What’s the golden rule of flings and one-night stands?

Don’t stick around—because the girl will always want more than you are willing to give. If not now, then soon enough.

But somehow that rule with Emma never seemed to apply. Why? Because it was me who longed for more than I was willing to give. But in the end, love only resulted in pain.

Too melodramatic for you?

Let me explain. My parents were the greatest. When most teens were rebelling against their parents’ rules, I worshiped Mom and Dad. They respected me and I respected them. They had sacrificed everything for me and my hockey. They came to every game. They took turns driving me to my super early morning practices without complaint…which was more than I could say about myself.

Was Dad one of those scary hockey fathers who yelled at everyone—the coaches, the other players, the refs, and even his own kid? A few of my old childhood teammates had fathers like that. The men had aspirations for their kids. Aspirations that involved not only playing in the NHL but also winning the Stanley Cup. Aspirations that involved hefty several-million-dollars-a-year salaries. Aspirations that involved the father’s own failed ambitions. They drove their kids hard—preventing the kid from truly loving the sport.

But hockey dads weren’t the only ones who were terrifying. Hockey moms could be just as bad, if not worse.

My parents had been the complete opposite. They always had a kind word to say about my games, even if I had screwed up and accidentally scored on my own goal. Yes, it sucked the big one whenever the puck bounced off your body or skate and landed in your own net. Some dads would’ve chewed their kid a new one. My parents always had milk and cookies and a warm smile no matter what happened. They always dwelled on the positives.

They made me feel like there was nothing I couldn’t do. They made me feel proud to be their son. So when I lost them, it had almost killed me.

You know the story about Granny and how she had helped me get through my parents’ deaths—even when I was acting like a piece of shit. She never gave up on me. And like my parents, she sacrificed everything to make sure I could keep playing the sport I loved, the sport that helped me get through my loss.

And I almost lost her because of the stroke.

And then a few years later, I did lose my best friend and teammate in college. He always had my back like I always had his…until I was no longer able to watch his back and he died of cancer.

So, to sum it all up—loving someone came with risks. The kind of risks that involved you losing the person—and subsequently, a piece of your soul.

Why am I telling you this?

Because I was starting to feel things for Emma that I shouldn’t.

Things that scared me.

And what did guys who were afraid of falling in love excel at? That’s right—running.

I knew what Emma really wanted to happen next. It was what ninety percent of girls desired after a good fuck—to cuddle.

But I couldn’t do that. Not this time.

“I should go and get changed so we can join everyone by the pool.” I scrambled from the bed as if I had been lying with a rattlesnake instead of the freshly fucked, hot redhead who was staring at me in confusion. “I’ll see you downstairs.”

I didn’t bother to wait around to witness the hurt on her face. I shoved on my jeans, grabbed the rest of my clothes from the floor, and bailed the room, shutting the door behind me.

Naturally, I couldn’t have a smooth escape, with no one witnessing my assholiness. I bumped into Holly and Josh in the hallway. Well, more like plowed into them.

If they were surprised to see me practically naked and escaping from Emma’s room, they didn’t show it. But given how noisy she and I had just been, I’d be surprised if even the neighbors hadn’t heard us.

“I’ll be down in a minute,” I said to the pair, then pretty much hurled myself into my bedroom.

I didn’t exactly rush to join everyone downstairs. I cleaned up and changed into my swim trunks.

Josh and Holly were sitting on a pair of recliners, watching Trent and Kelsey in the pool, when I walked out the patio door. Trent grabbed Kelsey around the waist from behind. She gave a little shriek, then giggled as she squirmed to get away…just not very hard. Her blonde hair had been pulled into a high ponytail, which Trent was making the most of. He nibbled on her exposed neck.

I might have been watching Trent and Kelsey, but that didn’t mean I failed to notice the moment Emma stepped from the house to join us. I turned around—and I wouldn’t be surprised if my jaw hit the ground.

She was wearing a black one-piece swimsuit. The front scooped down to an inch above her belly button, revealing her cleavage. What kept her breasts from falling out? The ties that zigzagged from the bottom of the opening to just below the top of the tempting mounds of flesh.

Sure—it was sexy as all hell. But that wasn’t what completely did me in and caused my dick to react. Her curls were loosely piled on her head, with strands framing her face. She reminded me of the fountain in her store. If I was asked to describe the goddess of love, this woman in front of me would be it.

“I love your swimsuit, Emma,” Holly said as I continued staring at her, my heart thumping harder in my chest than it had been while we’d been having sex.

She smiled at Holly, either oblivious to how I was looking at her or choosing to ignore me after I’d pulled the fuck-and-dash a few minutes ago. “Thanks. How’s the water?”

“I haven’t been in yet,” Holly said, “but those two”—she indicated Trent and Kelsey—“claim it’s warm.”

That was too bad because the way my cock was responding to Emma, I needed to jump in a freezing pool to deal with my dilemma.

As if privy to my thoughts, Emma’s gaze dropped to my swim trunks and her eyes widened. She then tore her gaze away and walked toward the steps leading into the pool.

And like a puppy eager to play with his owner, I followed after her. The only difference between me and a puppy was that I didn’t bound after her and I didn’t nip at her heels—but I only came within an inch of not doing that.

She tested the water’s temperature with her toes and continued down the steps until her body was submerged enough to cover her tits.

I entered the water after her. Kelsey laughed and squirmed out of Trent’s reach. She managed to run a yard or two before Trent easily caught up with her. She splashed him, but it wasn’t enough to deter him—not that it looked like she wanted to deter him. He grabbed around her waist and pulled her to him.

Kelsey wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him in a way that I was surprised didn’t heat the pool another ten degrees.

Okaaay. I knew from experience they’d be busy for a while. Holly and Josh were also preoccupied. Josh had abandoned his recliner and had joined his wife on hers. From the way they were leaning toward each other, it was clear they would be making out shortly.

And the prize for the most awkward couples weekend went to…

But it wasn’t awkward because Emma and I weren’t a real couple. It just felt that way because of how I’d acted after she and I had fucked.

I approached her the same way you would a live wire—very cautiously. But like a kid who was tempted to stick a fork in an electrical socket after being told not to, I couldn’t control myself. And yes—I would swear that till my dying day.

Emma watched me walk closer to her but didn’t move. The same heat I’d seen in her eyes before, along with a dose of self-preservation, glared back at me.

I slowly reached out to her. When she didn’t flinch or scowl at me, I caressed the soft skin of her shoulder. “I’m sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean to leave like that.”

She shrugged and for the first time I noticed the smattering of freckles on her shoulder.

“I don’t really expect much else from you,” she said. Or at least I think that’s what she’d said. I was too mesmerized by her freckles.

I ran the pad of my thumb across them. “You know, if you joined these with a sharpie, you’d get a heart shape.” I traced the pattern with my fingertip.

She turned her head to see. “Guess I’ve never noticed. Must mean I was always fated to have a career in romance. My calling was in my freckles.” She smiled but it never made it to her eyes.

It didn’t take a fucking genius to figure out why. “Someday a man’s gonna fall in love with you, Emma, and he won’t want to let you go. He’ll never let you down.” Not like you’ve been let down in the past.

My words were supposed to reassure her, but they had the opposite effect.

Instead of the smile I’d expected, she looked away.

But not before I noticed how her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

Unshed tears that almost gutted me.