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I throw up a hand to stop her.  “Yeah, unfortunately you did.  And I don’t need to hear it again, thank you very much.  Once was definitely enough.”  I can’t resist laughing as I shake my head.

Smiling, she rolls her eyes good naturedly.  Brooklyn has absolutely no problem disclosing sensitive information about her sex life.  To just about anyone.  She’s still struggling with the concept of TMI.

“Oh come on, Cass, you give me the deets on Cole and I’ll dish on Austin.  We can compare notes.  Maybe exchange some ideas.”  She wiggles her brows.

This actually has me sputtering.  “No!”  Then I add, “Hell no!”  Just to be sure she understands my position on the subject.

Dissolving into a fit of giggles, I start to wonder if maybe she’s just messing with me.  Although, like I said, knowing Brooklyn… probably not.  She’s already given me the lowdown on several guys she’s been with this semester.  Blushing profusely, I have to avert my eyes every time I run into one of them around campus.

Just as we’re both laughing, a large body scoots in next to me on the bench.  Surprised, I find myself staring right into Cole’s golden hued eyes.  Not even a heartbeat later, he leans over, smacking my lips with a quick kiss.  And even though it’s hardly anything more than a hasty caress, it’s enough to get my blood pumping.  Which, I’m embarrassed to say, only makes me think about just how good he is with his tongue…

“Hey, there.”  Pulling away, he grins happily at me.  My belly tightens as heat, and a fair amount of lust, arrow straight through me.

“You were gone when I got back this morning,” he murmurs the words softly but the look in his eyes tells me exactly what would have happened if I had stuck around.

“I needed to study for a test.”

Reaching out, he takes a drink from my water bottle.  “How’d that go?”  His fingers gravitate to mine as he traces delicate little patterns across my skin.  A thin shiver slides through my body as he continues playing with my hand.

“Good.”  Smiling, I feel some of my previous tension slowly drain away.  “It went really well.”  I love how easy it all feels with Cole.  I love how quick he is to touch me when we’re together and how it makes my skin tingle when he does.

Leaning over, he kisses me again before whispering against my lips, “You gonna stay over tonight?”  Something hot flashes within his eyes and an answering heat flares within my lower regions.  For someone who didn’t want anything to do with sex a few short months ago, he has somehow managed to turn me into a total horn ball because, I swear, it’s all I think about now.  Especially when he’s touching me like this.  It’s so completely ridiculous.

My eyes flick towards Brooklyn just as Austin slides in next to her.  Looking hopeful, his lips curve up.  But Brooklyn’s deep scowl is enough to knock the tentative smile right off his face.

I have to nip my lip with my teeth to keep from laughing because I get the feeling that this is Brooklyn’s way of torturing him.  “Um, I’m not sure.”

Uncaring of those around us, Cole leans over again, pressing his lips against mine before murmuring softly, “last night wasn’t enough to persuade you to sleep in my bed from now on?”

Actually, it had been more than enough to convince me that I never want to sleep anywhere else.  Ever.  But he needs to accept me for who I am, all of my mistakes and indiscretions, and I’m still not sure if that will happen.

When I don’t immediately answer, he says, “Cassidy?”

“Yes,” I reply softly hoping that Brooklyn and Austin are still occupied with their own drama and not paying any attention to us.  When I finally glance over at them, Brooklyn is silently shredding the last of her salad with a fork and Austin is slumped unhappily next to her.

“How about I pick you up after practice?”  Again his fingers toy with mine and I love it.  I love the way he’s always touching me.

I nod, knowing that I can’t let him distract me like he did last night.  No matter what, I have to force the words out.

“Alright, I’ll see you then.”  He glances at Austin before giving me a quick little wink, “You ready to go?”

Austin gazes at Brooklyn with his version of sad puppy dog eyes as if that will somehow thaw her iciness towards him. It won’t.  And by this point, he probably knows it.  “Yeah,” he sighs with just a hint of frustration, “let’s go.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

It feels so good to fly down the ice with the puck before snapping it into the net with a quick flick of my wrist.  When I’m out here, I can shut everything off and just focus on the game.  I can lose myself in the physical exertion of it all.

“You suck, Jameson!”

Our goalie shakes her head back and forth clearly irritated that I was able to slip another puck past her defenses.  I grin around my neon pink mouth guard before skating back to center ice.  Sammy glides over before slapping me on the shoulder.  I wince from the impact.

“Nice goal, Jameson.  The team really seems to be shaping up.  I think we’re going to have an awesome season this year- glad you decided to join us.”

That makes two of us.  Because playing with this group of girls is quickly turning out to be one of the best things in my life.  I can’t believe just how much I’m enjoying hockey again.  And somehow Cole figured that out and found a way to give it to me.

I huff out a tired breath as both of us glide to center ice for another face off.  We continue scrimmaging for another forty minutes.  Half way through, I glance up into the bleachers and almost stumble as my eyes zero in on a lone figure watching practice.

Squinting, I try getting a better look.  My eyes have to be playing tricks on me because I think… I think Luke is sitting up there.

And it feels as if his eyes are trained right on me.  A thin shiver of unease slithers its way down my spine before I abruptly turn away, thankful that there’s just a number plastered across the back of my practice jersey and not my name.

Why is he sitting up there?

Is he here watching me?

The last question bothers me the most.  Brooklyn’s words from earlier today echo hollowly throughout my head.  I don’t want him causing problems between Cole and me.

Seeing him here at practice, running into him on campus earlier today… it can’t just be a coincidence.  There’s a reason he sought me out today and there’s a reason that he’s sitting in the stands watching me now.  Gulping I try forcing him out of my mind but I can’t.  For the remainder of practice, I can’t stop wondering what he wants.  It’s those very thoughts that have me losing focus.  They cause me to miss shots I could have easily made.  Or miss an edge on my skate which then sends me tumbling down.  Every couple of minutes, I’m glancing nervously over my shoulder, checking to see if he’s still there.

And every time I do, it feels as if my eyes catch his.

As soon as the buzzer goes off, calling an end to practice, I jump off the ice and race to the locker room where I quickly shower and change.  I’m almost afraid to return to the rink.  I’m terrified that he’ll be out there waiting for me.

How did he know I was playing hockey again?

Is he following me?

Another thin shiver slips down my spine.

Sammy is just sliding into her skinny jeans when I ask, “Did you notice a guy up in the stands watching us?”  Striving for casual, I still hear the slight tremble that threads its way through my voice.

Looking unconcerned, she shrugs. “Sometimes people watch us practice. It’s not a big deal.”  She eyes me for a moment.  “Do you know who it was?”

Biting down on my lower lip, I’m not really sure if I should tell her or not.  Is it possible that I’m just overreacting?  “I think it was one of the guys from the men’s hockey team- Luke something or other.”

Tying her shoes, she nods her head.  “Yeah, I know him.  He’s new this year, just transferred in.  Went to a big school out East.  Wasn’t getting enough playing time, so he left.”  She flashes me a big grin.  “I got the lowdown from Cole cause that boy is smoking hot with a capital H.”  She wiggles her brows as she purrs out the words.

“Does he have a girlfriend?”  Maybe he’s here watching someone else.  Is it possible that I’m just a paranoid freak on top of everything else?  I’m kind of hoping that’s the case.

Sammy raises a brow.  “Not that I know of.”  Her smile slowly diminishes as her eyes narrow.  “Why?  Are you interested?”  She looks suspicious which almost makes me laugh because I want to stay as far away from Luke as I can possibly get.  And I sure as hell don’t want to date him.  Or be with him.  Or have anything to do with him.

Quickly I shake my head.  As much as I like Sammy, I’m not about to confide the actual truth.  “No, not at all.”

Slamming her locker door shut, she says, “Good, because my cousin really likes you and,” she pauses, flexing her pipes, “I’d definitely have to kick your ass if you hurt him.  That guy is like a brother to me.”

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Sammy couldn’t wipe the floor with me.  She’s a total hard ass. But she’s a likable hard ass.  As long as you stay on her good side, that is.  “I won’t hurt him.”  Even as I say the words, I hope they’re true.

“Good, because he’s been hurt enough.”  She eyes me for a moment before packing up her bag.  “Has he told you anything about Jackie?”

Jackie…  I would have definitely remembered if Cole had brought up another girl. “No, he hasn’t mentioned her.”  At all.  And then I suddenly wonder if she’s the one he had referred to after the party when we were sitting in his car outside the dorm.  It had kind of sounded like she had cheated on him. But he hasn’t mentioned her since then.

Sammy nods her head as if she’s not surprised.  “He doesn’t like to talk about her.”

I really shouldn’t pump Sammy for information about Cole, especially when I haven’t exactly been forthcoming with my own background.  But I just can’t resist.  I want to know what happened between them.  “Were they together long?”

Sammy laughs before shaking her head.  “Yeah, they were friends for most their lives and then dated in high school.  They split last year.  It was pretty ugly.”

Her words have me sinking down onto the wooden bench in surprise.  “Oh.”  Friends their entire lives?  Dated throughout high school?  That sounds serious.  “What happened?”

She holds my eyes for a long moment as if debating whether or not to tell me.  “You know what, I shouldn’t have mentioned anything.”  She pulls her long blonde hair up into a high ponytail.  “If you have questions, you need to talk to Cole about it.  I guess I just wanted you to know that he hasn’t dated anyone seriously since Jackie and he really seems into you… so don’t hurt him.  That bitch put him through the wringer last year.  He deserves a nice girl.”  Her lips finally turn up at the corners.  “And I think that girl is you.”

My insides twist painfully as I nod my head.

But I haven’t always been a nice girl… Because nice girls don’t get wasted and sleep around.

Hauling her bag onto her shoulder, she finally asks, “You ready to head out?  Do you need a ride home?”

The thought of getting into the deathtrap that Sammy calls a car is enough to unsettle my stomach.  “Ah, no, Cole is picking me up.”  Feeling preoccupied, I can’t stop thinking about what she just revealed.  I guess we both have our secrets.

Oblivious to my churning thoughts, a big smile spreads across her face.  “Well come on then, let’s get the hell out of here.”

As we push out of the locker room door into the ice rink, I can’t help but quickly scan the bleachers that flank the rink.  Another team is already warming up, skating through drills.  A few people dot the stands but there’s no sign of Luke.  I quickly release a sigh of relief.

Once we’re in the lobby, I finally begin to loosen up.  There’s still no sign of Luke anywhere which only makes me wonder if he was really there to begin with. Instead of dwelling on it, I shake off the paranoia and head for the parking lot with Sammy at my side.  Cole is waiting for me right at the curb.

He pops open the trunk and I throw my bag inside before closing it and waving goodbye to Sammy.  Then I slide into the front seat beside him.  Leaning over, Cole greets me with a soft kiss.  His warm lips slant across mine as he pulls my body close.

After a heated moment, he whispers, “I missed you.”

Not waiting for a reply, his mouth crashes down upon mine and then all I can think about is him.  For a heartbeat or maybe twenty of them, I’m lost.  Completely and utterly lost in him.  And as much as I want to feel him pressing against me, as much as I want to forget about Luke and my past… I just can’t.  Not tonight.  I need to tell him the truth.  I want to get it out before things go any further between us.

Sucking in a deep breath, I gently push against the solid wall of his chest.  When he finally realizes what I’m trying to do, he pulls back until he’s able to meet my eyes.

“We need to talk.”

Smiling, his fingers steal over my face.  “Okay, what do you want to talk about?”  He smirks just a bit as his eyes drop to my lips.

I glance around the parking lot not really wanting to have this conversation here.  “Is there somewhere more private we can go?”

His eyes snap back up to mine before he carefully searches my gaze as if only now realizing that what I need to tell him is important.  “Sure.” Reaching over, he slides the seatbelt across my chest.  “Sounds serious.”