“Or . . . you could kiss me.”
She leveled a warning glance at him. “Drew. We’re hardly seventeen.”
“I know. That’s what makes this so much fun.”
“And I think my parents have had enough shocks today.”
He leaned back. “Would it be so shocking to find out you and I are seeing each other?”
“Is that what we’re doing? Seeing each other?”
He tunneled his fingers in her hair and gave her that wickedly devastating smile that never failed to curl her toes. “I definitely see you. Do you see me?”
Her gaze darted down the hall, but she knew it would be a couple hours before her father resurfaced. She had no idea where her mother had disappeared to.
“Carolina.” Drew cupped her chin and turned her to face him. “What are you so afraid of?”
She had no idea. But when he leaned in and brushed his lips across hers, she forgot all about everyone else in the house. He tugged her against him and, though he kept the kiss light and easy, she wanted more. She laid her hand on his chest and clutched his shirt, taking in his breath, the hard plane of his body, and how safe she always felt in his arms.
He pulled away before she did, leaving her dizzy and wanting more. His eyes had gone dark, filled with desire.
“I want so much more than that, you know,” he said.
She swallowed, hard, and wondered if he meant the kiss, or something more.
EIGHTEEN
DREW’S TEAM HAD THREE GAMES IN BETWEEN CHRISTMAS and New Year’s Eve. The break had been great, but his head was fully in game mode again. Winning at least one game on the road had helped. Maybe the break had been good for them, because he felt fired up and ready to kick some ass.
Tonight they were playing Colorado, they were back in the Garden, and they were all confident this would be the push they needed to start on a winning streak.
He loved being out on the home ice. Loved the smell of it, the way he knew every corner of it, and the way the home crowd fans got into the game with their noise.
When they took the ice for introductions, the home crowd went crazy. Drew soaked in all the energy. It fueled him for game time. He wished Carolina could be here, but he knew she was deep in her work, just like him. He hadn’t even asked her because he didn’t want to put her on the spot.
Besides, he had a date with her tomorrow night. He smiled as he skated around the ice for warm-ups. Tomorrow was his night with Carolina.
Tonight was his night to beat up on Colorado.
Trick took the face-off, and Drew waited, his body poised to go after the puck as soon as it dropped. Trick flipped it toward Colorado’s side, and Drew skated after it, Colorado’s defender shoving into him before he could get to the net. On the defensive, Drew hustled after him. Fortunately, the Travelers defense was right there to protect the net and Kozlow fought for the puck.
Drew had every confidence in Avery Mangino, the Travelers goalie, but he much preferred to be at the other end of the Garden, trying to shove the puck in Colorado’s net. So when Kozlow slid the puck their way, he and Trick volleyed it back and forth, then Trick passed it to Litman while Drew skated down the ice, beating Colorado’s defenders to get in position.
He took the pass from Litman and launched a shot at the net, deflected by the goalie.
Damn.
By the end of the first period, they were scoreless.
Unacceptable.