Page 11 of Slapped Into Love

“Aren’t you an observant one?” Isnickered.

“When it comes to you, count on it.” His hazel eyes burned into mine with an intensity that had the laughter drying up in mythroat.

I wasn’t sure how I wanted to respond, so I avoided it by lifting my mug and taking a sip of coffee. “Damn,that’sgood.”

“Anytime you want a cup, you know where to find me,” heoffered.

“What brand doyouuse?”

He flashed me a sly smile. “I’d tell you my secret, but then I’d have to find a new excuse to get you to come over andseeme.”

I gulped down most of the coffee and set my mug on the counter. Then I sidled closer to him. “I’m not going to turn down meals or coffee that’s a thousand times better than what I could make for myself, but I have a feeling you’re not going to need any tricks to make that happen.” I rose up on my toes and brushed a kiss against his cheek the same way he’d done mine earlier. “But right now, we’ve both got somewhere else to be. You’d better get ready since Alec is waiting for you, and I’ve got to run so I’m not late for my morning trainingsession.”

“It can’t be easy to train for the Olympics whileworking.”

I shrugged as I headed towards his door. “It’s pretty standard for Olympic athletes to have jobs. Well, except for the pros like the hockey players. If only speed skating paidaswell.”

“Hey! I work damn hard for my paycheck.” I looked over my shoulder and quirked an eyebrow at him, smiling when he had the good sense to grimace. “Shit. That made it sound like you don’t when I know damn well that you work hard, too. I’m lucky to make good money doing somethingIlove.”

“And I’m lucky your team is willing to pay me to turn you guys into the fastest skaters youcanbe.”

It wasn’t until the door was shutting behind me that he responded, “I’m lucky for that, too, and it has nothing to do with myskating.”

Hearing that, I would have walked right back inside if we both didn’t have other places where we had to be. Instead, I forced myself to head down the hallway and slumped against my door in the privacy of my apartment. “I might be lucky, but I have a feeling I’m also introuble.”

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