Heartstrings: The Complete Collection

4. Harrison

Chapter 4

Harrison

I’m late arriving at the charity auction. I wasn’t sure I was even coming until thirty minutes ago. I haven’t stopped thinking about the blonde angel who landed at my feet yesterday. I told myself it wasn’t a good idea to come here tonight. Hell, I didn’t even tell Noah, which is why his eyes widen with surprise when they land on me hovering in the doorway. He knows social functions aren’t my thing.

“Harrison? What are you doing here?” he asks, approaching with Elli.

“Not sure myself, to be honest,” I admit sheepishly. “It was a last-minute invitation.”

“I’ve been calling you since last night,” Noah says with a frown, wrapping an arm around Elli’s shoulder as she joins him. “Coach called me.”

“Of course he did,” I grunt. Noah is my agent, so it stands to reason that Coach Larch would call him with the “good” news.

“We knew this was coming, Harrison. I didn’t think it would be this soon, but we both know enforcers aren’t a viable option anymore.”

I got into hockey on a full scholarship. It’s all I’ve known since I was fifteen. Now I’m thirty-one. I know I’m lucky. I’ve had a long career, but foolishly, I never thought it would end.

My naivety pisses me off. Of course,it was going to end, either through injury or aging out. Younger, fitter players make their way up the ranks every day. So yeah, I’m lucky I lasted this long.

My lousy temper isn’t a good look for tonight’s fundraiser, and I’m about to say the hell with it and leave when my gaze snags on Jessica at the bar. She looks ravishing in a blue dress that clings to her curves, and my cock twitches behind the seam of my pants. But she’s not alone. Some fucker reaches out to blot at a stain on her dress and she slaps his hand away, her face tight with anger and a dash of fear.

My feet move without conscious thought as fury bubbles in my veins. How fucking dare he put his hands on her.

“. . . no foul. I was only trying to help,” he’s saying with a cocky smirk as I come to a halt next to him.

I clamp a hand on his shoulder. “Touch her again, and you’ll be the one who needs help.”

“Who are you?” he demands, wincing as I increase the pressure on his shoulder.

He’s ballsy, I’ll give him that. At 6’5, I have at least ten inches on the little fucker. “I’m someone you don’t want to mess with. Now, move the fuck away from my woman.”

My woman? Shit, did I just say that? Sounds . . . right.

The guy swallows audibly and mutters something about re-joining his friends. He scuttles away, saving me from a night in a cell for breaking his nose.

“Are you okay?” I ask Jess as soon as he’s gone.

She nods. “Apart from smelling like a brewery, I’m fine.” She looks up at me, giving me a shy smile that does weird things to my lungs. “You came,” she says softly.

“Wasn’t sure, to be honest. But I wanted to see you again,” I confess gruffly.

Jessica’s soft smile breaks into a full-on ray of sunshine. Jesus, this woman is pulling me into her orbit faster than the speed of light. Our eyes lock, and the room drops away as I lose myself in her crystal-blue gaze. I promised I wouldn’t risk my heart after what happened with Shelley, but my sexy blonde nymph is casting some kind of witchy spell over me. And judging by her flushed cheeks and jerky breaths, she’s feeling it too. She doesn’t take her eyes off me,and I’m frozen to the spot, unable to move away from her gaze.

“Jess!”

Elli’s exclamation breaks the tension, and sight and sound return in a rush. Elli pulls Jess into a hug, and the two women launch into a conversation.

Noah and Elli have only been married for a few weeks. They met in Virginia while Noah was on vacation. It’s been a whirlwind courtship, with Elli moving to New York to be with Noah. My brother has been all work and no play for years, so it’s good to see him so happy.

“This is my husband, Noah,” Elli says, introducing him to Jessica.

“Good to meet you at last,” Jessica says, shaking Noah’s outstretched hand. “Sorry I didn’t make it to the wedding. I got hit with a stomach virus,” she adds with a grimace.

“Nice to meet you too, Jessica,” Noah replies with a warm smile. “You’ve done a great job organizing tonight.”

“We appreciate you coming to support the charity,” Jessica says, glancing at Mack and Harmony as they finish their second number. She beams at them, clapping enthusiastically along with the rest of the guests.

She turns, and her gaze captures mine. I’m struck again by how beautiful she is. Her eyes sparkle with life. She makes me think of walks in the crisp air and sunshine glittering off freshly fallen snow. She’s everything good and joyous, and I want to immerse myself in her positive energy. I want to immerse myself in her .

Fuck , I’ve never felt anything like this.

Elli pulls Jessica’s attention away from me as they discuss the band while I try to compose myself.

Noah turns to me. “So, what do you want to do?”

For a minute, I think he’s talking about Jessica before realizing he means the shit show that is my non-existent career. “I don’t know,” I sigh, raking a hand through my hair.

“Why don’t you come and work with me?”

My eyes snap to his, and I burst out laughing, but Noah’s gaze is steady on mine.

“You’re serious?” I ask, my mouth dropping open with shock. “You want me to stop playing altogether and become an agent? I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”

“That’s what I thought when I retired from professional hockey. But the thing is, we’re more qualified than most because we’ve lived the game. We know how it works from the grassroots level up. We know what real talent looks like. It’s not just brute strength. It’s skill and loyalty and passion. Things you have in abundance because you’re a damned good player and an even better person.”

“Jesus, steady on there, Dr. Phil. You’re gonna make me cry.” I joke to hide how much my brother’s words affect me. We’ve always been close but hearing the pride in his voice almost slays me.

Noah grins, knowing he’s got to me. “Imagine it. The Tensly brothers bringing their A game for their athletes.”

I blow out a breath, shaking my head. “But it’s your company, bro. You built it from scratch, and I’m damned proud of you and the reputation you’ve built. I can’t just slide in. I need to earn my place.”

Noah’s grin broadens. “Oh, you will. If you want in, there’s no one I’d rather have by my side and at my back. Think about it, and we’ll talk some more tomorrow. In the meantime, I’m going to dance with my beautiful wife.”

With that, he snags a startled Elli from Jessica and pulls her onto the dance floor. I watch as he tugs her close and she melts into him, love shining from her eyes as she gazes at him.

My eyes snap to Jessica, and my heart thuds as I find her looking at me.

Her dancing eyes snag mine, and electricity snaps between us like live wires. My gaze drops to her lips as her tongue darts out to wet them, and suddenly I’m overwhelmed with the need to taste her.

Another piece slides into place in my chest. I want what my brother’s got with Elli. I want that with Jessica.

I’m fucked. And I don’t care.