Page 18 of One Pucking Wish

I bite my lip. “So in Vancouver, we can be on a break from us.”

“Meaning?”

“Well, while we’re stuck here, we can be different people. We can pretend to enjoy one another’s company. We can use kind words?—”

He cuts me off. “You’re going to use kind words? Toward me?”

My snappy retort is on the tip of my tongue. Put it off to fatigue or birthday nostalgia or the simple fact that I’m in bed with Gunner in a glorified storage closet, but I bury the rude response and instead say, “Yes because while we’re here, you’re not the asshole I despise, and I’m not the bitch you hate. We’re just two people. Friends even.”

“It would make everything a little more bearable.”

“Right? I’m just so stressed and tired and simply don’t have the energy to hate you right now.”

He gives me another half chuckle, the second one of the evening and probably the second one I’ve ever heard leave his lips. “Whatever makes it easier on you, Penny.”

My lip tilts up. “You called me by my name.”

“That’s what fake friends do. Fake friends also give advice, and I wanted to give you some, starting with my number-one stress reliever…well, I guess number two because I’d say number one is a good workout, especially one on the ice.”

Gunner’s face, barely visible in the dim light, is mere inches from my own. I’m taken aback by how much he’s talking to me. It’s mildly unsettling, really. “What’s your number two stress-relieving advice?” I ask hesitantly.

“Sex.”

I push my hand against his chest in an effort to create some distance between us. He grabs my wrist and holds my palm against his bare skin. “What are you doing?” I whisper-shriek.

“I want you to feel how fast my heart is beating, being in this bed so close to you. I’d venture a guess that your heart is beating just as fast.”

“No, it’s not,” I lie. Holy heck, the skin on my palm is on fire from this simple touch.

“Tell me you’re not curious.” His grasp on my hand remains firm.

“I’m not at all.”

He shakes his head. “You’re lying.”

“Gunner, we can’t. That would open up a whole can of worms that neither of us wants to deal with.”

“Why? You said it yourself. We’re different people here. You’ve had a one-night stand before, yes?”

“Yeah.”

“So you enjoyed yourself with someone for one night and then left it at that. Right?”

I sigh. “Yeah, but that’s different. You and I work together. It might create issues.”

“Issues how? You’ll hate me again? That’s going to happen anyway. We’ll go back to Michigan tomorrow, and this will all be a distant memory. You can forget all about your worst day ever. But until then, we might as well make our time here a little more fun.” With one hand still holding my wrist, he lifts the other and holds it inches from my chest. “I’ll tell you what. If your heart isn’t racing as much as mine is, we’ll let it go. But if it is, we’ll continue this discussion. Can I touch your chest?”

Before I can stop my traitorous head, it nods in permission.

I suck in a breath when Gunner dips his hand under the bottom of my shirt. He doesn’t touch me as he moves his hand up my body, but the heat warms my skin all the same. His palm moves over my bare breasts, and my nipples harden, wanting to feel his touch, but he doesn’t linger. His palm presses against the skin of my chest, where my heart beats violently.

“I knew you were lying.” His words, all husky and needy, are barely a whisper.

“I’m not,” I lie again. My stubbornness fights against the inevitable. I close my eyes and revel in the sensation of his palm against my chest.

“No?”

My tongue peeks out to wet my lips as my head shakes.

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