Page 84 of Pucked Together

"Oh, what? You go all predator versus prey on me and then stop to consider your actions? You’re Ryker Balinger. Goalie of the Houston Heatwave NHL team. Act like it."

It's an invitation. A challenge.

"You don't know what you're asking for,” I warn.

She grabs me by the shirt and pulls me towards her. All innocence is gone from her eyes. "Then remind me."

Chapter 26

Izzy

Ryker’s hands come up to cup my face, and he looks deep into my eyes.

Just by looking into those green eyes, I can feel a wave of memories about to crash into me—an elusive tide. I hear a buzzing in my ear. It sounds like...engines. On a plane. Like white noise that keeps getting louder and louder.

I close my eyes, and I'm back there. I'm on the plane. Keelan is next to me, grabbing onto my arm.

And I...I can't breathe.

I. Can't. Breathe.

I gasp, but the oxygen won't enter my lungs. My limbs grow heavy. There's that loud noise again. The space around me starts to plummet as my sight fizzles, and everything goes dark.

I. Can't—

"Breathe, Izzy. Baby, breathe."

I'm lying on something hard.

That voice is in my ear, coaxing me. "Do you have your inhaler?"

I blink, still gasping.

"Izzy, Inhaler?" He asks again. I shake my head, still gasping. My hands go to my chest before I'm overcome with exhaustion, and they fall to my side.

I'm falling. Falling. Falling into nothingness.

The whoosh of air in my lungs wakes me up. My eyes shoot open, and Ryker's pushing into my chest as I cough.

"Izzy," he gasps, holding my head up to look at him. "Can you hear me?"

I blink until I can open my eyes. He picks me up in one fell swoop and kisses me on the forehead as he carries me out the door.

"Where are we going?" I wheeze.

"Medic! Medic!" he calls out.

I hear a man's voice down the hall, "Balinger?"

"It's Izzy, she's not breathing. She's having some sort of panic or...or asthma attack."

"Set her down," the voice says.

There's a light shining in my eyes. "Ms. Landry, if you can hear me, please blink twice."

I do.

"Good." There's the sound of rummaging through drawers. And in a moment, an oxygen mask is placed over my face.