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  “Hey, Ryke and Kate are having an ugly sweater party this weekend,” Luke said, pulling his t-shirt off over his head. “Sunday night. Maybe Dawn’ll bring her dancer friend and you can have another shot.”

  “I don’t want another shot.” I tried to sound dismissive, glancing at the locker room door for anything that would help me change the subject. Thank fuck, Orion was walking in. He was limping, and I walked over to talk to him about his ankle.

  “How long are you out?” I asked. He ran a hand through his dark blond hair.

  “Couple days.”

  I nodded slightly. “You better be back on game night, asshole. Man up and play through the pain.”

  He arched his brows and glared at me. “No ‘how are you, Orion?’ Is every fucking thing just about you?”

  I rubbed my jaw and laughed humorlessly. “You’re lucky I don’t throw your ass down and bust your other ankle. I didn’t choose my line, but I do my part. I’m not a stupid, reckless asshole like you.”

  “I fell, dumbass. Shit happens.”

  I stepped closer to him. “More shit happens when you’re drunk.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I’m not a choirboy like you.”

  “Just get your shit together and do your fucking job,” I said, turning to walk back to my locker.

  I changed clothes and laced my skates in silence. I was pissed off now, and I needed to work out my mood at practice. Nothing I said would convince my parents to close the deli for a few days and come visit for Christmas. They’d both be working their hands to the bone to their dying days. And Luke’s prodding about getting laid had only added to my aggravation. Orion was just the final straw.

  I loved how physical hockey was. There was nothing like working out my frustrations on the ice. I grabbed my stick, already feeling sorry for the teammates I’d be fighting for the puck today.

  Chapter 7

  Sadie

  As soon as I walked into Ryke and Kate’s house, I knew I was seriously outgunned. It was my first ugly sweater Christmas party, and I’d hoped the tan V-neck number from the back of my closet would be ugly enough.

  Dell saw me and made a beeline, handing me a glass of champagne. “What the hell, Sade? Where’s your ugly sweater?”

  I looked down at my chest. “Well, this doesn’t look great with my skin tone …”

  She glared at me and gestured at her fringy red sweater, which was adorned with actual Christmas tree balls.

  “That’s absolutely hideous,” I said.

  “That’s the point.”

  “Hey, Sadie,” Luke said, clinking his beer against my champagne flute as he approached. His bright green sweater had blinking Christmas lights and a giant cartoon Rudolph on it. “How’s your story going? The no dating one?”

  “It’s good. I’m getting a lot of hell-yeah mail from readers.”

  I couldn’t hold back a laugh when I saw Niko approaching. He wore a tight sweater vest covered in poinsettias with nothing beneath it. I didn’t even notice the lines of his chest visible in the ‘v’ of the vest or the giant black tattoo on one of his huge biceps. Not at all.

  “What gives?” he asked, giving me a disappointed frown. “You’re supposed to look ugly, and you look gorgeous.”

  “Had a few drinks?” I asked, arching my brows at him.

  “This is my first one.”

  He was clean-shaven, his November beard gone. There went my beard on thighs fantasy.

  “You shaved,” I said, sliding out of my coat.

  He reached for it and I handed it over. “Yeah. The beard’ll be back when we make the playoffs, though.”

  So there was still hope. I tried to suppress a smile.

  “What?” he asked, grinning. “You like it or not?”

  “Like what?” I asked, playing dumb.

  “The beard.”

  “On you? Oh, I don’t know. It doesn’t make a difference.”

  He winked, still grinning. “I get it. You want me with or without it.”

  I rolled my eyes. “You made it about a minute and a half before breaking out the arrogant ass remarks.”

  He feigned a hurt expression. “Are you saying you don’t like me?”

  “Maybe I just don’t like men who grab my ass before they’ve even kissed me.”

  His smile faded away and his eyes warmed. “You want me to kiss you?”

  I scoffed. “No.”

  “Liar.”

  “Prick.”

  He leaned closer and spoke in a low tone. “Prude.”

  That one hurt. I looked away, grateful when Luke and Dell turned back our way.

  “Sounds like I need to break you two up,” Luke said, putting an arm around Niko’s shoulder. “Let’s go get another beer.”

  “I didn’t mean that,” Niko said to me. I continued to ignore him. “Sadie?”

  I looked up at him.

  “I’m sorry. I was teasing. I didn’t mean it.”

  I shrugged. “It’s okay. Who better than a prude to eschew men altogether?”

  Luke led him away, and Dell put an arm around my shoulder.

  “What’s his deal?” she asked me.

  I shrugged.

  “There’s something going on between you guys, isn’t there?”

  “Not really,” I said, sighing deeply. “I’m gonna step outside for just a bit to get some air.”

  “I’ll come with you.”

  “That’s okay. I won’t be long.”

  I gave her a reassuring smile before heading for the French doors that led out to a large deck. I wrapped my arms around myself as the chilly night air surrounded me. Christmas always brought back the memories that crushed my heart into a million pieces. Me and Aunt Sal sobbing next to the tree I’d decorated with my parents and Seth weeks before they died. Me alone in my dorm room on Christmas my freshman year of college because I’d told Aunt Sal I was spending it with friends so she wouldn’t have to fly to the States from Spain just to spend the day with me. Even my good Christmas memories, of times spent with my family before they died, reminded me that I was alone now. Those happy holidays were gone forever.

  A crack of light flooded the deck as the door opened and Niko stepped out. He closed it and approached, standing next to me.

  “Hey. You mad at me over earlier?”

  I shook off my daze. “What?”

  “That asshole thing I said and didn’t mean.”

  “Oh. No.” I leaned my hands on the railing and looked out at the snow-covered yard.

  “Do you know what I find sexiest about you?”

  I sighed deeply. “I don’t know. My tits, maybe?”

  He leaned on the railing next to me, and I immediately felt warmed by the heat of his body against mine.

  “You’re so smart. I like the way you use words like … what was that you said earlier? Sounded like achoo.”

  I smiled. “Eschew. It means to deliberately shun.”

  “Yeah. You’re not just beautiful, you’re a lot more. I like that you don’t take my shit. You give it right back. You should shun men, ‘cause none of us deserve you. You’re a great writer and … you know, a great person.”

  He stared out at the yard as he spoke, his cocksure swagger gone. Although I didn’t mind that side of him like I let on, this side was enough to melt me into a puddle, even on this cold winter night.

  “Thank you. That’s really nice, but you know, I could be a horrible writer and an ax murderer for all you know.”

  He glanced at me, and our eyes met. “You’re a great writer, Sadie. And I know you’re a great person, too.”

  “Hmm,” I said, shrugging.

  “I read your columns.”

  “Really?” I felt flattered and slightly invaded at the same time. I’d bared my soul in some of those columns, though my honesty was buried in humor.

  He smiled. “Yeah. I like the one about how men are like shoes. How some fit just right and others make you sorry you picked them.”

  I’d written
that one after a date with a doctor who was like sky-high heels that were a size too small.

  “Well, that’s … really nice of you, to read my work.”

  “I like it better now that I know I won’t have to read about you banging some guy or anything.”

  I laughed and leaned in to him a little closer. “I never write with that level of detail. The editors wouldn’t go for it.”

  “But you’re still not seeing anyone?”

  “Nope.” I wanted to play it cool, but I couldn’t. “I heard you screwed a ballerina.”

  His eyes widened with shock. “No, I didn’t.”

  I gave him a doubtful glare and he held up a palm.

  “I swear. She asked me for a ride, but I said no. I went home alone. That’s the truth.”

  “Did you think about saying yes?”

  He shook his head. “No. I’m serious about hockey. At this level, I have to be. I don’t let myself get distracted with women … though there is one in particular who I can never seem to stay away from.”

  And there was that sexy grin that melted me every time.

  Music started up in the house, and we both turned to look in the row of glass doors.

  “Karaoke,” Niko said. “This’ll cheer you up. I heard Luke’s gonna do Ice, Ice Baby.”

  I laughed and stood back from the railing. “Well, I’m not missing that.”

  He followed me in, and we joined the large group in Kate and Ryke’s family room. Two players I didn’t know were singing an awful country song.

  I leaned against an open wall and listened, noticing Niko had left my side. He reappeared a few minutes later, handing me a glass.

  “Eggnog,” he whispered in my ear. “You like it?”

  I nodded and put the glass to my lips, pausing at the last second. “Is this spiked?”

  “Fuck yes it is, woman. Drink it. I’ll take you home.”

  I smiled at the thought and took a long sip of the thick, spicy drink.

  “What?” he asked. “You think I’m gonna try something if I take you home?”

  If only he would. Being in his presence had my libido at Defcon level ten.

  “No, it’s just hard to take you seriously in that sweater.”

  “You want me to take it off?”

  “Don’t tempt me,” I murmured.

  “Think I should sing?”

  I arched my brows at him, the image of him performing in the sweater making me laugh. “Um, yeah. Especially if I can take video.”

  “So you can watch it in your bedroom later?”

  I laughed so loudly the bitchy model-looking woman next to me gave me a dirty look. “Yeah, something like that. Will you let me choose the song?”

  He shrugged. “Sure. I’ve got the moves to pull off any song. Do your worst.”

  My whole face broke into a giddy expression that I couldn’t hold back. Niko shook his head and rubbed his jaw.

  “I’ll go put in my request,” I said, elbowing him lightly in the ribs. I sipped the addictive eggnog on my way to the small booth the deejay was manning, emptying the glass.

  “What’ll it be?” he asked.

  “22 by Taylor Swift,” I said. “For Niko.”

  “He’s up next.”

  With a satisfied grin, I headed back toward Niko to give him the good news. The woman who’d given me the dirty look had taken my place and was now staring up at Niko, entranced. I stopped, not wanting to act like a jealous … anything. I wasn’t involved with him.

  I went into the kitchen, which was like something out of a design magazine. It was bigger than my entire studio apartment, with large stainless appliances and endless white cabinets. The eggnog awaited in a giant crystal punch bowl, and I ladled another glass full.

  The country song ended and the deejay called Niko’s name. I hustled back into the family room and worked my way up to the front of the small crowd.

  Niko took the microphone and jumped onto the small makeshift stage, leaning down to me.

  “What song is it?” he asked.

  “22.”

  “I don’t know that one.”

  I gave him an innocent smile. “You’ve got the moves.”

  The music started and he saw the display on the monitor. He shook his head and laughed, leaning my way again.

  “I’m only singing this to put a smile on your face,” he said in my ear.

  When the lyrics appeared on the screen, he followed along, seeming to enjoy the amused laughter in the room. The hoots and hollers from his teammates didn’t faze him. He belted that song out, and I couldn’t stop smiling and laughing. Dell appeared next to me, also getting a huge kick out of Niko’s performance.

  “You suck!” Luke yelled, throwing a wadded up piece of paper at Niko. He kept bopping and singing, and Dell and I were howling.

  I was too wrapped up in my amusement to notice when Niko reached for my hand and pulled me up onto the stage. He held out the microphone for us to share. I was a little buzzed from the eggnog and champagne, so what the hell? I wasn’t much of a singer, but I joined him, even busting out some lame pop dance moves. I didn’t actually need to read the screen like he did, but I wasn’t ashamed.

  We finished to a round of applause and whistles. Niko stepped down from the stage and reached for my hand to help me down.

  “That was epic,” Dell said, hugging me.

  “Tell me you didn’t take pictures,” I said, looking at her face to gauge whether she had.

  “I may or may not have just put a video on Facebook,” she said, shrugging.

  Great. Now all my friends would see me singing a drunken tune with a giant Russian in a poinsettia sweater vest.

  “More eggnog,” Niko said, winking. “That’s what you need.”

  He took my glass and went to fill it while I talked to Dell. After a few minutes, I glanced into the kitchen to see if he was on his way back, and I saw him talking to the brunette from earlier. Dell followed my gaze, rolling her eyes.

  “Lauren,” she said. “She’s a puck slut. Kate hates her. Well, all the wives and girlfriends do, actually. I’m surprised she had the guts to show up here. One of the guys must have told her about it.”

  “Who’s she here with?” I asked, wondering how her date felt about her flirting with another man.

  “Probably no one. That’s the thing. She’s desperate to marry a hockey player. She follows the team to every social occasion and even a lot of road trips.”

  “Doesn’t she work?”

  Dell shrugged. “Poor little rich girl. I think she does some modeling.”

  Lauren reached up and squeezed Niko’s bicep, her red manicured nails standing out as she brushed her fingers across his large, dark tattoo of a winged creature. He smiled broadly at her, his eyes fixed on her perfect face.

  “You’d better go over there, because if you don’t, I’d lay money she wakes up in Niko’s bed tomorrow morning,” Dell said. “I’m beat. I was conditioning Luke at six this morning. Think I’m gonna go home.”

  “Can I have a ride?” I asked. “I drank too much to drive home.”

  She arched her brows with surprise. “Yeah, I’ll bring you back tomorrow to get your car. Just let me go tell Luke.”

  “I’ll meet you in your car.” I went to the coat closet and found my coat, grateful for the escape. Of course Niko didn’t want to play games with me when he could fuck Lauren senseless instead. He was a man, after all. Even if he was like my favorite, most comfy ballet flats.

  ***

  I spotted Dell’s dark red hair as soon as I walked into Lucky’s.

  “Hey,” I said, approaching the booth she sat at, “everything okay?”

  “Yeah, everything’s great. We just haven’t done dinner alone in so long. I wanted to see you.”

  “It has been a long time,” I said, sliding out of my coat. “Who’s watching Ky?”

  “My husband.”

  Dell’s goofy grin made me roll my eyes.

  “I still can’t belie
ve you’re married.”

  “I know. Some days are so good I feel like I must be dreaming.”

  I smiled as we both scanned the menu.

  “It’s almost nine,” Dell said. “I’m starving. Let’s get an appetizer.”

  “Sounds good. I got hung up at the newsroom and was planning to hit the vending machine for dinner, so I’m glad you called.”

  “At the newsroom? I like the sound of that. Have you ever thought about working for the paper full time?”

  I wrinkled my nose and shook my head. “I had to go there because the mail readers send about my column goes to the paper. But I like the variety of what I do, and getting to travel and write about anything that grabs me.”

  “That is exciting,” Dell said.

  “Sort of. The only reliable income I have is from the column, and it’s not a lot. And I have shitty health insurance and an old car. Sometimes I think I should grow up and get a real job. Freelancing can be up and down.”

  Dell’s brow furrowed. “Do you need some money, Sade? All you have to do is say so.”

  I shook my head. “No. I just mean in general. If it’s gonna be me against the world – and clearly it is – I need to think about things like a retirement fund.”

  “You’re still so young. Love found me completely by surprise. When the sixty day thing is over and you aren’t deliberately avoiding meeting someone, you never know what might happen.” She grinned at me. “And what about … Niko?”

  The way she said his name made me narrow my eyes in confusion. “Huh?”

  “Uh, he’s … Niko’s here. Looks like he’s with Orion. You should go over and say hi.”

  “So he can toy with me and leave me sexually frustrated? No thanks.” The bitterness in my tone gave away how much he got to me, but Dell already knew anyway.

  “Sadie, he likes you. If you’re sexually frustrated around Niko, it’s your own fault.”

  “He flirts with any woman in arms’ reach,” I said, waving a hand.

  “No, he doesn’t. On the road he hangs out with Orion or Luke and Ryke.”