Chapter 6
Anya
I skate around the rink in a blur of confusion. Suddenly, hockey isn’t the only thing on my mind. I can’t get the sight of him out of my head.
Kodiak Northerly.
Kodi.
Even thinking his name sends a wave of tingles across my skin, and stirs a bone deep wanting that I can’t even begin to explain.
But he’s a football player.
I promised myself I wouldn’t be one of those girls groveling at their feet, and I just let him kiss me without even knowing his name.
I’ve never just randomly kissed someone.
I wouldn’t even play stupid games like spin the bottle because not having control of a situation like that, just wasn’t something I could do.
What about him makes me lose all sense of myself?
My muscles are aching, and my chest is heaving for oxygen when I finally collapse against the wall and stumble onto a bench, fishing my phone of out of my pocket.
I wish I could be surprised to see a text from him.
I snort, thankful I’m the only one here to hear it.
Ah, I can change his name now.
He’s immediately typing so I type faster.
I’m definitely not ready for dinner even though my whole body wants me to go. I don’t trust myself to be that close to him again until I understand what I’m feeling. But I could throw him a bone, I suppose.
I can’t help but imagine that stupidly gorgeous smile on his face as he reads my message.
Grinning like an idiot, I decide to put him out of his misery.
Why did I tell him my legal name? It just came out. Even through a text he does something to my head. I should have had it legally changed a long time ago.
I hate that my immediate reaction is to tell him everything one minute, and then be on guard and suspicious the next. I’m clearly drawn to him, and he’s been nothing but nice. But he doesn’t miss a beat. Answering whatever questions I throw at him.
Logical.
Needing a minute to refocus on things that make sense, I drop my phone back in my pocket, lift myself from the bench, and head towards the locker room for a shower.
By the time I make it home, my heart is steady and my run in with Kodi almost feels like I could have imagined it.
If he wasn’t texting me so persistently.
He’s not being pushy or the normal football player egomaniac I’ve encountered in the past. It’s nice to have someone to just talk to.
It’s also a bit strange.
I haven’t had anyone ask me that since I was still in the single digits. I only ever had me.
Snickering because I deserved that, I realize I’ve turned into one of those girls that smile when their phone goes off. A bit of melancholy seeps in at the realization it was probably him, because no one else really texts me . . . and I only have myself to blame for that.
All of my recent worries come tumbling through my mind, reminding me that I don’t know what I’m doing with my life after I graduate college in about six months. I just don’t know if right now is the time to add anything to my plate.
But also, if not now . . . when?