22
“You look terrible.”
Nadia smirked. “Gee, thanks, bro. I love you too.”
“I’m just being honest,” Nelson said, leaning back in his chair as Nadia entered his office one week before Thanksgiving. “You look like you haven’t slept in weeks. And I happen to know you haven’t, since I hear you watching TV at all hours of the damn night.” His expression softened. “I’m worried about you, Nadia.”
She frowned. “You shouldn’t be. I’m fine.”
“The hell you are. You’re heartbroken and miserable. Everyone can see that.”
“Well, everyone needs to mind their own business,” she retorted, dropping into the visitor chair in front of Nelson’s desk.
He frowned. “Nadia—”
“Are you ready for lunch or not?” She refused to give in to the heavy pain pressing down on her heart. Refused to shed another damn tear.
Nelson studied her a moment longer, then sighed and sat up in his chair. “Just give me a minute. I need to send out a few emails.”
“Hurry up,” she grumbled. “I’ve only got an hour for lunch.”
Swiveling back toward his computer, Nelson muttered under his breath, “I’m not so sure I even want to eat with you.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I heard that.”
“Well, it’s true. No offense, sis, but you haven’t exactly been the life of the party lately. A wounded bear would make better company.”
She bristled. “You know what? If that’s how you feel—”
“I’m ready to be interviewed,” a deep voice spoke from across the room.
Nadia and Nelson whipped their heads around, then froze in shock.
Reid stood in the doorway with a steely gleam in his eyes, his stubble-darkened jaw set in fierce determination. He wore a black pullover untucked over baggy black cargo pants with black Timbs. He looked huge and imposing.
And downright scary.
Nelson jumped up from his chair. “Hey, man, what’re you—”
“I’m ready for my interview,” Reid repeated in a low voice.
“Wait, what?” Nelson blinked in confusion. “What interview?”
“The exclusive you were hoping to get weeks ago. I’m here to do it.”
Nelson shot a glance at Nadia, saw her stricken expression and frowned. “This really isn’t a good time, man. I think you should leave.”
“Not until you interview me.”
Nelson rounded the desk and started toward the door. “Come on, Reid. We can do this some other—” He broke off abruptly, his eyes widening as Reid stepped directly into his path.
His stance was powerful, his expression feral as he towered over Nelson. “Interview me.”
Nelson stared up at him for a moment, then gulped hard and nervously pushed his glasses up on his nose.
Reid folded his arms across his massive chest and glared down at Nelson through narrowed eyes.
As Nelson turned around and retreated back to his desk, he shot an apologetic look at Nadia as if to say, Hey, I tried!
She rolled her eyes in disgust. “Thanks for nothing, Superman.”
Ignoring her, Nelson sat behind his desk and took out his notebook and digital recorder.
“Fine,” she huffed, shoving to her feet. “I’ll go to lunch without you.”
But as she started toward the door, Reid blocked her path as well. “Stay.”
Startled, she stared up at him. Instantly her senses were flooded with his heat and his clean, masculine scent.
It angered her that he could still have such a potent effect on her. Despite how much pain she was in, despite how badly he’d hurt her, just being in the same room with him took her breath away.
She assessed the hard glint in his eyes and the determined set of his jaw—and wisely decided not to argue.
He watched as she backed away from him and crossed the room to stand a safe distance away by the window.
“Why don’t you have a seat, Reid?” Nelson offered.
“No, thanks.” He remained standing with his arms crossed and long legs braced apart, as immovable as a towering oak tree.
Nelson cleared his throat. “Well, uh, it’s a good thing I already have prepared ques—”
“I’ll give you the questions.”
Nelson blinked. “Pardon?”
“You’ll ask the questions I tell you to ask.”
“Uh…okay.”
Reid was staring intently at Nadia, but his words were addressed to her brother. “Ask me what’s the most amazing thing that’s happened to me during my playing career.”
Nelson grinned. “Well, that’s easy. It was winning the Norris Trophy for being the top defensive player. Twice.”
“Close. But no.”
“Really?” Nelson looked thoughtful, then snapped his fingers. “Oh, I know. It was the night you scored a hat trick against the Red Wings, your hometown team. That was freakin’ awesome! And bittersweet for you, I’m sure.”
“It was,” Reid agreed. “But that’s not it either.”
“No?” Nelson looked surprised. “So what’s the most amazing thing that’s happened to you during your playing career?”
Reid gazed at Nadia. “It didn’t happen during a game. It happened during practice, two days before the season started. That was the night I looked up into the stands and saw your sister. That was the night that changed my life forever.”
Nadia stared at him, her throat burning with the threat of tears. She dug her nails into her palms, inflicting pain to repel the pleasure caused by his words.
Nelson glanced at her, then looked back at Reid and said quietly, “I guess those evening practices really do bring you guys good luck.”
A ghost of a smile touched Reid’s mouth. “I guess they do.”
Nelson smiled down at his notebook.
“Ask me what I enjoy doing after every game,” Reid said.
Nelson dutifully repeated the question.
“Before I met your sister, I enjoyed partying with my teammates, hitting up bars and going home with the first warm body thrown at me.” Reid’s eyes never left Nadia’s face. “After I met your sister, all I looked forward to after every game was being with her. When I was on the road, I couldn’t wait to go back to my hotel room, call her up and hear her voice.”
Oh, God.
Nadia swallowed hard, averting her gaze to the window as hot tears formed in her eyes. She could feel herself thawing, could feel the protective block of ice around her heart melting.
“Ever since she’s been out of my life, I’ve missed being with her, talking to her, laughing with her. I’ve missed her.” The raw emotion in Reid’s voice made Nadia’s chest ache.
He took a step in her direction. “Tell her that as much as I live and breathe hockey, I’d give it up in a heartbeat if she asked me to.”
Nadia’s breath caught in her throat. She turned completely from the window to stare at Reid.
He wasn’t done. “Tell her that while I’d give anything to win the Stanley Cup this season, it won’t mean a damn thing if she’s not there by my side to celebrate with me.”
The anguished look in his eyes told Nadia that he was speaking straight from the heart. And it was all she could do not to break down in tears.
Even Nelson looked a little choked up.
Reid flexed his jaw, his eyes flashing with emotion. “Tell her if she doesn’t take me back, I’m walking out that door right now and announcing my retirement.”
Nadia gasped in shock. “Reid!”
He stared her down. “I’m serious.”
“Oh, Jesus.” She lifted a trembling hand to her mouth.
With a knowing smile, Nelson got up quietly and left the room, closing the door behind him.
Reid took another step toward Nadia, his intense blue eyes blazing into hers, stabbing deep into her soul. “My fate is in your hands, Nadia. So what’s it gonna be?”
She shook her head at him, tears blurring her vision and streaming down her cheeks.
“I love you,” he said huskily.
Her heart slammed into her throat. “Reid…”
He closed the space between them, bracketing her face in his big hands. “I’ve missed you, baby,” he said raggedly. “I’m going absolutely crazy without you. I added that Beyoncé song to my playlist. I listen to it when I’m working out or flying to a game or lying in bed at night. I think of the night you sang it to me and I remember the way you looked, the way you tasted, the way your body felt wrapped around me.”
“Oh, God,” Nadia whimpered.
“You’ve even got me listening to that fucking Eminem song you like. The one you were rapping to the night we went to the movies. God, you were so adorable. I looked at you right then and there, and I knew I was in love with you.” He dropped his forehead to rest on hers, closing his eyes as he whispered urgently, “Please take me back, Nadia. Please.”
His desperate fervency, and the raw outpouring of words, shook her to the core.
“I don’t want to get hurt again,” she choked out tearfully. “I need to know that I can trust you when you’re on the road and things aren’t going well. I don’t want to worry when you’re away from me.”
“I know, baby. I know.” He stroked her hair and tenderly thumbed the tears from her cheeks. “I’m so sorry for making you doubt me. I won’t ever hurt you again, I swear to God.”
Closing her eyes, Nadia lifted her hands to his head and combed her fingers through his hair, then down to caress his broad shoulders.
“I love you,” she whispered achingly. “I love you so much it scares me.”
With a muffled groan, Reid turned her face up and crushed his mouth to hers. He kissed her fiercely, his tongue tangling with hers until she couldn’t last another second without breathing.
She broke the kiss, gasping.
Then he pulled her closer, tucking her face against his chest as his arms wrapped protectively around her.
She closed her eyes, reveling in his heat, his strength, the fierce thud of his heart. God, how she’d missed him. Needed him.
He rubbed her shoulders and her back, his tender touch soothing her and easing her fears.
After some time, she drew away and poked him sharply in the ribs. “Just for the record, I would never ask you to give up hockey. Are you crazy? What kind of girlfriend would that make me?”
He smiled, stroking her hair. “We play Detroit in two weeks. I want to fly you out to the game so you can meet my family.”
Warm pleasure spread through her. “You want to introduce me to your family?”
“Absolutely.” He caressed her cheek with his thumb. “Will you come?”
She smiled softly. “I’d love to.”
“Good.” His eyes tunneled into hers. “I wanna marry you, Nadia.”
The impact of his words slammed into her so hard she sucked in a breath. “Oh my God…”
“I know you need more time,” he continued in a husky voice. “So let’s pick up where we left off, sweetheart. Let’s get to know each other even better than before.”
She smiled up at him, her heart soaring. “I think that’s a wonderful idea.”
“Good.” He grinned. “But just so we’re clear, I’m ready to go to your father right now and ask for your hand. I’ll bring a fatted calf, offer a dowry, kneel and kiss his ring. Whatever you want. Whatever it takes.”
She laughed. “That won’t be necessary. When the time’s right, we’ll deal with my father together. But I love you, Reid, and I want to be with you. That’s all that matters.”
He smiled. “Just wanted you to know that I’m not going anywhere.”
She placed her hand on his chest, over his strong, beating heart. “Neither am I.”
“That’s good,” he murmured, angling his mouth over hers, “because I wasn’t letting you go anyway.”