Page 106 of No Promises, No Lies

I consider her. She thinks her figure skating career is over… She had the choice to either follow her father’s plan or abandon her dream. She chose freedom at the expense of everything she’s worked for. My mind reels with other plans.

“What if you came with me?”

“Came with you?” she raises an eyebrow, “To Toronto?”

I pull her closer, the plan in my head already formulating, “You heard me.”

“Is that allowed?”

“Fuck anybody who says it isn’t.” I scoop her up and she wraps her legs around me, my gloves resting under her thighs. I skate us slowly back to the house.

“Well, I guess we better go pack.” The sight of a smile on her face has my heart constricting in my chest.This fucking girl.I lean forward, claiming her mouth aggressively with my tongue. The soft moan she makes has me instantly hard.

When I pull back, she stills, hungry for more.

“Aidan—” she starts, but doesn’t have a chance to finish before I toss her into the large snowbank behind the goal.

“Hey!” she huffs, brushing off the snow clinging to her, a few flakes on her hair and cheeks like crystallized freckles. “What was that for?”

“Cheating,” I grin and skate off, laughing at the string of curses I hear thrown at my back.

63

WATCH THE GAME

RORY

Aidan and I barely catch our flight to Toronto after the hours-long ride back to Logan Airport. Irish soldiers met us before we entered the city, handing off Aidan’s hockey equipment to him before escorting our SUV to the airport.

Flying with a professional hockey team certainly has its perks. We practically bypass security with a quick private check before exiting right onto the tarmac. Aidan keeps hold of my hand the entire way, keeping me right next to him.

On the plane, no one seems surprised to see me, and if they are, no one asks any questions. Aidan must have worked something out with his coach prior to our arrival. Coach McIntyre gives me a little salute before nodding to myhusbandin approval.

We reach our row, and Aidan motions for me to slide in. I’m pleasantly surprised to find Liam grinning like a fool in the window seat.

I plop down next to him.

“Mrs. O’Rourke,” He grins, and I punch him in the shoulder hard enough that he winces.

After storing our carry-on bags, Aidan swoops into the seat next to us. “C’mon man, you couldn’t at least give her the window seat?”

Liam stretches out. The Breakers’ private plane offers far better seating options than any commercial flight I’ve ever flown. Plush, roomy seats that recline with leg space for days. It’s like the entire cabin is first class. “I thought the only thing you’d want her looking at is you.”

I snort, and Aidan scowls.

“I’m fine right here,” I assure them, as I settle into my seat.

“Before I forget,” Aidan reaches into his backpack, pulling out a shiny new cell phone. He slides it to me across the tray of my seat. “I know you had to leave your old one behind.”

I eye the device with both wonder and suspicion, feeling Aidan’s eyes on me, reading my expression. “It’s got GPS tracking in it, but that’s it. No one’s monitoring your communications. You’re free to talk to whoever you want.”

I nod slowly, picking up the phone, “Thank you.”

He just shrugs, “It’s a long flight.” He places a brand new pair of headphones on the tray, too. “I preloaded some of your favorites, or well,” he tilts his head thoughtfully, “what I think are your favorites, based on what you listen to at the rink…”

My heart swells as I pick up the bluetooth headphones, black with little skulls on them. I scroll through the music selection Aidan added, finding both the heavy metal rock I love and the bubbly pop music I secretly love. I turn to look at him, but he’s busy talking to one of his teammates across the aisle.

Choosing a song, I reach over and link my fingers with Aidan’s. He tenses, with the contact, but continues his conversation.

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