Page 29 of The Puck Stops Here

‘I did?’Brilliant, now he had her uttering things unaware too. ‘It’s nothing I can’t handle…’

Are you telling yourself that or Sissi?

‘You sure?’

‘Hemade it clear he didn’t want me around, that’s all.’

‘Oh dear.’

‘And he’s arealforce of nature up close…’ Her mind teased her with his half-naked image – that chest, those abs, the ink… ‘You know he has a tattoo on his chest?’

‘That doesn’t surprise me…’

‘No, but when it’s right there, pressed up against your face and?—’

‘What?’

TMI, Astrid!

‘I walked into him.’

‘And he wasnaked?’

‘Halfnaked,’ she quickly corrected, clutching an arm around her middle as the disloyal little flutters in her abdomen warmed and trebled. ‘He was coming out of the gym.’

‘And you just… walked into him?’

‘I think technically he walked into me.’

‘Must have been some collision.’

She nipped her lip.

‘And where was Aiden?’

‘Around.’

‘Astrid, are you getting distracted?’

‘Of course not! I’m here with Aiden having a drink. One hundred per cent focused. Or at least I was untilyoudistractedme.’

‘I was worried. We hadn’t heard from you all day and… I don’t know. How does he look? No, don’t tell me. I don’t need to know.’

‘He doesn’t look as perfect as he does in all the photos.’

And that was the truth. All those images had been enhanced by the magic wand of creative advertising. A touch of smoothing here, a bit of blending there… though the chiselled strength, the carefully applied permatan, the silvery glimmer of a scar to one cheek, the easy grin and eyes so like his brother’s. She shivered. Yeah, he wasawfulto look at.Not.

‘Good. It would be just like him to age like a fine wine. And what about the plan? If Blake isn’t being all that receptive…’

‘Doesn’t matter. The GM’s given them no choice but to give me what I need for as long as I need it.’

‘Excellent. And Aiden… do you… was he… do you think…?’

The line fell silent as her friend left the question hanging:Do you think he likes you?

‘He gave me a tour of the arena,’ Astrid said with a strained smile. ‘And now he’s taking me out for a drink, so I guess that’s a good sign.’

‘How come Blake didn’t join you if he’s the one that owes the apology?’

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