Skate the Line: A Single Dad Hockey Romance (Blue Devils Hockey Book 2)

I sigh wistfully.

I wiggle myself farther onto my bed and pull the blankets up higher. Except, they’re stuck? I keep my eyes closed and grumble.

It’s too early to be awake.

Or maybe I just stayed up too late.

I tug on the blankets again, but they’re unmoving. Ugh. I turn to my side and press myself onto the warmth radiating behind me.

A gush of something hot brushes against my neck, and then something heavy lands on my waist.

My eyes flutter open. The dim morning light filters through the window and—wait. This isn’t my bedroom. I’m in the living room.

I arch my back to peek over my shoulder, and our eyes snag.

Rhodes’s eyebrows cave, like he’s trying to figure out what’s going on and why I’m cuddling against him. His hand never leaves my waist. It tightens for a second before he relaxes. A swallow moves against his neck.

“I either need you to get up or stop moving like that.”

The rasp of his sleepy voice does something to my body. Heat brews in between us, and I pray that it’s just my head playing tricks on me.

“We fell asleep?” It comes out like a question instead of a statement.

Rhodes nods curtly.

I shift, and he hisses. He presses farther into the back of the couch, but he can’t go anywhere.

“I need you to let me up,” he says under his breath. “Please.”

He sounds pained, like I’ve hurt him. Concerned, I sit up quickly but not before being forced to brush against him again. Another hiss flies from his mouth, and his hand falls to his lap. I crawl over to the other cushion, a chill wrapping around my legs.

I peer over my shoulder, and Rhodes’s lips are parted. He’s staring at my backside with a tight jaw.

My eyes widen. I’m still pantless.

I flop to sit and pull the blanket to my lap. My cheeks are warm. “I’m sorry.” My god. “You just keep finding me in the most embarrassing situations,” I mutter.

“Embarrassing?” He chokes out a laugh and shakes his perfectly messy hair. “I’m not sure what’s embarrassing about that.”

He drops his lazy gaze to my mouth and then squeezes his eyes shut. He curses under his breath, “Fuck, I should not have said that.”

My body heats again, but this time, it’s not from embarrassment.

His long legs swing until his feet hit the floor. He glances at me briefly. “I’m sorry, I’m obviously”—he glances to his lap—“not thinking clearly.”

Oh.

Oh.

“It’s fine. We just fell asleep…to Sesame Street.”

He snickers, and I grin.

Rhodes sits for a few minutes with his eyes trained to the floor. I stare at the side of his jaw, counting how many times he clenches it.

“Are you okay?” I finally ask.

He snaps his attention to me, and it definitely shouldn’t have stolen my breath. “No.”

I clear my throat. “I’m sorry?”

A chuckle slips into the quiet living room, and he drops his head. “Stop apologizing.”

“Well, I fell asleep and somehow ended up lying on you, and then I move, and I don’t have any pants…”

He squeezes his eyes shut. “Please don’t remind me. I’m trying to get the nerve to move. You’re going to get me stirred up again.”

“Sorr—” His neck cracks with how quickly he looks at me. “I mean…is there anything I can do to help?”

His jaw slacks.

I slap my hand over my mouth. “Oh my god.”

Unwilling to look at him anymore, I fall back into the couch and hope I blend in with the cushions. “Just pretend I don’t exist.”

Why does he make me stupid?

A choked noise leaves him.

“I thought you had a date last night!” I blurt. “Did I misread your innuendo there? I thought⁠—”

Why is he all of a sudden acting like a man without restraint?

A breath catches in my chest.

Calm down, Sunny. They’re nothing alike.

Rhodes is not crossing a line with me. It’s a physical reaction, which is normal. Just like the little tug I felt in between my legs when I accidentally pressed against him.

Attraction is natural.

It doesn’t have to be anything other than that.

“I did have a date, and no, you did not misread anything,” he stresses. “But…” his words trail.

“But what?”

I stare at the side of his face. He rubs his hand against his jaw.

“You’re not the only one who hasn’t had sex in a while, Sunny.”

I jerk upright. Wait, what?

“I left her and came home early.”

That should not make me happy.

“Why?” I ask.

He shrugs. “Between being a single father—which stemmed from a one-night stand and something I didn’t have any time to prepare for—and trying to focus on hockey and my endless nanny problems, I’ve been a little busy. Not to mention, I’ve grown skeptical of some women’s intentions. I may seem like a cocky hotshot, but it’s just as hard for me to trust someone.”

I nod. “That’s understandable.”

Silence comes between us, and as always, I attempt to lighten the mood. “Maybe you should just find someone you can trust. You know, someone other than your hand.”

An abrupt laugh leaves him.

I smile at my little joke.

“You’re not funny.”

I wink at him. “I am too.”

He rolls his eyes, but I see the little grin trying to work its way onto his stony features.

A few seconds pass, and he sighs. “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.” His glance is fleeting. “With my…current situation.”

“Current situation?” I raise my brows and try to hide a laugh.

“You’re fired,” he grumbles.

I laugh. “Oscar is joking now? Wow.”

He scoffs, and I’m certain a comeback is about to fly out of his mouth, but little footsteps catch our attention. Rhodes panics and grabs the pillow, putting it over his lap.

“Printsessa,” he says. “Imagine that. You’re up with the sun.”

“So are you,” she argues, rubbing the sleep from her eye. “Hi, Sunny.” She turns to her dad. “Can I snuggle?”

A laugh leaves me when I see the unease on Rhodes’s face. His arms flex over the pillow. I pop up quickly and come to his rescue–despite the fact that I have no pants on. Ellie and I both stand in nothing but oversized shirts that belong to her father. Me in his jersey, and her in his Chicago Blue Devils tee.

“I have a great idea,” I say.

Ellie’s eyes light up.

“You know what Sundays are for, right?”

Ellie and Rhodes answer at the same time. “Football.”

I place my hands on my hips. “What? No!”

“Says who?” Rhodes mumbles.

Ignoring him, I grab onto Ellie’s hand. “Sundays are for breakfasts that are not cereal.”

She pouts for a second until I bend down and whisper in her ear. “Wanna help me make chocolate chip pancakes?”

Her pretty eyes light up. “Yes!”

“Let’s go!” I pull her toward the kitchen.

Rhodes stares after us with an unreadable expression on his face.

I drop Ellie’s hand and let her go ahead of me.

“You just go…shower,” I say to her dad.

I roll my lips to hide my amusement.

His mouth forms a straight line, and he looks just like Oscar the Grouch.

A hot Oscar the Grouch.

“You’re welcome,” I mouth, shooting him a wink.

He stands and adjusts himself.

The action is too hot for its own good. A thrill skips down my spine and lands at the soles of my bare feet.

Rhodes surprises me when he heads in my direction. I should move, but I don’t. My breath seizes when he stops beside me and bends so his mouth is right over my ear.

“Go put pants on, Sunshine.”

Oh. Right.

I turn at the sound of chocolate chips falling to the floor from the kitchen.

Our mouths are so close, but neither one of us steps away.

“Oops,” says a tiny voice.

The slightest growl slips from Rhodes, and then he’s gone, and I’m heading into the kitchen to help pick up.