Chapter 3
Chapter Three
Alina
W ow .
That word repeats over and over in my head as Sebastian Kemp walks down the hall in slow motion. At least, that’s how it feels.
The last time I saw him, he was still a boy. He’s all man now.
And he’s stunning.
Jane is talking up a storm, distracting him as he walks.
I take the opportunity to check him out.
My breath stalls as I look him up and down.
He’s not just hot, he’s stylish too with designer everything—dark jeans, light blue button-up shirt, brown blazer.
Designers around the world probably send him clothes in droves hoping he wears something of theirs.
I wouldn’t blame them either. This man is a walking billboard. He’s gorgeous.
Tall, muscular, and he moves with the lithe agility of a predator cat. I guess some things never change.
His body has mine on full alert, but it’s his beautiful face that really gets my heart racing.
I spent my teenage years dreaming of those lips. Just a quick glimpse of those piercing blue eyes could keep my crush raging for weeks.
I’ve never loved a boy like I loved Sebastian.
And I probably never will.
He has a special place in my heart—the place where first crushes live.
I’m trying to remain the calm, cool, collected woman I’ve become since the last time he saw me, but I feel myself slipping right back into being Marie’s lovestruck best friend.
“Here she is,” Jane says, presenting me with a jealous look. “The Sniper himself.”
Sebastian stops short when he sees me. His blue eyes widen a little as he stares at me in shock.
Why is he looking at me like that? Shit, I had spinach for lunch. Do I have any in my teeth?
“Alina?” he says in a low voice as his icy blue eyes pull me in like a magnet. “Wow, I?—”
“ Is that him?! ” Marie screeches over speakerphone. “ Sebastian you better explain yourself before I tell Mom. Why is every major news outlet saying that you’re engaged to Alina?! ”
“I’m a huge fan!” Eddie says, practically pushing me out of the way as he rushes over with an outstretched hand. “My team is the Electrics, but I’ve always been a big fan of you! Can I get a selfie?”
Sebastian never takes his stunned eyes off me. Even as his sister rips him a new one through my phone on the desk, even as Eddie throws his arm over his shoulder while taking a picture, and even when Jane flicks her blonde hair and says that she’s leaving. He looks mesmerized by me .
Oh no. How big is that piece of spinach?
I turn away for a second and run my tongue over my teeth but I don’t feel anything.
“ Sebastian! ” Marie shouts. “ I know you can hear me. I can hear myself echoing through the office! Answer me! ”
He finally seems to snap out of it. “Hi, Marie.”
“ What are you trying to pull? This is my best friend you’re messing with. I can’t believe?—”
“It’s alright, Marie,” I say, trying to interrupt her but she just keeps on going. “I can handle this.”
“ No, you can’t. You’re too nice. Sebastian, you tell me what’s happening right now or I’m going to drive over there and ? — ”
“How about we go to a more private spot?” I whisper as I close the door of my office, trapping Eddie inside with my screeching phone.
“I’d like that,” Sebastian says, smiling gratefully.
He keeps looking at me as I bring him down the hall to the empty conference room. It’s made of glass windows, so we won’t get much privacy, but at least it’s soundproof.
Everyone we pass does a double take when they see who I’m walking with. Sebastian is hockey royalty after all. And even the people who don’t like hockey still know Sebastian from his good looks or off-ice antics.
My body is so tight and tense as we walk in and I close the door. I feel like my heart is going to pound out of my chest.
“Well, your sister says hi,” I say with a strained smile.
He laughs and it eases some of the tightness I’m feeling.
I still can’t get over this. This is Sebastian Kemp. The Sebastian Kemp.
I’m not starstruck or feeling overwhelmed because he’s a celebrity. He’s more to me than that. He’s the first and only boy I’ve ever loved.
“I guess you’re wondering what’s going on,” he says with a nervous laugh as he half-sits, half-stands against the giant conference room table.
“I was kind of curious as to why my face is all over the news.”
“And why it’s saying we’re engaged?”
“Yeah, that too.”
He takes a deep breath and runs his hand through his wavy brown hair. I nearly moan when I see the silky locks tumble back down on the sides of his face.
He’s way hotter in person than he is on TV. It’s not even comparable.
And I’ve seen it all. The award events when he’s dressed in a crisp tuxedo, the charity functions when he’s handing out frozen turkeys or school supplies in a hoodie and jeans, and the late-night press conferences after games, both wins and loses—those are my favorite.
Sometimes he comes out in his sweaty shirt before he’s showered and his messy hair looks so damn good.
I love the smile on his face after a win, but I love it even more after a loss.
He always looks a bit sad and his voice gets all deep and growly.
His eyes get all flinty and hard like diamonds.
I watch him and fantasize about him coming home to me.
I make him a drink, curl up on the couch with him, and make him feel better in all sorts of ways…
“I fucked up, Alina,” he says, dropping his head.
Even now, I want to go to him. I want to make him feel better.
Instead, I cross my arms and keep my feet planted in place.
He tells me about being offered a contract in San Antonio with the Hyenas, and how the owner was worried about his reputation. Too much drinking, and fighting, and girls. I never look at those articles. I’m happy wearing my rose-colored glasses thank you very much.
“My agent blurted out that I was engaged and somebody probably leaked it to the press,” he says with a shake of his head. “I guess she thought it would help my image.”
“Are you engaged?”
My whole body is on edge as I wait for the answer that might crush my heart.
“No,” he says and I take a breath of relief. “The owner asked what my fiancée’s name was and I… said yours.”
He looks me in the eyes as he says it and my knees buckle a little.
“Why me?”
“I don’t know.”
I’m about to let it go, but then I don’t. I’m no longer the shy meek girl he once knew. I’m a strong confident woman now, despite what my trembling legs seem to be saying about it.
“Come on, Sebastian,” I say in a firm voice as I stare him down. “My face is all over the news. You owe me the truth at least. Why did you say my name?”
He takes a deep breath and tilts his head as he looks at me. “I always thought you were marriage material. You’re the only girl I’ve ever met who I could see as my wife.”
My mouth drops open as I stare at him in shock. Me? Marriage material?
What? When did this happen?
“But you hardly even knew I was alive back then,” I say, stunned to my core. “You ignored me. I thought you hated me.”
“ Hated you?” he says in a fierce tone. He closes the distance between us in a snap. I’m suddenly looking up at his beautiful face as his warm cologne fills my lungs. “I never hated you, Alina. I… was scared of you.”
“ Scared of me?”
“Scared that you would be the one and I would screw it up.”
We stare at each other for a long moment. I’ve always dreamed of hearing those words slipping from his lips. In my fantasies, I’d say the perfect thing or step on my toes and kiss him, but right now, all I can do is stare back in shock.
“I wanted to tell you, Alina,” he says as he reaches out and touches my arm. Goosebumps slide along my skin. “But I?—”
The door of the conference room opens behind us and The Comedian barges in. I’m so shaken and on edge that I bark at him. “What do you want?”
Mr. Seinfeld jerks his head back in surprise, but then quickly recovers with a smile as he turns to Sebastian. “Alina, you didn’t tell me that you were engaged to the great Sebastian Kemp.”
Even The Comedian looks starstruck by Sebastian.
“That was all a misunderstanding,” Sebastian says, flashing me an apologetic look. “I’ll clear it up right away with the news outlets. We’re not engaged.”
“That’s right!” I say in a bubbly voice. “We’re already married!”
Sebastian looks at me in shock.
I step beside him, slide my hand up his muscular back, step on my toes, and kiss his cheek. “Isn’t that right, baby?”
He grins at me and my crush comes roaring back full strength. It’s like it never left.
“That’s right,” he says as he smiles down at me. “This little lady has made me the happiest man in the world when she said I do.”
I grin as I stand on my toes and kiss his cheek again.
Because it’s part of the show.
And because I have to get as many kisses in as I can before this all blows up in our faces.