Page 29 of Spite Crush

It was nice to know that someone supported me standing up for myself. Even if it was the man who’d blown up my one-night stand less than twelve hours earlier.

I’d done my best to avoid even thinking about Zak Dempsey for most of the day. Which hadn’t been too difficult, actually, considering I’d spent most of my time getting ready for the show tonight.

But as I made my way down the cool tunnel toward the locker rooms I couldn’t help remembering the first time we’d truly met. When the cocky,arrogant hockey player who’d sniped me in the press, had turned into a completely different man and helped me through a panic attack.

It made me wish that he were with me now. I wasn’t in a full-blown episode, but I knew I’d calm down easier if I could see his face.

“So, this really is just a habit for you,” Zak said when I stepped into the locker room.

He was sitting on a bench, staring at the door, clearly waiting for me.

“What are you doing here?” I shut the door behind myself and leaned against it, gazing at the man who really should have been on his way home to Michigan, not loitering in the arena where anyone could see him.

“It occurred to me,” he said, getting to his feet and reaching out to take my hands in his. “That this morning when your alarm went off, I never actually saw you take your meds.”

“You could have just texted me to remind me,” I told him.

“I could have,” he agreed, stepping closer and moving one hand to squeeze gently at the nape of my neck. “But then I wouldn’t have had an excuse to see you again.”

“So you wanted me to have a panic attack tonight?” I shook my head. “There are easier ways to tell me you want to see me. Like…telling me.”

“I’m telling you now,” he said, leaning forward and capturing my lips in a kiss.

My head was swimming, both from the shock of seeing him there,and from the insane speed with which all of the blood in my body rushed to my groin the moment his mouth touched mine.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” I admitted, my hands moving to grip his hips, holding him as if I could stop him from ever leaving.

“I can’t believe you thought I’d skip town without a proper goodbye.” He grinned and I swear to God my knees went weak.

No one should be that hot. It’s just not fair.

“And you think that was proper?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I think that barely scratches the surface of what I want to do to you,” he said, a low growl in his voice. “I’ve spent all day thinking about the fact that I’m supposed to stay away from you. And I’ve made a decision.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah.”

“And what have you decided?”

“Fuck that.”

I stared at him, unsure if he meant what I hoped he meant.

“Fuck that,” he repeated with a smirk. “I don’t want to live like this anymore, Kellen.”

“Whoa,” I said, taking a step back from him. “What are you talking about?”

“Relax. I’m not saying I’m ready to come out,” he said, moving to close the distance I’d just put between us. “But I am saying that I don’t want last night to be it for us. I’ve never even tried to have something real with someone before.”

“But you want to try with me?” I clarified.

“I think I do.”

“Youthinkyou do,” I repeated. “How flattering.”

“Wow, you’re not going to make this easy for me, are you?”

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