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He looks over his shoulder toward the kitchen. “I’ve got some left-over chili Mom brought over yesterday if you want to stay. I can reheat us some.”

I cock my head to side, “Aww. Such a mommy’s boy.”

Something flashes in his eyes as he takes a step closer. I can smell his woodsy cologne, making my knees weak. He leans down until our foreheads are only centimeters apart. “I might be many things, but I’m definitely no mommy’s boy, Rocket.”

A delicious shiver shoots straight to my core. I’ve never heard him speak like that before, his voice is deep and oh-so sexy. Reaching up on my tiptoes, I close the space between us a little more. “No?”

He shakes his head, his pupils blown slightly. “No. I’m not a very good boy.”

Oh. Holy. Hell.

He pins me with a shit eating, definitely-made-you-wet grin and stalks off toward the kitchen.

What the fuck just happened, and where didthatZach Evans come from?

For a change,the stars are bright in the clear night sky; it’s been overcast the past few days. So when I commented that Ursa Major is visible tonight, and it’s one of my favorites, Zach pulled the small couch out onto the veranda so we could watch the constellation.

“I think you could do with some permanent furniture out here,” I say, leaning back and tucking my feet under myself.

“Yeah, I’ll put some on order.” He leans back too, staring up at the sky. “Where’s Orion’s Belt?”

I chuckle. “That’s only visible during the winter months, typically from January through April. Some say it’s possible to see it during the summer in the southern hemisphere and others claim they’ve seen it across the globe all year round, but I haven’t. Especially with my telescope. That thing’s seen better days.”

He stays quiet for a few beats as the soft evening breeze and sound of ocean waves cast a peaceful feeling across me.

“I haven’t seen many barbecues since that first one we went to when I arrived back.”

I shrug. “They’re few and far between. It's normally Luke who arranges them, but he hasn’t been around as much.”

I feel Zach tense a little, his arm pressed up against mine. “Yeah, he’s busy with Dad, I think.”

“I’m not a massive fan of them anyway. I only went to the last one because I heard you’d be there.” The words tumble from my mouth before I can stop them, and my entire body heats at how much I’ve revealed. Even though I kissed him, somehow telling him I was only showing up to see him feels more intimate.

He turns and pokes me lightly in the ribs. “Yeah? I didn’t know I was that special to you.”

I shrug nonchalantly, trying to backpedal as best I can. “Must’ve got you confused with another Zach, but I’m kind of stuck with you now.”

He wraps an arm around my shoulders and pulls me into his chiseled body. I feel the heat radiating from him through his thin, fitted, black shirt, and I lean so my back is flat to his chest. One of his arms comes around me, and before I can registerwhat I’m doing, my fingers lightly trace the tattoos decorating his tanned skin.

“What does this one mean?” I point to an intricate illustration of a tiger just above his elbow.

He looks down and straightens his arm out in my lap, his chin resting on my shoulder. “That’s a Sumatran Tiger. One of the rarest and most endangered species.”

“Does this one have a meaning?” I remember that not all his tattoos do; some he got because he simply loved how they looked.

“That one? Yeah. Mom always said I was a Sumatran. A rarity and a fighter.”

“I can see that. On the ice for sure.”

“Yeah. Too many fights to count.”

I turn to face him, his sparkling turquoise eyes framed by thick, dark lashes as they search mine. “I know you’ve always defended everyone out there, but CTE is a real thing you know. There are only so many blows your head can take. I know…” I pause and consider my next words carefully, I don’t want to upset him. “I know you're fully recovered from the spinal concussion from the hit in December, but it's the fights I worry about. It’s the long-term damage they might be causing.”

He draws in a huge breath, sucking me back into him further. “Yeah, I know. But it’s what my game is built around. The fear factor. People are answerable to me. Plus, if I can rile them up enough to get a penalty, we get a power play. It’s all tactical. I’m there to protect the smaller guys like Jessie.”

I press my lips together. “So, who’s looking after you? Who’s got your back out there?”

His brows raise at that, like he wasn’t expecting me to push hard on this, but I do. Because I care. “Don’t worry about me, Luna. I can take care of myself.”