Chapter 3
Three
Conor
“Oh my god!” Eloise turns to me, her mouth hanging open.
The doors slide shut, leaving the girl with the phone on the other side. I’m thankful she didn’t jump in and join us.
“That didn’t just happen.” She flings her body across me, her finger pressing the lobby button, but the elevator is already ascending. The tip of her finger turns white as she presses the button nonstop. “I have to get that phone.”
“Is your hubby a hockey guy?” I ask, repositioning Penelope on my shoulder. Damn, it’s been a long time since I’ve carried a woman over my shoulder. Especially one who’s not coming to my bed.
There’s no way Eloise would have been able to handle her friend. She’s completely dead weight.
“Football mostly, but he watches all those sports channels.” Her hands twist in front of her.
I can’t help but laugh, although I feel bad. Eloise looks so panicked she’s probably about to scale the wall and try to find her way through some vent to find that girl and destroy her phone. “I’m sure he’s not on the hockey blogs. That picture might be passed around to her friends and her social media followers, but I doubt your hubby will see it. And if you want me to talk to him?—”
“God, no. He’d never understand this whole situation.” She circles her finger between us. Why do I love the way she’s so animated?
“He wouldn’t understand a guy helping a girl out of a bad situation?” Sounds like her fiancé is a dick.
She stares at the wall, watching the floor numbers as we approach their floor. “You’re telling me you would be if I were your fiancée?”
“If I were ever to get married, I’d trust my fiancée. I would have hoped she’d called me?—”
“It is his bachelor party tonight,” she cuts me off, and I get the sense she’s used to making excuses for him.
“I wasn’t implying anything.”
“I would’ve called him. It’s just…” She doesn’t finish her sentence—either because she doesn’t want to or because the elevator stops, and the doors open on her floor.
It’s good she didn’t finish, because I don’t want to become more invested in the reason why she sat all alone in the VIP section and sipping water during her bachelorette party. It wasn’t my place to get involved, although I inserted myself because I pride myself on being a nice guy. Now that I know Jade is her maid of honor, I know I was right in helping her.
I deny the urge to ask more questions and instead follow her out of the elevator.
I noticed Eloise the minute I arrived at the club and entered the VIP section filled with my teammates. There’s no denying she’s hot as fuck. Her ass in her black leather pants is a sight all on its own. But when I saw the sash and the QR code, it stopped my mind from envisioning her topless and on her knees in front of me. I’m not the kind of guy who tries to steal another guy’s girl away. Even if she looks like Eloise. But that doesn’t mean I can’t admire a beautiful woman.
Eloise swipes her keycard and opens the hotel room door to reveal a suite. “If you don’t mind putting her in the bedroom…”
She walks through a door, and I follow, seeing one king bed. Eloise pulls back the covers, and I place Penelope on the bed, then she takes off her friend’s shoes and tucks her in, ensuring she’s positioned on her side with a pillow lodged behind her back so she doesn’t roll over.
The way Eloise takes care of her friend is admirable. I’ve always thought there was a correlation between how a friend treats a friend and how they treat their significant other. I bet she loves them with all her heart and cares for them more than herself. I just hope that her fiancé isn’t one of those douchebags who take advantage of her giving nature.
“I’ll walk you out,” Eloise says, pulling me from admiring her.
“No need, I can see myself out.” I turn to walk out of the room.
She follows me. “Want a snack from the mini bar?”
I stop and turn around in the living area of the suite.
“For the road, of course,” she quickly adds before I can say anything.
A laugh slips from my throat because I’m starting to like her as a person.
“I wouldn’t have thought otherwise, but I’m good, thanks.” I’m hungry, but I need to get the hell out of here before I try to fix any more of her problems.
She holds out a piece of chocolate. “At least take Penelope’s pillow chocolate. It’s the least she can do to pay you back.”
I take the chocolate, and our fingers graze one another’s. I ignore the softness of her touch. “Not really, but I’ve got a sweet tooth, so I’ll never deny chocolate.”
“I wouldn’t have pegged you for a sweet tooth kind of guy.”
“What kind of guy did you peg me for?” I hate how curious I am to hear her answer.
She looks me in the eye, long and hard, causing me to stare into her gray ones. How rare is that? I’m not sure I’ve ever seen someone with gray eyes. They look like cloudy skies with a hint of mystery, but they’re still layered with warmth.
“Beef jerky.”
My attention is pulled back to our conversation.
“I like jerky, but I’d pick sweet over salty every time.” I unwrap the chocolate and plop the goodness into my mouth. Damn, it’s tasty.
“You’re enjoying it.”
I swallow the chocolate and smile. “It was really good.”
“Then let me give you mine.” She shifts to walk back into the bedroom, but I grab her hand.
“Believe me, you want yours.”
She stops and looks at my hand on her wrist.
I drop my grip. I’m starting to wish she wasn’t engaged, and that is a problem. “Honestly, you’re going to love it.”
She nods, which surprises me, and eyes the door again. Got it. I’m overstaying my welcome.
“It’s been fun, Lulu.” I walk backward.
She rolls her eyes and shakes her head. “Thanks for all your help tonight. I hope you score a lot of… whatever they’re called this season.”
This girl pulls more laughter from me than my teammates do in the locker room. I’m starting to feel like one of those annoying giggling girls who approach me at a bar but are too nervous to have a conversation without acting as if everything I say is so damn funny.
“Goals, but I don’t score them.”
Her head tilts, and her forehead scrunches. She’s fucking adorable.
I need to get the hell out of here.
“I’m the goalie. I stop the goals.”
Her storm-cloud eyes widen. “That’s scary.” Her gaze flows down my body, and I realize that I like it a little too much.
Dipshit, open the door and get the fuck outta Dodge.
“Good thing I excel at what I do.”
She nods. “And there’s that cocky hockey guy.”
“Excuse me?”
“Jade used to drag me to Henry’s games, and afterward, we’d wait for him. So many of his teammates wouldn’t even bother with a good pickup line. They’d just assume I’d be into them because they play hockey. Your egos are huge.”
I widen my stance and cross my arms. I don’t miss the way her gaze lands on my biceps for a second before popping back up to my eyes. “Because we play the toughest sport.”
“Bodies are flying all over the place in football.”
“Are you kidding me? We have to skate while hitting a small puck with a stick while checking players into the boards.”
“Not you though. You stand in front of a net.” She smiles.
I raise my eyebrows at her. “You calling me out?”
Her smile fades. “I didn’t mean it like that.” She holds her hands in the air. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be.” I shrug.
Her gaze goes to the door again. “Well, good luck stopping all those goals this season. I’m sure you’re a great blocker.”
“The best,” I say, grabbing the cool metal doorknob. “Good luck with the marriage thing. I’m sure you’re a great…” I stop, and we both laugh, our minds going somewhere dirty. “Wife. I’m sure you’ll be a great wife.”
“Thank you.”
I twist the doorknob and open the door. Three girls are waiting, all poised with phones, ready to capture another photo. I slam the door shut.
“Seriously?” she says, pushing me out of the way to look out the peephole.
“Ugh, mine is all blurry,” one says.
“Damn it, mine was on panoramic,” another one comments.
“We’re going to camp out here until he comes out,” the third one says.
Eloise falls down onto her heels. “They’re sitting along the wall waiting for you.”
“Who do you think she is?” one asks the other.
Eloise cringes and rises to her tiptoes to get another look at them. I’m not sure they understand how loud they’re talking.
“You sure you don’t want my chocolate? Because you’re staying until they’re gone.” She points at the door.
“In that case, let’s raid the mini bar.” I step toward the small snack area, knowing this is a very bad idea, but I can’t find the willpower to stop myself.
Sure, I could call security and ask them to remove the girls, but I’m enjoying myself more than I have since I got traded to Chicago last year, so I’m going to stick around. Not because I’m trying to get Eloise in bed, but because I enjoy her company. No harm, no foul.