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  “I know.” She had been a little butthurt that he hadn’t been there when Rodney came home, especially when Rod had asked for him. But then she was thankful. She didn’t want it to be awkward for Rodney, and she also couldn’t control her temper with Vaughn. She needed the distance, and she thought maybe he was giving it to her. Or maybe he didn’t care about anyone but himself. That seemed more like him. But then she heard shit like this, and it all went to hell.

  “He said when I’m better that I can go to a game with everyone. He has a box. I’m sure you can come.”

  She smiled. “Rod, I’ll already be there, but I’ll make sure to come visit you.”

  “Cool. I’m excited. There is some prom coming up. I think I’m gonna ask Phyllis to come with me.”

  “Prom? And ooh, does Rodney have a crush?”

  “She’s nice and, yeah, the Assassins are throwing it.”

  “Oh, cool. That sounds like a blast.”

  “It will be. So, yeah, let me let you go. I want to play.”

  “Sure, please be careful. Okay?”

  He nodded hard, his face bright and happy. She loved seeing him like that. “Yeah, I know. I’m taking it easy. Plus, Grandma keeps coming in here and hollering at me if I move.”

  “I think I love that woman.”

  Rodney made a face. “She’s like you.”

  “I know.”

  He blew her a kiss. “I love you, B.”

  “I love you too.”

  They waved to each other, and she hung up. For the first time in a week, she smiled. Really smiled. Rodney was good. Solid. She had that fucker to thank for it, but she would never ever tell him that. Hell, she’d never talk to him another day in her life if she could get away with it.

  “Hey, Brie, here is the list for interviews tonight.”

  Taking the list from Travis, she looked at it and instantly wanted to throw it. “Really? Johansson?”

  “Yeah, they want you guys to discuss something. I don’t know.”

  “Discuss what?”

  “The game you two will be playing.”

  Her head whipped to where her director, Russell, was standing, and the lipstick that was being applied went across her face, much the makeup artist’s dismay. But Brie didn’t care. “What game?”

  “Elli Adler wants a little on-ice competition between you two. Just read the teleprompter. Great battle makeup, by the way.”

  He went to turn and walk away, but Brie followed him. “What the hell do you mean? I didn’t agree to this.”

  “So? Elli wants it.”

  “I don’t care. I don’t want to play hockey with that asshole.”

  “Well, I mean, it’s your job. You don’t want to piss off the owner of the team you report for, do you?”

  Her jaw dropped. “That is so messed up. What if I have an injury? I broke my foot.”

  Russell gave her a dull look. “Brie. Come on, it will be fun and easy. He’ll probably let you win.”

  She laughed. Loudly. “That dude has an ego of an elephant. He won’t let me win, nor do I need him to.”

  “Then you’re good.”

  With that, he walked away, leaving Brie bursting with fury. She didn’t want to play hockey with that…that asshole! “Damn it!”

  Stomping back to her chair as the warm-up music started, she shook her head as the makeup girl began to clean up her face. “I’m sorry.”

  She didn’t even answer Brie, just went back to work as Brie stewed in her anger. The last thing she wanted to do was go anywhere near him. And playing hockey with that monster man, he would be bound to touch her. She couldn’t handle that. He put his hands on her, and she turned stupid. Got distracted by his words, his amazing hands, his gorgeous and sinful lips, and all of a sudden, she was in the shower crying. It wasn’t freaking fair. It was just that she felt this pull between them. This strong, magnetic pull and it all was all a lie.

  How was she supposed to get over all that when this job of hers had her working side by side with him? It was like the forces beyond thought this was funny. How mad could they make Brie? How far could they push her until she lost her fucking mind?

  Damn it.

  A few minutes later, after getting her face fixed, she found herself behind the bench with Jensen leaning against it, a grin on his face. “You’re getting the start tonight, with Tate Odder being put on injured reserve. It’s looking as if you’ll start more than you assumed you would. How excited are you?”

  Jensen nodded. “You know, no one wants to see a teammate hurt. I care for Odder, for his family. I don’t like the circumstance that brought me this start, but that doesn’t mean I’m not ready to bring home the W. I love playing, I love being between the pipes, and I’m ready to do Odder proud.”

  “We’re ready to watch,” she said with a dazzling smile as she looked back to the camera. “The Stars are a tough offensive team. What are your plans to make sure they don’t get any through?”

  “Well, I mean, I have the best defensemen in the league in front of me. They come out, put their hearts on the ice to protect me, and I’m lucky for that. What they can’t block, I pray I’ve got eyes on and I can do my job.”

  “Thank you, Jensen.”

  “Thanks, Brie.”

  He skated off, and she looked at the camera, her brilliant smile in place as she said, “Stay tuned because I’ll be back with Vaughn Johansson with a special announcement. Now back to Mike and Sully.”

  As she dropped the mic, her grin dropped too. Fuck the special announcement, double fuck Vaughn. But even as she walked out from behind the bench, her eyes were drawn to his as he did his rounds on the ice. He always went around four times, his hair blowing in the air, a certain smile on his face. The same smile he had when he came inside of her.

  Great, now she was hot all over and thinking of him.

  Fabulous.

  As Brie sat in the tunnel, she kept her eyes on the game as it progressed. The first period was pretty uneventful, ending with a no goal score. After a quick and pointless interview with Coach, she found herself back in the tunnel, her eyes on the game again as her heart pounded in her chest. She didn’t have her interview with Vaughn until the second intermission, which gave her time to prepare to be so near him. But even she couldn’t prepare for everything he made her feel.

  Which was every single fucking feeling in the world.

  Standing there, her mic in her hand, she watched as the Assassins carried it into the Stars’ zone. Franklin had the puck. He was playing with it on the power play as Reeves and Sinclair lined up to take the one timer. When he tried to pass it back, though, a Stars player blocked him and took off on the breakaway. But out of nowhere came Vaughn. He was skating with everything inside of him, and when he laid out, blocking the shot for Jensen, she couldn’t help it, she hollered out for him.

  The crowd was going just as wild as some of the Stars’ fans called for a penalty. But it was a clean block, and the player should be lucky he didn’t get the call for embellishment with the way he threw his stick down over Vaughn. When he got back to his feet, the play was already up ice, but Vaughn and number nine were still at the end, talking back and forth.

  “Fucking pussy,” the player called out.

  “Aw, wanna go and cry to your momma that Vaughn Johansson blocked your shot? Fucking baby!”

  As he skated toward the other end, Vaughn’s eyes met hers. Something came over his face before he took number nine’s stick with his own and slid it across the ice from him as he was trying to get it. Instantly, the ref’s arm shot up, and Vaughn threw his hands up. “It got in my way.”

  “Player interference. Go to the box.”

  “The stick got caught in mine!”

  She couldn’t help it, she snickered as he continued to argue, skating toward the box as the coach tried to fight for Vaughn. But everyone knew he’d done it as an asshole move.

  Now both teams were even, but only for twenty seconds before the other team got their fifth