Page 18 of Wildcat
His daughter.
“I didn’t know.” I look at Ash.
He shrugs. “Never seen her before. Are you sure?”
Jack gives a definitive nod. “She was studying abroad the past couple of years. Paris or Australia or…”
“London,” I say.
I’m gonna be sick.
As if she can feel me staring at her, she looks in our direction, eyes quickly flitting over and dismissing us, then snapping back to me. Her gaze widens, and she stops in her tracks.
“Looks like she remembers you.” Jack slaps my back. “Congrats.”
“Sorry, man.” Ash’s words are a consolation I don’t want.
Fuck me. Did I get played? Was all of that guessing my occupation a joke because she knew exactly who I was?
I move toward her, hoping I figure out what to say before I reach her. She’s just as gorgeous as I remember. Brown eyes framed with thick lashes and a mouth that looks like it was made to be kissed. I should know because despite being confused and irritated, I still have the overwhelming urge to drop my mouth to hers.
I’m grappling for words when I reach her side, but I don’t get a chance to say anything. Coach’s voice booms with pride next to her as he introduces her to a couple of our assistant coaches. “This is my daughter, Scarlett. Just back from London and attending Whittaker.”
She says hello and shakes each of their hands, then introduces Jade standing beside her. Jade. Fuck.
“Hi,” I say from just behind Coach when her gaze snags on me again.
“Leo.” Coach opens his stance to include me and gives my shoulder a squeeze. “Honey, this is Leo Lohan, our newest captain. Leo, this is my youngest daughter, Scarlett and her friend, Jade.”
The back of my shirt sticks to me as I start to sweat. How the hell did I get myself in this situation? His daughter!? Fuck me.
Scarlett offers me her hand. “Nice to meet you,Leo.”
The slight taunt in her tone when she says my name is the only indication that she knows me. Well, that and the snicker from Jade as she watches us pretend to meet for the first time.
Coach falls into conversation with someone else, and I take Scarlett’s hand and practically drag her around the side of the house and out of view.
“Slow down,” she whispers in a haughty voice that goes straight to my crotch. “These shoes were not made for running in grass.”
“Did you know?” I ask, reaching for calm. Here she is. The girl I’ve thought of nonstop since she left my house. My fucking coach’s daughter.
“I thought you were a college student still living with his parents, so no. Didyouknow? Is that why you were so cagey about telling me what you do for a living?”
“I wasn’t cagey.”
She crosses her arms over her chest. “Yeah, okay.”
“I had no idea.” I run a hand through my hair. “I can’t believe this.”
“It’s fine. I’m about as eager for my dad to find out I had a one-night stand with one of his players as you are. So neither of us says anything. Are we cool?”
Are we cool?
I’m silent for too long, and she adds, “We don’t have to make a big thing out of it. It was one night.”
“Are you serious?”
“Umm… yeah. I have enough chaos in my life without worrying about a hot hockey player who doesn’t know how to work a phone.” The ice in her tone solidifies my fuck-up.
