Page 6 of My Virgin Puck

I’ve never seen eyes like them.

They’re dreamy, fierce and intense all at the same time.

My breath starts up, coming out in tiny pants. The office is dead silent - it feels like we’re alone – but I can feel the panicked, whistle breathing of Judy to my right.

“I’m… I’m good.”

Good? You just choked on cake you idiot.

I don’t know why I said that. I’m not fucking good. I nearly was a literal death by chocolate casualty.

“Are you sure? Can I get you anything?” Mason moves his hand from my shoulder, and I feel freezing cold the second he does.

“Another lava cake? It was so good… And mine…” I look down at Judy’s stack of documents that she spent all day yesterday sorting. “Well, mine is ruined.”

“I’ll make another batch… Maybe…” Mason shrugs and I think it might be the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. “I’m not sure Health and Safety will allow me to bring anything in if they hear about this…”

I giggle, “Yeah, true. Well, I won’t tell anyone. Your secret is safe with me.”

Mason’s face drops. It’s like he’s just seen the Stanley Cup ripped from his grasp. The blood drains from his cheeks in a wave of paleness that tugs the smile away from his sculpted lips.

“Ah, yeah, thanks. D-don’t t-tell anyone.”

Before I can say another word, Mason’s spinning and grabbing his bag, speeding from the reception without looking back. When he’s disappeared, I don’t have time to wonder what the fuck I said wrong to make him freeze like that, because the girls crowd around me instantly.

They’re gawking at me like I’ve got blueberry lava cake stuck in my teeth.

“What?” I say, frowning.

“Um… Hello?” Penny’s voice sings. “What the hell was that?”

“Yeah…” Judy’s large eyes float in front of me, wide and curious. “That was some crazy tension I just felt.”

My brows furrow. “What are you talking about?”

Lucy jumps in and she’s holding her palms together like she’s about to start clapping.

“You and Mason. Is there something going on between you two that you haven’t told us about?”

“Me and-” I feel my throat close over and I’m starting to choke again. “Me and Mason? As if! Have you seen him?” They nod, but that same expecting look they’re all wearing is still staring back at me. “Have you seen me? Trust me, that will never happen.”

I know it’s a stupid thing to say… All people are equal. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It’s what’s inside that counts… Blah blah blah…

Mason is a giant defensive back for the Vancouver Vikings. I’m a twenty-three-year-old girl who snacks on boxes of chocolates and lounges around, binge watching episodes of How I Met Your Mother over and over again. I’m wider and lumpier than the old spinny desk chair I sit in.

Not only that, but my history of past boyfriends is the same length as the list with how many times I’ve choked on gooey lava cakes.

“Believe me, Madi…” Judy claps my shoulder, and the coldness of her hands makes any leftover Mason-vibes running through my blood freeze over. “I’ve been around the block a few too many times. And I know chemistry when I see it.”

The girls continuing gossiping and it’s like they’re the ones who’s brain has been restricted of oxygen.

Me and Mason Miller?

A sexy hockey player and a podgy, flabby girl like me?

There’s more chance of me eating the furball lava cake than that ever happening.

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