“I’m a little—”
She didn’t get to finish because he spun her in his arms, his hands going behind her to lock her against his body.
“Gorgeous, Maisie. And it’s a lot. You’re alotgorgeous. In a bikini, a garbage bag, and my personal favorite,” he said quietly, dipping his mouth to her ear, “nothing at all.”
She’d have to remember the trick to staying warm in the winter months was standing anywhere near Nick King. Because she was definitely overheated and wishing they were somewhere else alone.
He grinned down at her like he knew exactly what she was thinking.
She felt someone approach them before she turned her head to see two guys standing closer than considerate. Probably her age, shorter than Nick, both wearing Seattle Kraken jerseys and staring at Nick.
The one guy, who also wore a Kraken knit cap, hit his buddy with the back of his hand. “Told you.”
The other guy, bigger than the first, a thin mustache making his upper lip look too big, sneered. There was no other word for it.
“You playing this week?” the guy asked, like he had the right to interrupt Nick and question him.
Nick pulled Maisie against his side. “Just here with my girl, man.”
The guy folded his arms over his chest. “Not an answer, is it?”
Maisie’s forehead furrowed. Why was the guy being a jerk for no reason? Nick’s body remained relaxed and easy but his tone was harder than she’d heard it.
Still, the guy pushed. “Is it true they’re dumping your contract?”
Nick looked down at Maisie, gave her a tight smile. “Let’s grab a drink.”
He turned them away from the guys and put his arm around her shoulder, keeping her close.
“That’s right, King. Walk away. You’re better at that than skating anyway.”
Anger zipped through Maisie like a flash in a dark room. She started to turn but Nick chuckled, kept his arm steady around her and told her to ignore it.
“Jackasses,” she said, trying to look back, but he was holding her so close she couldn’t crane her neck.
“Babe, they’re Kraken fans. We have a game here in a few days. That stuff happens all the time. They’re just being loyal to their team.”
“Loyal jerks,” Maisie muttered.
They stopped on the other side of the observation deck, in between a family and a couple, all gazing at the view. Well, most of them were. The little boy with the family was sitting on the ground, pushing a little car.
Nick looked at her, a smile hovering on his lips, his gaze amused. “It’s just part of it. Some people love you, some hate you. They don’t have to know you to do either.”
His phone buzzed in his pocket, against her side. It went off constantly. It would drive her nuts but he seemed good with ignoring it most of the time.
This time, he pulled it out of his pocket and looked at the screen. “I need to take this. Wanna grab us a couple of hot chocolates?” He reached for his wallet with his other hand.
Maisie went up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek but he still had to stoop a little so she could reach. “I got it. Take your phone call.”
She purposely didn’t walk back the way they’d left so she didn’t have to run into those guys again. She’d never been to a hockey game. She wasn’t sure she’d everwatcheda whole game on TV. Shit. He’d called her his girl and his girlfriend, bought her enough pastries to start a bakery, and looked like a chiseled model without his shirt. She really needed a hockey tutorial.
Pulling her own phone out while she waited in line at the café, Maisie googledHockey for Dummiesand pressedvideos. She saved acouple for later. “What can I get for you?” someone called ahead of her. Maisie tucked her phone in her pocket and looked up into the smiling face of a cashier. She wore a Space Needle shirt and a wide smile on her youthful face. With her tanned skin and ultra-long, dark lashes, she was stunning. Her hair was pulled into a tight braid along the top of her hair and Maisie found herself randomly wondering if she’d done it on her own. Maisie couldn’t handle more than a side braid independently.
The young woman eyed her with amusement, her perfectly sculpted brows, a gold ring shining at the edge of one, arching.
Right. She was too easily distracted. “I’ll have two large hot chocolates, please.”
Thanking the woman and complimenting her eyelashes, Maisie hadn’t shaken off all of her irritation about the way those men treated Nick. He was clearly used to both positive and negative fan interactions. It was interesting that meeting those fans didn’t trigger his anxiety. When she found Nick, he was seated on one of the glass benches, thumbs moving on his phone screen. She sat next to him and he smiled, but it was strained.
