by Lia Riley
She was quiet a long moment. “Did you see your brother?”
Jed shook his head. “He doesn’t want to. I’m hoping that someday that will change, but for now I have to respect his wishes. He doesn’t have a lot left. The least he can do is determine his company. I spoke to doctors and they suspect it’s full-blown CTE.” His Adam’s apple bobbed as if swallowing came with great difficulty. “It’s such complete bullshit. He never did anything wrong. All he did was play a game. That’s all. Fuck. He was just a kid. It’s not fair. Why wasn’t it me?”
“I’m sorry.” Breezy set her mug on a table and as she walked toward him, the strangeness between them dissipated, as if blown away by an invisible wind. She couldn’t help his brother, but she could help this man in front of her.
“Breezy.” He whispered her name like a prayer and then she was there, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him close. And for a moment, he was able to let go of the grief that had been crushing him. It was easier when she offered to help share the load. It didn’t pay to be the strong, silent type when it came to being in a relationship.
And it was time he admitted he needed backup. He glanced down at her, curls pinned back beneath that polka-dot headband. In her own steady way, she was better than a princess. She was a Viking shield maiden. “I’m so sorry that I didn’t believe you.”
“Don’t worry about it. I didn’t make it easy,” she said ruefully.
“But I should have because I love you, Breezy Angel.” His lips brushed hers as his hands migrated to his favorite place on Earth, the dip in her waist.
“You do?” She breathed against him, a tremble in her voice.
“So fucking much. And I’m never going to get tired of telling you. I want to be the one who makes you believe in fairy tales.”
“You do, and I love you for it.” She wrapped her arm around his neck. “And I’ve just thought of the perfect book for you.”
“That a fact?”
“Have you ever read The NeverEnding Story?”
“No.” He nipped her lower lip. “But I’m liking the sound of it.”
Chapter Twenty-One
. . . a month later
“This is the last one.” Jed sauntered into the bedroom with a cardboard box. “And I got to say, if owning too many shoes was a crime, you’d be staring down a life sentence without the possibility of parole.”
She peered up from the bottom drawer that she had half filled with jeans. “‘I have too many shoes’ is something no girl has said ever. Besides, didn’t hear any complaints last night.”
“When you stripped down to your stilettos?” He gripped his chest and pretended to stagger. “Remember that I’m recovering from a head injury, a weak man.”
“Mmm-hmm.” She erased the smile from her lips and crawled onto his king-size bed, reaching for her phone. “On that note, I have an idea.”
He set down the box next to his walk-in closet and collapsed next to her. “What are you up to now?”
“Just jumping onto Amazon to order a dirty nurse costume,” she answered with studied nonchalance.
He gave a lazy chuckle. “Sounds good.”
“What do you think of this one?” She held up the screen. The dress was short, white and barely covered the model’s nipples let alone her hoo-ha. “Comes with a garter belt, but stocking sold separately.”
“What?” His eyes flew open in surprise. “You’re being serious?”
“As a heart attack.” She activated her one-click finger while setting her features to an expression of mock concern. “After all, snookum, if we’re going to be living together, then you’re going to have to accept a few things. Like the fact that I plan on looking after you.” She finger-walked her hand over to the gap between his khaki shorts and worn gray shirt, swirling her finger around his belly muscle. Her chest burbled with a repressed moan as he automatically flexed from the gentle tickle, revealing a ladder of muscle.
Quick as a wink, he grabbed her hand. But rather than coaxing her to keep up the dirty, flirty fun, he laced his fingers with hers, lifted her hand to his lips and planted a gentle kiss between the knuckles. “You happy about having a new change of address? I know how much having your own place meant to you.”
He was fishing, and it was adorable. “It did. And still does. But Margot’s coming back and needs a place. The timing is going to work out perfectly. Bonus points for the fact that I can playact being the mean old landlady.” She gave her chin a musing rub. “I should stick a no-threesome clause in her contract. Remember there’s that church at the end of my street, she is liable to give the congregation a heart attack. Or start deflowering all the virgins.”
“Your friend sounds adventurous.”
“Hey now!” She smacked him with a giggle. “Don’t get any fresh ideas, Don Juan. I don’t plan on sharing.”
“Hell no. I’ve got my hands full right here.” He rolled her onto her side and pressed up behind, the big spoon to her little. He planted a shiver-inducing kiss behind one ear. “Heart too.”
She wiggled back against him. “I think the coach idea might be great. You are good at building people up.”
It was one of the post-retirement ideas that floated his way. The University of Denver hockey team needed a new coach. The timing was right. He’d be going in next week to have a sit-down and learn more. Staying connected to the game had appeal, the idea of quitting cold turkey didn’t sit right. Besides, he genuinely liked helping people work hard to find their best self.
“You got to stop being cute or how am I ever going to finish packing. I also need to review the winter stock order.” Itsy Bitsy Books was making a name for itself, the clientele growing by the week.
“Hey. I want to take you up to the mountains tonight. After you get everything done for the shop. What do you say? We can stay in an old hotel and spend tomorrow hiking, skinny-dipping in lakes.”
“Brrrr, that sounds chilly,” she murmured, unwilling to stretch her mind beyond the comfort of his arms, this perfect cozy moment.
“Don’t worry.” He nuzzled her neck. “I’ll keep you warm.”
“This is going to take some getting used to.” She hesitated, keeping her gaze trained on the charm bracelet she kept twisting on her wrist.
“What’s up?” He smoothed the worry lines cutting the space between her brows.
“My life used to be ordinary. Get up at seven. Work. Home. Netflix. Read. Repeat.” She glanced over one shoulder. “Like that was my day. I wasn’t a gal who wore stilettos and nothing else. And certainly didn’t head out to hike for the weekend. But deep down, I had that potential. You saw that in me, Jed. Things that I hadn’t known about myself. Things no one else noticed. You found parts of me that I didn’t know existed.”
He gave a slow nod. “That feeling goes both ways. I was going adrift and everything in my life was about to change. You saw me for more than the game, more than the player. And that anchored me.”
They shared a long, sweet kiss before she pulled back, pressing her forehead to his. “So . . . about this whole walking on trails in the mountains idea. Why not? Life is short and everything that I never do, I want to start doing with you.”
“I can’t promise you an easy life, or perfection, but I can promise to give this relationship my all, because the difference between extraordinary and ordinary is that little bit of extra.”
“I’ll always go the extra mile.” He braced her face in between his big hands, tilting her head back for a kiss. His lips covered hers as he breathed into her mouth. “You’re nothing ordinary, Breezy Angel. You’re my game changer.”
Acknowledgments
I would like to express my gratitude to all the people who made this book possible. To Elle Keck who was a wise, thorough and thoughtful editor; to Emily Sylvan Kim who is the most amazing agent ever; to my writing family: Jennifer Blackwood, Jennifer Ryan, Chanel Cleeton, A.J Pine, Jules Barnard, Natalie Blitt and Megan Erickson; and my real family who deserves all the clean l
aundry and hot meals . . . someday.
Announcement
Can’t wait for more of the Hellions Angels? Coach Tor and Neve Angel’s steamy standoff is up next in
HEAD COACH
Coming November 2017!
Click here to pre-order
About the Author
LIA RILEY is a contemporary romance author. USA Today describes her as “refreshing” and RT Book Reviews calls her books “sizzling and heartfelt.” She loves her husband, three kids, wandering redwood forests and a perfect pour over coffee. She is 25% sarcastic, 54% optimistic, and 122% bad at math (good thing she writes happy endings for a living). She and her family live mostly in Northern California.
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Also by Lia Riley
Brightwater Series
Last First Kiss
Right Wrong Guy
Best Worst Mistake
A Letter from the Editor
Dear Reader,
I hope you liked the latest romance from Avon Impulse! If you’re looking for another steamy, fun, emotional read, be sure to check out some of our upcoming titles.
If you’re a fan of historical romance, get excited! We have two new novellas from beloved Avon authors coming in August. JUST ANOTHER VISCOUNT IN LOVE by Vivienne Lorret is a charming story about an unlucky-in-love Viscount who just wants to find a wife. But every lady he pursues ends up married to another . . . until he meets Miss Gemma Desmond and he vows not to let this woman slip through his fingers! This is a delightful, witty story that will appeal to any/all historical romances fans—even if you’ve never read Viv before!
We also have a fabulous new story from Lorraine Heath! GENTLEMEN PREFER HEIRESSES is a new story in her Scandalous Gentlemen of St. James series. The second son of a Duke has no reason to give up his wild ways and marry, but when an American heiress catches his eye, the prospect of marriage seems much more appealing. As any true #Heathen (a Lorraine Heath superfan!) knows, her books are deeply emotional and always end with a glorious HEA. This novella is no different!
Never fear contemporary romance fans . . . we didn’t forget about you! Tracey Livesay is back at the end of August with LOVE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER, a fun and sexy new novel with a While You Were Sleeping spin! When a woman awakens from a coma with no memories from the past six years, she’s delighted to learn a handsome, celebrity chef is her fiancée . . . or is he? Don’t miss this wonderful diverse romance that will have you sighing with happiness!
You can purchase any of these titles by clicking the links above or by visiting our website, www.AvonRomance.com. Thank you for loving romance as much as we do . . . enjoy!
Sincerely,
Nicole Fischer
Editorial Director
Avon Impulse
Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. References to real people, events, establishments, organizations, or locales are intended only to provide a sense of authenticity, and are used fictitiously. All other characters, and all incidents and dialogue, are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real.
mister hockey. Copyright © 2017 by Lia Riley. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins Publishers. For information, address HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.
Digital Edition JULY 2017 ISBN: 978–0–062662460
Version 06302017
Print Edition ISBN: 978–0–062662477
Cover design by Nadine Badalaty
Cover photograph © El Nariz / Shutterstock
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