Page 23 of Hat Trick

It’s a lot harder to do that with emotions—and, emotionally, that’s where Gwen’s walls have always existed. The second time I witnessed her cry was at her father’s funeral. As I’d pulled her into my arms, I’d recognized that a woman who could feel so strongly about a man she barely knew had the capability for unshakablelove.

If she let herselffall.

You mean, if she let herself fall foryou.

I meet her gaze, wanting to say so much but not even knowing where tostart.

She saves me the trouble by burrowing her hands into her coat pockets and smiling up at the black sky. Softly, so softly I almost miss the words, she whispers, “I needed this. Thankyou.”

Vulnerable Gwen is not a side of her that I see often. Like a string pulled tight, I waver a moment before stepping close. Nottooclose, but close enough that I can see her breath curling into the coldair.

Don’t give in, man. Don’t touchher.

I mimic her pose, shoving my hands into my sweatshirt again. “What did youneed?”

Her lips quirk up at my husky tone, and when she dips her chin again, her red hair slips forward over her shoulders like strands of silk. “A chance to be me.” She shrugs, offering me a hesitant smile. “It doesn’t happen . . . well, ever, really. My fault, of course. I have a bad habit of not letting anyone close, includingyou.”

My heart squeezes. I know how much it cost her to admit that, to show the softer side she rarely allows anyone to see. “Come to my game tomorrownight.”

I don’t know if she’s more surprised by the invitation or if Iam.

“I—” Clearing her throat delicately, Gwen says, “I thought I’m the one pursuingyou?”

Yes. No. Fuck it, I don’t even care. “Then say you’d like to come to my game tomorrow. I might be nice and know someone withtickets.”

She laughs at that, her teeth flashing white in the darkness. “You do know that I could easily snag tickets if I wanted them, right? I wouldn’t have to pull anystrings.”

I cock my brow, challenging her. “But would it be as romantic as me leaving you tickets for the Family-and-Friendssection?”

Gloved hands go to her hips, and she tilts her head to the side, as though considering my offer. Then, “Will I have the chance to take you out after the game? To continue mywooing?”

Wrong as it may be, given the fact that we’re surrounded by kids under the age of ten, my cock hardens at her words. “You can woo me whenever you want,Gwen.”

“Great!” She squeezes my arm, once, and then steps back. “I have plans to up my kiss tally. Be prepared to do something crazy tomorrowevening.”

“Does it involvechains?”

She rolls her pretty blue eyes. “Only in your dreams,Marshall.”

But she’s smiling as she says it, and for once, I think Gwen James and I are on the same page.Finally.

9

Gwen

The following night,TD Garden is utterly wild as the Blades hit the ice against the Pittsburgh Penguins. And when I say wild, I really do mean bat-shit crazy to the nthdegree.

Even seated in the Family-and-Friends section, along with Charlie and Zoe, the arena is boisterous and unruly. Towels stamped with the Blades’ blue and silver colors are thrown down onto the ice. I’ve seen at least two people wearing faux penguin heads. And, not to be overly dramatic, but I’ve been called a “goddamn Blades sucker” at least three timesnow.

Full confessional: I loveit.

I haven’t always been a hockey enthusiast. In fact, it’s safe to say that while growing up with Adaline, I fully believed hockey players scored touchdowns. It was all tomato-tomahto to me. A goal is a goal,right?

Working for Golden Lights Media for the last few years changed all that. My PR firm single-handedly represents most of the players for both the Blades and the Boston Bruins, the city’s other pro-hockey team. Learning the sport’s terminology ensured I didn’t look like an idiot in front of high-paying clients. Somewhere along the way, I also learned to fully appreciate the gameitself.

Which is why I feel no shame at all in screaming like a lunatic when Andre Beaumont illegally cross-checks an opposing player into the boards. “What are youdoing?” I shout, cupping my hands around my mouth. “Get your head out of your ass, Andre!Seriously!”

He might go by the nickname, King Sin Bin, but that doesn’t mean the Blades can withstand Beaumont taking another turn in the penalty box. We’re already trailing behind by two, and from the way things are shaping up, it doesn’t look like we’ll be pulling aheadtonight.

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