Page 17 of Charming Crosschecks

It should’ve sounded stupid.You are his donut.But something about the way he said it, the way he seemed to understand, made her throat tighten.

“He takes little joy in things because he’s scared,” Lafreniere continued, his voice quieter now. “But he adores his donuts because they make him happy and offer a small comfort no one can take from him. It’s the one highlight of his day, and one small taste brings about a change that keeps him upbeat and outgoing for hours. Seeing him after Coach Mike dropped the bombshell about his wedding and Thierry took off to apologize… you are definitely his donut.”

“I’m nobody,” she whispered, her heart twisting at the thought. Part of her wanted to be flattered, part of her was unnerved, and part of her felt like she’d just been handed something precious she wasn’t sure she deserved.

“Then I guess we’ll see how things go,” Lafreniere said simply, checking his watch again. “It’s five p.m. Can we be done?”

“Yeah,” she murmured, her mind elsewhere, already anticipating Gerry’s knock on her office door.

“Just be gentle on him if it’s not for you, okay?” Lafreniere asked softly, giving her a firm look that was full of concern.

Molly didn’t reply.

Ten minutes later, she was applying tinted lip gloss to her lips, the soft glide of the wand sending a warm, familiar tingle through her as she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. There was a knock at the door, and her heart skipped a beat. She quickly tried to put away the gloss, but before she could even call out, the door creaked open. She turned, her gaze meeting Gerry’s—only to find his eyes immediately drop to her lips.

“Hi,” he choked out, his voice hoarse as if the sight of her had stolen his breath away. “I’m gonna be just, ah, out there, um, for whenever…”

“I’ll be out in a moment.”

“Take your time.”

Her chest tightened, and she took a deep breath, watching him hesitate. “I don’t think we have to hide this.”

“Did you say something?”

“I could ask you the same thing – because Coach and Lafreniere both know something is going on.”

His eyes widened slightly, and he seemed at a loss for words. “Boucher stopped me,” he admitted, his voice tinged with confusion. “So did Batiste, Coeur, and Giroux. I thought maybe you might have mentioned it or…”

“Or?” she prompted, setting the lip gloss down on her desk and rising to her feet. The air between them seemed to hum with tension as she moved to stand beside him, a mix of nervous anticipation and something deeper pooling in her chest. “Or you could trust me to keep our secret – and realize that the guys know you so well that your expression gave it away.”

She could feel his gaze on her as it moved over her face, lingering on her lips. Her breath caught in her throat at the intensity of it. “You don’t have a poker face, do you?”

“No.”He let out a small, rueful laugh, a shift in his posture as if he was suddenly more vulnerable than she’d ever seen him.

“Are you ready to go?” she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper. A smile tugged at her lips as she marveled at the transformation in him—the man who had once stood before her, all sharp edges and snarls, was now here, standing so carefully in front of her, vulnerable and sweet in a way she could never have predicted. The realization made her heart flutter. “Coffee is calling my name, and we don’t tease with caffeine.”

“You like caffeine?” He raised an eyebrow, the sly smile on his face making her stomach flip.

“Hopelessly addicted,” she confirmed with a grin, her pulse quickening as she realized just how easy this was with him now.

“Good,” he said simply, his eyes twinkling as if something had just clicked. “How do you feel about surprises?”

“Love them – just like anyone else.”

“Are you in a rush this evening?”

“I have no other plans.”

“So you’re mine?” His voice was so soft, so full of tenderness, that she felt her breath catch. He looked at her with such intensity that, for a moment, she nearly lost herself in his gaze, her heart thudding wildly against her ribs. His blond hair was slightly messy, falling into his eyes, while the rest was pulled back into a knot, reminiscent of Coeur’s style. She didn’t know what to make of it, but there was something undeniably charming about it.

“I suppose I am,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper, as she glanced down at his outstretched arm. She felt a spark of surprise, a little twinge of something inside her chest as he lifted it, offering her a gesture that was so old-fashioned, so gentle, that it left her breathless.

“Milady?” he murmured, his voice low and sincere, and for a moment, she could hardly believe what was happening. Her heart fluttered in her chest as she fought the urge to preen at the sweetness of his words. This wasn’t just any casual date. This felt like something more, like the beginning of something that mattered. He wasn’t just walking her to his vehicle—he was treating her like she was something worth cherishing; like she was the most important thing in the world.

This was not what she expected at all.

She couldn’t help but wonder what other surprises he had up his sleeve as he walked her out of the building, treating her like a princess as they walked over to his vehicle. He had a massive black Tahoe that suited his frame well; she realized as she climbed into the passenger side feeling almost petite in the vehicle. He took his seat, started the SUV, and chanced a glance at her.

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