Page 13 of Defend Her Heart

Connor shakes his head, disappointment written all over his handsome face, and then turns toward the woman who is looking between the two of us. I can tell she’s trying to hide a smile but she’s not doing a very good job of it.

“Sorry, Mrs. Lombardi. I was dealing with a broken heart. Can I get my regular, please?”

The woman, who is apparently Mrs. Lombardi, nods and scribbles Connor’s order below mine. She turns toward the window of the kitchen and sticks it up so the cook can see our orders.

Out of my peripheral vision, I see Connor start shaking his head again. Without thinking, I shove his shoulder, causing him to teeter on his feet.

“Stop shaking your head at me! Have you ever even tried it?”

Connor fake shivers as if the thought alone is giving him nightmares. “Heck no. I would not put myself through that.”

Mrs. Lombardi clears her throat, causing the two of us to turn her way again.

“That’ll be $22.31, Connor.” She smiles at my newest enemy, and before I can pay for my own, Connor hands her some cash.

“Keep the change.”

“Grazie.”

I follow Connor to an empty table along the front window of the shop. “I could’ve paid for my own. This isn’t a date or anything.”

Connor chuckles and then pulls a chair out for me.

“You don’t need to pull my chair out. I just said this wasn’t a date.”

He doesn’t budge and keeps a hold on my chair. Scoffing, I reluctantly take a seat and throw my hands out. “Happy?”

Connor scooches my chair in and leans down, whispering in my ear, “Very.”

The single word sends shivers down my spine. I’m grateful when he doesn’t join me at the table, and I watch as he walks back toward the counter to wait for our food, my gaze drifting down his body.

There’s just something about a hockey butt that demands your full attention.

My eyes are still locked on his ass when he turns and leans his back against the wall near the register. When I finally look up to his face, I see his eyes are already trained on me, a knowing grin on his face.

Frustrated that he caught me checking out his butt, I turn in my seat but keep my eye on his reflection in the window. He’s still looking at me, smiling, when Mrs. Lombardi calls his name and hands him our pizzas.

As soon as Connor sits down across from me and flashes me his boyish grin, butterflies take flight in my stomach. I know deep within my bones that I’m in big trouble, already crushing on a boy I barely even know.

Struggling to swallow, I mutter a quiet “thanks” when he hands me my pizza. Opening the top of the box, I inhale deeply through my nose as the delicious smell invades my space yet again.

When I open my eyes, Connor’s hazel gaze is locked on me and he has yet to touch his own food. His constant attention is something I’m not used to outside of the hockey rink. I don’t lack self-esteem but being a female hockey player doesn’t really make me a hot commodity when it comes to guys. Most of the boys back home hated the fact that I was better than them at hockey or didn’t understand my obsession. But Connor doesn’t seem to fall into either of these groups.

I bite my lip and watch as he closes his eyes and inhales a sharp breath. His reaction has me feeling very confident, and I chuckle to myself before nodding at the box in front of him.

“Are you going to open yours and show me the pizza you get so often that the owner has memorized your order?”

Connor’s eyes fly open and he places both hands on top of his box.

“Only if you promise to try a piece.”

Raising an eyebrow, I level him with a look. “You want me to try a piece of your pizza after you basically just told me how disappointed you were in me for putting pineapple on mine?”

He shrugs as if it makes complete sense to him. “That’s exactly the reason I want you to try mine. So you can finally know what good pizza tastes like.”

I shake my head at his ridiculousness, but fail miserably hiding the smile on my face.

“I’ll only try a slice of yours if you try mine.”