Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 98375 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98375 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 394(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
I couldn’t say anything, though it seemed like he was waiting for a response. My brain was too busy sending electric currents racing through my body.
Our eyes stayed locked as Max took a pensive step forward.
Through my peripheral vision, I saw the elevator doors slide open. It was right next to us, so we both clearly heard it, too. Yet our gazes remained steady. Max took another step toward me.
I think I might’ve stopped breathing at that point.
Then he took another step, and our feet were toe to toe. Slowly, Max reached out and lifted one finger to my mouth. He traced my bottom lip from one side to the other, then his finger slid down over my chin, over the length of my throat, and stopped at the hollow of my neck. He spoke directly to the spot as he traced a circle. “I’m not even going to ask to kiss you. Because I won’t be able to control myself if you let me.” He shook his head. “I want to leave marks.”
Oh my.
Max swallowed. Watching his Adam’s apple work made me feel woozy. But it was nothing compared to how the way he was looking at me made me feel. Or maybe the lightheadedness came from the fact that I still hadn’t remembered to breathe.
My mouth grew dry, and my tongue peeked out to run wetness along my lips. Max’s eyes followed, and he groaned. Somewhere in the distance, I heard a bell ding, but the meaning didn’t register until Max held out his hand to stop the elevator doors from closing. He tilted his head toward the open car.
“You better go,” he growled. “I’m not ruining my chance before I’m even given one. But I hope you’ll give my summer proposal some thought.”
“I will.” I had to force myself to step into the empty elevator car. “Goodnight, Max.”
“Sweet dreams, sweetheart.” He grinned. “I know I’ll be having them.”
CHAPTER 5
* * *
Max
“What’s up, old man? You have kids doing all the work for you again?”
Otto Wolfman turned. He smiled but tried to hide it as he waved me off. “Who you calling old? If you take a look in the mirror, you won’t see the left wing who scored three goals the other night. I believe that man is enjoying a Philly cheesesteak back home in sunny Philadelphia.”
Oof. That one hurt. We got our asses kicked in Philly the other day. But this ball-busting with Otto was all in good fun. It always had been. I walked over to where he sat on the penalty bench, and we slapped hands before I passed him a coffee. For the last seven years I’d been playing at the Garden, Otto Wolfman had tended to the ice, but he’d also been here thirty-one years before that. The ornery old bastard reminded me so much of my dad, though I’d never told him that. Every Saturday morning, I came an hour or so before practice and brought him the sludge he preferred from the street cart down the block. I’d made the mistake of bringing him Starbucks once. Once.
He pointed to the young guy driving his Zamboni. “This idiot paid ten-thousand dollars to do this. Can you believe that? Some sort of an auction where a bunch of rich, Wall Street types bid on shit. What’s he, twenty-three?” Otto shook his head. “At least it’s for charity.”
I looked over at the ice. The guy navigating the Zamboni around the rink wore a giant smile. He was definitely enjoying himself. I shrugged. “Whatever floats your boat, I guess.”
“Got the weekend off after practice this morning, don’t cha?”
“Yep.” I sipped my coffee.
“Any big plans?”
I shook my head and chuckled. “Apparently, I’m throwing myself a birthday party.”
Otto’s bushy brows pulled together. “Apparently? You sound like you’re not sure.”
“Well, I wasn’t planning on it. But then I told a woman I was so I could get her to spend time with me.”
“Would be easier to just ask her on a date, wouldn’t it?”
I frowned. “I did. Multiple times. She’s not sure she wants to go out with me. So I stupidly told her I was having people over tonight to make it seem casual. Figured she’d be more likely to say yes if it wasn’t just the two of us.”
“A woman shot you down?” Otto’s head bent back in laughter. “That makes my day.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“What’s so special about this woman that she’s got you acting out of sorts?”
That was a damn good question. She had big, green eyes, smooth, pale skin, and a long, thin, delicate neck that made me feel like a damn vampire. But those felt like bonus points with Georgia. What I liked best was that she seemed to know who she was, and while she could poke fun, she was also proud and unashamed. Too many women wanted to be someone else.