Page 39 of Rainbow Kisses

“You’re worried about switching leagues.”

His quiet voice made my breath hitch. I told myself it was because of the decision we would have to make about the team, but some of it was definitely just the thrill I got every time he spoke to me.

“Yeah, I am.”

“You know it’s okay to not want things to change.”

“But isn’t that just being stagnant?”

“Why fix what ain’t broke?”

“But what if we turn down a really great opportunity?”

“If the league wants you that badly, they’ll wait for you.”

We fell silent for a few seconds as I let those words roll around my head a little.

Then he said, “Anything worth having is worth waiting for.”

My breath caught in my throat. It almost sounded like he wasn’t talking about hockey now. Could he possibly be talking about me?

We hadn’t said a word about the incident between him and my ex. The incident where he punched out the asshole who had been a dick to me. It’s almost like it’d never happened.

But it had, and right now, it was sticking in my brain. What should I say? Should I say anything? If I said the wrong thing, it’d be so completely awkward, and I didn’t want it to be awkward between us. This was nice. Friends talking.

But wouldn’t it be so much better if you were more than friends and there was kissing?

Yes. Yes, it would.

“Brian?”

“Hmm?”

“I’m glad you’re back.”

“Yeah, me too.”

Okay, now what, smart girl?

I didn’t have a clue what to say next. My tongue was tied. For the next few minutes, there was silence. The TV volume was barely audible because we hadn’t wanted to wake the girls and then I realized Brian’s breathing had become rhythmic and deep.

Lifting myself onto one elbow, I turned to look at him.

Sound asleep. His head was turned a little away from me, but I could see his eyes were closed, his lips slightly parted, his chestrising and falling slowly. I couldn’t look away. He just looked so damn…handsome. I wanted to run a finger along his lips. I wanted to lean over and press my lips against his, then curl up against his side and fall asleep, warm and cozy.

Instead, I got up as slowly as I could, not wanting to wake him or the girls. Reaching for the crocheted blanket on top of the sofa, I laid it over him as gently as I could.

Unfortunately, that meant covering up the slightest bit of skin I could see where his shirt had ridden up from the waistband of his track pants. I had the insane urge to run my fingers along that exposed skin.

You have seriously got to stop.

Sighing, I crossed my arms over my chest and considered my options.

Then I did the only thing that made any sense. I got my own blanket from another chair and lay back down on the couch, watching the Leafs come back to within one goal before losing. Then I put on the sleep music channel and closed my eyes.

I woketo whispers I couldn’t quite hear. Muted giggles. Then the low rumble of a male voice.

My eyes flew open, my heart racing. For a split second, I didn’t know where I was.

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