3. Liam #2
That’s something one of my teammates would do. Not me.
“Sorry,” I say, picking up my beer and taking a drink before giving her an easy smile. “I guess the performance affected me a hell of a lot more than I thought.”
It takes Chloe a second to get out of the stupor that I apparently put her in. Eventually she shakes her head and reaches across the table to place a hand against my forearm.
My tuxedo jacket and bowtie were discarded the second we got here and I couldn’t wait to roll up my sleeves.
Stupid ass penguin suits.
Her hand lands on direct skin and it sits warm against me in the best way.
I can’t help but look down and like the way her hand looks against my tattooed skin.
“It’s okay. I’m glad it looked as good as it felt,” she says, her small smile growing into a full grin.
“You just took me by surprise, is all. Usually the only thing people tell me is that I did great. They never really go into detail as to what was so great about it. My family are the only people that say more,” she pauses for a second, looking down at her food before looking back up again.
“You really think that it was a great performance, huh?”
I give her a nod. “I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t. You were absolutely amazing tonight, Chloe. And that’s coming from someone that has never seen you dance before.”
I don’t know how it’s possible but her grin grows even more, causing her eyes to shine just like they did on stage.
“It felt amazing. Even afterwards, it was as if I was on a cloud and I never wanted to get off.” She is absolutely beaming as she speaks the words.
“I’m guessing by the look on your face that that feeling is new.” I say, giving her a smile of my own.
“There have been both good and great performances, of course, but none of them have felt like tonight. Tonight felt as if everything was on a different level.”
I nod in agreement. “That is definitely a feeling I am familiar with.”
“I bet you’ve had quite a few of those moments in your career, huh?” She asks, completely ignoring her food and giving me all her attention.
I like having her attention on me a whole lot more than I should.
There is no doubt in my mind that I will be heading home tonight with a set of blue balls that I won’t be able to get rid of for a while.
I move my thought process from my aching balls and answer her question.
“A few times.”
“And do you wish that you were in that state of mind every single time?” she asks, but I’m not concentrating on her words.
Her hand is still on my forearm, her thumb moving along my skin. Either she’s not aware that she is doing it, or she is and she doesn’t care.
I don’t care either.
I clear my throat, definitely not thinking of her hand on another body part.
“All the time. Sometimes I even beat myself over it because I have a team depending on my performance. But that type of thing isn’t something that you can force. Not every performance, or every game, is going to be like the last and that’s okay.”
Her thumb stops the back and forth motions against my forearm and when she pulls her hand back and is no longer touching me, I miss it. It takes a lot of control to not reach across the table, grab her hand and place it back where it was.
“I didn’t think that my night would turn into an inspirational insight with a hockey player while eating pizza.” Chloe states through a chuckle.
“Hockey players know how to do more than just move a puck along the ice, you know. We make great counselors.”
Another sweet laugh fills the air. “I’ll keep that in mind whenever I go to a game.”
“Let me know when, and I will get you tickets.” I offer.
“Just like that?” She gives me a smirk.
“Just like that. Best seats in the house too. We can’t have the best ballerina in Chicago sitting up in the nose bleeds. It’s right behind the glass or nothing.”
“That sounds like fun. I’ve never been to an actual hockey game,” she says and I can’t contain the fake gasp that leaves my mouth.
“Damn, and here I thought that you were the biggest Liam Crawford fan in the world and have gone to every single one of my games.” I say, clutching my chest for effect.
“Sorry, but I only know who you are from the thousands of billboards around the city that have your face plastered on them.”
I figured.
“I don’t know what hurts more. The fact that you have never been to a hockey game or that seeing my handsome face everywhere isn’t enough to convince you to buy tickets and go to one.” I grin at her as she rolls her eyes.
“I never said that you were handsome.”
“No, but I know you thought it.”
The way she bites down on her lip tells me that I’m right.
I decide to move the subject to her attending a game instead of teasing her some more.
“So what do you say about attending a game?” I ask, already going through the season schedule in my head.
“I’d say why not? If it’s anything like tonight, I’m all for it.” She says, pushing her food away, signaling that she’s done.
Anything like tonight. So she’s affected by all this just as much as I am.
I can’t help but to give her a charming smile. “I’ll give you the complete Liam Crawford experience.” I say to her as I rise from my chair and hold out a hand for her to take.
“And what does that experience entail?” She asks, taking my hand and not letting go once she is settled on her feet.
“Oh I don’t know,” I try to think of something that will make it worth her while. “Seats behind the glass, a jersey with my name on it, a picture with our mascot and without a doubt, dinner afterwards.”
“Dinner, huh?” her eyes sparkle.
“Definitely dinner.”
“Does everyone that takes part in the Liam Crawford experience always get dinner afterwards?” Her perfectly sculpted eyebrow raises in a challenge and I fucking love it.
“Only those that I want to see more of,” I say, closing the distance between us and finally tucking the loose strand of hair behind her ear.
A small gasps leaves her lips when my hand doesn’t drop and rests against her neck, softly caressing her jaw line.
“And you want to see more of me?” she asks, her eyes moving from my eyes to my mouth.
Given how close we are, all I would have to do is lean in an inch or two, and I would be able to taste her.
“More than you know.” I say, leaning in closer, feeling her breath against my lips. “Do you want to see more than me?”
Chloe doesn’t say anything right away, but she doesn’t have to say any words because the way she moves her body closer to mine tells me everything I need to know.
Eventually though, she does break her silence.
“More than you know,” she says, repeating my words to me, sounding almost breathless.
“So you will come to one of my games?” I ask, my hand making its way into her curls, giving her a slight tug to angle her mouth perfectly for me to be able to close the distance between us and claim her mouth.
“Yes, but that seems so far away. I may need something sooner.” Her hands land on my chest and her mouth forms into a delicious pout.
What would that pout look like wrapped around my cock?
“How much sooner are we talking about?”
“I was thinking tonight,” she says, her words a literal whisper against my lips.
I don’t hesitate with my next question.
“Your place or mine?”
She doesn’t even answer before my lips are on hers and I’m getting a taste of just how sweet she really is.