by tundra-sun

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Mabel Carter traveled half way across the country to attend college and get away from her dark past. After so many years she finally feels as though she's the one in control of her own life and she's on the way to mending her fragile heart. Until she meets Alexander Woods that is. He's a hot, aggressive hockey player who makes Mabel feel things she never thought were possible. It all started with a game, but what happens when the past comes knocking?

Alexander Woods doesn't do girlfriends. He's convinced that the girls he attends school with only want him based off looks, and would prefer him to be "arm candy." When he meets Mabel he's caught between wanting to be her friend and craving so much more than that. He's convinced himself that friendship is all that will ever come of their relationship, but as she shows the vulnerability beneath the sassy temper of hers, his feelings for her begin to grow in an unexpected way.

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"Can we talk?"

"Of course," I reply with a curt nod. I lead Mabel away from the bathrooms and down a short hallway so we're away from the loud music, along with most of the crowd. "What's up?"

There's a heat in her pale green eyes that I'm not used to seeing, and I almost do a double take. The way she's looking at me...I've seen this look on quite a few other women before, but I never in a million years thought that Mabel would be giving me this look.

"My therapist always told me that I should voice my feelings without holding back," she says softly.

Mabel extends a hand and tentatively places it on my bicep, her thumb rubbing lazy circles into my skin. The scent of her shampoo tickles my nose. Peaches and cream? It suits her: sweet and innocent.

"She says that I should make what I want clear to others."

My breath hitches, sticking in my throat. "Yeah? And what is it that you want?"

"You." Clear determination is set in her expression, so much in fact, that it's startling.

"Mabes, you're drunk," I mutter, reaching out to place a hand on her waist.

Except she's not. I know as well as she does that she hasn't had anything to drink in the last hour and a half or so, and she didn't even have that much to drink to begin with. She leans back, staring up at me with those unbelievably innocent green eyes of hers. "Is it so bad that I like you, Alex?"

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