“You saved me the trouble of having to rip the jersey off you if you’d had anyone else’s name on your back.”



✨ TEASER EXCERPT ✨

There’s a short line at the bar, so I lean against the wall as I wait, hoping that I don’t fall asleep standing. One bad night of sleep should not make me this tired.

I close my eyes for a brief second, and then I feel someone move in close. When I open my eyes again, Jameson has one arm propped on the wall next to me, and he’s leaning into my space.

“Where in the world did you find that jersey?” he asks, his voice a low growl.

“Jules gave it to me today because I mentioned I didn’t have any Rebels gear.”

“That’s my jersey.”

“Yeah, I’m aware. It has your name across the back.”

“No, I mean, that’s my jersey”—his eyes flick through the windows to the arena where we can see the big blue “R” inside the Rebels symbol painted onto the ice—“that I wore, when I played.”

My breath hitches in a way that makes it feel like all the oxygen has been sucked out of the space. “She didn’t tell me that. I’m sorry . . . I didn’t mean to overstep.”

He leans a little closer, his lips nearly touching my ear. “You saved me the trouble of having to rip the jersey off you if you’d had anyone else’s name on your back.”

My eyes flick to his. They’re as dark as always, but I’d forgotten that up close like this they have flecks of amber around the pupil, like sparks of fire radiating out into his irises.

“Jameson . . .” My voice is practically a whisper, and I pause because I don’t know what I want to say.

“Next!” The loud, distinctly annoyed voice of the guy behind the bar cuts into the space between us and I jump away.

🏒 Second chance
🏒 Hockey romance
🏒 Single mom
🏒 Only one bed
🏒 He falls first
🏒 Slow burn
🏒 Right person, wrong time
🏒 Enemies to friends to lovers