The Sweet Talker (Boston Hawks Hockey #1) - Gina Azzi Page 0,4

room, waiting to see which one of the guys steps up to claim her but nobody makes a move.

No one except Austin who is now striding toward his female family members with barely concealed fury in his expression.

Amused, I follow behind him.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he hisses at his sister and cousin.

Claire rolls her eyes. “We came to troll.”

Indy winces and I snicker, drawing her attention to me. When her eyes meet mine, I feel like I’ve been sucker punched. Now that I’m closer, the vibrance of her green eyes is even more alluring. Deep and glowing, her eyes are the kind a man would willingly drown in. The kind that make it easy to forget the past and live in the moment, consequences be damned.

I blink, severing the connection while mentally swearing at myself. Indiana Merrick is the last woman I should sleep with. Well, Savannah and Claire are but they’re more like sisters to me anyway. Forget the fact that Indy is Austin’s cousin, she’s also the daughter of NHL legend Jeremiah Merrick, hockey god and my childhood idol. No hockey guy in his right mind would try casual with Indy and right now, tonight is all I’m good for.

Austin pulls Claire to the side of the room, leaving Indy and me to chat.

“Hi.” She smiles shyly, placing out a hand. “I’m not sure if you remember me—”

“It’s good to see you again, Little Indy,” I cut her off, using the teenage nickname she hated. I shake her hand with a grin and tip my head toward the railing so we’re not in the center of the room.

She follows beside me and as we post up next to the railing that overlooks the dance floor, I gesture toward the cocktail waitress. “What are you drinking?”

“Uh, I’ll take a vodka soda with lemon please,” Indy orders.

I study her, noting how she fiddles with the strap of her purse, glancing around for her cousins, unsure of herself. “How long are you visiting for?” I ask, hoping to put her at ease.

Her face swivels back to mine, surprise in her expression. “Oh, I live in Boston now. I moved here about six months ago.”

“Really?” Now I’m surprised, wondering why Austin never mentioned it. Then again, maybe he did. My life has been a roller coaster since last season ended. “Did you move for a job?”

Relief crosses her face as she nods. “Yes. And thanks for making that assumption. I hate that everyone always thinks I moved for a guy.”

I chuckle, liking how transparent she is. Honest. “What do you do?”

“I’m a professor.”

“Really?”

She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “Yeah. I just started this school year. I’m teaching political science courses at Brighton.”

“Wow,” I say, impressed. I remember Indy being smarter than the rest of us but I had no idea she wanted to teach. “You already did your PhD?”

She blushes, dropping her gaze and nodding, as if I embarrassed her. Honest and modest.

“That’s awesome.” And then, hoping to make her laugh, “Any of the students hit on you yet?”

I grin as her laughter colors the air. Her eyes come back up, disarming me.

“No.” She shakes her head. “They’re mostly eighteen and nineteen. They’re still too nervous about doing their own laundry for the first time and remembering my name to try anything like that.” She wrinkles her nose. “Don’t get me started on work. I know it’s lame to gush about but it’s pretty much the center of my life at the moment.”

“No man demanding all your time?” I couldn’t care less if I’m being forward. How the hell is a woman who looks like Indy and has her brains, spark, and drive, single?

She bites her bottom lip. “No one worth mentioning.” Her voice is coy and my grin widens.

The cocktail waitress appears and I take Indy’s drink off the tray and pass it to her. When she accepts the glass, our fingers brush and a flicker of heat shoots down my arm. Raising my glass in her direction, I smile. “To your new job. Congratulations, Professor.”

She tips her head in my direction, her eyes flaring with amusement. Clinking her glass against mine, Indy lifts the cocktail to her lips.

I stifle a groan at the visual before me. Her mouth is luscious, her eyes gleaming, and everything about her screams unattainable. After months of easy, available women, Indy unknowingly entices me.

She’s the first woman I’ve met since Courtney who stirs something in my chest. Longing. One