Page 25 of Expose on the Ice

I have a game to finish, a team to lead, and a past to keep buried.

LILY

The locker room is a cacophony of celebration, the air thick with the mingled scents of sweat, victory, and beer. I lean against the far wall, my notebook clutched to my chest like a shield, trying to blend into the background as much as possible.

It isn’t easy. I stick out like a sore thumb amidst the sea of hulking, half-naked hockey players. And hoo… boy… are some of them easy on the eye.

But, for once, no one seems to care about my presence, either positively or negatively. The Frost Giants have just pulled off a stunning comeback win, and the euphoria is infectious. Even I can’t help but feel a little caught up in it all.

My eyes scan the room, taking mental notes. Echo and Daze are in the middle of it all, leading a raucous chant that I can’t quite make out over the general din. Tank is off to the side, grinning ear to ear as he FaceTimes with someone – probably his kids.

And then there’s Knox.

He stands apart from the others, methodically peeling off his gear. While the rest of the team basks in their shared glory, Knox seems to exist in his own little bubble, as usual. And yet… I can’t help but notice how his isolation seems to fuel the others’ camaraderie.

It’s as if his aloofness gives them something to rally against, a common point of frustration that unites them. I’d seen it before, of course. In my research, in the way the other players talked about him. But seeing it play out in real-time is something else entirely.

Carter Knox, the reluctant linchpin of team culture.

And the star of the show, his late goal stealing the win.

Lost in thought, I feel the weight of someone’s gaze. I look up, my breath catching as I lock eyes with Knox from across the room. His expression is unreadable, those eyes giving nothing away. But there’s a hint of warmth and kindness that hasn’t been present before.

It’s like the win has salved something within him, tamed the beast, even for a moment.

It’s the same look I’d felt myself giving him when he’d been smashed in the face with an elbow during the fight. It had been like watching a lion surrounded by a pack of hyenas, noble and proud, and no matter how much he grated on me and how much I wanted to get under his skin, I’d been worried.

But he’d emerged from the fight, head high and proud.

Neither of us looks away. The sounds of celebration fade into the background. The air between us feels charged, crackling with tension. He looks me up and down, and I suddenly feel very…naked… under his gaze, which feels like it bores through my dress like a laser beam.

I don’t have to look very hard to see most ofhimnaked, either.

And, whew, the pictures come second to the real thing, put it that way.

I realize something has shifted. The Carter Knox staring back at me isn’t the same man I’d rattled over the past few days. He’s found his footing again, regained that infuriating composure that had driven me up the wall during our first meeting, rattlingmycomposure.

After what feels like an eternity, I break first. I tear my eyes away, focusing intently on my notebook, as if it holds the secrets of the universe. My cheeks burn, and I silently curse myself for letting him get to me like this. Suddenly, a hell of a lot of the confidence I’d regained over the last few days is gone.

I’ve already filed my story. It’s a puff piece, really, about the dynamics on the team, some of the most popular figures, the long stretch in the doldrums followed by the stirring win. But my mind is already racing ahead to the next one.

And it has to be about him.

I’ve proven that I can get under his skin, that I can work around him if I need to. But that approach will only get me so far. No, for my next piece, I need to find a way past that carefullyconstructed facade of his. To get inside and really understand what makes Knox tick.

The challenge both frightens and exhilarates me.

CHAPTER 10

LILY

Ipush through the crowded bar, my eyes scanning for Tank’s hulking frame. The Frost Giants have just wrapped up a massive victory, and the entire team is riding high, out on the town in small groups to celebrate. I spot him at a corner table, nursing what looks like a whiskey.

“Mind if I join you?” I ask, sliding into the seat across from him. “Someone told me you’d be here…”

Tank’s eyes crinkle with amusement. “Ah, the intrepid reporter. Pull up a chair, sweetheart. What can I do for you?”

I ask the waitress for a gin and tonic, then turn back to Tank. “Just looking for some friendly conversation.”