By admin Fake Dating My Ex’s Favourite Hockey Player Novel CH 82
The air between us is charged.
Liam doesn’t move away. Neither do I.
The lime wedge is still between his teeth, his lips curved into that infuriating, knowing
smirk. Like he’s already won.
I try to pretend that this didn’t just send heat rolling through my veins.
But his thumb is still tracing slow, lazy circles on my waist. His breath is still warm against my lips.
I’m not sure I can move even if I want to.
“Still think it’s just a game, love?” Liam murmurs, voice low, teasing. Sinful.
I force myself to roll my eyes, despite the way my pulse is hammering. “You’re ridiculous.”
His smirk deepens, eyes glinting. “I think you’re more ridiculous. Seeing as you’re still standing here.”
His fingers flex against my waist, a touch so small, so subtle, but I feel it everywhere.
Before I can snap back, someone whistles loudly, snapping the moment in two.
“Damn, Liam, you trying to take the whole ship down with you?” Tonia calls out, laughing. A few others join in, and just like that, the spell breaks.
1 blink, the room rushing back in all at once. The music, the laughter, the weight of too
many eyes on me.
On us.
Liam leans back against the bar, finally letting go, but his smirk lingers. Like he’s still got me trapped in the moment.
Maybe he does.
“Rule change!” Becca calls out, whatever it is she sees between me and Liam brightens her mood. She has the largest, shit eating grin on her face. “Everyone gets on the ground to spin the bottle. The last person it lands on spins. Whoever it lands on is your body shots partner.
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No exceptions.”
out?”
Some tech bro with an overpriced watch frowns. “What if we don’t want to? Can we back
Becca’s all sweetness and kindness smile is back. “Of course you can. Then you’ll just have to jump off the cruise and we’ll have the captain fish you back up.”
–
No one argues after that. Everyone silently finds a spot on the ground Zane and his
friends included.
“You’re up next, sweetheart,” Becca says, handing me the bottle. “Make it good.”
I exhale slowly, forcing my heartbeat to calm.
I can do this. It’s just a game. Just a game.
I spin the bottle.
It turns once.
Twice.
My heart slams against my ribs as it slows, ticking past faces, each second stretching
unbearably long.
Then it stops.
And my stomach drops.
Zane.
The teasing atmosphere shifts, the tension snapping sharp and immediate.
I don’t dare look at Liam, but I can feel the change in him. His posture stiffens, his smirk fading.
I swallow hard.
This is fine.
This is completely fine,
It’s just a game.
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Even as Zane’s gaze settles on me – intense, unreadable I don’t quite believe that
anymore.
–
The room feels smaller. Or maybe that’s just my chest tightening.
I knew this could happen, but somehow, I didn’t think it would.
For a second, no one moves. The music is still playing, but no one’s laughing anymore, it
all feels distant.
Like the real noise is in my head.
Then Becca claps her hands, from the look on her faces I think she got exactly what she
wanted. Must be nice. “Unfortunately I was serious about the no exceptions rule. But it’s okay since you’ve both moved on, right?”
So this is what she’s playing at.
Liam still hasn’t said a word. I don’t look at him. I can’t.
Zane flexes his fingers. “Of course, babe. It’s just a game. Right, Em?”
My cheeks hurt from my smile. “Right.”
Zane pushes up from where he’s sitting, rolling his shoulders like he’s getting ready for a fight. His eyes flick to me, sharp and unreadable.
“That’s settled then!” For once, Tonia doesn’t look so excited anymore. I can only imagine
how awkward she and everyone else who knows Zane and I feel right now. “It’s Zane and
Emilia!”
I force a breath,
It’s just a game.
Maybe if I keep telling myself that, I’ll eventually believe it.
“Let’s just get this over with,” I say, voice steady.
Zane smirks. “Didn’t think you’d back down.”
I don’t respond. I don’t trust myself to.
Someone hands me, the salt. The tequila. The lime. My hands don’t shake. That’s a win,
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right?
“Where?” Zane asks, and I realise – too late -that he’s mimicking Liam.
Of course, he saw.
I don’t know why that annoys me. I don’t care what Zane sees, what he thinks. Not
anymore.
I place my hand against his chest, ignoring the way his smirk deepens like he thinks this still means something. Like I haven’t already erased him from my life.
I almost want to laugh.
If Becca was hoping for drama, she picked the wrong girl.
I sprinkle the salt onto his skin, quick and smooth. Efficient. It means nothing.
Because it really doesn’t.
I lean in, my lips brushing his chest as I lick the salt away. Too slow? Too fast? I don’t
know. I don’t care.
The tequila burns as I take the shot, but I barely feel it.
Maybe it’s the alcohol.
Maybe it’s just that Zane no longer has the power to make me feel anything at all.
The lime is the last step.
I grab it, press it between my teeth, and bite down. The sour tang spreads across my tongue, but my face doesn’t so much as twitch.
- on.
Zane watches me like he’s waiting for something. A reaction. A slip.
He’s going to be disappointed.
I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand and step away, already over it. Already moving
Someone lets out a low whistle. A few scattered cheers rise up, but the energy is different now. Uneasy.
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2 glance at Becca. She’s trying to hide how pleased she is, but it’s all over her face,
Liam still hasn’t said a word.
Trisk a glance in his direction.
Mix expression is unreadable, but his jaw is tight. His hand foxes once at his side before be riches for his drink, Casual Relaxed. Like nothing’s wrong
But there’s a new tension in the air, one that wasn’t there before.
I know because I feel it too.
“Well, Besco says, breaking the silence, “That was fun.”
Iarch a brow Has it?”
She just grins. More fun for some than others, I suppose,”
I don’t bother responding. My job here is done.
Zane is still watching me, but I don’t look at him again.
I don’t need to.
Ive already moved on.