Free ShouldveKnownBetter by Cassandra Carr

fix or erase that night. She needed to focus on the good things in her life or the attack would define her forever.
    After a moment, Sebastian nodded, seemingly to himself, took a deep breath then said, “My friend and teammate in juniors died in a car accident. There was a blizzard, but he was trying to get home to his girlfriend. I still hate driving in snowstorms. It was a bad time for all of us.”
    Sarah wanted to reach out to him but knew she couldn’t. If only they’d met under different circumstances. Right now they both needed comfort but couldn’t get it. He seemed to feel the same way, if the furtive glances he kept casting in her direction were any indication.
    ****
     
    Out of sorts from the question-and-answer session, Sebastian went for a walk to get some exercise and blow off steam. When Sarah had started describing that horrible day, he’d had to force himself not to reach for her. His hands had itched to take away the abject fear he’d heard in her voice.
    Pain shot through his arms. Once again, he’d clenched his fists to the point his knuckles were white. He needed to calm down before the obstacle course challenge. She didn’t need to know he wanted to choke that Liam guy until the man turned blue. He’d scare the hell out of her, and the last thing she needed right now was to be scared.
    A fierce need to protect her rose in his chest, but at least thinking about holding Sarah in his arms enabled him to think about something other than her being attacked.
    The walk relieved some of his tension, and later, the blue team, which he and Sarah were both on, along with a bunch of others, competed against the gold team on the obstacle course. Sarah, an expression of determination on her face, seemed to have recovered from the Introductions Game, and though he still wanted to fold her in his arms and never let go, he squelched the desire. In the middle of the obstacle course was not a good time to get distracted.
    Working together, their team won the challenge by a few seconds. As they celebrated, they smashed together in a typical hockey group hug. Sarah, a few inches shorter and fifty pounds lighter than the smallest guy on the team, got jostled in the middle of the scrum. Sebastian grabbed her around the waist and picked her up, molding her body to his to shield her. Panic clear in her eyes, she pushed against his grip, and with no small measure of regret, he lowered her to the ground.
    Sebastian squirmed as a rush of adrenaline, which had nothing to do with the obstacle course or needing to guard her and everything to do with the heat of their bodies melding together, surged through him. He was a jerk, getting aroused when she was uncomfortable with him—or probably any man right now, so soon after her confession—touching her, but she had that effect on him. She’d insisted they couldn’t be together, but his feelings were deepening and he didn’t know what to do.
    A wave of anxiety stole over him. What if he didn’t even make the team? He might never see her again.
    The possibility shook him to the core.
     
    As training camp drew to a close, the time arrived for the roster to be pared to the final twenty-three players. Sebastian’s stomach churned at the possibility of being sent back to the minors. They had already dismissed the college and junior players and put two others on waivers. He’d done his best and could only hope it was good enough.
    The entire team was on edge. Even the veterans who were assured of a spot milled around. Finally, they gathered everybody together in the stands and announced the roster.
    When Sebastian heard his name on the list, a huge weight lifted off his shoulders. As a big grin broke out, he let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. His teammates congratulated him, and after accepting heaps of backslapping, he excused himself.
    He had to see Sarah, to talk to her. There was no one he wanted to celebrate with more than her. His parents were