Overnight Sensation(80)

“I’m fine.” I push his hand off my face. “Don’t fuss.”

But he only relocates those hands to my shoulders. “I’m not a fan of you getting hurt.”

“I’m not a fan of you telling me off in front of twenty thousand people! If you think I’m sneaking into your hotel room after that, think again!”

Becca and Georgia lean in, fascinated. Whoops. I swear they’re paying more attention right now than they did to the actual game.

“You don’t want to hear me get upset? Then don’t pick fights with assholes!” Jason says.

“He started it!” I squeak. “But everything was under control!”

It’s a lie. I lost that fight. Jason’s expression says he knows the truth, too. I brace myself for more of his scolding. But instead he does something more brutal. He leans down and kisses me right on the lips.

And it’s no quick peck—it’s a bossy, hungry, claiming sort of kiss. My toes curl inside my ankle boots as his tongue seeks out mine. I get a hold of my senses and pull back, although now I can’t remember the finer points of why I’m angry.

“Well, well.” Becca chuckles. “Who knew Castro had a thing for bears?”

Georgia high-fives her, and they both crack up.

“Not funny,” Jason growls. “How could you put Heidi in that position tonight?”

Becca sobers up quickly. “Usually the mascots meet beforehand to discuss their shenanigans. But the fish was unavailable. Turns out he was getting high in the men’s room. I’ve already asked Hugh to write a letter to the team, demanding an apology for Heidi.”

“Oh, let’s not make a federal case out of it,” I snap. “The worst thing about tonight’s job is that the bear costume smells like B.O.” I had to sneak into the visitors’ locker room during the third period to shower.

“Am I getting in some kind of trouble with the league for leaving the bench?” Jason asks.

“I doubt it?” Becca shrugs. “Hugh and your agent will sort it out. The league could technically fine you. But since you left the bench to stop a fight, not to start one, it’s unlikely they’ll want to make an example of you.”

“I won’t apologize,” Jason says. “That was an unsafe situation.”

“We get it,” Becca says with twinkling eyes. “Carry on, then.” She walks out of the room, still smiling.

“Actually…” Georgia walks over to the office door and closes it. “I have something else I need to talk to you about, Jason. It doesn’t have a thing to do with tonight’s game. It’s a private matter.”

A beat goes by, and then I realize that was my cue. “I’ll go,” I say, sliding off the desk.

“No, stay,” Jason grunts, catching me by the hand. “Ice that eye. Whatever Georgia has to say, you can hear it. I don’t have any secrets.”

My anger instantly cools. The press of his hand against mine is nice. And I can’t deny that I get a thrill every time he says, “Stay here with me.” Whether he says it with his words or with his hands or with his eyes, I fall a little further into his thrall.

I’ve never been so obsessed with anyone in my life. It’s exciting, but it’s also trouble. This thing that Jason and I have going on is even better than I’d hoped for. Little by little, I’m falling for him. I don’t know if that’s allowed, but I don’t know that I can help it.

“So here’s the issue,” Georgia says, her voice oddly hushed. “Earlier today I got a weird call asking for a meeting with you, Jason. It’s an unusual request. I told this young woman that I’d get back to her in a week or so. So let me share this with you now so you can think about it.”

“Okay?” He looks confused, and I don’t blame him.

Georgia sits down on a broken desk chair and puts her chin in her hands. “So there’s a young woman in Minnesota. A senior at the university, playing her last college hockey season.”

“That’s nice?” Jason says. “How do I fit in?”

“Six years ago she wasn’t able to play hockey. She was basically dying. A surgery she’d had went wrong and damaged her liver. But then she was gifted a liver transplant, by a young woman named…”

Out of the corner of my eye, Jason visibly braces himself. “Melissa Skinner.”

Georgia nods.

“Wait,” I whisper. “That’s Lissa—your high school girlfriend who died?”

“Right,” he grunts.

“Did you know she was an organ donor?” Georgia asks softly.

Jason is quiet for a moment. “I only have hazy memories of the week she died. But there was something about organ donation.”

Georgia clears her throat. “I hadn’t heard that story before. After I got this call today, I googled Melissa Skinner. There are some old news articles about you and Melissa and the accident. Your hockey team raised money for Melissa’s funeral. I’m so sorry, Jason. I didn’t know you lost your girlfriend when you were…”

“Eighteen,” he bites out. “That was a long time ago. I don’t think about it so much anymore.” Although his tone makes him a liar.

“Well, I’m still sorry for your loss,” Georgia says.