SWNOVELS Break My Heart: Chapter 13
Relief floods my system the moment Hayes pulls up beside my silver Jetta. The parking lot, once bustling with the activity of the hockey clinic, is now quiet, with only a handful of cars left.
I’m eager to flee the close confines of the vehicle. The strange mix of emotions swirling inside me makes me desperate for a bit of distance. Before I can pop the door handle and slip away, Hayes swivels toward me.
“So, what do you think about a second date, Tink?” The intensity in his eyes belies the casualness of his tone.
My brows shoot up in surprise. “Second date? That’s strange, I don’t remember agreeing to the first one.”
A slow grin spreads across his face. “Pretty sure I just bought you lunch. That counts as a date in my book.”
I narrow my eyes, feeling that familiar pull between us. “Maybe your sister isn’t the only Van Doren who needs to be watched out for.”
The chuckle that escapes from him is a low and rich sound that does funny things to my insides.
“I just want the chance to get to know you better. That’s all.”
I glance away, knowing I should shut this down before it gets out of control.
The rational part of me screams that this is a bad idea—that nothing good can come from this growing attraction or letting him in. But there’s something about the way he looks at me, like he sees more than just the snippy facade I project, that makes it difficult to say no.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I murmur, my gaze flicking back to him briefly before darting away again. “And that’s not me playing hard to get. I’m not someone who plays games.” I pause, unsure how to explain without giving away too much. “I just…”
I trail off as the words become lodged at the back of my throat.
I hate this.
Hate how vulnerable I feel and how tangled up in the past I am.
It was so much easier to push him away when I thought he was just another arrogant hockey player used to getting what he wanted. But now, after seeing how he cares for his family, how he’s stepped up since his dad died, I’m unable to fall back on that excuse.
Instead of letting me off the hook, his fingers slip beneath my chin, gently tilting my face toward him. His touch is surprisingly gentle as his eyes search mine with a kind of patience that makes my pulse quicken.
“Just what?” His voice is soft, coaxing. “Talk to me.”
I sigh, my breath shaky.
As much as I want to look away, I can’t. His gaze holds mine captive, and for the first time in a while, I feel exposed—like he’s peeling back the protective layers I’ve worked so hard to build.
“There are things that happened last year,” I say carefully, “and I’m having a hard time moving past them. Whatever you’re looking for, I’m not it.”
He studies me quietly. It’s like he’s trying to piece together the parts of me I’ve kept hidden. What I don’t like is how close he’s getting and just how easily he’s able to break down my defenses.
Before I can retreat, he leans in slightly, his breath warm against my skin.
“Does this have anything to do with the person who messaged you earlier?”
My stomach drops at the mention of the text I received a handful of minutes ago. The way he picked up on that so easily, how he saw through my attempts to brush it off, unsettles me.
“Yeah,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper.
The shift in Hayes is immediate. His relaxed demeanor tightens, concern flashing in his eyes. “Is it an ex?”
I hesitate.
There’s so much more to it than that, but I can’t bring myself to spill the details.
“Something like that,” I mutter.
He watches me carefully, and for a second, I think he might press for more. Instead, he inches closer until the warmth of his breath drifts across my lips.
“Okay, let me ask you this, do you feel anything for me?”
The question catches me by surprise.
Before I can react, he continues, “Because I feel something for you. And that’s not something I’ve experienced before, so I kind of want to figure out what this is.” His voice is steady, sincere, and somehow, that makes it difficult to deflect.
I swallow hard, my heart racing in my chest. “Nothing is that easy.”
A slow, lazy smile tugs at his lips. “It can be,” he says, his fingers still gently holding my chin. “I promise.”
Everything inside me screams to shut this down, to retreat before I get in too deep. Instead of saying no the way I should, I find myself blurting out the one word that shocks us both. “Okay.”
His brows shoot up in disbelief, his eyes narrowing playfully. “Really? You’re not messing with me?”
I can’t help the laugh that bubbles up in my chest as the crackling tension between us dissolves. “No, I’m not messing with you.”
He grins, and the warmth of his smile makes my insides flip. “Good.”
The moment stretches between us, a delicate balance of uncertainty and something else I haven’t let myself feel in a long time. Maybe that’s what terrifies me so much. For the first time since everything with Nathan exploded, I’m allowing myself to feel again.
As much as I want to believe Hayes, to let myself be swept up in whatever this is between us, I can’t shake the feeling that nothing is as simple as he makes it out to be.
And that’s the part that scares me most.