Love is messy. The last person Natasha Chabra expected to fall for was Ty, the arrogant, hot-headed, hockey boy. Well, scratch that. Turns out Ty's not what Nat thought at all. The real Ty has carved out a place in Nat's heart, making her question e...
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"Ty?" I twisted my head to look at him. "I almost kneed you in the balls!"
He buried his head in the crook of my neck, shoulders shaking with laughter. The distinct scent that was woodsy and familiar and all Ty surrounded me.
"What're you doing here?" I stuttered, trying to find the right words over the sports fanatics shouting at the TV. "I thought you said that you have a game tomorrow, that you couldn't come tonight? And, I mean, I completely, totally get that, hockey's really important, and I didn't mean to make you feel bad or guilty and like you had to come out, we can go, I'm all good with a night i–"
"Nat." He lifted his head and pinned me with those baby blues.
My heartbeat quickened, pulse thrummed. I sucked in a breath, the sweet but tart taste of my vodka cran still on my lips.
"Yeah, hockey's important." His fingertips skimmed my jawline, awakening every nerve ending. "But you're a priority too."
When he calls you a priority and actually treats you like one... yes. But this was just a fun thing between us. My knee bounced, palms sweaty– a little clammy. I focussed on the stemmed glasses inverted in racks above the bar. Idon'twantaboyfriendIdon'twantaboyfriendIdon'twantabo–
"You good?" Ty interrupted my thoughts, tilting his head and making strong eye contact.
"Huh?" I jumped in my seat, then busied myself with dusting gritty salt from my fingers. I looked down the long wooden bar with local craft beer taps and a selection of international beers. "Mhm, I'm good. Lovely. Perfect."
His eyebrows drew together, but before he could get another word in, Layla burst out in laughter.
"I can't with you two." Layla chuckled, shaking her head. A waitress passed, dressed in a short black skirt and a mini pouch apron holding pens and a notepad.
I turned to face Layla, Ty's arms still wrapped around me. "And you, you knew he was coming?"
"I thought it'd be a cute surprise!" Layla threw her hands up, a grin stretching her lips.
I couldn't help but let a smile take over my face too. "I knew something was up, you were being so weird."
"I never said I was good at surprises." Layla shrugged, a gleam in her eye.
I drained the last of my drink and stood, grabbing Ty's hands. "Now that you're here, let's go dance."
Ty's large, calloused hands were warm in my cold ones. Then, I caught sight of a familiar face walking in the door.
"Oh, Logan, you made it!" I called out and let go of Ty's hands, waving Logan over.
I slipped between Ty and the stool I'd vacated to give Logan a quick hug. Ty's eyes flicked between us.
