Facing Off (Hockey Romance #2)

Chapter 1

ADRIAN

A whole stadium of fans are wearing my jersey and screaming my name, because I’m the captain of the Vancouver Wings, and I just scored one-handed, sending the puck flying between the legs of the goalie into the back of the net.

I grin. Everyone is on their feet.

Except her.

Quinn’s sister sits in the stands, wearing a black hoodie that swallows her up.

Her long, jet-black hair and very dark eyes make her stand out in a row of blue jerseys.

Up close, it’s even worse. You can’t look anywhere else.

Long dark lashes, a full mouth, and gorgeous brown skin.

With her arms crossed, she looks like she wishes she wasn’t watching hockey.

This is the third time she’s come to one of our games, but today, she brought a damn book to read. From the corner of my eye, I watch her crack it open. As if we’re boring her.

It should be a rude smack in the face, but all I feel is intrigued—and challenged.

I bet I can make her look at me.

That’s what I tell my team after the second period, when we’re in the locker room.

Matt chokes on his sports drink. “I’ll take that bet, because no way is Quinn’s sister giving anyone the time of day.”

“Did you see?” Emmad laces up his skates. “She’s basically reading a textbook. That’s how little she’s interested in us, Cap.”

I turn to Dmitri Lokhov, forcing the grumpy defenseman to acknowledge me by hovering in his personal space. “Back me up here. I have a chance, right?”

“Go away,” he grunts. “Leave me out of this.”

Matt cackles. “The Great Wall of Ice isn’t interested. He’s allergic to all forms of affection.”

“Is that so?” I step onto the bench and raise my voice. “Gather round, team!”

With five minutes to go before we’re back on the ice, any strategizing is already done. This is usually when the Wings goof off to shake loose any of our nerves.

My team circles the bench.

“One day,” I predict, lowering my voice, making it both secretive and ominous as if I’m telling a scary story around the campfire.

“We’ll witness something that’s never been seen before.

A woman will come out of nowhere…” I glance around and then gesture at Lokhov.

“And knock our antisocial, scowling defenseman onto his ass. He will finally be in L-O-V-E.”

Dmitri sneers, visibly unconvinced.

“How about you, Cap?” someone yells. “Are you ever going to fall in love?”

Quinn steps forward. Our goalie was busy adjusting his equipment and is finally joining the group. “He loves women so much there’s a new one on his arm every week.”

“You know me, I’ll never be able to choose just one.” I hop down and rub the back of my neck. “But Quinn, are you still okay with me trying to get your sister’s attention?”

He slants me an amused look. “Who she likes is up to her, but trust me. Nothing’s going to happen there.”

I shrug. “It’s all for fun. You know I don’t do relationships, but if she’s ever uncomfortable with me flirting with her, I’ll move on.” I wait a beat, then waggle my eyebrows and flex. “Not that anyone can resist the sexiest player on the team!”

The whole locker room groans.

After the break and back on the ice, the Vancouver Wings are crushing the game, going into the final period against Edmonton with a four-one lead. Fans are rattling the stadium with their cheers. Everyone’s having a great time.

Riding the high of their energy, I charge forward. My stick handling is a blur as I rip through the other team’s defenses. The crowd is chanting my name when it’s just me and the goalie left. I rear back and slapshot the puck—

Corner right, it whizzes into the net. People surge to their feet, lights flash bright, and the goal horn reverberates so loudly my ears ring.

My whole team is celebrating. I let them surround me, and then skate directly over to stand in front of the glass where Sonya, my goalie’s sister, is sitting.

She’s…

Still reading her book.

Seriously?

I tap my hockey stick against the glass until she glances up.

Sonya scowls at me as if I’ve interrupted her reading right as the climax is about to hit. No problem. Maybe she doesn’t realize I’m here for her. Every fan around her is clamoring to get my attention by yelling my name. She might think I’m here for someone else.

“Sonya darling, that one was for you!” I singsong.

Her gaze lowers to my mouth, then flicks back up. Eyes half-lidded with boredom, Sonya returns to her reading.

Emmad laughs, coming over to pat me on the back. I have no choice but to skate off the ice with him.

As I do, I’m shaking my head. Because, despite getting rejected, this strange wave of anticipation rolls through me.

Because who doesn’t love an impossible challenge, knowing they’ll eventually win?

I can’t help but laugh to myself.

She thinks she’s not interested?

Wait until I try even harder.