Page 11 of Pucking Never

Her lips purse as she gazes down the row of cars next to us, as if contemplating my suggestion. I stand in silence and wait for her to make up her mind. My patience is running thin. I want to get her away from here so we’re alone. Really alone. It takes every ounce of my willpower not to throw her over my shoulder and carry her to my car right then and there.

At long last, she releases a sigh and her shoulders slump slightly.

“Fine. I’ll move my car and go with you. We’re only talking, though, got it?”

I can’t stop my grin of triumph, but I nod. “Yep, got it. No worries.”

Giving me one last searching look, she moves to climb into her car and I quickly make my way to my own vehicle so I can pick her up once she reparks. I just hope she doesn’t try to slip away and speed off. Not that I wouldn’t chase after her. One way or another, we’re having this talk. I let her slip through my fingers once. I’m not making that mistake again.

Chapter Six

GRACE

The silence between us is thick and heavy as Jensen drives us away from the arena. I sit with my hands in my lap, staring out the window and watching the city go by. Where is he taking us? What exactly does he want to talk about?

I can only imagine what he has to say, but I have so many conflicting emotions tumbling within me that I can’t think straight. Excitement, confusion, anxiety, and desire are all fighting for dominance and I’m not sure which one I should latch onto. The soft glow of city lights reflecting on the sleek glass buildings becomes a blur as he speeds down the street. I glance at him from the corner of my eye, his hands gripping the steering wheel, his usually playful features set into a determined expression.

"Where are we going?" I finally ask, breaking the tense silence.

"Somewhere quiet," he replies cryptically. His eyes remain focused on the road ahead. He doesn’t even glance toward me.

A wave of unease washes over me as it fully sinks in that I don’t really know this man. He’s a virtual stranger, and what if he’s actually ashamed and doesn’t want anyone to find out that we’ve been together? I try to keep my voice steady as I say, "Jensen, you're starting to worry me."

"Worrying you is not my intention," he replies. The tension in his jaw eases slightly as he finally glances in my direction for a brief second.

Before I can respond, Jensen takes a sudden turn off the main road onto a narrow path leading up to what appears to be a hilltop overlooking the city. There are no other cars and it appears we’re entirely alone out here. He parks the car and kills the engine.

"Come on," he says, getting out of the car. He waits for me to follow suit before leading me toward a small wooden bench situated at the edge of the hilltop.

The sight that greets us is nothing short of breathtaking. The night sky is illuminated with countless stars, their twinkling lights outshining the cityscape below us. There’s so much beauty in front of me, and yet, all I can focus on is Jensen.

He sits down on the bench, patting the space next to him. "Sit."

With hesitant steps, I join him and suddenly feel incredibly small and delicate next to his large, overwhelming frame.

“So…” I murmur, breaking the silence between us. “I’m assuming you want to talk about how we handle this situation between us. I think we just need to pretend it didn’t happen, okay?”

He glances at me and frowns. “But it did happen, Grace, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since.”

My lips part in surprise and my cheeks flush. I swallow, and glance away from him, not wanting him to see how much his words affect me. He’s right, it happened and I haven’t been able to stop thinking of him since either. That week was one of the best of my life. But it doesn’t matter. I’m still determined to keep up the boundaries I set for myself when it comes to dating. Back then, it was because I needed to focus on school and my career goals. And now, it’s because Jensen is a hockey player, and Carson’s best friend. One boundary I promised myself I would never cross, while the other I know I shouldn’t.

There’s also the small voice in the back of my mind telling me he doesn’t actually like me. He likes Lynn, and she’s not real. He wouldn’t like the real me. I’m not the same girl I pretended to be in Miami.

“Well…” I reply softly. “That was then. It was a great week, I won’t deny that and I’ve thought about you a lot since then too. But, you’re my brother’s best friend and teammate. Plus, I don’t date hockey players.”

His brows shoot up. “What? What kind of rule is that?”

I sigh and take a moment to contemplate whether or not I should tell him the entire truth. Does it really matter? I don’t even know if he’s been honest with me about himself. Is he even single? For all I know, he was having sex with a different woman last night and I wasn’t even a blip in the back of his mind.

“Okay,” I begin, deciding to be honest, but not go into too much detail. “Growing up with Carson, I was surrounded by hockey players in some capacity or another. They were all assholes and treated me and my friends like shit…that’s all.”

Jensen remains silent for a moment and I can tell he’s not satisfied with my vague response. Then he sighs, his shoulders slumping in the moonlight.

“All right, fine,” he grumbles. “Don’t tell me about your weird little rule, but we have a history. We had a good time together in Miami, didn’t we? Don’t I deserve the chance to prove we could still be good together?"

I tilt my head back and look up at the sky.

“Jensen, it’s too complicated,” I insist. “There’s Carson and my new job, and yeah, I’m sure you’re a good man who would strive to be loyal, but even a good man can make mistakes while on the road and faced with puck bunnies tripping over themselves to catch his attention. I’m just not willing to take the risk. I’m sorry.”

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