Page 108 of Fighting Chance

It’s what I imagine I look like when I talk about hockey. To have something in your life that brings you such happiness is a blessing, one we both seem to have been granted.

I’d be lying if I wasn’t itching to ask what’s on her list, though. I’ve decided to rename it to her desire list because, let’s be honest, it’s not just general life firsts.

The more that her cheeks flush, her lips parting to yap about books, the more I want to kiss her. My cock is painfully hard, like I’m talking one brush from Little Miss Sunshine and I’d come in my pants type hard.

Thank fuck my shirt covers my jeans.

“Am I boring you?” she asks suddenly and I realize we’ve come to a stop and I’m staring at her lips.

Snapping my eyes up to hers, I answer honestly. “You could never bore me.”

She bites her lower lip. “We should probably talk about”—she peers around the store, lowering her voice—“our arrangement.”

If I wasn’t so caught up on the word she’s decidedto call this, I would have started laughing at her low whisper, considering I bought out the store so we could be alone.

My brow quirks. “Arrangement?”

She waves her hands in the air. “Well, what would you call it?”

“Fucking.”

Her eyes widen and the look she gives me has me doubling over with laughter this time. I hold my hands up as she lifts her purse and whacks my shoulder with it. “I’m sorry, I had to. Your face was priceless.”

Clutching my stomach, I wipe away a tear that escapes. She frowns up at me, crossing her arms and cocking her hip.

“It’s rude to laugh at people, Ashford.”

There’s my little firecracker.

“You’d think with all the dirty books you read that the word wouldn’t have gotten such a reaction.”

She lifts her chin. “Well excuse me for not being so desensitized to sex.”

I reach out and brush my thumb along her cheek, not caring that I don’t have an excuse to touch her, just knowing that I have to in this moment otherwise I won’t be able to breath.

“I’m just messing with you, sunshine. Of course it’s more than just fucking.”

Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, I savor her confused features as I steer us toward the sitting room. “Come on, it’s time I hear about this famous list. I have to say, you’ve got my imagination running wild.”

She just huffs, the sound running down my spine.

Walking through the store, I can’t help but admire how well done it is. The shelves are painted white, allowing the colorful spines of the books to add the pop of color, while decorations fill the gaps. Bookmarks, totes, candles, and even pins are artfully placed throughout. Then finally, the reading corner has a wall stapled with pages from several books, a pink neon sign above it readingLover’s Lane. Which honestly couldn’t be more perfect for the conversation that’s about to take place.

Layla sits on the far end of the couch, her cheeks flushed thesame shade of her hair, and as she tucks a lock behind her ear, I can’t help but wonder if I’ve already fucked up as she continues to avoid my gaze. Reaching over, I gently clasp her hand.

“I’m sorry about before. I promise I was joking. This is a big deal, and I want you to know it isn’t nothing to me. I won’t hurt you, Layla, that I can promise you.”

At the sincerity of my words, she finally lifts her eyes to mine, vulnerability shining in them.

She clings to my hand. “Thank you.”

I try to give her a reassuring smile. “I know it’s nerve-wracking, but if this is going to work, communication is key. I’m pretty good at reading your tells but I need to know that if you find something uncomfortable, you’ll speak up and tell me.”

Nodding, she releases her lower lip from between her teeth. “Yes, of course.”

Leaning back on the couch, I spread my legs enough to allow my thigh to brush against hers. “Lay it on me, then, sunshine. What’s on this list?”

She fidgets from side to side, brushing her hands down her dress before picking up the edge of it, rolling the fabric, and playing with it. “W-well…I mean, the obvious one.”