Page 49 of Ice Bet

There was a playfulness in her refusal, but recent revelations, it only made me try harder. I thought she was just a brat, hating on hockey players because of her loser ex, but it was much more than that.

I gulped as the rink seemed to grow quieter around us. I should have stood up the moment she said no, becausewhat the hell was I doing?But instead, I continued balancing on the tightrope. “Let’s make our own ice bet.”

Riley’s eyes narrowed, and she tilted her head. A coil of her wavy hair brushed against her high cheekbone, and I had the urge to move it so I could see her better.

“I bet I can get you back on the ice,” I said.

A sarcastic laugh flew in between us, and I inhaled her mint-scented breath. “Is that so?” She rolled her eyes and looked back at the ice. She pulled her knees up to her chin and wrapped her arms around her legs.She was so…cute.“You may be the cockiest guy on my father’s team.”

I stretched my legs out in front of me. “Bullshit. Have you met Theo?”

She said nothing because we both knew Theo’s ego was bigger than mine.

Barely. But it was.

A beat of silence later, she placed her feet on the floor and angled herself toward me. “Okay, fine. I’ll bite. You want to bet you can get me back on the ice–”

I interrupted her and sat up taller to match her poised posture. “I want to get you back to the talented-as-hell figure skater that you are. Get you ready for…tryouts?”

“How do you know I’m talented?”

“Because I watched your competitions online.”

Her mouth gaped. “You truly are a stalker, Aasher.”

“I am not. Now continue.” I wafted my hand out in between us, and for once, she did as I said.

“What’s in it for you? What doyouget if you somehow coax me back onto the ice?”

Coax? I liked the sound of that.

I cleared my throat and had to think quickly on my feet because this wasn't planned. Though, knowing Riley, she’d assumed this was all the start of some masterful plan to get her closer so I could watch her every move, but it wasn’t. I couldn’t explain my behavior even if I had a degree in psychology.

I hummed. “I want you to stop fucking with the team and trying to get back at them for their own little ice bet.” Her mouth opened to argue, but I put my hand up and stopped her. “Before you say something bratty, I agree that they deserve it, okay?” Our eyes met, and it was as if her tiny hand was around my neck, choking me. “Do you know how many times I’ve wanted to tell your dad about their scheming?”

“Then why haven’t you?”

I wanted to ask her the same thing.

“Because I don’t want to be responsible for destroying the team by being a narc. Hockey means more to me than anything, and team dynamic is everything. You have to trust each other to work flawlessly on the ice together, and winning the championship will only increase my chances at joining a decent NHL team.”

She sighed, and I felt her breath on my face as she turned away. “And if you don’t succeed? If you can’t get me back on the ice without having a massive panic attack? Then what?”

I shrugged. “Then you can tell your dad about the bet.”

Her teeth sunk into her bottom lip, and I wanted to reach out and free it. Riley Lennon was a mystery, and the more time I spent with her, the more my assumptions about her were incorrect. Maybe she didn’t know how hot she looked when she did that.

And would she tell her dad about the bet? Something told me that even though she claimed to hate all hockey players, she wouldn’t throw the team under the bus like that. Maybe for her father’s sake, but nonetheless.

“How about,” she started, bending forward and grabbing her skates, “instead of me telling my dad, I’ll makeyoutell him. Wait!” The spark in her blue eyes looked like she’d touched the fucking sun. “You can tell him you were the one to start it too.”

Ouch.

I wanted to call her on her bluff, but I didn’t, because at the end of the day, it didn’t matter. She wouldn’t win the bet, because I would.

I stood up beside her, and we were only a breath away. I towered over her with my six-foot-one frame and whispered, “Looks like we have ourselves anice bet.” I put my hand out to seal the deal, but the devious grin on her face had me lowering my hand.

“I have a better idea.”

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