“Colton,it’s great to have you here to talk hockey with us.However, your fans already know your talent.
“That they do.”
“The other night, at this season’s opening dinner, you got up and made a very public apology to not only the team but to your fans, and you introduced us to Emma.”
“That is correct.”
Colton hadn’t seemed to relax since we’d gotten to the interview, and he looked even more stressed now, so I reached over and interlaced my hand with his.
“Then came the night of the benefit, and there have been some reports of one of the donors who you’ve had some issues with in the past actually questioned your relationship with Emma.”
“That’s correct,” Colton said, clearing his throat.
“Can you explain to us what happened?”
I felt Colton shift in his chair, taking my hand and holding it with his opposite hand and placing his arm around me where I could feel him rub my back.This was his chance to clear the situation, and he was looking directly at me instead of answering.
“Well, I think we will let Emma take this one,” he replied.
This interview had been going on for the better part of half an hour.When I’d set it up, I was told it wouldn’t last longer than ten or twenty minutes.I glanced at Colton, hoping he’d get the hint and answer instead, but all he did was wink at me.He had answered every question up to this point.Granted, I’d given him the answers since my friend who’d arranged the interview had given me the question list prior.It had made it easy, but this question—this one hadn’t been on the list.
I shifted, then smiled.
“Of course, darling, I’d be happy to,” I said.“I can’t speak on behalf of the donor.All I can say was that perhaps he’d have been better off being seated at another player’s table.It’s not unknown that he has never been a fan of Colton’s, and he’d been rather difficult from the start of the night.Colton dealt professionally with the entire situation.I could tell he wasn’t thrilled when he left, and he did so without donating, but you can’t win them all.”
“That is so true, Emma.”
“Now, the fans are dying to know, as are we.How are things between the two of you now.”
Again, Colton shifted in his seat and looked at me, giving me a gentle nod.
I smiled.“Things honestly couldn’t be better.This man right here…is the only one for me.It was torture being apart from him, and I’m just glad that we could work through the tough spots and come back to one another,” I finished, meeting his eyes.
Colton met my eyes and looked into them.As I looked back, I noticed he was staring so intently at me it made me feel uncomfortable.We were both so focused on the other that neither of us heard the next question.
“Sorry to interrupt, got to love watching two people in love.”The interviewer chuckled.“Colton, does that mean the hockey world may see a proposal coming soon?”
Once again, Colton shifted in his seat, as did I this time.While my friend wasn’t the one doing the interview, she’d assured me they would stick to the questions she’d given me.However, these questions weren’t ones that were on the list.Since I’d arranged this without Pamela, there wasn’t anything we could do aside from answer.
“You don’t need to give us the date or anything, or how you’d propose.We just want an answer to a question the fans have been dying to know.You’ve been so private with not only your personal life but also about your relationship, they just want a hint of things to come, as does the Puck-Lit-Love world.Would you be able to give us a brief insight?”
I looked over at Colton, prepared to answer, and that was when he looked at me.Instead of answering the question, the moment his eyes connected with mine, I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his.
Heat and shock flooded my body as I realized what I had done.I was just about to push him away when I remembered where we were, but the sounds of cameras constantly clicking and gasps from those in the audience invaded my thoughts.Before I could even accept what was going on, his tongue slipped between my lips and washed through my mouth.
I felt his arm wrap around me, pulling me closer, and he tapped my right elbow with his finger.I brought my right hand to his cheek.I closed my eyes, allowing his kiss to take me over.Then my brain caught up with my actions and where we were, and I broke the kiss.
“Colton, answer the man’s question,” I murmured, glancing up to see nothing but a sea of cameras, which meant that the photographers I’d arranged weren’t the only one’s present.
“Well, Colton?”
“When I get around to it, that is when it will happen,” he answered, looking me directly in the eyes.
What kind of answer was that?
“When he gets around to it, that’s when it will happen.Emma, what are your thoughts?”
I cleared my throat and said the only thing that came to my mind.“To me, it never matters if he ever proposes.Like I said, as long as he is mine and mine forever, that is all that matters to me.”
