Read Breakout (A Dallas Demons Hockey Romance) for Free Online

exactly what I wanted,” he exclaims, his face lighting up. “You nailed it, Lexi. The music is perfect, the highlights are dead on. Let’s hope my telecast lives up to the open.”
    Exhilaration rips through me. He not only likes it, he loves it!
    “I’m so glad you like it,” I say happily.
    “I love it. I owe you one.”
    “No, please, you took a chance on me,” I say honestly. “I owe you .”
    Niko grins. “Are we going to argue again?”
    I laugh. “Perhaps.”
    The door opens, and in walks a middle-aged man, one who is tall, rail thin, and slightly balding with glasses.
    He seems more like a college professor than someone who would work in sports.
    “Hey Niko, how’s it going?” he asks.
    Niko pushes back from the desk, and as he does, his arm extends out. And peeking out from underneath his denim shirt sleeve, on the inside of his forearm, I see a tattoo. My throat goes dry as I see Greek alphabet letters exposed. It’s some kind of saying, that much I can guess, but it’s hot, knowing that’s hidden underneath his clothing.
    “Derek, this is the editor I was telling you about,” Niko says, standing up. “Derek O’Neil, this is Lexi Stewart. Lexi, this is Derek, our weekend studio manager.”
    I stand up and firmly shake his hand. “So nice to meet you, Derek.”
    “Likewise,” he says, smiling at me. Then he shifts his gaze to Niko. “So your open is done?”
    “Yes,” Niko says, nodding in the direction of the screen. “Lexi crushed this one today. She gets hockey.”
    I feel a smile pass over my face from Niko’s vote of confidence in me.
    “Ah, I can’t wait to see it later,” Derek says. “Do you have all your elements for tomorrow?”
    Niko nods again. “Yeah, I’m ready.”
    They talk for another minute or so, and then Derek excuses himself. After he shuts the door, Niko turns to me.
    “I’ll make sure he sees it. And John Wyatt, the studio director. I’ll make sure they both see this, Lexi.”
    “Thank you so much for that,” I say. “You have no idea how grateful I am for what you have done for me today.”
    “Likewise.”
    And as his eyes meet mine, I find my breath catching in my throat.
    “I guess we’re good here,” Niko says, his gaze still on my face.
    “I guess we are,” I say, unable to tear my eyes away from him, this gorgeous Greek God in front of me.
    “And tomorrow it goes live,” Niko says, raking a hand through his jet-black hair. “I’m so pumped. I can’t lie to you, Lexi. This break is huge for me. So I’m anxious. Nervous. I need to get this first game out of the way, you know?”
    “You’re going to kill it,” I say.
    Niko lifts an eyebrow at me. “How do you know that?”
    “You’re passionate about getting it right, that’s why.”
    “Thank you for saying that.”
    “You’re welcome. But I have full confidence you’ll own that producer’s chair,” I say, referring to the seat on the TV truck where the producers sit.
    Niko studies me for a moment. “Do you know what’s weird? That feeling you have about me? I had the same feeling about you editing today. I knew in my gut you would nail it.”
    Butterflies shift rapidly in my stomach. Could he be feeling these same things that I am? That this man—this funny, sexy, passionate man—could be seeing me the way I see him?
    Silence falls between us. The door opens again, and this time, it’s two men with backpacks slung over their shoulders.
    “You guys done?” one of them asks, putting his backpack next to the editing bay. “I’d love to get started early if you are.”
    Niko nods. “Yeah, go ahead.”
    Niko introduces me to the guys—Brandon and Luke—and I shake their hands, too. I save all my files on the Avid, and I watch as Niko closes out of his computer, too. Then I gather up my stuff, slipping back into my rain coat, and I watch as Niko does the same, tugging his gray sweater over his denim shirt.
    “I’ll walk with you,” Niko says.
    We head out of the