CHAPTER 6 #2
— No, Lucas is handling it — the words came out in a rush and Rila realized that her body was no longer on the counter — I wanna know how you're gonna handle that.
Her friend's intonation made her look up, finding her staring blankly at something behind her. One of her eyebrows was raised and her brown eyes sparkled with amusement and perhaps a little apprehension. Rila didn't hesitate to turn around to see what was causing that.
And she wished she hadn't done it.
His face was partially hidden beneath sunglasses and a black cap, but she recognized him nonetheless. Standing just in front of the automatic door, Kierna Ward was wearing black pants and a black sweatshirt. And she hated how he managed to look like such a delicious temptation with just that.
Some people avoided him, not wanting to ask him to get out of the way. His broad, tall body was intimidating, and his serious expression as he stared at her didn't help either. But she was used to it. Or at least she thought so.
Kieran has always been a person of few words, his serious expression made people think he was grumpy and unfriendly. But he was just reserved. Quiet. Calm. And Rila used to think he was trustworthy too.
— What the fuck is he doing here? — she clenched her teeth so hard that her jaw protested.
— I think he came to bring your milkshake — her friend moved her chin toward the cardboard bag in the man's hand a few feet away from them.
Rila hadn't even noticed it, too busy trying not to explode in irritation at the fact that he was there again. And this time he wasn't a patient.
— Do you want me to stay? — Jessie asked softly.
—No, I can put him out in two minutes — she lifted her chin and kept her gaze on the sunglasses that hid the pair of piercing blue irises.
— I know you can, I'm asking if you want help doing it.
— I'll deal with this by myself — Rila said as she stood up, cutting eye contact to walk around the counter — I'll see you later, okay?
Her friend nodded and walked away to the elevator as she moved toward the man standing at the emergency entrance.
Rila was nervous and irritated, but he didn't need to know that, so she pushed her shoulders back, stiffened her spine, and held her head high.
It was already more than half of her shift, so her appearance wasn't the best and she hated it.
Unfortunately for her mother, Rila never cared about looking flawless.
But at that moment, she wished she had more concealer under her eyes and an extra coat of mascara.
She could have at least redone her ponytail so that the strands weren't falling out like they were now.
Not because she wanted to look pretty so he could flirt or anything like that. But because she wanted it to be like a punishment, beautiful and unattainable.
— Can I help you with something? — she spoke as soon as she approached, keeping a distance of at least two steps between them. It was enough so that she didn't have to tilt her head too much to talk to him.
— I just wanted to make sure you were getting this — he held the bag towards her, his large hand taking up most of the package.
She's already had these hands all over her body, caressing her skin, pulling her hair, squeezing her ass, and those long fingers sinking inside her.
She swallowed hard and narrowed her eyes in his direction, focusing on his impassive face rather than the unnecessary thoughts that popped into her mind.
— Yes, the team is loving my milkshake giveaway — she gave him a fake smile and picked up the drink, careful not to brush his fingers — This one goes to my friend who is having a birthday.
She could pretend nothing happened, put on a fake smile and be polite, maybe even run away, pretending she needed to work or something. But that wasn't her. Rila didn't hide.
Well, except from the memories. When it came to these, she acted like a coward.
— I should've bought a cake then — Kieran took off his sunglasses and she wished he hadn't.
The blue of his eyes was incredibly clear thanks to the bright light of the hospital. His pupil was just a dark dot, like a small island of land in the middle of an immensity of crystal clear water.
He was always handsome, he had an appearance that drew attention since he was younger.
But she had to admit, Kieran as an adult was something completely ravishing.
His jagged jawline was covered in a well-trimmed beard, his lips were shaped like pillows, and the bridge of his nose had a small bump due to a few blows throughout his career.
It wasn't just his tall body and broad shoulders that drew attention. It had something attractive about him that made people gravitate towards him.
Maybe it was the intense blue eyes. Or maybe it was just him.
— No, you shouldn't even be here — Rila's voice rose a little and she stopped talking for a second to control herself and not start shouting — Leave before someone recognizes you, and my ER is flooded with fans and journalists.
— Don't worry, I'm not that famous — he shrugged, his eyes still staring at her with an intensity that forced her to control an enormous urge to squirm — I'm just a familiar face if I don't say who I am.
— Oh, poor thing, your ego must be so shaken — she pretended sadness as sarcasm dripped through her words — Now, go back to Montreal or wherever your next game is.
Rila pressed her fingers into the bag with the milkshake and waved her free hand in the air, shooing him away. He didn't move an inch and she earned a raise of his eyebrows before he spoke again.
— Why would I be in Montreal?
— Because your team is from there?! — she said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world, because it was.
— No, it's not — he tapped his index finger on his cap — This is my second season playing for Boston.
That's when she noticed Bruins written in small yellow letters just below the white B in the center of the cap. He was on the town's hockey team, which meant he was living there.
There, not in Canada. Kieran was living in the same city as her. For the second year in a row, apparently. And she hated that the first thought that jumped into her mind was: why didn't he look for her when he moved?
It was stupid to think that. It had been years and they didn't end on good terms. In fact, he was the one who ended it, so obviously there was no reason for him to look for her. And if he had, she would have received him in the same way she's doing now. With hurt and anger.
— So I see you haven't googled me — he said when Rila was silent for too long, lost in her confused and irritatingly vulnerable brain.
— Of course not — rolled her eyes at the question.
It was self-preservation. She didn't want to know anything about him, didn't want to see his face plastered on the internet and didn't want to read news about his career, or worse, about his personal life.
— Good, I'd rather tell you everything anyway — he took a step towards her, closing the distance between them.
She wanted to get away, to get as far away from him as possible. Instead, she pressed her shoes against the floor to stop herself from moving. She wouldn't back down.
— If you enjoy talking to yourself, go ahead.
— The day you manage to listen to someone without making a comment is the day the world will explode — the corner of his mouth rose in a crooked smile, and her heart skipped a beat at the image.
Kieran has never been one to smile easily. A tug on his lips happened sometimes, like now, but an open smile with teeth showing was rare, like a comet crossing the night sky. And she found herself wanting to see if that smile was still as beautiful as she remembered.
— I never said I would listen — Rila raised her chin a little more and wished she had six extra inches so she could measure up to him — Actually, I already heard everything I needed six years ago.
Why did he want this so much? It wasn't him who was hurt years ago, that was her role. Could it be a guilty conscience? She didn't know and didn't care. She just wanted him to disappear and take the damn memories with him.
— No, you didn't, and that's why I'm here — he took another step, officially entering her personal space and forcing her to breathe in the cinnamon and wood scent of his perfume — I wanna fix things between us.
And she wanted to forget he existed. But life wasn't fair and people didn't always get what they wanted, right?
— Good luck with that — acting impulsively, Rila reached out and patted his chest twice. A broad, rock-hard chest.
She remembered what he looked like under his clothes, his muscles perfectly developed and shaped, his stomach ripped into six squares, legs as strong as tree trunks, and arms almost as big as her head.
Thanks to his profession, Kieran has always trained hard, dividing himself between weight training and ice training and physiotherapy.
Of course he would have the body of a Greek statue.
— Rila, what I said that night wasn't true.
The phrase was enough to snap her out of her foggy thoughts and replace any hint of desire that had dared to appear with anger. An absolute, devastating anger.