Page 3 of Rowdy Hearts

“You don’t do nerves.” Now she frowned. “What’s going on with you?”

Since I couldn’t tell her, at least not until I’d turned down that offer, I gave her a grin most women couldn’t ignore. Sunny wasn’t most women. Her frown deepened.

“You did not just try to use the heart-breaker smile on me. You know that hasn’t worked for years.”

Yeah, I did. “Honestly, Sunny, there’s nothing wrong, Just pre-season jitters.”

For a second, I thought she wasn’t going to let me off the hook. But there was a reason Sunny had put up with me longer than any other woman. She knew how to handle me.

“Uh huh. I’ve never known you to have jitters before, but I guess it could be your age. It does creep up on you.”

Her grin made heat pool in my gut, but it was a phantom sensation, a ghost of what we’d been to each other years ago.

“That’s a low blow, but I know you mean it with love.”

Sunny’s laughter caught the attention of a couple of the new guys, who looked at her with naked lust. I couldn’t blame them, but I pitied them. She adored her nerdy husband and would never give anyone else a second look.

“Absolutely.” Then she lowered her voice and leaned in a little closer. “You know if you need anything, I’m here.”

“I know, and I appreciate it. But…I’m fine.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the front door open. Since the regulars all used the side door to enter, curiosity got the better of me. But someone shifted in front of me just as the door swung inward so all I saw was a flash of bright hair before it disappeared again.

Something made me say, “Hey, be right back,” to Sunny as I headed for the door.

With everyone else’s attention focused on the team chanting for my dad to do another shot, I was the only one who saw the woman as she stumbled inside, clutching a pile of blankets. I weaved through the crowd but was still only halfway to her before my brain registered the strange way she was moving. Jerky, like there was something wrong with her legs.

I reached her just as she stumbled forward, my arms outstretched to catch her. She cried out hoarsely as she fell, her arms clutching the blankets tighter and her body twisting as if those blankets were precious cargo, and she didn’t want to fall on them.

I realized why the second she collided with me.

“Whoa. Hey, I got you,” I said as I caught the child she was carrying with one arm and the woman in the other.

A split second later, the woman blinked up at me with big blue eyes, took a deep breath and said, “Oh, thank god,” before sagging into my arms in complete exhaustion.

Stunned, my brain went blank for a second before it kicked into high gear. Apart from the show I gave the crowd, I was a damn good hockey player. Though not a great one, as evidenced by my lack of an NHL contract. But I could think fast on my feet, and I was good with my hands.

I swept up the woman and the kid and carried them to the nearest booth. Maneuvering the woman onto the bench, I unwrapped the blanket from the kid in my arms. Dark curly hair, dusky skin and wide green eyes stared back at me.

“Hey there, darling. How are you doing?” I smiled at her, butshe just stared back at me with unblinking eyes. “Wow. Tough crowd.”

Then the cold of the blanket seeped into my arms. Fuck, I’d forgotten how low the temperature had dropped tonight. They had to be freezing.

“Hang on, sweetheart. Gonna get you warmed up in a sec. Just let me check your momma.”

Her gaze slid to the woman slumped over the table with her eyes closed and her chest heaving. I couldn’t see her face, but I realized now her blonde hair was swept up in some kind of complicated style on top of her head and studded with diamonds. At least they looked like diamonds. She also wore what looked like diamonds around her neck and a long blue dress with a slit up the side and sequined like she was going to the Oscars.

“What the hell happened to you?”

I didn’t really expect her to hear me, so I was shocked when she answered.

“A wr-wrong turn and a fl-flat tire. And my general b-bad l-luck.”

Her hoarse voice reminded me she and the girl were freezing.

“Damn, let me get some help.”

Finally, she lifted her head, and I blinked. Holy shit. She was fucking gorgeous. A goddess with sapphire-blue eyes, cheekbones high and sharp, and full lips painted a bright pink.

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