Page 4 of Three Hockey Hotties

“It means I’m not going to have to fight a whole bunch of other guys and break their hearts when I tell them that you're now spoken for.”

Those pretty lips drop open again, but her pupils dilate slightly.

She doesn’t hate that. She’s not tempted to slap me across the face or tell me to fuck off.

“You’re really sure of yourself,” she says.

I actually laugh out loud. Full of myself is my default setting. “You don’t know who I am, do you?”

She presses her lips together. “I’m sorry,” she finally says. Her cheeks are pink again, but this time it’s definitely embarrassment.

“What are you sorry about?”

“I don’t know that much about hockey. And I don’t really know anything about the Mutts.”

Our team, the Mutts, are the pride and joy of this town. Willow Bay doesn’t have much else going on, to be fair, but the fact that our team has developed and sent several guys up to the pros is something everyone brags about here. And since it’s small-town Wisconsin, and because the only other real social events going on here are sporting events, music programs, and plays and stuff at the high school, pretty much everyone in town is a hockey fan.

But I shake my head. “That’s okay. I can teach you anything you need to know.”

She pulls her bottom lip between her teeth, studying me.

I have to actually fist my hand to keep from reaching up and freeing that lip then running my thumb over it.

“Really?” she asks.

“Anything you need.” I’m shocked by how much I mean that. Not just hockey. I will do anything this woman needs.

It is the strangest instinct I’ve ever had for any woman, especially one I just met.

But I’m a go-with-the-flow kind of guy. There’s no way I’m going to fight this.

“I really believe in Stick It To Cancer,” I tell her, instead of asking her to marry me right now. “My stepmom is a survivor.”

Her eyes flicker with surprise, and then I see the corners of her mouth finally relax and curve just a teeny tiny bit.

“Oh, wow. I’m so happy for her and your family.”

I nod. “Thanks.”

“Well, I love the organization and everything it does,” she tells me with more conviction and strength in her voice than I’ve heard since meeting her. “And this event is really important to them. I want it to go well. But I kind of…um…fudged how much I know and love hockey when I requested working on this particular event.”

I give her a smile. “You wanted it bad, huh?”

Her eyes widen as she realizes what she just confessed. “I can’t believe I just told you that. I don’t even know you.”

I reach out and take her hand. Again, it’s a strange instinct, but I have given up on questioning them, and I’ll take any chance to touch her. “Your secret is safe with me. What do you need?”

She lets me hold her hand. She even tightens her fingers around mine. “So far it’s been okay. I’ve been able to get by with just what I’ve read. But if I could actually have some real hockey knowledge, and real knowledge about the team. Maybe some behind-the-scenes stuff…”

“I’ve totally got you covered there,” I assure her. “Even better, what if you were friends with a couple of the players? Guys that you could call at any time for any last minute thing you might need?”

Her brows are nearly to her hairline now. “Really? Why would you do that?”

That is a good question. Because fate put her right in front of me and I might be a goofball, but I’m a smart goofball. “I like you,” I tell her honestly.

“You don’t even know me.”

“I know,” I finally admit. “It’s kind of weird. But I feel drawn to you.” I take a deep breath and confess, “And you seem sweet and yes, you’re beautiful. I’d love to spend more time with you. Get to know you.”