He grinned, but his stomach still flipped and twisted. “Well, this is definitely something. So, yeah, I think this is a thing. At least, I’m hoping it’s a thing, because I’m already wondering when I can see you again.”

She remained quiet for a long stretch, and Beckett let her have the time to sort that out. He had a lot of his own sorting to do. Like when to tell her about Lily. Like how long he wanted to wait before he introduced her to Lily. Like how to figure out how he and Eden could see each other with these insane schedules.

Like why she was living in this hole.

But first things first. “Do you want this to be a thing?”

She smiled, a cute, almost sly smile that made her look so young, but there were still shadows behind her eyes. “Man,” she said barely above a whisper. “I…”

When she shook her head, he lifted a hand to her chin, then turned her head until her eyes met his. “Say what you feel, Eden. I’m not going to pounce or argue or try to sway you one way or another. I really want to know what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours. I see a whole lot of thought-badminton going on in your eyes.”

She inhaled a shaky little breath. “It…scares me.”

His heart pulled so hard, he felt the ache all through his body. “I know. I wish I could make it easier.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“I know that too.”

Her eyes dropped away, ashamed, and she nodded.

Man, what was it about her injured soul that made him want to hold tighter? Moments like this made him realize how fundamentally Lily had changed him. A year ago, even the hint of drama sent him sprinting the other direction.

Her eyes slid closed in a look of intense longing. “I really, really want this to be a thing.”

As if a bunch of rubber bands had been holding his heart closed, they all released at the same time, spreading his heart wide open. He grinned and kissed her, and when he pulled back, her eyes were shining instead of dark.

“I hear a ‘but’ in there,” he said, “but I’m going to pretend I don’t. That way I can ask if you’d consider coming to see a game? Maybe bring Gabe or another friend who knows hockey? That way they could explain things while they’re happening.”

Her gaze turned curious and a little guarded. “You really don’t mind if I bring a guy?”

Beckett was learning to identify the hot buttons beneath Eden’s competent exterior. For a second, he considered cracking the egg and asking Eden directly what happened to her, what she was really afraid of. But he also got the distinct impression that if he pressured her in the wrong way, she’d shut down and they’d lose all the closeness they’d developed.

And he really didn’t want to lose this.

“Guys usually know more about hockey than girls. But if it means getting you to a game to actually watch me play, all you have to do is tell me how many tickets you want, and I’ll have them waiting for you at the door. You can bring the whole damn ambulance company if you want.”

A slow smile softened her eyes. “That would be a little overwhelming. I already lock myself in my bedroom when they throw on ESPN.”

“ESPN? Why aren’t they watching the NHL network?”

She laughed. “Oh, they do. Gabe’s the instigator.”

“Knew I liked that guy.”

She lifted a hand to his face. “And I know I like this guy.” Leaning in, she kissed him again, and the sweetness of it made him ache. But when she pulled back, she said, “Can I think about it?”

Her reaction was as foreign to Beckett as 90 percent of the topics she studied. And a split second of are we too different to make this work? passed through his mind before he said, “Absolutely.” Then he changed the subject. “Tell me about this place. You’ve got to admit this is pretty unusual, especially for a woman in this neighborhood. I especially don’t like the idea of you walking these streets from Metro.”

“It’s all I can afford right now.” She didn’t sound upset or angry about it, just matter-of-fact. “I’m careful. I carry the most powerful stun gun you can buy. And I’ve got a year of defense and fighting classes behind me. I’ve also gone out of my way to get to know the people who live between here and the Metro station. We sort of watch out for each other. I have no doubt I’ll be getting grilled about the guy with the Porsche before the end of the week.”

Somehow that didn’t set his mind completely at ease. “You know stun guns are illegal in the District of Columbia?”

She grinned, and a little rebel shone through. “I’d rather pay the fine and stay safe than the alternative.”

He sighed. “I suppose me offering a little help to find a safer place for you to live—”

“Would make your family’s re

Tags: Skye Jordan Rough Riders Hockey Romance
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