Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 125257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 418(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125257 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 418(@300wpm)
She sighs sympathetically. “Oh, honey, why is it scary? Because he’s nice to you?”
I close my eyes, lean against the cool tiled wall. “Yes. It feels good. These little things he does to make it seem real. The stuffed foxes, and the bird feeder, and the texts, and now this—a soft blanket. I don’t want to get used to it.”
“Because it’s not real?”
I swallow roughly, then whisper in an unsteady voice, “Yes, that’s it exactly.”
She hums thoughtfully. Taking her time, it seems, before she speaks again. “Think of it like a vacation, then. You don’t go on vacation and spend the whole time thinking about all the work you have to do when you get back, or all the chores waiting for you, right?”
“Right.”
“You try not to think about how much it’s going to suck to get on that plane when the trip ends. Instead, you swim in the ocean, lift your face to the sky, and soak in the rays.”
My erratic pulse starts to calm. My breath comes more steadily as the words sink in. “He’s just a vacation from my real life,” I say.
“Exactly. You’re allowed to enjoy it. And now go enjoy the hell out of your vacation.”
That’s what I needed to feel in control again of my wild emotions.
I say goodbye and tap out a text, starting with the first order of business.
Remy: Do you think you could come with me to the maid of honor dress fitting after all?
His reply is instant.
Lake: Do you think you can come downstairs to the training room right now?
Electricity shoots through me, and I say yes.
* * *
A few minutes later, I round the corner toward the training room, but I stop in the doorway, taking in the scene.
Lake lies face down on a blue massage table, with the team’s massage therapist—Jaden—kneading the hockey star’s shoulder.
Worry wings through me. Did he get hurt on the trip? I would have heard about it, though, through Daniel and internal reports. But what if something’s come up?
Jaden’s back is to me, his T-shirt with the crest for Howard University, his alma mater, stretching across it, as he digs in on Lake’s right side, pushing with his whole body. Seconds later, the therapist lets go and says, “Better?”
“Better,” Lake grunts.
Jaden backs away, nodding toward me with a “Hi, Remy” right as Lake pushes up, rolls to his side, and sits. His blue eyes connect with mine across the room and twinkle. “Hey.”
Worry morphs into want.
“Hiiii,” I say, but is that a word coming out of my mouth, or are there grunts too? Because Lake Axelrod is shirtless, his muscular arms on full display, his carved torso here for the gawking. I’ve never noticed when I’ve seen him shirtless before at the arena, but the owl has company.
A small herd of tiny, inked horses runs across his biceps. And a little cat is lucky enough to curl up on his lower abs. After I take in the art, my eyes help themselves to a tour of his body. A sprinkling of chest hair covers his strong pecs, travels down past that kitty, and disappears into the waistband of athletic shorts.
He’s in ridiculous shape. Of course he is. He’s an elite athlete. But it’s one thing to know that and another thing to see it. To check out his bulging muscles after he’s sent me a blanket. Not just any blanket, but a blanket he wants me to nap under. With him.
Heat shoots down my spine. My chest burns as I try to tear my gaze away from the sheer heft of his biceps, the sinews of his forearms, the cut of his shoulders. My fingers ache to roam down his stomach.
I clench my thighs and focus. First things first. “Are you okay? Did you hurt your shoulder on your road trip?”
He shakes his head. “Nope. Just a regular massage. Jaden makes me get them.”
Jaden laughs. “Dude, you need them. You all need them.”
My brain snags on another detail. “Were you texting me from the massage table?”
The corner of his lips lifts in a playful grin. “Jaden, was I texting from the massage table?”
Jaden rolls his eyes as he types into his tablet. “You? No. Of course not,” he says, then mutters, “I only told you ten times to stop.”
Lake smiles like he’s busted and doesn’t give a damn as he nods to the therapist. “Thanks, man. Feels better. Guess that science stuff does work.”
“Gravity. It’s a thing.”
After Lake grabs a T-shirt and tugs it on, we leave the training room and head into the corridor. At the other end, the equipment manager heads toward us. Some of the arena staffers are nearby. We’re hardly alone. Makes sense, since the team has a game tonight. I’m not sure where we’re going, but Lake sets a hand on my back and says, “So you decided you want me there after all?”