Page 20

EMMA
Starr and Danny said no more about the two men. I expected to see them when they escorted me to the roof, but it was just the photographer and Aleah with various lights set up all around.
Aleah waved me over and pointed to a spot in front of the camera. “Chris wants to snap a few photos to check the lighting.”
Chris smiled and waved at me. He was tall, bald, and looked to be in his mid-forties with a nicely trimmed dark beard and glasses. When I joined them, he gestured toward one of the black dots on the ground.
“Emma, just stand on that middle dot for me, please. You don’t have to do anything but stand there,” Chris advised.
I did as he said and looked around at all the views, hearing the camera snap a few times. With all the suspense, my heart started to race again. “Where are the guys?” I asked Aleah.
Aleah tried to hide her grin when she glanced down at her phone. “Here in just a sec.”
About that time, the door opened, and my mouth dropped when I got a good look at the man who walked out. Beaming, Aleah clapped her hands excitedly, but all I could do was stare in complete and utter shock. Bare-chested and dressed in low-cut jeans with mussed-up dirty blond hair and electric blue eyes was none other than my ex-boyfriend and famous hockey player, Ryan Grainger.
He walked over to Aleah and kissed her cheek as if they’d been best friends all their lives; I didn’t know they knew each other. Be that as it may, Aleah did have connections to all sorts of athletes, so it shouldn’t surprise me that they were acquainted. “Thanks for setting this up for me,” Ryan said to her.
Ryan and I had dated on and off for the past two years. Our schedules always conflicted, and we never saw each other. Did I enjoy our time together? Most certainly, but he was a huge flirt. Even though he never got caught, I had no doubt he snuck around with other women while we were together. At the same time, I wasn’t in love with him, so I never let it get to me. It was hard for someone to hurt you when they didn’t have your heart.
“What’s going on you two?” I called out.
Ryan ran over and hoisted me in his arms, making me shriek. “You are so fucking beautiful, Emma. I’ve missed you so much.” He set me down and winked over at Aleah. “Aleah’s writing a piece on me, and I wanted you with me for the photoshoot. I thought it could break the ice between us.” A smirk spread across his lips, and he laughed. “Okay, that pun kind of slipped in there.”
Rolling my eyes, I couldn’t help but giggle. “It was kind of cheesy.”
Ryan slid his arms around my waist. “What I’m saying is that I really have missed you. I want to give us another shot.”
Before I could tell him I didn’t think it would work out, the roof door opened, and my eyes locked on a familiar emerald gaze. I hated how my heart gunned into overdrive at the sight of him, dressed only in a pair of black athletic shorts with his upper body smooth and bare, showing off his well-toned muscles. Hands covered in red hand wraps, he looked like he was about to step into the ring. I loathed myself for wanting him, desiring him. I’d done my best to avoid Carter, and now he was here, his angry gaze locked on Ryan, who still had his arms around me.