Page 17 of Cold As Ice

“Is that a trick question?”

“What do you mean?” Her eyes crinkled.

“Your friend goes to LU, right? She knows—”

“Fine. You got me.” Madison fought a smile. “I’ve heard the stories.”

“Should I be worried?”

“Actually, I think it’s kind of perfect. Neither of us is looking for anything serious, and I’m not a puck bunny, so you can rest assured I won’t be blowing up your phone every two minutes.”

Her words should have comforted me, but a strange pang of disappointment went through me.

“By the way, I’m still not sleeping with you.” Madison took a sip of her beer and clinked it against mine. “So don’t get any ideas.”

“I think we discovered the other night that I don’t need to be inside you to make you scream my name.”

Her breath caught, and a slow smirk tugged at my lips.

God, she was so fucking beautiful. I’d hooked up with Fallon for months, but I’d never once looked at her and felt my heart tumble into overdrive.

What the fuck was that about?

The guys constantly joked that they couldn’t wait for me to get knocked on my ass by the right girl. And I wasn’t saying Madison was the one or anything—I didn’t believe in any of that bullshit—but she did make me feel things.

Things I didn’t want to look too closely at.

Still, I knew the deal.

Fun.

She wanted a bit of fun while she was in town, and after the other night, I just so happened to like her brand of fun.

Even if sex was off the table.

“You just say it how it is, don’t you?” She studied me with those soulful blue eyes of hers.

“No point beating around the bush.” I shrugged.

“I feel like I should be mildly offended that you think I’m such a sure thing… but oddly, I’m not. I needed the other night.”

“Happy to be of service.” I chuckled, taking a long pull on my beer.

“How’s your friend, the one who got injured?”

“He’s going to be okay, but it’s looking like he’ll be out for the rest of the season.”

Ella had texted us earlier to say it wasn’t good news. Connor needed the surgery, which meant a long and painful recovery.

“That sucks.”

“More than you know.”

“Do you have any plans for the holidays?” she asked.

“Nope. I’m more of a Fred Claus type than Nick.”

“I love that movie. I’m a huge Vince Vaughn fan.”

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