Page 87 of Offside Attraction

Rhonda ignored the fluttering in her stomach and asked the questions on the tip of her tongue.If he wanted real, this was real.“What happened with the fight in the parking lot? I heard someone on your team sent someone to the hospital. I’ve heard about so many fights between your two teams, and honestly . . .”

Jordan took a bite of steak. “Honestly, what?”

Rhonda took a moment, her fork hovering over her plate. “Honestly, you don’t seem like that guy.”

Jordan chewed and swallowed, then took a drink from his water glass. “There are a lot of guys in this sport who are angry. They put their heart and souls into hockey, and then got dumped on their asses.” He shrugged. “I used to be one of them.”

Rhonda nodded. “You’re not anymore?”

He cut off another piece of meat. “I’m not a saint.”

“Obviously.” She grinned, taking a bit of each part of the meal in front of her onto the tines of her fork.

The corner of Jordan’s mouth quirked. “I’m not angry any more. But some of the guys I recruit are still figuring it out.”

Rhonda finished chewing. “Your sister said you collect misfits.”

Emotions flickered through his expression, but never settled. “It’s probably true.”

“Does that mean I’m a misfit?”

Jordan watched her for a moment. “People on the inside—people who think they fit—won’t put up with our shit. We need people who don’t have such high standards to get us started.”

Rhonda laughed out loud. “So you’re settling?” She dropped her eyes to her plate and used her fork to cut a corner off the tender meat.

“Maybe I just have different standards.”

Rhonda took another bite. She sighed as the blend of flavours exploded over her tongue.

“Good?” Jordan grinned at her.

She nodded. “Here, try it.” Rhonda scooted her plate forward, and Jordan reached over with his fork. “Get all of it, the sauce, the greens.”

Jordan obeyed, and then offered her a bite of his steak. All of it was delicious. But sharing it with him–knowing he was experiencing the same thing as her in that moment—made it more. Something about no other people on the planet living in that exact physical experience in those few seconds. It was intimate in a way that made her shiver.

“I don’t think I have any standards.” Rhonda pulled her plate back.

“No?”

She shook her head. “I didn’t think I wanted anyone in my life, so I didn’t think about it.”

“Hmm.” Jordan’s blue eyes flicked up. “But you’re thinking about it now?”

Rhonda flushed. She took another bite to cover up the heat in her cheeks. She was thinking about it now. But maybe that was why it felt so terrifying. When she started to drive or tried cooking for the first time, there had been a manual. A recipe book. With relationships, there were no rules to follow. No right way to do it.

“Maybe I should get some self-help books or something,” she thought aloud.

Jordan leaned back in his chair, grinning. “Tell me more.”

“Since I’ve never done this before?—”

“Done what?”

Her blush deepened. “This.” She pointed between the two of them.

“Gone on a date?”

Rhonda scoffed. “I’ve gone on dates, but not where the intent was to actually get to know someone.”

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