BORROWED LOVE ON ICE

SSA'

MOVE YOU

e split thro

n't f

ulder. Cut left. Blow

ch bench muttered as I slipped throu

!" Xavie

e he was yelling again.

ght!" he

icked the puck backw

loud clack, and a second

o

elebrate.

to center ice and wai

ver to me, grinn

ome," he sai

im. "You mean I pa

work,

him. "Don't

're so grumpy wh

lways

d. "Hmm,

ond. The whis

play.

the score was 4–1. En

r kept yelling my name over and over, like

n with anothe

ing through the French de

a look. "You're

ing," I s

aying with m

eyes and ska

. We did play well

re and

touch us wh

l buzzer

d w

t lifted my stick o

eaming from the bleachers.

Xavier

, hair dripping with swe

right there in front of everyo

king. I di

lly d

room smelle

bench. My chest still heaved from the last

his pads. "Saw you drop that guy in

e in the gut,

is head. "Never seen a girl check

hru

smile," Jay said, lau

scoffed. "She's basical

yes and pulle

say something coc

est," I sa

one l

little shit," B

ve me," I s

y d

ke, but I was

rl. And sti

t let me i

erous. Too aggressiv

wrong. Over

r to join the

ating time

than half the

ay because the

. Long tables, velvet chairs, silverware that

beside Jay and across f

na, who had on one of those tight mini skirts a

loud. Holding his han

t look b

into the roasted c

tapping the table

in

he said. "Seriously. That

ank

You ever-uh-go out

t look

uickly. "Figured maybe some

rted be

" he said. "Meli

ust one drink. You don

t inter

"Oh. Okay.

d again. "

pt e

scary?" Jay aske

not s

e terr

ou're ju

ow. "Are you s

to me? O

, grinning. "You'

y on

I didn't hear. I was too busy

oked

t o

**

ldn't

and drinks, but my mind wouldn't shut up. It never

laced my sneakers, and s

o the stadium by a private underground corrido

eded the

coaches.

st

the side door,

d f

there

rt damp with sweat, hockey stick in hand, f

Clack

dn't

ed... d

, breathing heavy

m for a seco

he tu

yes l

t look s

rinks past midnight?" h

ow what, yes,

Guess you're

lowly. "What are yo

He tapped a puck with his

edge of the ri

ted to

d. Really good. Even of

way. "Didn't peg you fo

m n

y sneak in at midnight?

n't a

k, studying me. "You

hen people say

uc

hru

ed you baby on th

Say it again and I'l

d. "There

w easy his

it echoed

after a beat,

ha

guys. Being

N

ev

ot when I'm better

twitched

fide

ded. "

silence fo

id someth

off hi

. "Are yo

y and stepped onto the mat

here's not

ver ha

't win cha

und exh

so close n

l the sweat

ome loud-mouthed

ina's bo

y tea

who winked d

w

st and hit my head on

ed, gripping the

he asked,

uch me,"

led again. "Yo

I'm

you

red a

ed and wa

e hell