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“That sounds great, yeah. When?”

“I’ll pick you up at half past two?”

Max nodded, teeth digging into his plush bottom lip again. I longed to pull it free and kiss him again.

“Me, too, Cap, me too,” he muttered.Shit.My thoughts had shown on my face. “I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?”

“Yes. Don’t forget this. It’s yours.” I held the gingerbread heart out to him.

“Do you know what it says?” Max pursed his lips as he took it from me. “Thank you.”

“No, I don’t.” My German was only good enough to order drinks and do my shopping. I should practice more, but hockey always got in the way.

“It says ‘Fescher Bua’. That’s ‘hot guy’ in English.”

My cheeks heated. I’d asked the guy to surprise me with two of the hearts.

“And the other one?” I asked to gloss over my embarrassment.

The bag crinkled when Max pulled it out.

“Herzerl. The Bavarian version of darling,” he explained.

“So you should have them both,” I told him, making him laugh.

“You take this.” He gave me the one that read ‘hot guy’, picking the other for himself.

My brain went haywire. I thought I was having an aneurysm.

No. You’re just hopelessly in love.

I walked home through the balmy night air and found a message from Max on my phone when I arrived at my place.

Max: I wanted to kiss you so badly

Max: Will have to make it up to you tomorrow

Max: Sweet dreams, Cap x

For a moment, I felt sick to my stomach about what I was doing. I’d taken Max under my wing.

I’m his captain. What the fuck am I doing?

But, my God, I just had to be near him.

He doesn’t want you to stay away.

As always Max was the last thing on my mind before I fell asleep.

I would take care of my raven and relieve him of whatever weight he carried on his shoulders. And that ex of his—that asshole—would learn his lesson.

You don’t mess with what’s mine.

Fourteen

Max

Arne picked me up early the next day, as if he, too, couldn’t stay away.