Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 90257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
And it could be any arena. They’re all the same. From the snap in the crisp air to the smell of the ice and the feel of the smoothness under my blades when it’s fresh after the Zamboni.
There’s nothing better in this world than hockey.
And I didn’t think anything could ruin it for me.
Unfortunately, I was wrong.
Reed Philips has snatched it away quicker than he could blow his whistle and tell us to get our asses on the blue line.
And no amount of beer will change that.
CHAPTER 3
JULIETTE
I slam the apartment door shut with more force than necessary and stalk through the tiny entryway into the carpeted living room. Carina glances up from the paperback she’s reading on the couch. One look at my face sends her brows skyrocketing across her forehead.
“That good a date, huh?”
“The date was fine.”
Sort of.
All right…maybe that’s a bit of an overreach.
“Okay.” She stretches out the second syllable so that it sounds more like okaaaaay.
With a huff, I toss my keys and purse onto the table before dropping down on the chair parked across from where she’s curled up. It’s her favorite reading spot. Whether it’s a textbook or one of the romance novels she enjoys devouring, this is the place I usually find her.
“I won’t be seeing Aaron again.” I wave a hand and amend that statement. “I mean, obviously I’ll have to see him in class, but we won’t be going out on any more dates.”
“I’m gonna be completely honest, I kind of suspected that might be the outcome when you brought it up.” She scrunches her nose. “He just seems kind of…” Her voice trails off as she searches for an adequate adjective to describe the pre-med student.
“Boring,” I reluctantly supply in place of her silence.
Her lips tremble as if she’s trying to hold back a smile. “Just remember that you’re the one who said it, girl. Not me.”
With a resigned sigh, I deflate even further onto the chair and squeeze my eyelids tightly shut. “I know.”
“Did he take it badly or something? Because honestly, I can’t imagine that happening. He seems so mild mannered.”
That question has my eyelids springing open. “I didn’t get a chance to tell him. We were interrupted.”
“Ohhh.” Her eyes brighten as she marks her page and sets aside her book before slowly rubbing her palms together. “I have a feeling we just got to the good part.”
“If you want to call Ryder McAdams the good part, then sure,” I grumble, annoyed all over again.
She contemplates my comment before saying, “Actually yes, I’d definitely call him the good part. More like the delicious part.” Her eyes go a little dreamy. “Blond hair, blue eyes and muscles for days.”
“You left out how full of himself he is.”
“Who doesn’t love a self-assured man?”
“How about womanizing manwhore? Do you love those as well?”
She flashes an easy grin. “I’ve yet to hear any complaints from the ladies on this campus. In fact, from what I’ve heard—”
I throw up a hand to halt her in her verbal tracks. “I’m not interested in the urban legends and myths that surround Ryder McAdams’ sex life.”
“Trust me, there are plenty, but we’ve deviated from the topic. Tell me what he did to piss you off this time.”
This time.
“Half the hockey team walked past while Aaron and I were in the middle of…you know.” I shift on the chair as my cheeks heat.
Her brow lifts. “Kissing?”
“Yup, that would be it.”
“One last-ditch effort to see if there was any chemistry between you two, huh?”
I jerk my head into a tight nod. The girl knows me well. She’s not my bestie for nothing.
“Come on, don’t leave me hanging here. Now I’m invested in the story.”
“Just as you thought. Zilch. Nada. Nothing.”
She presses her lips together and nods. “Well, you tried, girl. No shame in that.”
“I really did,” I admit. “That elusive spark just isn’t there.”
I refuse to acknowledge the combustible electricity that sizzles through the air anytime Ryder is in the vicinity.
How ironic is it that there’s no chemistry whatsoever with the one person I actually have a lot in common with, and there’s a veritable lightshow with the guy I can’t stand? The one who crawls under my skin like a stubborn rash that’s steroid resistant.
“Sounds more like you owe Ryder a solid for interrupting.”
I snort. “Do you really think that’s going to happen?”
Her shoulders shake as a few chuckles escape from her. “Nope. I can’t even picture it in my head.”
Me neither.
“All the guys walked past except Ryder. He just stood there and glared at Aaron.”
“Please tell me the poor kid didn’t piss himself.”
“Practically,” I mutter.
“Yeah, Ryder is…massive. In a couple different areas, so I hear.”
“Anyway,” I say, ignoring the last comment. “Aaron pretty much took off down the hall to get away from us. The next time I see him, I’ll have to let him know that a romantic relationship isn’t in the cards for us.”