Page 57 of The Wingman

We make our way to his Jeep and he opens the door to let me in. I buckle up and my heart squeezes as he circles the front of the vehicle, giving me a wicked grin. I have no idea where he’s taking me, but I’m pretty sure I’d go anywhere with him tonight. Not a good thing, not a good thing at all.

His hand slides across the seat and captures mine. I turn his away and my heart is somewhere in my throat as I take in his smile.

“You liked the game last night?”

I roll my eyes. “It was okay. I only watched it because Dad made me. I never should have let him know we were friends.”

“At least they didn’t get the wrong idea about us.”

“My sister was happy we were just friends. I think someone has a crush.”

He grins, and it’s so damn cute, I can’t help but bring his hand to my mouth and kiss it. “Which one?” he asks.

“All of them.” He laughs out loud.

“I told them you didn’t date.” I let out a playful sigh. “You’re a heartbreaker, Wingman, and it’s hard to be your Wingwoman when I know it’s never going to be long term. Women want that, you know?”

“Not you, though, right?”

I cast a fast glance his way, but he’s scrubbing his chin and staring straight out the window. His concentration is so focused, you’d think the road ahead held all the answers to the universe.

“Ah, yeah, right,” I say, my insides a bit shaky. Can he see through me? Does he know I’m falling for him? Will that be the end of us?

Dammit, I don’t want it to be.

His smile dissolves. “So I should probably tell you…”

I frown and try to read him, but he won’t look at me. “Tell me what?”

“You know our goaltender?”

“The guy they call the Puck Charmer?”

“And you say you’re not a hockey fan,” he says with a grin, but it’s forced. I laugh at that. “Well, apparently, he’s interested in you.”

My head rears back. “In me?”

“Why do you say it like that?”

“I just…I don’t think I’m his kind of girl.”

“If you want me to be your Wingman, just let me know.”

“Oh, okay,” I say, and turn from him, incredulous that he’s all game for setting me with up with a teammate. Then again, maybe it’s a good damn reminder of what we are and what we aren’t.

I reach for the radio and turn it up, wanting the music to drown the sounds of my swallowing. A short while later, Rider parks and I glance out the window to see the Space Needle, so beautifully lit up under the night sky. My heart is pounding overtime, and sweat breaks out on my hands.

“What are we doing here?” I ask, my voice breaking slightly.

“I thought it’d be fun. It’s been a long time for me. I know you’re not a thrill-seeker, so I wasn’t about to take you skydiving, but this is pretty tame, right?” He winks at me. “Baby steps.”

I take a deep breath, then another, and work to keep myself in check, but stupid tears pool in my eyes.

“Jules?” Rider asks, his voice so soft and worried, every emotion bottle up inside me bursts to the surface. “We don’t have to do it.”

“No, I should,” I say.

His brows bunch and I turn from him. “You should?”

---