Page 83 of In My Hockey Era
Anddamn it, that doesnothelp.
I grip the wheel a little tighter, knuckles flexing.A glance at the dash tells me it’s called “Friends” by Big Gigantic, featuring Ashe.And it’s undeniably sensual.
Talk.Say something.Be normal, Wilder.
“So,” I start, voice rougher than I expect.“You have fun tonight?”
She turns to look at me, her expression unreadable.But those eyes?Theyseeme.
“I did,” she says softly.Then, after a pause, “Did you?”
I swallow, forcing a smirk.“I mean, I won a ridiculously overpriced jersey.Got to watch you makeeveryman in that ballroom lose their minds.”
Her lips twitch, but she doesn’t respond right away.She just watches me, those dark eyes drifting over my face, like she’s trying tofigure me out.
And normally?I’d have some cocky quip ready.A way to deflect.
But tonight?
I can’t.
Because I’ve never wanted someonemore.
Not just tohaveher, but tokeep her.
And that’s the part thatterrifiesme.My track record is spotty at best.Am I really ready for all this?
I clear my throat, gripping the wheel, forcing my attention back on the road.
Stay cool.Act normal.
But she shifts in her seat, the slit in her dress sliding higher over her thigh, and suddenly, my brain short-circuits.Even more than before.
The drive back to my place is the longest ten minutes of my life.
Not because there’s traffic, not because of some major delay—no, it’s because of the woman sitting three feet away from me in a dress made ofpure sin.
And the worst part?
We’re both quiet.
Which never happens.
Lucy and I—we don’t do quiet.We do playful teasing, bickering, and banter.
But tonight?There’s nothing but thick, pulsing tension.The kind that makes my blood hot and my thoughtsdangerous.
By the time I pull into my parking garage, my heart is hammering harder than it has any right to.
I kill the engine.
Neither of us moves.
I flex my hands on the steering wheel, stealing a glance at her.
She’s watching me, her expression unreadable, but her lips—her lips are slightly parted, like she’s just as unsteady as I am.
I clear my throat.“You coming up?”
