Hard: A Sexy Sports Romance Boxed Set

Well, now, my entire body just went to jelly. Where’s Tasha when I need her? Some friend, abandoning me with this incredible hockey god who’s looking at me like he wants to lick me from my toes to my neck. I shake my head to snap myself out of it. “No, thanks.” My voice comes out high pitched and weak which is not what I was going for at all.

“It’s okay to be scared.”

“I’m not scared, but I’m also not stupid.”

Nodding, he says, “Oh, you’re scared all right.”

“This is never going to happen.” I point back and forth from my chest to him.

“And why’s that?”

“First of all, because I’m not going to blow this for myself. When you fly home, you’ll go back to making millions, even if you leave here empty-handed. If I don’t medal, I go back to being broke, and if I’m lucky, I’ll get another shot in four years, but most likely, I won’t.”

Clint nods and his face grows serious. “And second?”

“What?”

“You said, first of all. That usually means there’s more.”

“Second is that I just don’t like you that much.” I think about his fiancée to stop myself from grinning at the shocked look on his face. I don’t bring her up even though I know if I did, this entire thing would be over instantly and I could get started on forgetting about him.

“Liar.”

“Arrogant goon.”

He shrugs like that’s not an insult. “I may be arrogant, but I’m also right about you. You want me.”

“I do not. You’re so not my type.”

“How do you know that? You don’t even know me.”

“Name the last book you read and when.”

“The Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. Finished it this morning at breakfast.”

Oh, well, I wasn’t expecting that. I shake my head. “All right, so you read. Big deal. Still not interested. Now, you should get going so I can concentrate.”

“I can help you, you know. I’m really good at helping people get in the zone.”

“In the zone? Oh, please. You’ll try anything.”

“When it comes to you, I will.” He smiles. “And I didn’t mean it that way. I meant that a lot of the time when one of the guys on the team is struggling, the coach gets me to have a talk with him. Usually helps.”

“Oh. Well, thanks. If I need help, I’ll come find you.”

“You do that. I’m in building two in the village, apartment thirty-six.” He opens the door, then turns and points back and forth between him and me. “This is going to happen, Dani.”

As soon as the door shuts, I melt into the bench and groan. What the hell just happened? He reads? And he’s some sort of hockey player whisperer. And he’s lickably hot. But he’s also a cheating bastard. Damn underwear models! Who invented them in the first place?

Six

Clint

After I shower, I decide to sit in the stands and watch Danika practice. She’s amazing. A tiny, little ball of strength and agility as she performs her routine over and over. Her coach is a typical dickhead. Never smiling, never satisfied with what she does, no matter how graceful or perfect it looks to me. He just glares, arms folded, shaking his head. Barking orders. Wanting more.

As the practice wears on, I can see she’s getting tired, even though she’s in incredible shape. The more exhausted she gets, the more trouble she has sticking her landing after her triple salchow. She falls again and again and I can tell by her face, she’s getting more discouraged by the second. I want to rush down and carry her off the ice, punch her coach in the face, and take her home with me. Rage courses through my veins as I watch but I know I can’t interfere. I don’t even know her, no matter how much I want her.

Finally, her practice ends and she hangs her head as she steps off the ice. I stand and make my way down to the hallway where the dressing rooms are and wait for her to come out. It takes her almost half an hour to shower and get dressed, but somehow, I know she’s worth the wait. When she comes out, she doesn’t notice me at first. She’s looking down at the floor as she walks.