Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 33920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33920 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 113(@300wpm)
Hard.
It was scary, and she couldn’t believe she was thinking that so soon, but it was hard not to when his hand grazed along her knee, or held her hand, or, really, when he just looked at her.
When he talked, he looked directly into her eyes, veering away only to eat or to take a drink. And when he laughed, he laughed with everything inside him. He was so fucking hot, it should be illegal. Who would have known that having sex first would loosen this guy up?
Aynslee had been nervous that when he left to go home and change she would never see him again, but there he was, at her door promptly at six o’clock, devouring her with kisses before taking her to one of her favorite restaurants. He was sweet and caring, but what totally blew her away was how much they had in common. He loved Greek mythology! He loved dogs, he wanted kids, and he was basically everything she wanted in a man. It was refreshing and exhilarating, and she was sure she had never felt this way about anyone. In her heart she felt good about Jordan, and throughout the whole dinner she’d believed that her heart was right and
that maybe he did feel something for her. But then his eyes had dimmed, and she could see that something was wrong. She just hoped that he wasn’t about to walk away, because she was pretty sure he’d take a big chunk of her heart with him.
“Yes,” she said, looking down at the cake they were sharing, “what’s that?” “You know how I said I was the backup goalie for the Assassins, right?” She nodded before saying, “Actually, a friend told me; you confirmed it.”
He rolled his eyes playfully as she giggled, hoping to lighten the mood, but when he looked at her again, all the seriousness was back.
“Okay, well, I’m not happy with that. It bothers me. To be honest, it drives me insane that I’m not on the ice as the starting goalie. My dad—he’s my agent—knows that I’m not happy and has been looking at other teams for me to transfer to.”
Aynslee didn’t know what he was talking about, but she had a feeling it wasn’t good.
Nodding her head she said, “Okay . . .”
“Well, the reason I was in Buffalo was because I had a meeting with the New York Rangers and the Buffalo Sabres. Unfortunately, they don’t want me, so that leaves the other team I wanted to go to, which is the Carolina IceCats.”
“Okay,” she said again. He looked at her as if all this meant something, but she was completely confused. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what you are trying to tell me.”
He took in a deep breath before he said, “I’m probably going to leave Nashville and move to another state that has a team I can start for.”
Whoa, what?
Her eyes went wide. “What? I thought you loved Nashville.”
“I do,” he said softly. “I love my team and I love this city, but ever since I hurt my knee, they don’t want to play me, and, Aynslee, hockey means the world to me. I want to play; I don’t want to retire. I am healthy, and I need to play.”
She knew he was awesome. All the videos she’d watched on YouTube proved that, so why couldn’t he stay here? Why couldn’t he be the starting goalie for the Assassins?
“When?”
He turned his eyes away. “I’ll finish the season here and then start somewhere new next season. I am hoping for Carolina, since my family is there, but if that doesn’t work, then I’m not really sure.”
She nodded and asked, “It’s a sure thing? That you’ll be moving, that is?” “Yeah. I have to play somewhere. I can’t do this much longer.”
“But there’s a chance that maybe you can stay?” Looking up at him, hoping for the answer she wanted, she watched as he shook his head.
“Unless the goalie they have now quits or leaves, no, I won’t be staying.”
She took in a shaky breath, staring down at the table again. She couldn’t believe this. She finds the guy that she has been dreaming about and he already has one foot out the damn door.
Shit!
She knew she should chalk this up as a loss and walk away, but when she looked at him, she knew she couldn’t. The same way he couldn’t walk away from her anymore. Maybe they would get lucky and he wouldn’t go. Or maybe, in the short time they had, he’d fall for her like she knew she was falling for him and ask her to go with him. Even though this was her second year at New Life, she knew she would be able to find a job somewhere else, and if this relationship went the way she felt in her heart it would go, then she’d relocate, no problem.