Page 75 of Mac Meyers Needs Me

“Ugh.” She holds a hand up. “Stop with the dimple! It’s so unfair.”

I grab her hand and kiss the palm. “I’m glad you came up with the fake-dating ploy.”

“You came up with it!”

“You told that girl I was your boyfriend.”

“Because you couldn’t finish a bite of food without getting hit on.”

“It was pretty frustrating, huh?”

“Especially because I’d been sitting across from you all year. At least we have the rest of the semester.” Her eyes dart away, a hint of sadness passing through them.

“What are you doing for the summer?” I ask.

“I’ll be local. It would be great if I can get a job on campus, or at a gallery or something.”

“Is that what you want to do when you graduate? Work in a gallery?”

“Pie in the sky? I’d love to have an installation in a gallery. But I’d have to get comfortable putting my art out there, and that can be daunting. And it can take time to build up a portfolio that galleries want to feature, so I’ll need a nine-to-five gig, but on the side, I’d love to create for other people until it’s my full time.” She bites her lip and peeks up at me from under her lashes. “Sometimes I draw stuff for Cammie.”

“Oh yeah?” I lean in. “What kind of stuff?”

She ducks her head and looks up at me from under her lashes. “I illustrate some of her spicy scenes.”

“Really?” I’ve read Cammie’s stuff and it’s…explicit and stimulating. “I’d love to see some of those.”

“I can show you, later. Some of it is pretty spicy, fair warning.”

I waggle my brows. “I can be pretty spicy.”

“I know. I like it.” She drops her gaze. “What about you? I don't want to make assumptions, but are you hoping to get called up?”

I tap on the edge of the table. “It’s the dream, but a lot of careers aren’t always long, and if I’m not a top player in the league after five years, I could be looking at shifting gears so I’m glad I have my degree to fall back on.” I want to ask her how she feels about a long-distance relationship, but it feels too soon to navigate that.

“The degree is smart.” Fee props her chin on her fist. “Imagine you, Brody, and Chase on the same team.”

“That’s a one in a million chance but it would be so cool,” I agree.

“You guys are amazing when you’re on the ice together.”

“Thanks.” I glance at her painting. “Maybe one day you’ll let me watch you create.”

She bites the corner of her lip. “I could draw you.”

“On the ice?”

“I mean sure, but also off it.” She tugs on the end of her ponytail.

“I’m not shy.” I push back my chair. “Let’s do it.”

“Here? Now?”

“You’re already set up.” I motion to the painting across the room.

Her eyes spark, and a devilish smile tips the corner of her mouth. “Yeah, but for the sake of shadowing and contour practice, I want to draw you shirtless.”

I arch a brow. “And you can’t do that here?”