Page 28 of Tempting the Goalie
“Do you?” I ask, and he looks like he’s been slapped.
“No.”
“Are you sure?” I press.
“Yes, Izzy, I’m sure. That’s the lifestyle here at Riverside. The only reason I branched out into new things is because I was bored, but now. . .”
“What is it, Luc?”
“I want more time with you, but I know it’s selfish. I had told Coach you were my girlfriend and you were a good influence on me, but I won’t use you to fix my mistakes, Izzy. It was stupid of me to even make the suggestion. You mean too much to me.”
“I’m the one who offered to be your fake girlfriend. I appreciate you helping me out with my issues, but I’m clearly fine. We can go back to being friends who are fake dating.”
“I’ll tell Coach we didn’t work out. I don’t want to put you into more uncomfortable situations. I know you don’t like the attention.”
“Luc, your future is on the line. I won’t let you jeopardize everything you’ve worked for,” I say to him. I lean in and palm his face, touch his smooth skin that has a five o’clock shadowalong the jawline. I missed him so much, and it’s only been five days.
“This is complicated, Mon coeur. We’ve never gone five days without speaking before. If saving my career means ruining our friendship, I won’t do it.”
“You’re stubborn, you always have been. How long do you need me to be your fake girlfriend?” I ask.
“Three weeks. At least until the Frozen Four. Scouts will be there,” he explains.
“So we keep things platonic,” I suggest. those words burn my insides because the way Luc made me feel sensual and cared for is something I never felt before. I want to tell him I want our deal to continue, but I’m terrified at the same time it will ruin us.
“Platonic,” he repeats and rubs at his chin, looking divided over something. “What if I want us to continue with what we were doing?”
“You’d want to continue?” I ask, surprised.
“If you don’t, I understand. You saw that you aren’t broken and I’m happy to have given you that.”
“I want our hookups to continue,” I admit. “I would really like that.”
“You know I’m not built for anything long term. I don’t know what team I’m going to land on after graduation. I could be on the other side of the country. I don’t want to hurt you because it would kill me,” he mumbles, looking panicked.
“I won’t fall in love with you, Luc. We have three weeks and then we’re over. I understand,” I assure.
He takes my hand and laces his fingers with mine. He kisses the back of my hand and closes his eyes like it physically pains him. As well as I know my best friend, I still can’t read his heart his emotions are a tangled mess.
“Three weeks and we don’t fall in love,” he repeats my words, but it sounds like he is talking to himself.
“So, what now?” I ask with too much anticipation.
“We should head back to my place for some lessons if you’re up for it,” he suggests.
“You’re going to allow me to step foot in the hockey house?” I ask wide-eyed. That place has always been party central. The guys have a revolving door of women, and Luc wanted me nowhere near them.
“It’s not the same place it used to be. My friends are in relationships. No more parties. Besides, I think you’ll like their girlfriends. They’re good girls, just like you.”
“Good girls, huh?” I mutter. “What if I don’t want to be good anymore? What if I wanted you to teach me how to be bad?” I say, trying to be as seductive as possible.
Luc laughs. “Are you trying to kill me? I’m hard as a rock now,” he says, surprising me.
“Me speaking that way to you made you hard?” I ask with shock.
“It was sexy Izzy.” He nods, and shifts in the driver’s seat.
“Okay, take me back to the hockey house. I can’t wait to see it and meet your friends,” I say to him.
