The Sweet Talker (Boston Hawks Hockey #1) - Gina Azzi Page 0,50

I’ve ever been in my entire life. “Better than okay.”

He squeezes my fingers. “Me too. You are spectacular.”

I snort, liking when he’s both sweet and playful. “Right back at you, Scotch.”

Instead of chuckling like I expect, Noah turns toward me. His eyes are bottomless, dark and deep. He holds my gaze for a long moment and something passes between us. I don’t have a word for it but it’s more. More than just desire, than attraction, than this moment.

I clear my throat and Noah blinks. Then he slides from the bed and cleans up in the bathroom. I blow out a deep exhale and force myself to my feet even though my legs feel like jelly. My entire being feels off-balanced, as if I’ve lost my equilibrium and the entire world is shaky.

When Noah opens the bathroom door, he smiles at me and brushes a kiss across my lips. “I’m sorry I need to set an early alarm.”

“Don’t be. I know you have to leave before the sun’s up.” I enter the bathroom and rinse off quickly in the shower.

When I re-enter the room, Noah’s soft snore fills the space. His suitcase is opened next to the bed, ready for tomorrow’s flight.

I slip underneath the covers and shimmy closer to him, liking the way the warmth of his body seeps into my skin. Even though there are a million thoughts jumping around my head, my body is worn out. Within moments, I drift off to sleep.

When I wake in the morning, Noah is already gone. The pale gray light of dawn wraps around me like a blanket. Everything feels different.

20

Noah

“What’s going on, man?” my brother asks, interrupting my thoughts.

“Huh?” I ask, frowning at the screen of my phone.

East chuckles through the speaker. “Damn, you got it bad. Where’s your head at? You’ve got a game tonight.”

“I know. I’m here,” I grumble. My head is all over the fucking place but I’m here.

“How’s Indy?” East asks slowly.

“How are you? How’s recovery?” I focus on the matter at hand.

East snorts and I know he’s going to circle back to Indy the first chance he gets. But I don’t want to talk about Indy. Because Indy is great. She’s a goddamn goddess and makes me feel a million things I have no clue what the hell to do with. She’s amazing and I’m annoyed. I don’t want to think about her a thousand times a day. I don’t want to wonder what she’s up to and how her classes went. I don’t want any of the complications.

Indiana Merrick is smart and motivated. She’s worked her ass off to establish the life she has and what she wants—stability—is something I can’t provide. So while she’s glowing, bestowing her sunshine on a bunch of college freshmen, I’m growling, pissed off at the goddamn world.

Easton’s irritating laughter breaks through my thoughts again.

“What?” I snap.

“Christ, bro. I’m okay, all right? I’m hanging in there. But you, you’re spiraling. Trust me, I know the signs.”

I swear at him.

“What’s going on with Indy?”

“Nothing.”

“I don’t believe you,” Easton taunts, singsongy.

I pinch the bridge of my nose, exasperated. “She’s amazing, okay?”

Easton stops laughing. “Dude, what the hell is going on?”

I sit down on the edge of the bed in my hotel room. “We’re playing Vancouver tonight.”

“Yeah?”

“Fucking Jace Edwards,” I spit out, my irritation spiking just thinking about seeing the asshole who hurt Indy years ago. Who made her swear off hockey players and the uncertain lifestyle we fling ourselves into, the one with no guarantees, and therefore, made her unattainable for guys like me. For me.

“Noah, did something happen with Indiana? Is she okay?” The concern in my brother’s voice makes me realize how much my bitter and random rambling is messing with him.

Shit, pull it together, Scotch.

“She’s fine, Easton. I just, I really like her,” I admit.

“Good.”

“Good?”

“Yeah, man. Why shouldn’t you like someone? BTW, I love the middle school throwback.”

I snort.

“What’s the problem, Noah?” East presses.

“She came home with me last night. It was different.”

“Different,” my brother repeats, a heavy dose of skepticism in his tone.

“Different good,” I hurry to add. “I think. I don’t know, East, my head is all over the place. It was just great, more, something…shifted. And now, I can’t get her out of my head and she’s totally normal. Like, completely fine being friends who hook up while I want to pick a fight with her goddamn ex-boyfriend just because years ago, he had her.”

East is quiet for several seconds. Then, a muttered, “Damn,” travels