9. Sonya
Sonya
I buried myself in work the day after that kiss, hoping like hell that work would push Nick Blaze and that damn kiss out of my mind.
Spoiler alert: it didn’t. All morning I bounced between updating the team social media feed, tagging players and coming up with giveaway ideas to increase engagement and therefore ticket sales.
I kept busy, doing my job and then some, all in an effort to wipe Nick and his taste from my mind.
It was too bad my brain replayed last night like it was the season finale of my favorite binge-watch.
Nick in nothing but low-slung sweats and a come-hither smile.
The way he didn’t bat an eyelash when I was annoyed with him and still offered to feed me, which was a straight line to my heart.
Not that I thought he was aiming that high, but still, it was effective.
And dammit, the way he talked about his brother, about his family farm, and even about music showed he was a passionate man.
He lived his life out loud and I admired that about him.
“Dammit,” I growled as I smacked the keys too hard while sending an email.
I wasn’t supposed to like him. He wasn’t supposed to be this likeable and this down to earth.
He was supposed to be a spoiled hockey brat who expected his every want and need to be met with a snap of his fingers.
I misjudged him horribly and what I found instead was something I really liked.
Why couldn’t he just be a spoiled jock? Life would be easier if he was one of those empty-headed athletes who skated through life on charm and brute strength.
He was more.
He was too much.
Which just made maintaining a professional distance harder. Because yeah, okay, most of the guys on this team were more than the charming, good time guys they let the world see. They were smart, dedicated, and loyal men. But I meant what I said about not letting hockey take over my life.
Been there, done that and got the emotional scars to prove it.
I’d spent years prioritizing games, practices, travel, injuries, and press cycles.
I shrugged it off when I had to skip a school dance because of hockey.
When I couldn’t attend a sleepover because there was a game across the country.
A celebratory dinner had to be postponed because one of Dad’s players had an emergency and needed him. I refused to do that to myself.
I watched my dad prioritize hockey over everything else. Especially me.
It was bad enough losing my job, one that had already consumed my nights and weekends. Now I was supposed to sign up for round two of coming in second to a little black puck?
No thanks.
I leaned back in my chair, stretching my arms above my head until my spine cracked. That kiss, stupid, earth-shattering, brain-melting kiss, still fresh in my mind. And on my lips. My lips tingled just thinking about it. I didn’t even try to lie to myself.
I wanted him. Again.
Still .
There was a knock on my office door, and before I could respond, it creaked open.
“Boundaries, remember?” I groaned as Dad stepped inside, already frowning. “You can’t just burst into my office, Dad. What if I was on a call?”
He stopped and stared at my desk. “You weren’t.”
I threw my hands up in the air. “You didn’t know that!”
His shoulders slumped, which was as close to an apology as I would get. “You didn’t answer my calls.”
I glanced at the phone on my desk as if I hadn’t seen the dozen or so calls from him. “I’ve been busy.” Busy ignoring him and kissing one of his players.
His bushy brows dipped and he stared at me, impatient. “I called to see if you were free for dinner. It’s been a few days since we checked in.” His tone was lighter, but I heard the edge underneath, the wounded pride with a healthy dash of parental guilt.
I turned my chair so I was facing him. “Since when did we start eating dinner together?”
That landed. His mouth thinned, and I saw that quick flash of hurt before he masked it behind a cough. He wanted to argue, I saw it, but he didn’t. “I’m trying now. Doesn’t that count for something?”
“Sure,” I said quietly. “I’m just not free tonight.”
“What about tomorrow?”
“I’ve got a thing tomorrow too. Maybe Friday?”
“There’s a game Friday.” His tone added the which you should know part.
I bit down on the reply and forced a smile. “Okay. Then Sunday?”
He nodded, pushing up the sleeves of his Thunderhawks hoodie as though it needed straightening. “Sunday works. Let me know the time.”
Before I could say anything else, he left, closing the door with a soft click. I sighed and stared at the carpet until my vision blurred, before spinning back toward my computer. And then the door opened again.
“What now—” I snapped, expecting my dad.
Instead, Nick stood there, tall and solid and looking way too good for a man I’d sworn off less than twenty-four hours ago. His eyes raked over me with a slow, deliberate heat that turned my breaths ragged.
He blinked as if he felt that spark too, and then an appreciative smile lit his gaze. “You free tonight?”
I bit back a smile. “I have plans.”
His brow lifted. “Better than a night at the rodeo? Will’s sister is back in town. She’s a barrel rider. It’s a whole thing.”
“I know,” I smirked. “Will already invited me.”
Nick stepped further into my office, a frown marred his beautiful face as he leaned over my desk, jealous and hurt. “Not like a date, right?”
I arched a brow as he invaded my space, tempted to tease him but I couldn’t think straight when he was so close. “No. He thinks me and his sister might get along.”
Nick took one step back, his broad shoulders relaxing just a touch. The air between us thickened. My heartbeat thudded in my throat. “In that case,” he began softly, “we can go together.” He was being pushy but gently so, letting me know he wanted to go together without demanding it.
Apparently I was a sucker for a gorgeous man with good manners because I nodded before my brain could catch up.
He flashed a victorious smile as if he knew exactly what kind of chaos he caused when he was so close.
I watched the spot where he’d stood long after he was gone, and yeah my body pulsed with awareness for a long time after that.
The first thing I did after work was go for a run because I needed to pound out some of this nervous energy, and a lot more of the sexual tension being around Nick caused. Spending time with him would be an exercise in restraint and I hoped, possibly wished, that a long run would help.
It didn’t help. In fact the clearer my mind got the more one image coalesced in my mind’s eye.
Nick Blaze. Stride after stride should’ve allowed my mind to relax and think about my job and my new life in Seville, but through the burning of my lungs and the stinging pain on my legs, even through the blast of rock music blaring in my ears, there was Nick.
His voice, deep and melodic. His rumbling laughter and that soft smile that touched his lips when he talked about his mom and how she worried about his workload.
The quiet pride when he talked about his brother and the family farm.
The way he looked at me, as if I was something he couldn’t quite figure out but desperately wanted to.
By the end of the run, I’d accomplished nothing but intensifying my crush on the forbidden hockey player.