Chapter 8
8
Preston
I keep searching the crowd below the club’s VIP section, waiting for the beautiful blonde woman who is a fucking genius manipulator. Most of my teammates are either at the bar drinking or on the floor drinking and dancing. Neither of those things are for me. I only came out because I want to see and talk to Elle for more than two minutes at a time.
When I finally spot a pretty woman walking in alone, her long blonde hair falling over her shoulders, I’m almost certain it’s Elle. She changes her hairstyles more than most women change their clothes.
My heart races as I head down the steps of the second floor to greet her.
Her head turns this way and that, searching for me, too. When she sees me approaching, she smiles like I’m her favorite person in the world. Which is ridiculous since we haven’t even known each other but for a few hours.
“You came,” I shout over the music.
“I did, mostly because you invited me, remember?”
“I know. I just wasn’t sure if you would show up. Want to head upstairs where it’s a little quieter?”
“Sure.”
As soon as we’re past the bouncer at the roped off VIP section, I take a seat in one of the purple leather booths and Elle slides in next to me.
“It is quieter up here.”
“Yeah, that’s why I like it.” Already, just by having Elle sitting next to me, I feel calmer. Less volatile. What is it about her that puts me instantly at ease in a way I’ve never felt before? Right now, I can’t take my eyes off the specks of glitter glistening on her cheeks, forehead, and nose. I don’t even consider telling her because they’re too damn cute. If I had to bet, they came from when she was making my sign.
Suddenly remembering that this is a fake date, I figure I should at least pretend to be a gentleman. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“No, thank you. I drove so nothing but water for me tonight.”
“I don’t usually drink during the season, either.” Or the off-season, I don’t bother to mention before I signal the waitress over. “Can we get two glasses of water, please?”
“Sure thing,” she says before hurrying off.
Once she’s gone, I glance around the room to the people nearby. Everyone, teammates and non-teammates, are either hot and heavy in make-out sessions or close enough to be whispering in each other’s ears. I wouldn’t mind doing either of those things with Elle, but first I can’t help but break the silence by asking what’s been festering in my gut for more than an hour. “I saw you talking to Riley after I got on the bus.”
“Oh. Right.” Elle nods and tucks her hair back behind her ears with a bright, proud smile. “He blamed me, us , for how badly he played tonight. Needless to say, he was not happy with me fraternizing with his enemy. He actually forbade me from seeing you again.”
I’d love to see Riley try to tell me to stay away from Elle. “And yet, you’re here with me now, so you obviously took his decree to heart.”
“I told him he doesn’t get a say in who I talk to anymore.”
“Good. Screw him,” I remark. Still, I can’t help but point out a discrepancy with Elle’s claim to be just Riley’s meaningless flavor of the month. “I think you undersold your relationship with him.”
“What do you mean?”
“He was furious, Elle. Clearly, you did more than just date a few times.”
She shrugs and says with a heavy sigh, “He never cared about me. He said so himself. Our time together obviously meant more to me than it did to him.”
“Oh yeah?”
Jesus fucking Christ.
Elle slept with Riley.
Probably multiple times.
He’s seen and touched every inch of her body.
I don’t know why that thought just suddenly occurred to me. Or why I hate the idea of her and him naked together.
Before and during the game, I had so much shit on my mind that I didn’t consider the details of them “dating.” Now that I have…well, those thoughts need to fuck right off.
“He just doesn’t want me talking to you. He wouldn’t care what I did with you if you were anyone else in the world.”
“I think he would,” I tell her honestly. The normally cool, arrogant asshole was furious tonight. I’ve never seen him like that before. Well, at least not in several years.
“So, you seem happier than you were earlier,” I can’t help but remark. She looks stunningly beautiful.
Elle shakes her head and smiles up at me. “And you’re not as grumpy as you were this afternoon.”
“Really? That must be the effect you have on me, cupcake.”
“My effect on you?”
“You’re fun. Messing with Christian has been almost as enjoyable as playing in the championships again.”
“Tonight, he was angry but also convinced we’re faking it,” she remarks. That must have been what else he said to her after the game.
“That’s just what he wants to believe. The arrogant son of a bitch probably can’t fathom why you would want to be with me. Trust me, deep down, he thinks we’re legit. He lost it like I’ve never seen in warm-ups, then again when he got the penalty, a rare thing for the golden boy of hockey.”
“I did see him land on his ass when you gave him a shove during warmups. Then the tripping penalty during the game.”
“He was furious with me. The first penalty he’s been called out on in a long damn time.”
“And the Warhawks scored again on the power play while he was in the box, which pretty much sealed the deal on the game.”
“One down. Three games to go,” I announce proudly just as the waitress returns with our glasses of water.