Page 18 of Hooked On Them

I almost laughed. If only that was my only problem. “No, it’s not that. I don’t date. At all. My life is complicated enough without adding dating to the mix.”

“Who said anything about dating?” He took another step closer, that charming smile back in full force. “I want to buy you dinner and see where things go.”

“That’s the definition of dating, isn’t it? And things went pretty far last night.” I tried to ignore how good he smelled. How was that even possible after everything we’d done? “And while it was fantastic, it should probably stay a one-time thing.”

“Technically it was a two-time thing.” His eyes glinted with memories that made my toes curl in my shoes.

“You’re not making this easier.” I’d tried casual situationships before, and they never ended well. Someone always wanted more than the other person wanted to give. And usually, it was me who didn’t want more.

“I’m not trying to.” He shrugged, completely unapologetic. “I like you, Nora. You’re smart, sexy, and you don’t take shit from anyone. Why not see what happens?”

Because I’d worked too hard to get where I am. Because relationships were messy and complicated and always ended badly. Because I’d watched my dad have his heart destroyed when my mom died, spending years trying to put himself back together and still not becoming whole. Because, because, because...

“I appreciate the offer, but I really need to focus on my career right now. The team has to be my priority.” Why was this starting to sound like a job interview?

Disappointment flickered in his eyes. “Okay. But if you change your mind...” He dug in his other back pocket, pulled out his wallet, and held out a business card. “Text or call me anytime.”

I took it, more out of politeness than intention to use it.

“For what it’s worth,” he said as I turned to leave, “I think you’re selling yourself short. Having a career and a personal life aren’t mutually exclusive.”

I managed a small smile but didn’t respond. I had a personal life, just not one that involved men who looked at me like I was something precious rather than convenient. Men were messy, and I couldn’t afford to lose focus now. No matter how tempting he might be.

As I made my way off the yacht, I pulled out my phone to call a ride, deliberately not looking back at the yacht or the man I was leaving behind. I had ninety minutes to get home, make myself look presentable, and transform back into Coach Hastings.

The business card burned a hole in my purse all the way home.

* * *

“Unbelievable,” I muttered to my empty office.

We’d barely won our first exhibition game, but that wasn’t the point. The point was Dominic had played exactly one period, and in those precious fifteen minutes had managed to revert to every bad habit I thought we’d corrected. There wasn’t even a hint of effort.

I rewound the footage again, hoping to see something different. What annoyed me most was that I’d seen him execute perfect transitions during morning skate. He could do it. He just... wasn’t. The man was talented enough to get away with technical flaws that would bench a lesser player.

I glanced at the time and decided to call it a night. My apartment was calling my name, along with the pint of Ben & Jerry’s I’d been saving for a special occasion. Like surviving another day without strangling the most talented player on the team.

The facility had grown quiet around me, with most of the staff clearing out hours ago, leaving only the security team and the cleaning crew. The hallway lights had dimmed to their evening setting, casting long shadows as I made my way toward the exit.

The sound of weights slamming onto the rack cut through the quiet as I passed the team gym. Curiosity pulled me toward the sound, and I pushed open the door to find Dominic, shirtless and gleaming with sweat, resting at the squat rack. His face was a mask of concentration, earbuds jammed in his ears as he pushed through a workout he shouldn’t have been doing.

I leaned against the doorframe, torn between professional concern and... something else entirely. Something inappropriate and distracting that had absolutely no business existing within these walls, let alone in my head.

He hadn’t noticed me yet, lost in whatever music pumped through his earbuds as he ducked back under the bar. The weights clinked as he placed the bar across his broad shoulders before stepping back from the rack. His form was impeccable as he descended into a controlled squat and stood back up.

My breath hitched before I could stop it. A completely involuntary response to the sweat-slick muscles and the focused furrow of his brow. The memory of his body moving against mine flashed through my mind. Then my brain caught up, shoving the thought aside with the force of a slap.

Dominic finally registered my presence as he completed his set, yanking out an earbud. His eyes narrowed as he grabbed a towel from a nearby bench and wiped his face. “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing.” I nodded toward the weights, trying not to get distracted by the way his muscles rippled as he unracked his weights. “You should be home resting.”

Defensiveness flashed in his eyes, and his jaw clenched in a way that made me want to simultaneously shake him and, well, other things. “I know my body’s limits and capabilities. I’ve been doing this long enough to figure that out on my own.”

“Do you? Because your skating technique earlier tells a different story.” The words slipped out before I could stop them. The conversationdidneed to happen but not tonight.

Dominic dropped two of the weights onto the stack. “We won, didn’t we?” He pulled out his other earbud, aggressively shoving it into his pocket.

“Winning doesn’t mean?—”

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