“Because I don’t want to let you go,” she said softly. “And I feel like I’m going to lose you.”

Jordan let out a long breath as he ran his hand through his hair. He didn’t know what to say or what was the right thing to do. All he knew was that he loved this girl, and as much as he wanted to tell her that, he knew it would only make things worse. One day soon he would leave her, and they both knew that. The scariest thing was that, with each passing day, he wanted to give it all up, just for her. He knew he could ask her to go with him, but that didn’t feel right. Shaking his head, he said, “I told you from the start I was leaving. I don’t know what to say; I don’t know how to make this better. I’m sorry.”

Aynslee slowly nodded as her lips started to tremble. When a stray tear rolled down her cheek, she turned away quickly and went to the sink, where she dumped out the water she hadn’t even taken a sip of. Jordan couldn’t move. He felt as if she had kicked him in the stomach with just that one small tear.

“You’re right,” she said with a shaky voice. “Listen, I’m not feeling well. I think I’ll skip the benefit tonight. I’m sorry.”

She started for the hallway, but he stopped her, taking her in his arms and dropping his mouth to hers. He could feel the tears rushing down her face, and it killed him. Holding her close as he pulled his mouth away, he slowly moved his thumb along her cheeks, catching each stray tear. She looked up at him, holding him hostage with watery green eyes, her red lips still wobbling. He wanted to say so many things, but he didn’t know how. He shifted to whisper in her ear, “We’ll figure something out. I can’t just walk away from you.”

She choked on a sob before closing her eyes tight and wrapping her arms around him. He held her as she cried, feeling his own tears about to fall. Walking away from her was the last f**king thing he wanted to do, but what other choice was there?

Pulling back, she looked up at him, her eyes filled with sadness. “You’ve walked away twice before; why wouldn’t you once again? The only good thing is that at least we had this time together.”

His heart stopped as he held her gaze. “Don’t say that, Ayns. I’m not going anywhere yet.”

He closed his eyes, wishing that things could be different for them. He wanted to get lost in her kisses, take her to bed, and never leave. In a perfect world, he would be with her and they would both have awesome careers. That’s what he wanted, but it seemed impossible.

As he ran his nose along hers, she whispered, “Yeah, not yet.”

Chapter 9

“How about the Predators, do they need a goalie?”

Jordan stood outside a little pub in the heart of Buffalo, on the phone with his dad. The Assassins were playing the Sabres the next afternoon for an early Sunday game, and it seemed as if everything in Buffalo reminded him of Aynslee. She had told him so many stories about growing up in the charming city that it felt as if he had lived there with her. Thinking of her prompted the usual smile, but it also brought on a little heartache. After skipping Jakob’s charity event, he had lain in bed with Aynslee, holding her and then making love to her all night long. He was such an idiot. He’d known this was going to happen, and he still fell in love. Now he was scrambling, trying to figure out a way to keep them together.

Bill cleared his throat, and Jordan could hear his father’s fingers typing on the computer. After finding the answer he needed, Bill finally said, “Maybe. I could reach out to them.”

“Yes, please do,” Jordan said, feeling a glimpse of hope. It would piss some of his teammates off if he went to the Assassins’ most hated rival, but if it allowed him to stay in Nashville, he’d do it.

“Why? I thought you wanted to play for the IceCats.”

“I don’t want to leave Nashville,” he admitted, pinching the bridge of his nose and bracing for a fight. Jordan knew his father. Bill loved his wife more than anything, and if bringing her son back home to play would make her happy, he’d do it, no matter how Jordan felt about it. Jordan wanted to be close to his parents, but Aynslee was becoming the most important thing in his world.

“Why?”

“I met someone.”

Bill paused, and Jordan took the opportunity to hold the phone out from his ear before the screaming started.

“Are you f**king kidding me? You knew you were leaving at the end of the season. You wanted this! I’ve worked my ass off to get you the best deal with the IceCats, and you want to stay in Nashville? For some woman?”

“Not just for some woman, Dad. She’s the one. I love her.”

“Oh, for f**k’s sake, son. Really? This is the first I’ve heard of her and you love her? What the hell?”

“Dad, she’s different. I met her when I was flying back from that meeting with the Sabres, and I instantly knew there was something special about her. I tried to stay away, but I couldn’t, Dad. I can’t. I have to do everything I can to stay in Nashville, or I’ll lose her,” he said, his voice breaking at the end.

Closing his eyes to keep the tears at bay, Jordan took in another breath as his father said, “Are you crying?”

“No, I’m not crying!” Jordan snapped.

Bill’s chuckles came over the line. “She can’t come here?”

Jordan shook his head, even though his father couldn’t see him. “No. She has a great job in Nashville, not to mention friends and a life. I can’t ask her to leave it all for me.”