He smiled. "It's the playoffs."
"Otherwise known as no shaving season."
"Unless we're not winning, then it can come off." Dylan's fingers wrapped around her wrist and traced a slow path to her shoulder then down to her elbow before it dropped to rest on her hip.
Blair shivered as fresh goosebumps rose. She slid her hand from his cheek to his neck. The move brought them torso to torso. Her curves fit against the hard planes of his body and his heat seeped into her.
Intensity crackled between them. Dylan leaned in, slow inch by slow inch, with a hint of a smile. Blair strained toward him until his lips were teasing over hers. Whisper soft and feather-light, from one side of her mouth to the other.
Then he settled more firmly in place, increasing the pressure as he slanted his mouth. Blair's core turned to liquid heat. She parted her lips and swiped her tongue over his lips to get another taste.
He groaned low in his throat. The hand on her shoulder moved to cradle the back of her neck. Strong fingers flexed there, angling her head to give him deeper access. His tongue curled into hers, tempting and teasing.
The flames of desire stoked higher. She curled her fingers into the collar of his shirt and hooked her other arm over his shoulder to pull him tighter against her body.
For a long while, the world consisted of nothing but Dylan hard and hot at her front, the cylindrical metal railing at her back, and the breeze blowing around them.
Desperate to drag in full breaths, she eased back. Dylan looked sleepy, sexy, and soft, like they'd just woken up after a long night together. His hands roamed over her back, soothing strokes that made her arch into his touch.
"So, I'd say there is a connection." His voice was raspy. "I didn't doubt it though, I've felt it for a while. You've always made my heart beat faster. You make me want things."
"Like what?"
"You." His mouth curved in a lopsided smile. "A chance. We were friends first. I think we can be more."
"I can't deny the way you make me feel or that I want more." Sparks didn't happen with just anyone, and she and Dylan had moved from kindling to an inferno in the span of a heartbeat. But he'd promised that they would talk and she needed to do that before they could do anything else. "I care a lot about you and we've been friends for a while. When you got hurt, it made me face my feelings for you. The concussions concern me. You know how my dad is now, and I know you're different, and that his problems are from several small concussions sustained over a twenty-year career, but I still worry about you."
His smile faded as his gaze searched her own. "I'm better now though."
"But only recently better. I'd have felt better if you'd given yourself a few more weeks of being injury-free before taking any risks again. Every time you step on that ice, every shift, there's a chance something can happen."
His focus shifted over her shoulder, out into the bay. "I could get a concussion from being in a car accident too. Or trip over something at home and hit my head, and get a concussion that way too. Remember, that's how Paquette got his concussion last season."
"I remember. I just want you to be okay. You're so..." she lifted her hand to his cheek once again.
"What," he rasped as his hands slipped to her hips. "I'm what?"
"You. You make me laugh and you're a good guy, you're always there for your friends and family. And when you touch me, it's like fireworks are being set off."
With a groan, he skated his hands up her back once more. "You're all those things too. I especially like that last part. Look, I'm hearing you're concerns. I swear. When I'm on the ice, I'll be as careful as I can be. Plus, I have Leo on my line. The dude takes out anyone who comes near me."
She couldn't help smiling at the thought of the huge winger. "That's true."
"So, can we give this a try?" His brows lifted in a hopeful expression that tugged on her heart.
"We can as long as we're always honest with each other. Lack of honesty was a big reason why my parents split up. So, that means telling me if you're experiencing any symptoms. You've already had two concussions so the threshold is lower."
He nodded, his expression solemn. "I will always be honest with you."
Her heartbeat pounded like a drum and the nerves fluttered in her stomach. He was giving her what she needed. "Okay, then."
"Okay, then," he echoed, and drew her closer. His head tilted and he leaned down, his gaze holding hers captive. Blair slid her fingers into his hair and held on as their lips met. Hotter and harder than the first, it sealed their agreement and promised passion.
A loud, laughing group of people walked by, shattering the stillness of the moment. Dylan raised his head. "Do you want to keep walking or head back to the hotel?'
The mention of the hotel brought back the reason they were in Tampa Bay to begin with. "I don't know how people within the team will react about us. It makes me a little nervous."
"We'll figure out how to let people know. Until then, we'll keep it quiet." He released his hold and stepped back. "If we win the game tomorrow, we'll sweep the series, and that means we'll have extra days off before the next round begins."
"I wouldn't mind a few extra recovery days for you guys." They needed to conserve as much of their energy as they could for later rounds of play.
"Me either. So when we get back home, spend the day with me. Just the two of us. Let's go somewhere that has nothing to do with the rink or the practice facility or
