Page 15 of Make Me Yours (Chicago Railers Hockey #1)

LILAH

T he energy inside the Kingston Landry Arena is electric. Palpable in that bone-deep, pulse-quickening way only a sold-out hockey game can be. A sea of blue Railers jerseys ripples through the stands, and the crowd roars as the puck is dropped at center ice.

I’ve been in this building a hundred times, but tonight feels charged in a way I can’t explain. Maybe it’s because I’m watching Steele with fresh eyes. Or maybe it’s because I haven’t stopped thinking about the way he looked at me earlier in the car.

Like I’m not just his best friend.

Like I’m something more.

I adjust the sleeves of the oversized Sanderson jersey I’m wearing. The same one he left folded on the back of the couch this afternoon with a note that said?—

Wear me tonight. Don’t argue.

The man is bossy.

Thoughtful.

And hard to ignore.

Rina leans in from her seat beside me, holding a glass of wine and smirking like she knows something I don’ t.

“Soooo,” she says, dragging the word out. “Cam sent over a few of the test shots from this morning.”

I blink in surprise. “Already? That was fast.”

She nods, tossing a piece of popcorn into her mouth. “He was excited. Said the lighting was perfect and your chemistry with Steele was off the charts.”

Heat creeps into my cheeks. “We were just following his direction.”

“Uh-huh.” Rina chews thoughtfully, eyes pinned on me like she can see right through my casual tone. “Well, ‘just following direction’ is about to sell a whole lot of luxury watches.”

Before I can respond, Evelyn, who’s seated across from us on one of the sleek leather couches, chimes in, her lips curved around the rim of her wine glass.

“I saw the photographs,” she adds, “and they were absolutely stunning.”

I flush harder and pretend to focus on the ice. “I doubt the photos were any better than the ones with the model.”

Rina snorts. “Please. They were way better. You two looked hot. Like incinerate-your-panties kind of hot.” She waves a hand in the air, searching for the right word. “Combustible,” she says with a grin. “I’ve seen smolder before, but whatever you and Steele had going on was full-body heat.”

I press my lips together and try not to let her see how those words affect me.

“Well, that’s good,” I manage lightly. “At least the client will be happy.”

“Mm-hmm,” Rina makes a low sound of amusement before leaning in as if she’s sharing a secret. “Oh, the client’s thrilled.”

It’s a relief when the suite door opens, until I see who it is. Hugh Landry strolls inside like he owns the place.

Which, technically, he does.

The suit he wears is impeccable, and his dark hair, that’s threaded with silver, is neatly combed back .

“Evening, ladies,” he drawls, giving us a nod before his attention locks on Evelyn.

“You look lovely as ever,” he says.

“Thanks,” Evelyn replies coolly, not bothering to rise from her seat. She simply lifts her wine glass in a deliberate toast and then takes a sip.

The air between them turns sharp and electric.

Hugh doesn’t miss a beat.

“Would you mind if I joined you?” he asks, his gaze skating over her in a way that borders on intimate.

Evelyn’s smile is razor-sharp as she flicks a glance toward Rina and me. “We were just discussing some rather private matters,” she says lightly, but the dismissal is unmistakable. “Perhaps another time.”

Beside me, Rina leans in, whispering behind the rim of her glass, “Five bucks says she throws that wine in his face.”

I raise an eyebrow. “That, or they make out right here. Equal odds.”

If Hugh hears us, he pretends not to.

Instead, he gestures toward the ice. “Steele’s having a hell of a game tonight.”

“Of course he is,” Evelyn says smoothly, not missing a beat. “He knows exactly what he’s playing for.”

Something flickers across Hugh’s face.

It’s not amusement.

Or anger.

It’s something heavier.

Something brittle and raw that cracks through the air between them like a thunderclap.

He straightens his cuffs with a flick of his fingers. “I’ll let you get back to it, then,” he says, tone clipped. “See you tomorrow morning at the meeting.”

“Unfortunately,” Evelyn mutters into her glass.

For the briefest moment, something that almost looks like sorrow flashes in Hugh’s eyes. But then he’s gone, the door swinging shut behind him with a muted click that somehow echoes.

Silence hangs heavy in the air for a beat before Rina releases a low whistle. “Okay,” she says, setting her glass down. “Does anyone else feel like we just witnessed the world’s frostiest form of foreplay?”

Evelyn’s cheeks pinken despite the huff of irritation she lets out. “Don’t be absurd.”

“Absurd?” Rina grins. “Maybe. But wrong? Not even a little.”

I hide my smile behind my wineglass as I glance back toward the ice.

Steele’s in the thick of it, locked in a battle along the boards. His body collides with another player, hard, but he stays on his skates, muscling through the hit and keeping the puck alive.

“The man is certainly a force to be reckoned with out there,” Rina says .

And he is.

Tonight, he’s sharper. Harder. Skating faster, hitting heavier, commanding every inch of the rink like it’s personal. Like every shift on the ice means more than just a game.

He’s always been good.

Great, even.

But tonight?

Tonight, he’s something more.

It’s like he’s on a personal mission.

Every time he scores, his gaze flicks up toward our suite, and when it finds me, it’s like being struck by lightning.

It’s direct.

Searing.

And impossible to ignore.

A chill dances down my spine, even though the room is comfortably warm. I tighten my grip on the armrest, trying to steady myself against the thudding beat of my heart.

It feels like Steele isn’t playing for the crowd.

Or even for the team.

He’s playing for me .

Evelyn murmurs from beside me, “That boy is really on fire tonight. It’s almost as if something’s gotten into him.” She tilts her head slightly, cutting me a sideways glance. “Any idea what that could be?”

My throat goes dry. I swallow hard and shake my head, the motion small and helpless.

Rina doesn’t bother to hide her smirk. She turns toward me with a raised brow, eyes sparkling with amusement. “Oh, I think I have a very good idea.”

When I fail to respond, the three of us fall into silence, each lost in our own thoughts, as the game continues to unfold below. Even as I force my attention back to the ice, I can feel the weight of Steele’s gaze and the way it lingers.

Heavy.

Unshakable.

And something inside me understands this moment, this shift between us, is just the beginning.