Page 24 of My One & Goalie
“How did you end up with the nickname the bad boy of hockey?” I dip a bite of lobster in the warm butter. “Because—no offense—but you’ve been nothing but nice to me and Jett. Notexactly what I’d expect from a bad boy. Honestly, you seem kind of tame.”
Xander locks his eyes on mine, his face serious. “You haven’t seen me in action. They’re not talking about out in the general public.”
My face flames as I realize what he’s insinuating, hot embarrassment flushing my entire body.
“Oh. I see…” I stammer, an image of Xander in bed, possibly with multiple women, popping into my mind.
“On the ice, Rachel. They’re referring to my bad temper on the ice.” He smirks, a tiny smile tugging at his lips, and I’m not sure I fully believe him. “What were you thinking about?”
I’m positive my face is the same shade as the cocktail sauce on my plate.
“Nothing. I mean, that’s exactly what I thought you meant.”
“Uh-huh.” He presses his lips together, a glint in his eye, and he’s so damn yummy I might come right here in my chair.
“You want dessert?” Xander asks.
“No, thanks. I can’t eat another bite.”
He catches the waiter’s eye, discreetly signaling for the check. I debate offering to split the bill, but do the quick math and deduce I can’t possibly cover my half or even a quarter.
“Thanks for dinner, Xander. Now I owe you two dinners, several rides, and a car battery.”
“Stop. You don’t owe me anything. This is the best meal I’ve had in months and it’s because of the company.” He squeezes my hand and scrawls his signature on the check, tucking his credit card back into his wallet.
Standing, he offers me his hand and I take it, appreciating the warm, calloused palm wrapped around mine. He slides his muscular arm behind my back and we walk through the restaurant. More than a few diners stop and stare at us and Iwonder if they recognize Xander. I’m not a huge hockey fan, but most of the town is.
Xander opens the door for me and I’m blinded by a flashing light, then another.
“Xander! Xander!” Voices I don’t recognize call out Xander’s name and he wraps his arm around my shoulders, hugging me tight to his body. Covering his face, he jogs to the waiting Porsche and ushers me in. More bright flashes and then Xander’s behind the wheel, his chest heaving.
“Did not expect the paparazzi to find me in Starlight Bay.” He revs the engine and peels out of the circular drive. “Guess we’re going to take a quick scenic drive because I don’t want to lead them to your house or to mine.”
“Wow,” I breathe, panting. “That was intense. Does that happen to you all the time?”
“A lot. Especially in Boston. Still don’t believe I’m the bad boy of hockey?” he asks, cutting his gaze at me. Tiny crinkles form around his eyes and he’s devastatingly handsome in the moonlight.
“I’m not sure. I think I’d like you to prove it.”
CHAPTER 10
XANDER
“You know of any good spots we can lay low for a minute? Off the beaten path?” I glance in the rearview, searching for tailing paparazzi. A few cars trail behind us, but I’m not sure if it’s the photographers or not.
“Hang a right here.” Rachel points to a small side road off Main Street and I follow her directions, turning down the dark street.
“Keep going straight, then make another right. We can cut through this neighborhood and head back toward the lighthouse.”
I slow my speed as we wind through the residential area, my breathing returning to normal.
“Sorry about that. I’m shocked they found me here. Didn’t think I was quite that famous.”
“Guess you are. That was wild.”
I cut my gaze at her. She’s stunning, sitting in my passenger seat, all soft curves in the moonlight. Charles is even dumber than I thought, letting Rachel go. What a fuckwit.
“Too much for you?”