Page 42 of Born of Ice

“The nachos?”

“No, all three of those.”

“Okay.” Liam chuckles and turns to me. “And for you, Electra? Do you want your stuffed pretzel?”

Normal people don’t tear up when someone asks them about a pretzel. But I do.

Yet I shake my head and mask my emotions with a fake smile. “Axe got enough food for half of these booths, so I think we’ll be fine with that. Thank you, Liam.”

“Those are samplers, they can’t be that big,” he draws his brows together.

“Oh, you have no idea, my friend,” Liam tells him with a saucy grin and without further comments or questions leaves us to place the order.

I guess they didn’t change the portion sizes either.

“So, you and Liam—”

“Went to school together,” I finish for him before anyone hears him and starts spreading rumors like wildfire.

“No dating?” He puckers his lips in concentration as if this is some important bit of information and I almost want to laugh again. What is going on with him today?

“When do you imagine I had the time to date? I spent every free minute of my time on the ice. There was no fun and games for me.”

“I was on the ice with you these past few days and we seemed to have loads of fun.”

I roll my lips, keeping that smile off my face because yes, I’ve had the most fun with Exton. More than I’ve ever thought was possible.

“Yeah, Stella would never have allowed you around back then.” Exton shivers at the sound of my trainer’s name. It’s almost comical how terrified he is of her but to be fair almost everyone is. And that’s how she likes it.

I’m just one of the lucky ones to be allowed access to her other side. The one she guards with a ton of icy bricks.

“Shhh, we do not mention the terminator’s name, or she’ll show up,” he whispers, shooting me a look, and now I do laugh. Loudly, tipping my head back against the leather booth seat. Oh God, if only she could hear him right now.

“Well, speaking of Stella, howdid sheget you to come here and be a glorified babysitter?”

“I told you before, she made a deal with my coach after I got suspended and that’s it. I had no other options.”

He did say that and I still don’t buy it. Not one bit.

“What did you do to get suspended?”

“I’m surprised you didn’t look me up that first day.” He folds his arms and the thin thermal shirt does nothing to hide his hulk form. It only makes it worse. For me and that weird feeling in my stomach. Jesus, couldn’t he put a sweater over it?

I swallow hard, pulling my knit turtleneck sweater off my neck because suddenly, I’m too warm. “I don’t trust the internet.”

“Why not?” He cocks his head to the side, triggering those loose curls of his to fall over his forehead and my hand itches to tuck them back in.

Did she have to find such a hot babysitter?

“You are a professional athlete; do you trust everything they write about you? Is it all true?” He considers my question for a second.

“You’re right, the internet is evil. But for the most part they are right about me, because what they post is what I want them to see.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Now I’m the one cocking my head, regarding the guy I labeled as a cocky asshole with new eyes.

“Nothing.” He brushes off my question really fast and pushes the sleeves of his shirt up, exposing those veiny, tattooed arms.

Oh, dear Lord…stop looking at him like that, Electra, didn’t you suffer through enough disappointment in this life?

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