich and practically run out of the café. I need some fresh air.

There are too many people on campus, and everything revolves around me. Unable to think clearly, I jog home and close the door. Once inside, I lean against it, breathing in and out deeply.

What the hell is happening to me?

Without thinking, I go into the bathroom and run cold water over my hands. It calms my nerves and, after a few minutes, my breathing becomes regular again.

Once I've calmed down, I notice I'm late for training. Franklyn won't like me arriving when everyone's already warmed up.

I grab my gym bag and rush out the door. But even on the double, I'm ten minutes late.

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