Chapter Eighteen
Ryder
I’d spent the first half of the event thinking I made a mistake bringing Lindsay. Not because I didn’t enjoy being around her, and holy shit, that dress made it hard to keep my thoughts out of the pants she didn’t have on.
But these fundraising events were as horrible as I remembered—with mom’s reelection up this year this was only the beginning, too—and I didn’t want Lindsay to associate me with anything so boring. Once she’d made the joke about slamming the guys into the boards, my worries melted away.
I was used to my mother complaining about my “too-long hair,” but if it meant Lindsay was going to run her fingers through it and call it sexy, I was never cutting it again.
I wrapped my arm tighter around her and ran my fingertips over her smooth skin. Her gaze met mine, and man I wanted to kiss her. Just ignore the fact that we were in public and devour that tempting mouth until we were both gasping for air. Her hand rested on my thigh and when she shifted, it moved an inch higher, and then I was having to think of hockey plays just to keep from sporting a hard-on. That had definitely never happened at one of these fundraisers before.
Finally dinner officially ended and people stood to mingle. Just a quick chat with Mom then I could make my excuse and take Lindsay somewhere else, where we could talk and laugh—and if I had my way—touch more of that silky skin and follow through on my idea to kiss her breathless.
Of course, Mom had other plans. She introduced us to a dozen more people, and it was like she knew I was trying to leave, because every time I opened my mouth, she’d talk over me.
“Sorry,” I whispered to Lindsay as I ran my hand down her back. “I promise it won’t be much longer.”
“I’m okay.” She slid her arm inside my suit coat and gave me a side-hug. Hope, way stronger than what I’d experienced the other night, whispered that while she was still against crossing fully into my world, maybe she wasn’t totally opposed to some crossing. “You’re a good son to come here and deal with this, you know.”
“Nah.”
She turned to fully face me, adding her other arm to the hug and linking her fingers behind me. “Yes. You’re a good guy, Ryder Maddox.”
“Isn’t that girl code for I’ll never date you?”
She laughed. Then her expression turned serious. “If things were different…I could really see myself slipping.”
“Just slip.” I reached up and ran my thumb across her bottom lip, my blood pumping hotter at her sharp exhale. “I’ll catch you.”
She swallowed and my heart beat so hard and fast, I wouldn’t be surprised if she could hear it.
I dragged my thumb down and then cupped her chin and tipped up her head. Her eyes fluttered closed as I leaned in. Her lips were a breath away, so close I could smell the strawberry lip gloss she put on after dinner, and anticipation zinged through my veins.
“Ryder. Did you see that the police chief made it?” Mom wrapped her hand around my elbow and gave a tug. One I could easily break free from, but Lindsay took a step back, a dazed look on her face.
I bit back the harsh reply that wanted to burst from my lips and forced a smile on them instead.
“This is Lindsay,” I added after I’d greeted the police chief. And if you hadn’t shown up, I’d be kissing her right now, the way I’ve wanted to since the first moment I laid eyes on her.
“Speaking of…” My mother said, and something in her tone made the hair on my neck stand on end. “Lindsay, I wanted to introduce you to someone. She’s a newspaper columnist from New York City—I met her back when we used to live there, when Ryder’s father played for the Islanders—and I thought it’d be a good opportunity for you to talk shop with someone who’s been very successful in your industry.”
I moved to go with Lindsay, but Mom put her hand on my shoulder. “The police chief wants to talk hockey. Us girls don’t care about that, so you boys go ahead.”
Lindsay looked torn, like she wanted to correct the false assumption about hockey—no matter what she said, I knew there was part of her that cared about the sport. Or maybe I just wanted that to be true so I stopped feeling like I had to choose it or her.
Not like that’s a real option. She’s graduating in a few short months and heading to New York City, and I have two more years in Boston, plus a career in the NHL ahead of me that’ll take me who knows where.
Clearly meeting a columnist from a big paper would be a good networking opportunity for her, and that desire danced in her eyes, too.
“Go ahead,” I said. “Go dazzle her. I’ll be here when you’re through.”
To my surprise, she backtracked and gave me quick kiss on my cheek.
The police chief started right in on the hockey talk, but my attention was on Lindsay’s ass in that dress, and how I could still feel the ghost of her soft lips on my cheek.