We both knew my words were a lie.
“I’m gonna go.” He reached for the door handle, and his name fell from my throat before I could stop it.
“Cody.”
He froze, his hand still on the handle, and slowly turned back to me. In the dim light from the overhead lamp, I could clearly see the conflict in his expression.
“Don’t,” he warned.
“I’m not—” Cutting myself off, I shook my head, swiping my tongue over my lips. His gaze dropped to my mouth, and his eyes darkened.
“Fuck,” he breathed.
I wasn’t sure who moved first, but suddenly, we were kissing, so fucking desperate and hungry, devouring each other right there in the SUV.
His mouth was hot against mine, his stubble rough against my skin as he angled his head to deepen the kiss. I gripped the front of his hoodie, pulling him closer, and he made a low noise in the back of his throat that went straight to my cock. It was the first time we’d ever kissed, and it waseverything.
In the back of my mind, I was aware that although the car park was currently deserted, it might not stay that way, and we were in full view of anyone who might pass by. But I couldn’t bring myself to care about anything except the way he tasted, the way his tongue slid against mine, the way his hand cupped my nape in a firm, possessive grip as he kissed and kissed and kissed me.
When we finally broke apart, we were both breathing hard, sharing the same air as our foreheads pressed together.
“We can’t do this,” he rasped, but he made no move to pull away.
“I know.”
His thumb brushed over my cheekbone, making my breath hitch, and for a moment, I thought he might kiss me again.
But he didn’t. Releasing me, he reached for the door handle. This time, he opened it.
“Stay away from me, Jude.” His voice was low and rough. “Please. I mean it.”
Then he was gone.
Staring into the rear-view mirror, I watched the lights of his truck disappear down the road, my lips still tingling from his kiss.
The day after tomorrow, I’d be sitting in the stands, watching him play in the first of what was potentially the biggest round of games of his career, and I’d have to pretend he meant nothing to me.
But it was impossible to pretend when the heat of his hands still warmed my skin, and the taste of him was still on my tongue.
And it was impossible to pretend that this thing between us was over.
8
Jude
The roar of the crowd hit me like a fucking freight train as I followed the assistant Brayden had arranged to escort me into the Calgary Bobcats arena. According to my brother, the arena had a capacity of around nineteen thousand. It was a small number if I compared it to the grounds of the big teams in the Premier League that held up to seventy-five thousand spectators. Even Fulham’s ground seated almost thirty thousand. But although I was used to playing in front of much bigger crowds, I’d never been confronted by such a deafening wall of sound before. The atmosphere was electric.
“Bloody hell,” I said, my eyes widening as I took in the sea of black and orange surrounding me—the colours of the Calgary Bobcats.
The guy grinned. “It’s something, eh? Just wait until the game begins.” He came to a stop in front of a section of seating in a prime position, with an amazing view of the entire rink. “You’re up here with the other friends and families of the players. Best seats in the house.”
I thanked him before taking my seat, staring out across the glittering ice. In just a few minutes, I’d see Cody again for thefirst time since the car park, and I’d have to sit here and pretend he was just another member of the team.
His words still played on repeat in my mind.Stay away from me, Jude. Please. I mean it.
I just hoped I was strong enough to do as he’d asked.
The teams appeared from the tunnels, ready for the warm-up, and I scanned the players in black and orange jerseys, my breath catching in my throat as I spotted both number 39 and number 71. Brayden looked confident and focused as he moved across the ice, and some of my tension eased. We’d met up for coffee this morning, and he’d spoken about how much the Stanley Cup meant to him, a visible tremor in his hands as he clasped his cup. Although I’d done my best to reassure him, I wasn’t sure if my words had even registered. It was the most important moment of his career, and I’d been worried that the pressure was getting too intense.
