Page 29 of Hutch (Minnesota Raptors #2)

“Good girl,” I whisper, love swelling up inside of me and nearly cutting off my air. The rush of emotions is so unexpected, I almost step back, but good thing my feet ignores my first instinct.

“I’m glad you didn’t let me run you off,” she whispers softly.

“Never.” I do step back, but only to turn her to face me. Tipping her face up, I look down into those beautiful green eyes of hers. “I’m not going anywhere.”

She snorts. “You’ll be gone more than you’re home. You’re a big shot hockey star now.”

“I’m still me and that’s not going to change.”

“Do you promise? You won’t let the fame go to your head and turn you into a self-absorbed asshole?”

“My mother would disown me.” The thought of it is enough to sober me. “She’d kick my ass six ways to Sunday.”

“She’s a good mom.”

“The best,” I agree. I really, really want to kiss her, but if I move to fast, she’ll run.

She sighs. “Collin is probably starving.”

“He’s fine.” I cup her face in my very large hand. It looks so fragile and small cradled in my palm. How could anyone want to hurt her? “Daisy?”

“Hmm?”

“Can I kiss you? I’ve wanted to kiss you since I first met you, but if you’re not ready, I’ll wait.”

“I…”

Smiling gently, I stroke my thumb over her cheek. “I can wait, sweetheart. I understand now why you’re so gun shy about relationships and I can be your friend until you’re ready for more.”

I keep saying that, but every instinct I have screams at me to claim her, to protect her, to show her she never has to be afraid of me and to know I’ll always be there for her when she needs me.

“It’s not that I don’t want to kiss you,” she whispers, her eyes large and guarded. “I’m just afraid.”

I lean my head down until my forehead presses against hers and all I can see is her eyes. “I know, baby, and that’s why I can wait. I never want you to be afraid of me.”

“I’m not afraid of you .” Her denial is swift. “Not in a physical way at least.”

“Then how are you afraid of me?”

“You’re leaving. You’re going to be famous.”

I snort. I have a long way to go before I’m famous.

She smiles sadly. “You’re already famous here in Minnesota. Once the world of hockey sees you play, they’ll love you.”

“And that’s a bad thing?”

“Fame can change people. There will be temptations out there you might not be able to resist. Parties all the time, girls everywhere. I’m just afraid if I let myself care about you, it’ll be me who ends up crying on the floor because you broke my heart.

I don’t know if I can get through another bout of pain like that. You have the potential to destroy me.”

The fact she told me all that means she already cares and she’s afraid of her own feelings.

Yeah, Mom made me watch a lot of Doctor Phil growing up.

I’m good at deciphering emotional shit. My cousin always said I should go into psychology, but I’d end up saying the wrong thing to the wrong person and it could have dire consequences for one or both of us.

I know myself well enough to steer clear of that profession and its pitfalls.

But in this instance, I’m glad for all those afternoons with the good old doctor playing on the TV in the background. He gave me the tools to navigate this potential land mine.

“You’re right. There will be parties and lots of girls everywhere. But I’m not concerned with them. I’m only concerned with one little bit of scrappy fluff with red hair and bewitching green eyes. I haven’t so much as looked at another girl since you ran into me. I don’t want to.”

She shakes her head. “You don’t know that won’t change.”

“Do you think I’m the kind of guy to lie to you?”

“No.”

“Then believe me when I say I don’t want another woman. I’ll wait for you for as long as you need me to. That’s how confident I am that you’re going to be my girl for keeps.”

“You sound like a cheesy character in a high school movie.”

I give her my best cheeky grin. “Doesn’t make what I say any less real.”

I start to make a joke about being every high school girl’s dream but think better of it. Given what her ex had done with all the cheating, I’m guessing it won’t land well or be at all funny to her.

She sighs. “I want so much to believe you.”

“Eventually, you will.” I tweak her nose and step back. “Let’s feed Collin. He’s probably running around with a grumbling stomach and complaining to anyone who’ll listen about it.”

“He eats a lot.”

“More than me,” I agree.

“How long have you two been best friends?”

“Since kindergarten. We took him in when his parents were deported. He was born here and they weren’t.”

“That’s awful. Not that you took him in, but that they were deported. If people are working and making an effort, they should be able to work towards citizenship.”

“I agree and that’s why we are going to hire lawyers to try and get them back.”

She smiles slightly and starts to turn toward the stove but hugs me instead. I’m a little shocked. Usually it’s me who’s pulling her in. This is the first time she’s done it on her own, at least consciously. The shock doesn’t stop me from hugging her back as tight as I can.

Leaning up, she kisses my cheek. “Thank you for understanding and not pushing. That means more to me than anything else.”

And I was right not to just kiss her. Letting her be the one to control when our first kiss will be helped to settle her nerves and make her feel in control. After what asshat did, she deserves to feel as in control as possible.

“I’m here for whatever you need sweetheart.”

She gives me a real smile and steps away from me, turning back to the cooling mac and cheese.

I take her que and leave the kitchen to go find Collin. I won’t be gone long, but she probably needs a minute after everything she told us and then her conversation with me.

Waiting might suck balls, but she’ll be worth it in the end.

Because Daisy is mine, even if she can’t admit it yet.