Page 18

Chapter 18

Piper

Q uinn and I entered the Xcel Energy Center, which had been transformed from its normal ice arena. Where the ice rink had been were now dozens of round tables covered in white tablecloths with burgundy and green floral centerpieces. The lighting was subdued, and a band was playing music on one end by the empty dance floor. Guests and players milled about as servers walked through the room offering hors d’oeuvres and cocktails. A few Christmas trees were set in the corners, giving a subtle nod to the upcoming holiday.

The arena wasn’t the only transformation. The players, who I normally saw in either hockey pads or sweats, were all looking sharp in their tuxedos, ready for a formal night of plated meals, paid servers, dancing, and of course, our annual auction.

Somehow, with a few hundred people here, I was still able to spot Zeke easily in the crowd talking with a few of his teammates. From his dark curls to his broad shoulders and those clear blue eyes, he was hard to miss. And to see him in a tuxedo in person? Yeah, that was an experience in and of itself. He looked like he belonged on a red carpet somewhere.

“You’re drooling,” Quinn said as we made our way farther into the crowd.

“Oh, stop it.” I lightly swatted her arm. “I am not.”

“Don’t be ashamed. I am too.” She waggled her eyebrows as her gaze swung from one hockey player to the next.

Maybe bringing Quinn hadn’t been a good idea. As much as I was against love and relationships, she was the exact opposite. She would run headfirst into a relationship, always wearing her heart on her sleeve—although her relationships never lasted long. She was more of a ‘this was fun while it lasted but let’s see what else is out there’ kind of person. There had been plenty of men who had enjoyed her carefree approach to relationships, but she had also left plenty of heartbroken men in her wake. She was hard not to like, with her free spirit and quick smile. The last thing I needed was her getting involved with one of the players on the team. I did not want to deal with whatever fallout would surely come from that.

“You can flirt but nothing more,” I warned.

“Boo. You’re no fun,” she pouted. “Why do you get to have a hockey player on the team, but I can’t?”

“I do not have a player on the team,” I said adamantly.

“Oh, really?” She pursed her lips. “What would you call that coffee date with a certain hockey player you kissed?”

“Shh,” I hissed, looking around to make sure no one had overheard her. Although I guessed the entire team had seen that kiss, I wasn’t sure the news had reached management yet, and I wanted to keep it that way. “And it was not a date. It was a coincidental run-in, and you know it.”

“Do I know that?” She feigned ignorance. “Because with the way he is looking at you right now, I would guess there is definitely something going on between you two. Date or not.”

I followed her gaze to find Zeke’s eyes raking down my body and back up again, the heat in them letting me know how much he liked my dress.

I wished I could say I hadn’t thought about him while trying to find a dress, but that would have been a lie. When I had tried on this emerald-green dress, with its combination of satin and lace, I’d known it was the one. The off-the-shoulder gown had a corset bodice with swirls of sparkling embellished lace and satin stripes over the supportive boning, which led to smooth satin that stretched across my hips, showing off my curves, and a side slit that added the perfect final touch. I’d left my hair down, my golden-brown strands falling around my shoulders in loose waves. With the way he was looking at me, this dress was worth every penny, and it had been worth every minute spent getting ready for tonight. Relationship or no relationship, I enjoyed whatever was going on between Zeke and me.

Once his eyes landed back on my face, I raised my brows as if to say, ‘like what you see?’

His lips tipped up in a wolfish grin that told me his answer was very much a yes.

“Yeah, you two are as subtle as a brick to the face,” Quinn said, causing me to take my eyes off Zeke. “Although I can’t blame him for ogling you. You look hot in that dress.”

I couldn’t deny that Zeke and I weren’t always great at hiding our attraction to one another, but maybe it worked with the fake dating story we had started in Chicago and no one would think anything of it.

Before I could respond, Ryder joined us. “Good evening, ladies,” he said. “Piper, you are looking lovely as always. And who is your guest?”

I should have known he—and probably every other single player on the team—would be clamoring to meet Quinn. She looked beautiful in her soft pink gown with the heart shaped neckline, tulle and chiffon cascading down along her legs. The dress was flowy and sweet, like her personality.

“Ryder, this is my sister Quinn,” I told him. Then turned to my sister, “And this is Ryder, the team’s?—”

“Forward. I know.” She held out her hand in greeting, and instead of shaking it, he took it and placed a light kiss on her knuckles.

I didn’t even try to hide my eye roll.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Zeke making his way toward me, and a spark of excitement ignited in me. Anxious nerves spread through my body just knowing he was coming over. The power this man had on me was a dangerous thing, and I couldn’t seem to get control of it. Did he have any clue what he did to me without even trying? I wanted so desperately not to feel anything for him, to feel as much anonymity toward him as I had when Ryder had joined us, but I had a feeling that would never be the case when it came to Zeke, no matter how much I wished for it.

“Good evening,” he said to me, his voice gliding over my skin, causing goosebumps to form. He nodded a hello to Quinn. “Nice to see you again,” he said to her, but the voice he used with her was different.

Or maybe it was all in my head. I wasn’t sure.

“Hi, Zeke,” she said in a knowing tone, like she’d caught the way his two greetings were very different. She gave me a ‘go get him’ look before turning back to Ryder and asking him to introduce her to the rest of the team, effectively leaving Zeke and me alone. And she had said I wasn’t subtle.

A server walked by with champagne flutes, and I took one, grateful to have something in my hands and a place to let my gaze focus on when looking at Zeke became too much.

I inhaled a breath to calm my unwanted nerves. “You clean up nice.” I lifted my glass to my lips.

Zeke smirked. “You almost sound surprised.”

Surprised? Yes, but not in the way he was meaning. I was surprised he had somehow become even better looking. I hadn’t thought it possible, but clearly it was.

I shrugged, trying to pull off a flirty and unaffected vibe. “More like I’m enjoying the view.”

He smiled. “You clean up nice too.”

“You almost sound surprised,” I said, using his same words.

His smile turned to one of awe. “More like you are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

I almost dropped my glass at the sincerity in his eyes.

We stood there in an energy-filled silence for a heartbeat before Coach Hill’s voice came out over the speakers.

“Welcome, everyone, to our annual charity gala,” he said.

He continued by thanking us for coming, for the donations, and ended by giving us the schedule for the evening, letting us know that dinner was next on the agenda.

Zeke followed me as I made my way to the table where Quinn was already sitting with Ryder. I sat next to Quinn with Zeke on my other side and Holden on the other side of him. A few other players filled in the remaining four seats.

Conversation flowed easily between us all, and I found I was having a good time. A few times Zeke put his arm around the back of my chair and leaned in to say something to me, the whisper of his breath on my ear giving me a shiver. The other teammates didn’t even blink an eye at the two of us, like it was normal we would be sitting close and whispering to one another, and I was grateful there wasn’t any added attention on us. At one point Zeke left his arm around me, his fingers lightly tracing patterns on my exposed shoulder. It was soothing and comforting, and when he eventually removed his arm, I missed the closeness of him.

As the dinner plates were cleared and the band started playing a slow, melodic tune, Zeke stood and extended a hand. I hesitated for only a beat before sliding my palm against his. He led me onto the dance floor, his large hands settling on my waist as I rested mine on his broad shoulders.

“See? Not so bad,” Zeke murmured as we swayed to the music, going back to the conversation we’d had at the coffee shop about his dancing skills.

“Hmm, but we’ve only just begun,” I mused. “You could still step on my feet.”

“Highly unlikely,” he said, a teasing glint in his eye. “You forget, I have excellent footwork.”

I huffed a laugh as we continued to move in sync. As someone who had watched him play hockey, I could definitely agree he had excellent footwork.

Zeke nodded his head toward Quinn and Ryder where they danced several feet away from us. “Are you concerned about Ryder taking an interest in your sister?”

I watched as Ryder spun Quinn on the dance floor, her laughter floating through the air. “I’m more worried for Ryder. Quinn isn’t one to get too attached.”

“What do you mean?”

“While I steer clear of love altogether, Quinn embraces the fun and excitement that come with new feelings and new relationships. But eventually the newness wears off, and she grows weary of it all.” I paused as we continued to sway to the music. “Although…” I teetered on whether to tell him my theory of why she did that or to keep my thoughts to myself.

“Although…what?” he asked, clearly interested in what I had been about to share.

I sighed. “I’ve always wondered if that is her way of keeping her heart safe. If she never gets into a relationship she thinks might actually last, she’ll never be sad when it ends.”

He nodded, looking contemplative as he took a moment to digest my words. “That is a very likely reality.” He didn’t say anymore, but I felt like if I stayed quiet, he might continue sharing his thoughts with me.

I wasn’t sure how I knew this about him. All our therapy sessions and time spent together recently were the most likely reasons, but it also seemed like my body was attuned to him in a way that was very new to me. Now was not the time to examine why I felt that way with him, so I focused my attention on not stepping on his toes. How embarrassing would it be to have teased him about stepping on my feet, to then do it to him? I wasn’t a clumsy person, but I wouldn’t put it past me to get lost in my thoughts about Zeke.

“In a way,” he finally continued, his tone soft, “I feel like I can relate a bit to your sister’s thought process. It’s easier to keep things superficial, to ensure your heart doesn’t get involved. Where I differ from her is that I don’t get in relationships at all, not even ones I know won’t last or are just for fun. It’s too risky.” His face took on a somber expression. “Because as soon as your heart gets attached to someone, that is when you’re vulnerable.”

The playful energy that had been here before shifted into something quieter, more personal. Zeke swallowed hard, his usual bravado seeming to dim.

Anna’s name popped up in my mind. She had been the one to crush Zeke’s heart. The desire to know what happened between them thrummed through my veins, and I couldn’t have stopped the question coming out if I tried. I wanted to know so badly how she had hurt him, to understand why he felt he could never trust himself with another woman.

In a gentle voice, I asked, “How did things end between you and Anna?”

For a split second, he seemed surprised by my question. Whether it was the question itself or that I knew the relationship with Anna had changed him, I didn’t know.

His jaw clenched for a moment before he exhaled through his nose. “She left me…waiting for her at the altar.”

I stumbled as our feet continued to move, but he quickly steadied me. His answer shocked me, leaving me speechless. He’d been engaged to Anna? All his reservations and distaste for love and relationships clicked into place. It was easy to picture Zeke dressed up in a tuxedo—since I was currently dancing with that Zeke—waiting for his bride-to-be to walk down the aisle, only to be jilted. My heart hurt for him. He would be married now if she hadn’t left. The thought made me feel momentarily sick, but I pushed that away so I could focus on this man in front of me who was kind and fun and…hurt.

“I felt like such a fool.” He forced a chuckle, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “A whole church full of people. The decorations, the flowers, the cake. The works. Except the bride was nowhere to be found.”

My fingers tightened slightly on his shoulder. “Zeke, that’s—gosh, that’s awful. I’m so sorry.”

“Eh. Was a long time ago.” He shrugged like it didn’t matter, but I could see the flicker of something vulnerable beneath the surface.

“That kind of thing doesn’t just go away,” I said gently. “It must’ve really messed with you.”

He let out a low hum. “Made me rethink the whole ‘forever’ thing, that’s for sure. Doesn’t seem like a real thing to me anymore.”

I studied him, my expression shifting to what I hoped looked like understanding. “I get it. Not that I’ve experienced something as difficult as you, but I wanted to believe in forever, too, despite my childhood. Until my ex proved I’d been foolish to do so.”

Zeke’s grip on my waist tightened slightly. “Jordan.” It came out like a curse.

I nodded, my throat working as I swallowed. “He made me think we were solid. That I was the only one. Turns out, I was just one of many.”

“He’s an idiot,” he practically growled. “He never deserved you.”

“Maybe.” My voice was quiet, my fingers tracing the back of his neck absentmindedly. “But it still made me question everything. Especially love.”

He looked down at me, his gaze softening into something deep and unreadable. “Guess we’re both pretty messed up, huh?”

A small, sad smile tugged at my lips. “Seems that way.”

We swayed in silence for a moment, the music wrapping around us like a cocoon.

And then, before I could second-guess it, I tilted up my chin. Maybe it was the way he was looking at me, like I was something worth holding onto, or maybe it was the ache of shared scars between us. Either way, I started to close the distance, and Zeke met me halfway.

The kiss was slow, deliberate. His lips were warm, firm, and the moment they touched mine, something in my chest cracked wide open. His fingers curled at my waist, pulling me a fraction closer, deepening the kiss for a lingering moment before we both pulled back, breathless.

Zeke searched my eyes. “Piper?—”

“Don’t,” I whispered. “Just…let’s not ruin it.”

I wasn’t sure how we’d gotten from talking about being against love and relationships to sharing a kiss that felt like a whole lot more than just a kiss, but here we were. And I didn’t want to dissect it or try to explain it. I just wanted to revel in the moment, to enjoy the feel of being in his arms and having him kiss me like I was someone he cherished.

He nodded slowly, his thumb brushing over my hip. “Okay.”

We kept dancing, but everything between us had changed. Now I just had to figure out whether I wanted to deny it or accept it.