Page 84 of The Fake Date Agreement

He’s looking down at me, eyes glued to my face, no, on mymouth.

And this time, there’s no lollipop in sight.

I start having inappropriate thoughts I should not have while surrounded by kids, all because of Max’s dirty mind.

I swallow hard. “Caleb?”

He releases me and backs up fast.

“You got a handle on it?” he asks, avoiding my gaze.

I try not to feel hurt that he dropped me like a hot potato. It’s hard to do when a bunch of kids are staring at you like you have cooties.

“Sure,” I say.

But I don’t have a handle on it.

“How about a quick game?” Trey bounces his gaze between Caleb and me as if he reads the tension between us.

“Maybe I should sit this one out before I take someone’s eye out with this thing.” I lift the stick I have no clue how to use.

“Doubtful,” a kid mutters. “You hit nothing but air.”

“Hey!” I yell, feigning outrage. “I’ll have you know I grazed the top of that puck like no one’s business.” I sniff.

The other kids laugh, and when I turn to Caleb, he’s watching me, a hint of a smile lifting the corners of his lips.

I don’t know what it is about me that keeps capturing his attention, but whatever it is, I hope it never goes away. “What?”

He shakes his head. “Nothing, Myers. You up for a game with these punks?”

“Will I survive it?” I ask, only half joking.

“I’ll protect you,” he says so seriously that my smile fades.

“But I don’t know the rules,” I remind him.

“All you gotta do is score more than the other side. That’s all there is to it. Five on five. We’ll do three periods, one minute per period, and a five-minute break between each to talktactics. Coach can decide the winner so no one can accuse me of cheating,” he says with a boyish grin.

“Sounds good to me,” the kids’ coach says with a nod.

I eye the kids warily when I remember something about hockey. “I want confirmation that no one is going to drop their sticks and fight me for no reason.”

Caleb laughs, but he doesn’t actually confirm anything.

“Um, Caleb?” I ask, getting worried.

“I’ve got your back, Myers.”

Then it’s too late to ask again because we’re busy forming into two teams, and the game is on.

They slow things down for my benefit. Thank God.

Until a kid charges me, and I freeze.

A large, muscled arm wraps around my middle from behind, lifts me out of the way, and Caleb takes my place before a kid can run me over with his stick.

“Go easy on my girl, k bro?” he says.

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