Puck Pact: A Marriage of Convenience Hockey Romance (East Coast Series)

The high school art class that visited the museum today was perfect for Giuliana to tag along with.

She insisted on walking beside me and holding my hand, and she took it upon herself to tell the class she was my assistant.

This kid is a trip.

Alexander stayed at the back of the group, watching and listening, taking it all in like the quiet observer he is. But it doesn’t matter how quiet he is—when his eyes are on me, it speaks louder than any words he could say. I’d bet every penny of the hundred grand that he could recite each fact I’ve taught the group today—not because it’s important to him, but because it’s important to me. His attention is quickly becoming something I bask in, something I crave…and I don’t know how to feel about that.

Several people recognized him throughout the day, asking for pictures and autographs. He accepted with a smile, though his gaze kept returning to Giuliana. I know he’s nervous about how she’s going to handle all of this, but I think it’ll affect him more than it will her.

“I guess word got out that the great Alexander Krum is here.” I glance out the window by the exit, noting the small crowd gathered on the sidewalk.

“News always travels fast.” He finishes buttoning Giuliana’s coat, and pushes to his full height as he lifts her into his arms. “Sam is pulling around back for us.”

Giuliana pulls the lollipop I gave her out of her mouth. “You’re coming to live with us tomorrow, right?”

I nod, answering her question for the fourth time today. “I am.”

She smiles so big, her cheeks bunch up around her eyes. “I can’t wait for you to see the surprise.”

My eyebrows hit my hairline. “A surprise?”

Alexander presses his index finger to her lips. “No spoiling it, remember?”

She giggles and bites the tip of his finger like a piranha before sticking the lollipop back in her mouth.

I arch a brow. “A surprise, huh?”

Alexander smirks. “Only the good kind. Promise.”

“Mr. Krum, I hope you enjoyed your tour today.”

Both of our heads whip around as my boss strides toward us.

Alexander’s jaw clenches before he forces a polite smile. “We did, thank you. We had a wonderful tour guide.”

“Yes, well, the tour guide has to get back to work now.” Carter glances at me with a blank, unreadable expression. “Aarya, I’d like to speak with you in my office before your three o’clock tour arrives.”

I don’t miss the way Alexander’s eyes bore into the side of Carter’s head.

I nod as I turn my attention to Giuliana. “See you tomorrow. Movie night, don’t forget.”

She sticks out her arms, and Alexander leans over so she can reach me, happy as a clam with her candy as she hugs me. “Bye, Aarya.”

I hesitate as I gaze up at Alexander, unsure of how much PDA he wants to show in front of his daughter.

“Eddie will pick you up tonight since I have a game,” he says, wrapping a hand around my waist as he presses his lips to my forehead. “And then I’ll come get you with the SUV when I get back tomorrow so we can load up your boxes.”

I shoot him a wink. “Good luck tonight.”

He flashes me a smile, and carries Giuliana toward the exit. Her voice echoes as they head out, and I find myself wondering what she’s saying.

Nerves eat at my stomach as I watch the two of them. I’ve never lived with anyone other than my mother. How will it feel living with Alexander and his daughter?

Am I ready for this?

For a hundred grand, I need to be.

Carter escorts me to his office, and closes the door with a click behind us.

“Boxes,” Carter says as he rounds his desk to sit behind it. “Are you moving?”

I clear my throat and lower myself into the chair opposing his desk. “Yeah, I’m moving in with Alexander.”

He arches a brow. “A little soon to be moving in, don’t you think?”

My personal life is none of his business. I want to tell him that, but instead, I bite my tongue and tell him, “We’ve been dating for a while. We just haven’t let anyone know about it.”

He nods. “There are some things I’d like to discuss.”

“Is everything okay?”

“I just wanted to make sure the promotion is something you’re still interested in.”

My chin jerks back. “Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”

He hikes a nonchalant shoulder. “I don’t know. You have a rich new boyfriend. You seem preoccupied. I’d hate to see you throw away everything you’ve worked for.”

My mouth flaps open. “Preoccupied? I’m sorry, but I’m not sure what you mean.”

I’ve busted my ass at this job, bending over backwards to do anything and everything Carter has asked of me, staying later than any of the other employees and taking on more tours. He finds out about Alexander, and suddenly he thinks I’m preoccupied?

“The promotion means more hours; a higher work-load. I need to be confident that you’re willing to put this job first. Taking on a relationship with a high-profile athlete who has a young child might get in the way of that.” Carter slides a sheet of paper across his desk. “You recently put in for a few upcoming days off.”

I glance down at my schedule for next month, several of Alexander’s away games highlighted in yellow. “With all due respect, Carter, I rarely take off.”

“I know, and now that’s changing.” He presses his lips into a firm line. “I noticed those are game days.”

My eyebrows press together. “You looked up to see when his games are?”

“I’m a fan of the team. It was nothing against you.”

My lips tug downward. “Carter, this job is everything to me. Having a relationship doesn’t change that. I can do both. I can have a personal life and a career at the same time.”Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“I hope so.”

This conversation feels like a threat, or a punishment for being with Alexander. Maybe it was a mistake inviting him here with Giuliana today. Or maybe Carter’s jealous that I’m not single anymore, and he knows he can’t cross the line like he used to.

Either way, I want to stand up and tell Carter to go fuck himself. That he can’t tell me how to spend my given days off. That my relationship status shouldn’t affect my consideration for a promotion.

Most of all, that he shouldn’t be flirting with his female employees.

But I can’t. I just need to find a way to honor both of my commitments, to my job and to this fake marriage agreement until the day comes when I can leave this place, and my boss, behind.

I flop onto the couch and glance around at the boxes stacked by the doorway.

“Well, Dash, this is it. We’re moving tomorrow, and I don’t know if you’re going to like it.” I run my fingers through his silky fur as he snores beside me. “You’ll have a lot more room to roam around, but I just hope you get along with their dog.”

I know this isn’t the last night in my apartment forever, but it’s the first time I’m moving in with someone else, and I can’t help the nerves swarming in my stomach.

It’ll all be worth it in the end when I have that money in my bank account.

My eyes follow Alexander as he skates across the TV screen, effortlessly passing the puck to McKinley between two opposing players in the replay from tonight’s game. Since I spent the night packing, I watched his game from my apartment. He’s talented. It’s easy to see why he’s the captain. It’s like he controls every move on the ice, making each play bend to his will. He commands attention, taking the puck and putting it exactly where he wants it.

It’s sexy as hell.

He’s sexy as hell. But I can’t touch him. Can’t kiss him. Can’t have him the way I want to. It’s frustrating as hell. I want no-strings attached, and he wants monogamy. I don’t catch feelings, and he wants to fall in love. We couldn’t be more opposite. And the last thing I want to do is hurt him, so I have to respect his wishes. I need to put my physical feelings aside and remember that we’re just two friends helping each other out.

After the game ends, my phone buzzes on the nightstand beside me, pulling me out of my thoughts. I swipe my thumb across Alexander’s name before his face fills the screen.

“Hey, Big Man. Shouldn’t you be out partying with the rest of your team?”

He rests against the headboard in his hotel room. “Not in the mood to party.”

“Why not? You played a great game tonight.”

His eyebrows shoot up. “You watched?”

“In between packing.”

“How did that go?”

“Easy. I don’t have much.” I flip the screen so he can see the three boxes across the room before flipping it back to my face. “Dash is a little nervous though,” I whisper. “Between me and you.”

He chuckles. “Tell Dash he has nothing to worry about. We’re going to make his stay as luxurious as possible.”

I grin. “I bet Giuliana is excited.”

“Annie sent me a video of her jumping on the bed like it was Christmas Eve.” He shakes his head. “You’re officially as cool as Santa.”

I toss my hair over my shoulder. “Obviously.”

“Giuliana loved being at the gallery today.” A soft smile tilts his lips. “She was very intrigued by all the naked people in the rain-and-sauce era.”

My eyes squeeze shut as I choke out a laugh. “Oh my god. That’s what I’m calling the Renaissance from now on.”

His shoulders shake with laughter. “I love when she gets words wrong.”

“You should write them all down in a book and give it to her when she goes off to college.”

“That’s actually a great idea.” He arches a brow. “Who knew you were so sentimental?”

I roll my eyes. “I have to keep you on your toes.”

His smile fades as he tilts his head, those keen eyes of his boring into mine. “How are you doing?”

“I’m fine. Why do you ask?”

“I know this is a big deal for you, moving in with someone—especially someone who has a four-year-old.”

I purse my lips. “So that’s why you called me. You think I’m going to back out of our agreement?”

“Not at all.” He pauses. “If I’m being honest, I called because I wanted to see your face.”

“You just saw my face at the gallery today.”

“It’s a good face. I’d like to see it often.”

I laugh off his compliment. “Well, good because you’re about to see it a lot starting tomorrow. You’ll be sick of this face in no time.”

He lets his head fall back against the headboard as he grins. “Impossible.”

“So, what is this surprise you have planned?”

“Why don’t you tell me the reason you don’t like surprises, and maybe I’ll tell you.”

I roll my eyes. “You won’t tell me.”

“You’re right. I won’t.” His voice softens. “But you can still tell me.”

My fingers smooth over Dash’s fur, stopping to scratch behind one of his ears. “I don’t like being caught off guard. My mom kept the truth about my father from me until she blurted it out one day while we were arguing. I guess that’s where it stems from. Then, I’d be surprised to find an eviction notice on our door of each new apartment we lived in. And one day, she surprised me by kicking me out after a stupid fight.” I shrug. “I’ve never been surprised by flowers, or a present, or good news. So, I guess that’s why I hate surprises.”

Alexander’s lips tug downward as his eyebrows collapse. “She kicked you out? How old were you?”

“Seventeen.”

“Where did you go?”

“I stayed with Cassidy until I was eighteen. Then I found an apartment in Newark. It was in someone’s attic. No windows, poor ventilation. The owners of the house were dealers, and there was always an addict passed out on the front steps. I had to carry pepper spray with me everywhere I went, just in case someone tried to push his way inside the house.”

The same pepper spray I had from living with my mother’s revolving door of sleazy boyfriends.

He shakes his head. “That’s why you’re not scared to walk home alone from work every night.”

“It’s like a walk in the park compared to where I used to live.” I pause. “I never did get to use the pepper spray though. Kind of disappointed about that. I’m dying to see how it works.”

Alexander shoots me a look. “Let’s keep it that way. I don’t want you to be in a situation where you need to use it.”

I waggle my eyebrows. “Maybe I can try it on you. What do you say?”

One corner of his mouth curves up. “This isn’t the time for jokes. We’re having a serious conversation right now.”

“That’s how I have serious conversations—deflection with a dark sense of humor.”

He heaves a long sigh as he stares at me through the screen. “Well, I can promise you that this surprise is a good one. You have nothing to worry about.”

And the funny thing is, I actually believe him. I don’t think Alexander would do a damn thing to upset me or blindside me. He’s so careful about what he says and does, so in tune with how I’m feeling.

I hate it.

Or I hate the fact that I don’t hate it. I actually kind of like it.

I trust him, and fuck if that isn’t the biggest surprise of all.