Worth the Risk

Chapter Fourteen. Connor.

When Lennox clarified that we weren't together, I felt a funny sensation in my chest; a funny sensation that I didn't like. Jealousy, maybe? But there was no one to be jealous of.

I'd just had one of the scariest conversations of my life with her father, who, at the time, I was sure was going to tear me a new one and bench me before the season even started.

But he hadn't.

Sure, he brought up my many past mistakes with women and threatened me that if I hurt her I'd never play hockey again, but he never said she was off limits. He didn't exactly give me his blessings, either. He just told me to think long and hard before I did something stupid. But I took his threat and lack of obvious objection as a sign.

I was determined to get her to go out with me, whatever it took. I just had to convince her that I was worth it, that what I was sure she'd heard about me wasn't all true. That I wanted her.

The looks Keith kept sending my way were unnerving and I knew what he was trying to tell me; that I had worked too hard to get to where I was to let someone like the coach's daughter screw my career up. But what he didn't understand was that I wasn't going to let that happen. I had my head on straight. I genuinely liked this woman.

So I ignored him as best as I could and enjoyed my time with this group of people while it lasted.

I was engaged in a conversation with the guys about training camp starting up when I felt a small touch on my forearm that pulled my attention away from what Jake was saying.

I turned to see Lennox smiling shyly at me. "Sorry to interrupt, but Saylor is almost to her capacity for the night."

I nodded in understanding and said, "Let me say my goodbyes and I'm ready."

"Are you sure? I don't want to make you leave," she said and I could tell she felt like she was pulling me away from something.

I wanted to tell her that she was the only one I wanted to spend time with, but I didn't because I was scared it would scare her off. So instead, I assured her I was ready to go.

She walked away from the group, I assumed to say goodbye to her parents, while I said bye to the group here.

The guys and I all shared fist bumps before I started to walk toward the gate.

Someone caught my arm to stop me and I knew who it was without looking. "Please, don't start," I told him.

Keith sighed as I turned around. "What are you doing?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, even though I knew exactly what he was talking about.

He rolled his eyes exaggeratedly. "With the coach's daughter. Man, I thought you were smarter than that."

"We're friends, neighbors."

"You haven't been looking at her like a friend today. You've been looking at her like you want to give her another child."

"You're crazy," I denied, but knew he was very much right. I wouldn't admit that to him, though.

"Just be careful, man," he said as Lennox approached us.

I didn't have time to reply so I just said, "See ya later," to Keith and walked back down the street to where we'd parked.

As Lennox was putting Saylor into her carseat in the back, I climbed into the passenger seat and lost myself in Keith's comments. Had I really been looking at her like that? Sure, I was definitely physically attracted to her, but I wasn't ready for a child. He had to be out of his mind.