Protecting My Heart From The Jock のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 1 - チャプター 6

SIENNA ~I was halfway through restocking the recovery shakes when the locker-room door slammed open and the entire Vancouver Vipers spilled out in a wave of sweat, laughter, and the sharp smell of ice.I didn’t look up. I’d learned that lesson years ago. Eye contact with half-naked hockey players was a fast way to get dragged into conversations I had zero interest in having at seven-thirty in the morning.“Morning, Vale.”Cole’s voice was low and easy as he leaned against the doorway of my tiny nutrition office. Head athletic trainer. Thirty-four. The only man on staff who never tried to charm me and never treated me like I was fragile after my divorce. I trusted him more than I trusted most people, which still wasn’t saying much.“You’re early,” I said, sliding another case of protein onto the shelf. “That’s new.”“Couldn’t sleep.” He scratched the back of his neck. “Kai’s already on the ice. Kid’s been here since five.”I kept my face carefully blank. “Good for him.”Cole’s mouth t

SIENNA ~I stayed at the arena longer than I needed to.By the time I finally packed up, the main lights in the practice facility had switched to the dim evening setting and most of the staff had already left. The hallways felt bigger without the usual noise. I liked it that way. Fewer people meant fewer chances for someone to notice that my head wasn’t fully in the game.Bear was waiting when I got home.The second I opened the front door of my small two-bedroom place in Kitsilano, seventy pounds of golden retriever barrelled into me like he hadn’t seen me in weeks instead of nine hours. I dropped my bag and sank down right there in the entryway, letting him climb half into my lap while he tried to lick every inch of my face.“Okay, okay. I missed you too, you big idiot.”He woofed once, tail thumping hard against the wall, then trotted off toward the kitchen like he expected dinner to magically appear. I followed, kicked off my shoes, and went through the familiar routine—fresh wate

SIENNA ~I read his text three times before I finally set the phone down.*I meant everything I said. Sleep well, Sienna.*The words sat on the screen. I locked the phone and flipped it face-down on the nightstand, but it didn’t help. I could still see them every time I closed my eyes.Bear was already sprawled across the foot of the bed, snoring like he hadn’t just spent the last hour glued to my side while I paced the apartment.I slid under the covers and stared at the ceiling. I hated how much I wanted to believe him.I rolled onto my side and reached down to scratch behind Bear’s ears. He shifted closer without waking up, heavy head landing on my ankle. The familiar weight should have grounded me. Instead it only reminded me how easily my ex could take even this away if things got messy.One rumor. One moment of weakness and suddenly the quiet life I’d built would be dragged into the same public circus I’d barely survived the first time.Kai didn’t understand that part. Or maybe