His Secret PuckBunny : Dark Hockey romance (TCP #2)

Chapter 16 - Tell me not to pretend to like someone that is not you

Pavel slowly opened his eyes, the early morning sunlight casting a gentle glow across the room. As his mind cleared from the haze of sleep, grasping for the warmth that had been beside him just hours before. But the space was empty - Lily was gone.

Worry gripped Pavel as he sat up, his mind racing through various possibilities. Did she run away? Did she get scared and leave or perhaps she was embarrassed? Pavel couldn't shake off the memory of her words from the night before, the vulnerability she had shown in her drunken confession.

He bolted from the bed, heart pounding. Rushing to the closet, he flung it open - and froze. Her clothes still hung amongst his, scattered but undisturbed.

Relief washed through him like a tide. She hadn't fled, at least not permanently.

Pavel's gaze darted to the alarm clock on the nightstand, revealing an early hour that hadn't even reached 8 a.m. The question lingered in his mind: had she truly gone to work at such an early hour? He got dressed quickly and made his way to Lily's workplace.

When he arrived, he scanned the office, but she wasn't at her desk.

Just as he was about to turn around and search for her, he caught sight of Lily approaching.

"What's up Lily?" He greeted her.

Surprise flickered across her face as she spotted him standing there. "What are you doing here?"

"I should be asking you that? You need at least a few more hours of sleep."

"I had a few coffees or maybe a little more than a few. I am perfectly fine."

Lie.

Pavel caught the subtle signs that betrayed Lily's attempt to appear unaffected from her drunken night out. Her normally vibrant eyes were dulled and her hair slightly disheveled gave the impression that she had left the house in haste.

"I am quite swamped with work," she said.

His gaze swept across the office, taking in the sparsely populated space. Many desks remained unoccupied, and it was clear that a significant number of employees had yet to arrive.

"Hmm, here I thought you were avoiding me."

She snickered, her cheeks flushed. "Why would I be avoiding you?"

Pavel shrugged. "You woke up at the crack of dawn and didn't even have breakfast but anyway, I brought you something for your hangover you are pretending not to have."

She moved around him before settling into her chair, where boba tea and a box of brownies awaited.

"I'm sure I can't take this. I'm allergic to dairy."

He leaned down from behind her seat, his lips brushing against her ear. "It's oat milk. You'll be fine," he murmured.

"Those look like they have nuts–

He caught her off. "They are vegan. Nut free, gluten-free."

"How do you know—" She turned in her seat to face him, finding herself captivated by the sudden intimacy that enveloped them. Their faces were now mere inches apart as his gaze dropped on her lips.

Her throat cleared as she pushed back on her chair, a subtle retreat to regain composure. "Thank you," she managed, reaching for the cup and taking a long sip.

Pavel straightened, "I still think drinking water is a healthier alternative." He set down a bottle of water on her desk.

"Yeah, but this.. It's like drinking happiness."