Power Pucking Play (Chicago Blades)

11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Gio

T he plane touches down in Seattle with a jolt that matches the unease in my stomach. I've faced down 250-pound defensemen without flinching, but somehow, the thought of a week with Lexi Brookes has me more on edge than any game ever has.

Doesn't help that my sister Gabs is on the trip as well. As the head of our Chicago Blades PR—and Jacob's wife—she's usually my first line of defense against the media. But this time, she's part of the problem.

"You okay there, Gi?" Gabi asks, eyeing me suspiciously as we deplane. "You look like you're about to face a firing squad."

I tighten my grip on my luggage. "Just pre-game jitters, sis. Nothing to worry about."

She doesn't look convinced. "Uh-huh. And it has nothing to do with Lexi joining us?"

"Gabi, come on. You know she's not my biggest fan."

Gabi rolls her eyes at me as we make our way through the airport. "Yeah, because you and your big ego didn't exactly make the best first impression on her. But hey, maybe this trip will change that."

I highly doubt it, but I keep my thoughts to myself. The last thing I need is Gabi getting any more ideas about me and Lexi. And with Jacob walking up and joining us, it's clear that the topic isn't going to go away anytime soon.

"What are you two whispering about?" Jacob asks, grinning at us.

"Nothing," I reply quickly, giving Gabi a warning look. But of course, she can't resist the urge to tease me.

"Just how nervous Gio is about spending a whole week with his arch-nemesis," she says with a smirk.

Jacob shakes his head, barking out a laugh. "Arch-nemesis? You guys sound like characters from a comic book."

Gabi laughs and swats him playfully on the arm. "You know what I mean, Jake."

"Yeah, yeah. We all could use a little 'kumbaya' time together," Jacob says, winking at Gabi.

"Trust me." I head over to the baggage claim area to retrieve my luggage. "I have no intention of 'kum'ing Lexi's 'baya'."

I hear Gabi groan behind me as Jacob doubles over in laughter. I'd smile, but then I remember that I've already dug myself into a hole with both of them over this whole Lexi situation.

I don't need to make it any worse by actually getting along with her.

As we grab our bags, I catch sight of Lexi across the terminal. She's rocking a wavy ponytail and wearing jeans and a Blades hoodie, looking more like a fan than the hard-hitting reporter I know her to be.

Beneath the casual outfit, I can make out her toned figure and long, lean legs. I quickly look away, willing my thoughts to stay focused on anything but those tight curves of her body.

"Look," I tell Gabi and Jake, "I gotta go. Best if I get this over with as soon as possible, right?"

"Right," Gabi says, patting me on the shoulder. "Good luck."

"Yeah, man." Jacob claps me on the back. "Hope Lexi doesn't chew you up and spit you out."

I roll my eyes at his unnecessary comment and head toward Lexi, who is already making her way over to me.

"Hey, Gio," Lexi says with a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes. "Ready for a fun week together?"

"Ecstatic," I reply dryly, trying to keep my voice even. "You have a car picking you up?"

She shakes her head, gesturing to the exit. "Not yet. Just gonna grab a cab."

"By yourself? In a city you don't know?" I question, already reaching for my phone.

"I can handle myself, Gio." She swats my hand away. "I've been to Seattle plenty of times."

"And yet, you never bothered to get a car service," I retort.

Lexi narrows her eyes at me, and for a moment, I think she's going to snap back. But then her expression softens and she lets out a sigh. "Okay, fine. If it makes you feel better, I'll take your offer."

"Good. Hope the team bus isn't too cramped for you."

She rolls her eyes but doesn't say anything as we make our way out of the terminal and toward the bus that's waiting for us.

As soon as we step inside, I can feel the tension between us. It's thick and suffocating, and I hate it. I hate that we can't even be in the same room without arguing. But more than that, I hate that it's all my fault.

I take a deep breath and try to push away the negative thoughts. This is just for one week. We can handle it.

I take a seat toward the back of the bus, trying to distance myself from her as much as possible. But Lexi has different plans and plops down right next to me.

"Seriously?" I ask incredulously.

She just shrugs and pulls out her phone, completely ignoring me. I let out a frustrated sigh and decide to do the same, pulling out my own phone and scrolling through social media mindlessly.

It's not until we're almost at the hotel that I finally break the silence. "So, what's our plan for tonight?"

Lexi looks up from her phone and raises an eyebrow at the setting sun just outside the windows of the bus. "Pardon me?"

"I mean, did you have plans to rifle through my bags? Set up camp in my hotel room, in case you missed a scoop?"

"You really think I'm that desperate for a story?" She shakes her head. "No, no. Tonight's a no-pressure kind of night. You invited me here to get the full story, so I'll let you lead the way."

Before I can respond, our bus pulls up to the hotel, and we're both distracted by checking in and getting settled into our rooms.

The second the bag boy sets my luggage in my suite, I wind up fucking pacing my room like a caged animal. Even the fancy hotel shower isn't enough to take the edge off.

I can hear the pressroom voices in my head, mocking me for being such a mess over this. But she doesn't understand. This is more than just a story for me—it's my life, my reputation on the line.

I finally emerge from the bathroom, feeling slightly calmer and more composed in a collared shirt and jeans.

The game's not until tomorrow, which means I have a whole evening stretching out before me with nothing to do but think. Dangerous territory for a guy with as many regrets as I have.

Before I can talk myself out of it, I'm knocking on Lexi's door. She opens it with a bemused expression, no doubt wondering what the hell I'm doing.

"Let's go out," I blurt out before she can even say hello.

She blinks. "Seriously? I thought we were both clear about this. No scheduled meetings or interviewing between us tonight."

"This isn't about that. I just need to get out of this room and clear my head." I shove my hands in my pockets, suddenly feeling like an awkward teenager. "In fact, you hungry? I thought maybe we could grab dinner. You know, get this 'exclusive thing' started before I wind up changing my mind."

Lexi narrows her eyes, like she's trying to figure out my angle. "Sure," she says finally. "Give me five minutes to change." She shuts the door, and I'm left standing in the hallway, wondering if this is a good idea or not.

But when she comes back out, all fresh and put together in a sexy off-the-shoulder sweater and heels, I know it was the right decision.

Twenty minutes later, we're seated at a hole-in-the-wall Italian place I found on Yelp.

Looking almost approachable with her silky golden hair down and a glass of red wine in hand, Lexi leans forward. "So, what's the real reason you wanted to go out tonight?" She unfolds her napkin, placing it in her lap. "Is this where you try to butter me up with carbs and charm?"

I smirk. "Please. If I wanted to butter you up, I'd have taken you somewhere with an open bar."

"Ah, so you do have a strategy." She eyes the menu. "And here I thought you were just winging it."

"Me? Wing it? Never," I deadpan. "I've got spreadsheets for my spreadsheets, Brookes."

She snorts. "Right. And I'm secretly a champion figure skater."

"You know, that explains a lot about your footwork."

Lexi kicks me under the table. "Watch it, puck boy. I can still make your life miserable with my pen."

"More miserable than spending a week with you? I doubt it."

She clutches her chest in mock offense. "Ouch. And here I thought we were becoming besties."

"In your dreams, Brookes."

The waiter arrives, and we order. As he walks away, Lexi takes another sip of her wine. "So..."

"So?"

"You're really not going to tell me your angle here, De Luca?"

I lean back, spreading my arms. "No angle. Just thought you might want the real story instead of whatever gossip you've been digging up."

"The real story? What, are you secretly a rocket scientist by day, and a hockey player by night?"

"Nah, that's on Tuesdays. Mondays, I fight crime in a cape."

She rolls her eyes, but I catch the hint of a smile. "Seriously, Gio. Why the sudden openness?"

I shrug, trying to play it cool. "Maybe I'm tired of being the bad guy in my own highlight reel."

"Aw, you want me to paint you as a misunderstood hero? Should I bring a violin for the background music?"

"Hey, if the skate fits. But nah, just...the truth. No spin, no BS." I take a sip of my water, trying not to let the nerves show. "You've always been good at getting to the bottom of things. Figured it was about time someone told you the whole story. Think you can handle that, ace reporter?"

For the first time tonight, Lexi looks as if she believes me. Those stunning hazel eyes narrow in concentration, and for a second, I swear she's trying to see past the mask. "I suppose I can give it a shot," she says slowly.

"Good." I nod, raising a hand to signal the waiter for another round. "Then I say fuck it. Let's start from the beginning..."