Page 100 of Gloves Off

“Question for you, Hellfire.”

She makes ammm?noise, still working on my splint, frowning in concentration. Prickles run up my arms from her fingers brushing me, and I can feel her body heat from where she sits beside me on the bed.

“Why didn’t you want to get married?”

Her eyes flick up to mine, surprised and wary.

The question bothered me the entire road trip. I know whyIdidn’t want to get married—because I don’t need anyone. I havehockey, I have my teammates, I have my family, and I like my life as is. The last thing I’m going to do is introduce someone into my life only for them to leave. Only for it to be one-sided the whole time.

Georgia could find someone who’s crazy about her, though. As much as I hate it, that Dr. Handjob guy stared at her with stars in his eyes. Half the guys on the team get tongue-tied and nervous around her. There’s no shortage of men who would be happy to marry her.

“I don’t want to give up my career,” she says simply.

I make a face. “Why would you have to give up your career?”

“It’s just the way it goes with men and women.”

“No, it isn’t.”

She gives me a look like I don’t know what I’m talking about.

“You know what I saw when I started working? Two doctors would get married, and she’d go on maternity leave and never come back. Or she’d work for a bit, but it’s hard when she’s been out for a year. Every gain in his career widens the gap between them and makes it harder for her to catch up, and eventually she throws in the towel. I’ve seen it too many times to count, Alexei. The primary caregiver for kids is the one whose career suffers, and it’s always the woman.”

“So don’t marry another doctor.” There’s an ugly stab in my gut, thinking about her getting married for real one day. Having kids with someone.

“It’s not just doctors. It’s most men. Look at you. Your schedule is ridiculous. You’re traveling half the year. Would you retire to take care of your family if your wife wanted to work?”

I can’t even imagine being ready to retire. If I’m not a hockey player, who am I? Hockey is everything to me.

“You could have married someone you didn’t hate for your inheritance,” I say instead. “Your Dr. Handjob would say yes in a heartbeat.”

I hate that idea.

“It would end up meaning something to him.” She frowns to herself. “I could never lead someone on like that.”

I stare at the splint. That warning feeling’s back in my gut. This is why I can’t be thinking about her. She isn’t thinking about me back.

“There.” She sets my hand down and stands, my side going cold from the loss of her body heat. “Don’t move.”

She leaves, and returns holding an ice pack.

“Fifteen minutes on, fifteen off,” she tells me in a firm voice that makes me feel weird. Taken care of or something. Her eyes glint. “Doctor’s orders.”

“You were right,” I say when she heads to the door again. I have the frustrating desire to keep her here, keep her talking. “About Walker being scared shitless.”

She leans on the doorframe, unsurprised.

I’ve been thinking about it since I met his parents but coming up with nothing. The kid and I are complete opposites. I don’t know why Ward paired us together. The rookie would be better off with someone like Miller or Owens.

“How’d you know?”

Her mouth twists in a wry smile. “Medical school. Everyone’s the smart kid. Everyone loves it and works hard. Everyone wants it just as badly as you do. It was a whole new level of competition.”

That sounds like the NHL. “How did you deal with it? Maybe I can learn something that’ll help the rookie.”

But mostly, I’m becoming addicted to every new piece of information I learn about her. Those pretty lips turn up at the corners like she has a secret, and that twist of interest spirals.

“I wore ridiculous heels so they’d underestimate me, then go home and study until I fell asleep at my desk.”

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