Chapter 9
TYLER
Leaning against my car after just leaving practice, Charlie is talking my ear off, and it’s bitterly cold outside.
He adjusts the strap of his gym bag on his shoulder. “We’re doing well,” he comments about our last away game and practice today.
“Are you sure the win wasn’t some fluke and we got lucky?” I wonder.
He scoffs in annoyance. “You’re too hard on yourself. Heaven forbid you actually enjoy a moment worthy of celebration.”
My eyes grow wider. “Let’s not get too confident. It could be our downfall too. So, no celebrations on my front.”
He pinches the tip of his nose, and I can see our breaths in the afternoon sun. “Speaking of festivities, are you going to Bjorn’s holiday party?” Charlie asks.
I almost forgot about that. There is not enough time to head back to Sweden for the holidays, which is why he invited the team for a low-key dinner.
For anyone who is around, especially those who don’t have kids and want to do something.
He is doing his best to connect with the team even off the ice.
It’s hard to be with a team that was left in shambles by the previous coach.
“When the assistant captain puts out an invite like that, kind of need to say yes. Plus, he misses his family back in Sweden. He brought us all of those delicious ginger cookies when it was Saint Lucia’s Day. He misses Sweden this time of year,” Charlie reminds me with strong pressure for me to go.
“He does live in my building.”
“That too. I can’t go because we have the holiday show at school, and I already miss enough of my kids’ events during the season.” It has to be tough for him. Sometimes I believe having kids while playing pro hockey would be too big of a distraction, but these guys still deliver talent on the ice.
Rubbing my hands together, I decide that it is just too freaking cold. “I’ll go. Then we have two games and it’s Christmas break. Now, I’m heading out. It’s too beastly out here to talk.”
“Agreed.”
We give one another a fist bump, then he heads to his car. Once I’m in mine, I turn off my hockey focus while the engine warms. My mind heads straight to the other night when I kissed Lainey.
I most definitely didn’t forget. It’s imprinted in every non-hockey thought. Rightfully so, she’s a good kisser, and I enjoyed every second. And the coconut bars that was in that magic tin of hers? A fucking bonus to the night.
But now I’m in the situation where I’m back for a few days and I will run into her. What is the next step? There is no possible way to ignore that kiss, and I wouldn’t want to. I’m just not sure where it leads us.
I think about this the entire drive home, and all I can come up with is that it was meant to happen, but do we leave it at that?
I’m not sure what she’s thinking, but I don’t see this as any steps to a future path, only that it’s a current step.
I’m not blind. She has priorities and so do I. It was fun.
Fun.
Doesn’t feel like the right word.
Arriving back at my building, I walk off the elevator, and down the hall, I instantly see a giant box in front of Lainey’s.
It has me curious as I approach it, but my attention is broken by the sound of the stairwell door whooshing open.
“Run any faster, will ya?” an exasperated Lainey calls out to Enzo who is bulleting ahead of her.
They must just be getting home from school.
“Hey, Tyler!” Enzo nearly crashes into me as he breaks from his run.
“Someone has energy today,” I remark and smile at him.
“We had to make our gifts for our family today at school. It’s a candle made from baby food jars,” he explains.
Lainey shakes her head as she trails behind him. “I’m not sure I’m supposed to know that.”
“But it’s the same every year.” He doesn’t seem to mind his candid response.
For a second my eyes latch with Lainey’s, and it’s a recognition, as it’s clearly on both our minds: the kiss. It’s not awkward, and maybe I thought it would be. There is a faint sign of a smile, and still not hidden even with her head wrapped with a beanie on her head and scarf around her neck.
“Whoa, what’s this?” An enthusiastic Enzo breaks our fleeting moment because Lainey snaps her sight to the box on the floor.
Instantly, I notice the way she presses her lips together, and her face drops into a cringe. My eyes zip to the box then back to Lainey.
“Can I open it?” Enzo asks, and he’s already about to lift the box.
One more swipe of my sight between the box and Lainey.
Ah.
Santa’s delivery.
I place my hand on Enzo’s back. “You know what, buddy. They made a mistake. That box is for me. Just boring stuff from sponsors.”
“Oh.” He frowns.
Lainey mouths a thank-you as Enzo turns, and Lainey quickly hands him the keys. “Homework time.” Enzo moans his lack of enthusiasm and slumps his shoulders but listens to his mother.
She cranes her head and peeks through the door to watch him disappear, and when she sees the all-clear, she spins on her feet to face me.
“Thank you. This wasn’t supposed to be delivered today.”
I have to grin. “Santa?”
She nods and sighs. “Yeah, I did a mass shop of toys and clothes. But they need to be wrapped too.”
“Do you have a little elf costume for that?”
She playfully shoves me. “Funny.”
Her hand against my chest feels good, and it causes her to pause. She looks at her fingers resting over my coat, and the corner of her mouth twitches. My entire body tightens in the best possible way.
“Uhm.” Her thumb begins to swirl because she has no intention of removing her hand. “Can I make a request?”
“Depends. Will we talk about the other night?” I counter.
She forms a bright smile when her eyes flick up. “We probably should do that.”
My face eases into a grin. “Fine. What’s the request?”
“Can I keep the box at your place?” She uses her head to indicate her apartment. “Someone is getting relentless in his search for his gifts. Of course, Santa brings the other gifts.”
“You want me to hide them?”
She grimaces at her plea. “Even if I still wanted to throttle you, I would ask. I’m getting desperate here.”
I chuckle. “So, throttling me is off the table. That’s good to know.
” I answer her request by signaling for her to follow me.
I open my door, and she drags the box across the hall.
It would be far easier for me to pick it up, but I selfishly enjoy seeing her bent over.
It is a view I’m not willing to give up.
She stops her pursuit when the box crosses the threshold of my door, and she leaves it in the front hall. “Is here okay?”
“Yeah, it’s fine. I’ll move it later.” I hang my keys on the hook and slide off my coat.
Then I notice her angelic face and her fingers fidgeting in a cute way. “I guess that means I’ll need to come back. Oh, shoot.” She snaps her fingers in the air. “What if you are away at a game or practice.”
“If you’re okay with wrapping after the twenty-third, then I’m home. Otherwise, I’ll give you my key.”
Her eyes pop out due to the last part of my sentence. Many people give spare sets of keys to neighbors for emergencies. Giving keys to the neighbor that you kissed senseless? Might feel like a different deal.
“Oh. Sure. If you don’t mind.”
I chuckle to myself. “What is the worst that can happen? You walk in on me in a towel?”
“I mean…” She crosses her arms over her chest. “You could be in no towel.”
Stepping closer, I can’t let that comment go. “Has me in no towel crossed your mind?” I’m trying to rile her.
She is on to me and rolls her eyes and drops her arms. “Can we switch topics, please?” she implores.
“Fine. But you know what topic we’re going to talk about.”
She begins to saunter further into my home where the front hall joins the open-plan living room. “We kissed. It happened. That’s that.” She wants to sound adamant, but she’s failing.
In a flash, I grab her arm and reel her into me. “Sure.”
The disappointment in her eyes is apparent, but then I feel my sly smirk begin to creep onto my face. “What about this time?” I don’t hesitate. My mouth crashes down onto hers, and it’s instantly a wildfire.
Is this because I need a release? De-stress from the game season? A little fun? Or because this woman does things to me that are unexplainable.
Truthfully, I know the answer, but right now I don’t want to think.
Our kiss turns fast and powerful. Her hair falls behind her shoulders while our lips pressing hard only fuels us more.
I can’t help myself, and I begin to yank and pull on her scarf that is getting in the way, and her fingers fist my shirt.
I seize the opportunity to drag my lips down her neck.
Her skin is so damn soft. She chases my mouth to rejoin her for a kiss, and I give in.
But the moment my fingers slide down between us and I fumble with a button, she steps back, creating instant distance.
“Shit.” Her hand lands on her forehead.
“What?” Now I’m confused.
“I can’t be making out with you. My son is across the hall,” she screeches in a whisper.
That does make sense. “Right,” I respond simply.
She begins to pace back and forth. “And we did this.” She points between us. “Again.”
“So. It’s a bad thing?” I question as I try to assess her thoughts.
“Not exactly. Maybe unexpected. Or not. I mean, after that kiss the other night, it would kind of be surprising if neither of us wanted a repeat. We seem to be really good at kissing.” She reflects during her ramble.
“True.” I struggle to contain my laugh at her current state because it’s cute and our conversation seems promising.
She looks at me, hopeless, with her cheeks raised from her radiant expression of approval. “What now?”
I shrug. “Not sure.”
“It’s only a kiss or two—”
“Didn’t even need mistletoe.” I can’t help but make this conversation playful.
She stops mid-pace to give me a hardened look. “Well, kissing is kissing. It’s not like we slept together.”
I tut. “That would require mistletoe.” Why am I teasing her so much? In most cases, I would probably be an ass right now. However, there haven’t really been times when there is a woman in front of me who I have respect for and want to kiss her all over again.
“Cute,” she replies dryly.
I completely ease into a smile. “I’m not sure what you want me to do right now.”
She snickers a sound then beams her hopelessness with a smile. “Neither of us know. And right now, I need to get back to Enzo.”
“Of course.” I’m serious. Scratching the back of my neck, I stand on the side as she directs herself back to my front door.
For reasons beyond me, an idea comes to me. A risky one, but I can’t seem to bury it.
“Lainey, how do you feel about holiday parties?” She stares at me blankly, unsure of why I asked that. “I have to go to one that Bjorn invited the guys to, if you want to come along.”
She seems taken aback by my invitation and ponders my question for a few ticks.
Her entire body relaxes, and her smile reappears.
“He invited one of your neighbors who has a brother who plays hockey, too.” She raises her hand a little.
“Plus, I love holiday parties. Gingerbread houses, latkes, and I heard Bjorn normally even gives out Swedish candy in little stockings. What’s not to love? ”
Swiping the back of my finger across my jaw, I have to smile wryly. “I should have guessed you would say that. But I mean, going to the party… with me.”
“Yeah. I understood that part of your question, but the overbearing reminder of a completely different holiday menu overcame me.” Now she’s just straight-up flirtatious with me.
“But yeah, the joining-you part I got. And… I love holiday parties even better when I get to sit on Santa’s lap. ” She winks to rile me up.
I guess I have a date.