Luna
FOURTEEN
“This eye candy around me is killing me. Are you sure none of them would venture over to my side for the night?” Connor whispers into my ear, causing me to laugh.
I turn toward him, resting my hand on his thigh as I lean closer so we won’t be heard.
“According to Savi, they are one hundred percent straight. Sorry, Con, you’ll just have to admire from afar.” I pat his leg and take a sip of my martini.
My eyes get pulled back to Cayden, who’s glaring at Connor like he wants to rip his head off.
I don’t know what his deal is tonight. This whole night has been one big shock after another.
Never in a million years did I expect him to be the NHL goalie for the Bolts. I googled him between periods, and his name and face are everywhere. He’s not just any goalie, but the top NHL goalie in the league and has been for the past three years.
It now makes sense why my mom knew so much about him. Even she knew who he was, while I was over here thinking he was playing in some dad league as a side hobby.
Connor plays with my hair, distracting me from Cayden as I watch his eyes narrow further in Connor’s direction.
“What are you doing?” I hiss under my breath.
“I’m your wingman tonight, remember?”
“So, you say,” I mutter, “but I don’t see what that has to do with playing with my hair and throwing your arm around me like we’re together right now.”
“You are so cute and naive,” he laughs. “Cayden wants you, Lu. He wants you bad,” he says, wagging his eyebrows at me.
“You’re doing this to provoke him,” I realize, narrowing my eyes at him.
“And it’s working. He’s about two seconds from jumping across the table and murdering me,” he chuckles.
“This isn’t a good idea,” I say quietly.
“All I’m doing is giving him a little nudge.
Let him see what he’s missing,” he shrugs, twirling my hair in his finger.
He looks over at Cayden and lingers a little too long before whistling softly under his breath.
“Fuck. Is it just me, or is he extra hot when he’s angry?
I’ve never wanted a vagina, but I would kill to be you right now. ”
I choke on my drink as I laugh unexpectedly.
Chuckling, Connor pats my back as I cough.
“Lu, my love, are you okay?”
“Lu?” The soft growl is barely heard above the noise in the bar, but I hear it clear as day. Green eyes latch onto mine, and I quickly realize that Connor’s little plan has gone on long enough. His chest heaves from controlled restraint, and I can tell he’s close to losing it.
Pulling away from his fierce glare, I get up quickly and smooth down my black dress.
“I need to use the restroom,” I mumble, walking past Connor and heading for the nearest bathroom sign. The line is long downstairs, and I don’t have the patience to wait. I just need a minute to myself, so I decide to check out the upstairs to see if the line is shorter.
The upstairs is just as nice, with a bar and tables overlooking the downstairs. I walk toward the restroom sign on the opposite end and notice booths along the wall that are more private. Some have the curtains down while others are open with larger groups sharing food and mingling.
I finally find the women’s bathroom and breathe a sigh of relief when I get right in. Walking into a stall, I lean against the door and take a moment to calm the storm within. Cayden’s pull is strong as my thoughts drift back to him.
It was hard enough to watch him play all night, but now I have to sit across from him and feel his eyes on my every move. Having him this close, but unable to do anything about it, is harder than it should be. I can control it easier in a professional setting, but this is different.
It feels different.
Like a tight rubber band is being pulled from both ends until one of us finally snaps.
During the game, I couldn’t take my eyes off him. He’s beautiful to watch, and you can tell he was born to stand in front of that net. Every movement was of purpose and control. The love of the game was evident on his face. He owned that net with every fiber of his being.
It was also sexy as hell. I found myself imagining what it would feel like to be his. To know that after this game, I could strip off his jersey and dive into what’s waiting for me underneath.
Pushing my thoughts away as best as I can, I press a hand to my chest and take a couple of deep breaths to calm my racing heart before walking back out and over to the sink.
My cheeks are still flushed, so I pat some cool water on them before applying a new coat of lip gloss to my lips. I smooth down my hair and muster up the strength to get through a few more minutes downstairs before Connor takes me dancing.
I’m halfway to the stairs when a hand shoots out from a parted black curtain, dragging me into the secluded booth.
I yelp and whirl around to defend myself when I notice Cayden standing in the dimly lit space. The curtain falls back into place, leaving us alone to the outside world.
“You scared the shit out of me,” I wheeze out, placing a hand to my throat.
“Sorry. I guess in hindsight, that wasn’t the best way to get you alone.”
“No, it wasn’t.” I look around at the curved booth and table. A small chandelier hangs over the center, making this space the perfect romantic setting. “Why did you get me alone?”
He runs a hand through his hair, and I can feel the turmoil raging inside of him as he debates on how to answer.
“Why didn’t you tell me you had a boyfriend?” he asks suddenly, ignoring my first question altogether.
“Why didn’t you tell me who you were?” I blurt back.
“Would it have mattered?” he asks, narrowing his eyes at me.
“No, but a heads-up would have been nice instead of the shock at seeing you on the ice in an NHL game.”
“With your little boyfriend. Which brings me to my first question. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“He’s not my boyfriend,” I sigh, deciding to put him out of his misery. “Connor and I are just friends. He’s also a dancer, and we’ve worked together in the past.”
“Just friends? I don’t buy it,” he says, shaking his head. “A guy can’t drink all night with you at your place and not make a move. It’s impossible.”
“Unless he’s gay,” I add. “You’re more his type than I am.”
His eyes widen in surprise before he rubs a hand over his light scruff.
“He completely fucked with me. Fuck,” he says again.
“Last night, he got it in his head that he was going to be my wingman tonight to get me laid. Apparently, he thought you were a good target even though I told him it was a bad idea.”
“It is,” he says quickly. “A very bad idea.”
Even though I know it’s true with him being a client and a dad of one of my students, it still stings to hear it. It hurts even more to hear the certainty in his voice.
“Glad we both are on the same page.” I muster up the courage to look him in the eye and be strong, even though a part of me aches to say the lie. “I'd better get back downstairs before Connor comes looking for me.”
I move to leave, and he blocks my way.
“I said it was a bad idea. I never said I didn’t want it,” he says quietly. His eyes search mine—dangerous, intoxicating greens full of untamed flames that I can’t help but want to feel the burn.
“Cayden,” I whisper, but it comes out more like a plea, wanting something I can’t put into words, but knowing he’s the answer to everything. His hand cups my neck, and when he runs his thumb over my bottom lip, I part them on a sigh.
“Tell me I should stop,” he whispers hoarsely, his throat moving slowly as he swallows. “Tell me I shouldn’t want this.”
His grip on the back of my neck tightens as his fingers curl into my hair. Warmth spreads throughout my body as I lean more into his touch.
“I can’t,” I breathe, unable to form the lie on my tongue. “I want it just as much.”
A low tortured moan escapes him as his hands cup my face right before he dives in.
When his lips touch mine, my body becomes alive. I’ve been kissed before, but not like this.
He tastes like bourbon and everything I’ve ever craved, but have never been able to feel before. His lips move over mine in a hunger to match my own. They're soft and demanding all at the same time.
He’s not just kissing me.
He’s consuming me.
Backing me up, my butt hits the table, and he quickly lifts me and steps between my legs. My dress hikes up, leaving only the thin lace of my panties between us.
He’s hard between my legs, making the ache grow stronger by the minute.
His tongue dances with mine in a desperate attempt to sate the hunger coursing through our veins.
I feel his hands drop down to my thighs as he runs them along the top of my boots, his fingers possessively digging into my skin as he goes.
My fingers thread into his hair, and I savor the feel of the soft curls against my palm. I let my desire run free in this moment as I lightly bite his bottom lip and press myself further into the swollen part of him that could take all this ache and pulsing away between my legs.
“Fuck, Luna,” he groans suddenly. The frustration is evident in his voice as he quickly jolts away as if he’s been burned.
My breaths are labored as I’m slammed back into reality. The loss of contact immediately fills my body with an emptiness that’s left behind. The sting of rejection swoops down and wants to swallow me whole as he averts my eyes.
I slide off the table and smooth down my dress, wanting to be anywhere but here, where I can see the guilt and shame written clear as day on his face.
“I shouldn’t have done that,” he grounds out more to himself than to me, it seems, as he aggressively rakes a hand through his hair.
“You’re right,” I say with a conviction that I don’t feel—not even in the slightest, but I’m not about to let him see how badly he is affecting me.
“You're a dad of one of my students and a client of mine. I should never have crossed that line with you. I hope this doesn’t change anything. I would hate to lose Scarlett as a student over a stupid mistake.”
He flinches at the word mistake, but that’s what he’s basically calling our kiss. I might as well say it like it is. His brows furrow in confusion like he didn’t expect me to agree with him.
“Of course not. She loves your class, and I wouldn’t take that away from her because of something stupid I did.” He emphasizes the word stupid letting me know loud and clear he didn’t like it.
“Of something we did. I kissed you back, so we both are guilty of making a mistake.”
“Can we please stop calling it a mistake?” His face hardens as the line of his jaw clenches tight.
“You said it should have never happened. That’s what a mistake is,” I point out before grabbing my purse that had fallen on the table. “I need to get back. Connor is taking me dancing tonight, and I’m sure he’ll be wanting to leave soon.”
“Dancing?” He asks, frowning. “Where?”
“I don’t know. Some club,” I shrug because it’s not important. “It was good seeing you, Cayden. I guess I’ll see you at Scarlett’s dance class if you’re able to make it.”
I walk past him to leave, and his words stop me.
“That’s it?”
“What else is there to say?” I turn back and wait for him to answer. He’s in full struggle mode as his jaw ticks and his hands clench and unclench at his sides.
Even though conversations filter through the curtain, and jazz music can softly be heard, the silence in here is deafening.
“Just…just be careful tonight,” he finally says. “You deserve better than a random fuck, so you can tell Connor he’s fired as your wingman.”
“I don’t know,” I say doubtfully. “You left me in a pretty worked-up state. A random fuck might be exactly what I need.”
“This isn’t a game, Luna,” he grits out.
“Trust me,” I say quietly, swallowing down the hurt I felt seconds ago when he pulled away. “I’m well aware of what’s at stake.”
My heart being the biggest stake of all if this were to go further.
I walk out before I give in and beg him to finish what he started. My knees are shaky, and my heart races as I feel his eyes on me the whole way back to the table. I may have left him behind, but my body still feels him everywhere.