Page 31 of Ice Cold Heart
I knew I was playing with fire, knew if I wanted to maintain the distance I’d insisted on, I needed to extricate myself from his pull. Laugh at his price, brush him off, convince him I only wanted him for the tutoring orgasms, basically, lie. Maybe invest in a chastity belt for good measure.
Unfortunately, knowing what I should do offered little motivation when Cole was inches away, his biceps flexing with the effort to keep himself controlled.
My mouth took point, and I let it run. “I think you’re undervaluing yourself.”
He dropped his head, closing the distance between us. “Is that a yes?”
I lifted a trembling hand and laid my fingers against the rough stubble on his cheek, trying one last time to claw my way back to a rational decision. “This is a huge mistake.”
Cole ran his lips across my palm, and heat shot through my blood. “Only one way to find out,” he whispered against my skin.
A door crashed open down the hall from us, and I jerked my hand back. Anyone could have strolled down the hall and caught us. Hell, we’d let Tobias Kane believe we were together. Touching him had been stupid. Touching him made me stupid.
I needed to remember I was only here for the hockey drama and the orgasms. Nothing more.
Luckily, Marco was the one who rounded the corner. He didn’t blink at our close proximity, and I was embarrassed to admit I’d forgotten he’d left to find the bathroom. Cole blew out a breath and backed toward the locker room.
He pushed through the door, then stopped to throw a final gauntlet. “I’ll see you tonight, Avery.”
I’d have to be dead to miss the promise in his words. Tonight, we were going to finish what we’d started. One way or another.
“You are not only friends,” Marco insisted, sidling up next to me.
“How did you even find us?”
He flashed me his phone screen. “I’m tracking your phone. In case you forgot you came with your work bestie and left with your hockey hottie instead.”
“Please don’t call him that,” I pleaded. “And stop acting like a stalker. I would never forget you.” Again. He didn’t need to know that part.
Marco snorted, and I led him out of the facility. He walked next to me in silence until we emerged into the late afternoon sun. “You don’t have to tell me, obviously, but you’d be a horrible work wife if you brought me to that show and didn’t spill the tea afterward.”
I tilted my face up to the meager warmth, trying to make sense of the chaos in my mind. “I think I might hate you.”
Marco tripped on his feet and nearly face-planted on the sidewalk. When he straightened, he was grinning. “I get it. If Cole Mathis had me backed against the wall, I’d have murdered you for interrupting.”
If not for Marco, I would have given in. I would have let Cole kiss me, touch me, hell, maybe even fuck me against that wall where anyone could walk by. Somewhere along the way, I’d lost control.
Unacceptable. I’d thrown out the idea of another hockey player hoping Cole would edge into the dark again, and I hadn’t been prepared for the fallout. Self-preservation dictated I should shift my focus to literally anyone else on the team.
I could let Marco handle both my dad and Cole. Throw some shade with the rest of the first line and shake something out. Write my articles and solidify my chance at the editor position.
Except stepping back felt like running away. I’d started this mess—I could handle it myself. All I needed was a chance to prepare. One kiss wouldn’t change our situation. Hell, I probably should have gotten it out of the way when I had a guaranteed chaperone to interrupt. Of course, I didn’t think I was ready for Marco to see my naked ass getting railed in the hallway.
Anticipation coiled in my belly. I’d better be at my best tonight because I wouldn’t have Marco to save me from a supremely dangerous decision. One kiss didn’t have to mean anything. I could still enjoy Cole’s promised orgasms without getting my emotions involved.
Even if I had secretly enjoyed the way Cole staked a claim on me.
13
The locker room was mostly empty by the time I finished showering and dressed in my street clothes. I was pissed about Tobias Kane being in our arena, but I saw no reason for him to lie when I could so easily fact check him. I’d have mentioned it to Coach, but he’d disappeared into his office before I could catch him.
Probably for the best because I couldn’t stop thinking about pinning his daughter to the wall and watching her slowly surrender. He’d asked me to befriend her, and I could guarantee he hadn’t intended for me to include my dick in the equation.
I hadn’t intended it either, but when she’d threatened to find another hockey player, I’d lost it. The thought of her with Sellers or Jaden or Reece, or hell, Tobias Kane, made me want to throw down. She hated hockey players, but she wanted to play with one? Fuck yes, that one was going to be me.
Except I wasn’t sure I was really what she wanted. She’d asked for an interview, and I’d tested her limits, as I often did when she was involved. I might as well have been Reece. After the scene with Kane—after staking a claim I’d been resisting for weeks—I’d fallen straight into her trap.
I knew better. Avery used her words as armor, and she’d been building a shield to push me away. I’d reacted by doubling down. Pressure wasn’t the way. It wasn’t my way. She’d probably show up tonight and hand me my ass, which would suck because I still needed her tutoring help.