Page 25 of Game Changer (Wynn Hockey #5)

I let a few moments pass and then say, “I missed sleeping with you the last few nights.”

Jax chokes on his beer. “Jesus, Molly.”

I laugh. “You know I mean sleeping as in sleeping, not boinking.”

He coughs again. But if I wanted him to say he missed me too, he doesn’t. Damn.

What am I doing? I swallow a sigh.

Jax gets up and ambles inside, returning with another beer and the bottle of wine. He refills my glass.

“Thanks.”

“So what kinds of things we can do here?”

“Well, we don’t have a boat anymore, but we can rent one at the pier. We can fish or water ski.”

Now I’m the one choking. “I can’t water ski.”

He grins. “Okay.”

“And I don’t think I want to fish either.”

“That’s okay, I’m not that much into fishing.”

I huff. “Tell me things you want to do, then.”

“We have a canoe. That might be more your speed.”

I give him a reproving look, even though he’s right.

“There are tennis courts and a golf course. It’s a great course. There’s the beach, obviously. Different beaches. We can go out to the wishing well. There’s a bison enclosure at Lake Audy.”

“Bison?” I perk up. “That would be cool.”

“Yeah, it is. Maybe we’ll see a bear or some moose.”

My eyes widen. “Bear?”

“Yeah, they wander around all over the place here.”

I glance nervously at the bushes and sit up straighter.

He laughs. “I’m kidding. Well, there are bears, and they have been seen in town on occasion, but don’t worry.”

“Oh my God! Of course I’m worried. Bears!”

“There are also the shops and restaurants and the interpretive center. I think there are still bikes here, but we might have to pump up the tires. Or we could rent bikes. And there are lots of hiking trails. We should definitely do that.”

“Will there be bears?”

“Possibly.”

I’m a little nervous about this.

“If we make enough noise, they won’t come near us,” he assures me.

“Mmmm.”

“You sound doubtful.”

“I don’t want to be eaten by a bear.”

“I remember when I was a kid, there was a problem with bears in town getting into the garbage. They brought in a bear trap, and one day we walked by and there was one in it.”

“Yikes. Was it…” I cringe. “Dead?”

“No, it was a live trap. But he wasn’t too happy. We were fascinated.”

“What do they do with them when they catch them? They don’t kill them, do they?”

“No, no. They take them into the back woods and release them. Anyway, it’s why we’re careful with the garbage here. Most of the refuse bins are bear proof.”

“Good, good.” I wipe a damp palm surreptitiously on my leggings.

“There’s lots of other wildlife we might see too—fox, moose, deer, elk.” He pauses. “Cougars.”

“Oh, come on! Cougars ?”

“There are some, but we won’t likely see them.”

“I think you’re trying to scare me so I’ll go home.”

He laughs softly. “Not at all, Flynn. But I am amusing myself.”

“Jerk.” But I slant him a smile.

We sit out on the deck until the sun goes down, which is really late here because we’re farther north. It’s lovely, the air still warm and soft and freshly scented. But soon after darkness falls, the mosquitoes arrive.

“Jesus!” I slap at my arm. “I’m being attacked.”

“Uh oh. Let’s go in, then.”

“Aren’t they biting you?”

“No. They never bother me.”

“Well, that’s totally not fair.”

Inside, the windows are open to air out the cottage, but the screens keep the bugs out. I settle onto the couch.

“There’s enough wood here for a fire,” Jax says. “I’ll get one going.”

“That would be nice.”

“I’ll see if there’s bug spray around. There are usually a few cans of Deep Woods Off here.”

He opens the damper and sets to building a fire, looking impressively competent.

Jesus. I’m getting turned on watching him start a fire.

“Were you a Boy Scout?” I ask.

He laughs. “Nope. Never had time for that. Hockey took all my time.”

“Mmmm. I guess. But you know how to chop wood and start a fire and water ski.”

“That’s just from spending summers here. Grandpa made me chop wood, and I learned to start a fire from him.”

“And you learned to play hockey from your other grandpa.”

He flashes me a smile as he strikes a match. “Yeah.”

Soon the fire is blazing. With the darkness beyond the windows, it’s so cozy and charming I could just melt into a puddle of bliss. “I want to stay here forever,” I announce.

“Yeah?” He takes a seat on the couch too, at the other end. “Even with mosquitoes?”

“Bastards. I’ll douse myself in DEET. It’ll be fine.”

We exchange a smile, full of contentment, tranquility and…okay, a little tingle between my thighs. And when Jax’s eyes darken and his mouth softens as he looks at me, I think he feels something too.

I think about what Brielle said—what would be wrong if something happened? Jax and I are both single. Neither of us is looking for any kind of relationship.

But I know this isn’t the right guy to be my “rebound.” He’s Steve’s teammate. That’s a huge complication. It wouldn’t be fair to put Jax in that position. Except…nobody knows we’re here. Other than my girls. And they won’t tell anyone.

Heat starts low inside me and spreads through me until I feel like I’m glowing like the fire.

No. We can’t do that.