Amanda Pearsall never wanted to put down roots. To trust putting her happiness in someone else’s hands. Her mother tried that—repeatedly—with disastrous results and Amanda is not interested. You can’t get your heart crushed if you bail before it starts beating. Six years ago, she put California in her rear-view mirror and set out to travel the world, one adventure at a time. Eighteen months ago she returned home for a family emergency, and she’s still here, with no departure date in sight. The job she took to tide her over is stifling at best and she needs to get back out there. To throw caution to the wind and live her life on her terms.

 

Ben Chester, stoic captain of the San Francisco Strikers, lives and breathes hockey. From the tender age of three when his father strapped a pair of skates on Ben’s feet, hockey has been his life. What could be more enjoyable than being out on the ice and winning with your team? His nickname might be Cheesy, but he has no time for jokes when he’s playing the game he loves. And he has no time for distractions, especially from the media. He learned his lesson years ago to never trust anyone with a press pass, and when he discovers what Amanda does for a living, he wants nothing to do with her.

 

Ben knows they are all wrong for each other, no matter how good she feels in his arms. He likes skating in the lines. But Amanda can't even see them.