Tripping (Iced #2) - Kristine Allen Page 0,32

smile does something crazy to me; being the cause of that smile makes my day. I’m talking better than a hat trick in the Stanley Cup Finals. It sounds weird because we’ve only been talking for a little over a month and gone out on like three dates. Actually only two—the night we met really doesn’t count.” I left out the part where I’d stayed the night. Nor did I mention I thought she was sexy as fuck and I walked around with a semi anytime she was near.

“Wow,” he said as I paused.

“Maybe all of that makes me sound like a puss, huh?” I’d poured my heart out to an almost-fifteen-year-old kid. I’d probably lost cool points, but he’d asked, and it had become word vomit once I really thought about it.

“Maybe,” he said before he grinned. “But don’t worry, I won’t post it online and make you lose all your cool points.”

“Terrified”—Katharine McPhee

“Hey Bleu, do you want to join me, Kristi, and Alesha for our girls’ night we just planned?” Gwen asked as she poked her head in the doorway of my classroom after school. There were still a few more minutes before my lesson would start, and I was waiting for my student, Sean, to show up.

“That big bad biker of yours is letting you go out without him?” I teasingly asked.

She laughed and rubbed her rounded belly. “Well, it’s not like I’ll be partying too hard, and he and the boys have a run this weekend.”

Her new husband, Maddox, was scarily sexy and extremely protective of her. Then again, I imagined watching the woman you love get shot can mess with a guy’s head. I didn’t blame him for being protective.

“Well, while I’d really love to, I actually have a date,” I said as my face heated. Biting my lip, I tried not to act too giddy. For the past week since I’d agreed to the date with Cameron, I’d been reacting like one of my students any time he called or texted.

“Wait. What? Who? Spill, girl,” she playfully demanded, coming fully into my room and plopping down in one of the chairs. She, Kristi, and Alesha had taken me under their wings when I’d first started at the school. They’d made the decision that I was part of the group, and pretty much pulled me into their fold.

Unable to contain my excitement, I bounced down into my own seat and glanced at the clock to see how much time I had.

“His name is Cameron.”

“How did you meet?”

“At a hockey game,” I said before laughing at the memory.

“Go on,” she said with a motion of her hand as encouragement. “What does he do for a living? I can’t believe I’m just now hearing about this. I’m terribly hurt.” She gave me a playful pout.

“Umm, he plays hockey,” I said as I clicked my pen nervously. Whenever I thought about what he did and who he was, it made me self-conscious. After agreeing to the date, I’d broken down and googled him. It had been a bit of a mistake and almost had me cancelling. There were no long-term relationships noted, except for a soccer player he took to several fund-raisers, but every picture showed him with a leggy, busty, model-like woman.

“Like professionally?” she asked, looking like her wheels were turning.

Ducking my head, I pretended to look for something in my big Bohemian tote. “Um, yeah.”

“For the Amurs?” she asked in a shocked tone, causing me to look up at her.

“Yeah,” I hesitantly replied, sure she was going to tell me I was messing up.

“Cameron McGregor. Starting center and alternate captain Cameron McGregor?” She still looked as shocked as she sounded. It made me feel a little defensive, like maybe she was going to say I was an idiot. I’d never had self-esteem issues until college and Richard.

Clearing my throat, I nodded.

“Ho-ly shit,” she said.

“Oh God, you’re making me nervous. Should I cancel?” I asked with a grimace.

“What? Hell no, you better not cancel! That man is fine as fuck!” She blinked rapidly, then whispered, “Don’t tell Styx I said that.”

Relieved, I laughed. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me. Besides, everyone knows you’re madly in love with him.”

“True,” she said, then pursed her lips and nodded. “Anyway, the reason I got so surprised is that it’s a small world. Cameron lives in the same neighborhood as Alex. His brother, Truth, is in Styx’s club.”

“Wait, Cooper is in a motorcycle club?”

“You know Truth?” She gaped again.

“Well,