CHAPTER 7 #2
“Oh.” I let out a little bit of a cackle. Space was probably a good idea before I started humping him in front of his team. “Yeah. Will you guard my ginger ale? And my sweater.” I pulled the sweater over my head and straightened my shirt.
I noticed him noticing me. The T-shirt was tight and played up all my assets. I would like to think I planned it that way but really, it was my confidence shirt. I wore it when I wanted to feel like me. Fun, sassy, with sharp teeth.
Sasha just nodded and watched me walk away into the crowd.
The music was loud and I was thankful to get away just for a moment to breathe. My lungs were hurting from all the bated breaths I took around Sasha. I couldn't completely wrap my head around what was happening. So, instead of worry, I decided to dance.
I lifted my hands in the air and I forgot my troubles. I swayed and jumped and sashayed by myself without a care in the world. But I also looked back, and when I did, Sasha was staring at me.
It was curious to see how the same face could seem so different by the way his eyebrows lowered and his bright smile curled to one side as he bit his lip and pulled a bit of it inside with his teeth.
He played in the perspiration on my glass.
The way his thick fingers made small wet circles near the rim made me sweat.
His eyes stared me down. I turned away to break the tension, completely unsure if the heat radiating off his body was what I wanted to melt the ice formed around my heart.
Who was I kidding? Of course I wanted it. Even if I was terrified of his status as a celebrity and all that came with it.
I loved this part. The beginning first dates when the simplest touch could set you on fire. When a look spoke volumes and a whisper could end you. These were the moments that you could never get back; the excitement, the anticipation, the passion.
So I continued to dance and after what seemed like forever I felt strong arms encircle me. I closed my eyes and grabbed my own chest. It was all too exciting for me to take. But, when I opened them again, I saw a tattoo that I didn't recognize cage me in on the dance floor.
Oh, shit.
I spun around to find a man I didn't know try to bump and grind me. He wasn't my type. He wasn't the one I wanted. And out of the corner of my eye I saw Sasha bee lining for the both of us with vengeance on his mind.
Maybe I should have been scared, but I wasn't. I had seen the videos and the red on the ice from what Sasha had done and had done too him.
I had seen his big hits and heard what he said to men who slashed his tendy, or dusted a guy into the walls.
But none of that stopped me from simply raising a commanding hand in his direction, telling him to stop.
Which he did. He stopped instantly at my request. Ten feet from the man and I. He stood, like a beast about to rip someone apart. I could see his chest heaving and his fists open and close, ready to punch or drag someone outside.
I smiled at him, then turned to the man who did not ask for permission to dance with me.
“I'm with someone else.” I was kind. I could never take for granted a man shooting his shot.
“I don't see him out here.” His eyes looked me up and down like he didn't care about anything I said.
His arrogance pissed me off. Here I was basically saving this man's face and he wanted to disrespect me by not listening to what I had to say?
“I'm not going to repeat myself. I don't want to dance with you.” I shouted loud enough so he could hear me.
“Come on, baby. I can show you some moves.” He started to thrust his hips at me and I saw his long, thin finger try and reach for my shirt.
I acted before I thought the better of it.
I grabbed his wrist and held it away from my body and quickly spoke into the man's ear with a vicious snarl.
Invading his space, I could feel his body tense.
“When a lady says no, you listen. Because one day you're going to fuck with the wrong one and you will regret it.
If it weren't for the hot guy over my shoulder I would have knocked your teeth out.” He sucked in his breath, looking at Sasha for the first time.
I turned and walked away, shaking my head, laughing really. He wasn't a dangerous guy, just stupid. Hopefully my bark set him straight for the women who came after me.
But when I found Sasha's eyes, those gorgous eyes, they told a different story. Menacing, like at any moment he would strike on my behalf.
“Oh, come on Sarge. He's not worth it and you're not on the ice.” I pulled him back over to the table and took a sip of my ginger ale.
“Things about to get physical, Sarge? You let me know and I'll record it.” Ginger ale guy smirked and took a sip of his drink.
“Yeah, real funny, Reeds.” Sasha took a sip of beer and hooked his finger into my belt loop again, but this time he grazed the skin on the side of my hip.
My eyes nearly rolled into the back of my head. I leaned towards him, my lips coming dangerously close to his ear.
“For what it's worth, I thought he was you. And I appreciate you making sure I was OK.” I could have called his actions a million different things. I could have called him a brute, but all he was trying to do was protect me.
“Better?” He asked and pulled me into that intimate position again. My back against his chest, his face in my hair. He slowly swayed, off tempo, to the music.
“Yeah.” I nodded, trying to play it cool when all I wanted to do was shout to the heavens 'It's about fucking time!'
There have been so many first dates that have been awkward in my long, almost too long, dating career.
But I couldn't help but feel like Sasha and I fit.
A hockey brute and a hot-tempered carpenter.
But as of that moment, we were just two people listening to the music.
His hands felt good around me. His body felt good against me.
Suddenly a replay of Sasha slamming his opponent into the wall, then mincing words before being sent to the penalty box flashed in my mind. He made me hot when I didn't think I could steam any more.
“What did he say?” I whispered.
“What did who say?” I could hear Sasha take a deep breath, smelling my hair.
“The guy you got sent to the naughty box for tonight.”
“The naughty box?” He chuckled and buried his head into my shoulder. “I got sent to the penalty box because he said I hit like a woman.”
I turned to face him quickly with shock on my face. “And you were offended after that complement? So rude.” I laughed.
Sasha pinched my side and I yelped when I smacked his arm, only resulting in my own fingers hurting because he was so hard. I turned back around. He pulled me in closer and I thought I would die with how my heart raced.
“I'm a target now. They all want to egg me on just to try and take me down.”
“Why a target? Because you knocked that guy on his ass?”
“No, because he is the seven-million-dollar man. Highest paid enforcer in a league who are getting rid of their kind. Pretty soon there won't be enforcers and I'm not sure I like the sound of that.” Jonesy, the young one, chimed in. His speech was slightly slurred.
Sasha's body stiffened behind me.
“Seven million dollars? For how many years?” I whispered.
Seven million dollars? Who needs to make that much money?
“Per year for three years.” He looked embarrassed when I craned my neck to look in his eyes.
We were silent for a while, the topic of money put a slight damper on the romance. I wouldn't make that in my lifetime. I had only been looking at pictures of him with his shirt off, I never once sought out to see how much he made.
“So, you're either going to stay with me for my money or want nothing to do with me. Come on Lucifer, give it to me straight.” He wrapped his arms around me in a bear hug. I couldn't move even if I wanted to, but I didn't want to leave. He felt too good.
It took everything in me not to lean back into him, putting my head on his shoulder and reaching my arms up and around to tug on his hair. Boy, I wanted to tug.
“Slowdown there Sarge, you haven't even kissed me yet.” I laughed.
I was good at this part. Flirting was really just sarcasm with sexual undertones.
I excelled. But it had been a long time since I was in the position where my mouth would actually get me in trouble, or something else.
And that was terrifying. Maybe in the years since my last relationship I lost some of the ability to feel confident.
I talked to random customers and the only people I actually communicated with were my family and longtime friends.
They were used to my mouth spouting off ridiculous things, swearing mostly.
But I had to quickly remember that with Sasha, what I said could actually get me what I wanted.
His hand went to my waist and I felt the muscles in his fingers try to turn my hips to face him. He was willing my body to turn, but got I scared.
Scared that I wanted him so badly.
Scared I would get so hurt.
Scared that dating a hockey star would change my life in all the wrong ways.
I turned slowly. All I could see were his hungry eyes darting from my eyes to my mouth and his teeth biting his lip like it was the only way he could hold off from kissing me.
He said nothing, so I spoke.
“I have a bad mouth and you have too much money. Everyone has a flaw, right?” I reached up and gave his beautifully trimmed beard a quick pat.
“Yes, Lucifer.” He blew a devilish curl that had flipped over the top of my head with such force that it spun around to its rightful place like I was a birthday candle to blow out and his wish.
Our eyes met. I could feel his body lean towards me. We were at the perfect kissing height. He was 6'4, according to his stats, and I was closer to six feet. It was the first time in my life I had to arch my neck. And it was fucking glorious.