Body Check

by Lisa B. Kamps

  "I wasn't sleeping."

  "Didn't mean to startle you, sorry." He chuckled, but didn't move away. Heat flashed in his eyes for a brief second, igniting something inside her. She watched as he leaned across the tub, the sleeves of his t-shirt pulling tight across his sculpted arms. He grabbed a fresh bar of soap from the dish and dragged it through the water, then rubbed it between both hands until a lightly-scented lather formed.

  "The girl at the store said this is good for stress. I have no idea if she was pulling my leg or not. Turn around."

  Alyssa opened her mouth to ask what he meant, then shut it when he motioned for her to turn around again. She watched him for a second, then slowly turned in the built-in seat, giving him her back. A few seconds went by before his large hands closed over her shoulders, his callused palms gently soaping her skin. She closed her eyes and sighed as sensation, warm and silky, spread through her at the touch. Randy chuckled, the sound low and husky in her ear.

  "Feel good?"

  Alyssa nodded, unable to speak, afraid of how her voice would sound if she tried. His hands moved along her back, slow strokes that gentled even as they tortured, causing flashes of excitement to tingle every nerve. "You've been working so hard lately, I figured you needed a break. I was going to kidnap you and take you to the islands for a few days, but figured Val would probably gut me if I did that. Besides, I didn't know if you had a passport."

  The words sent a shock through Alyssa, only because she sensed the seriousness in his voice. She looked over her shoulder at Randy, saw heat flare in the depths of his eyes when he met her gaze. One corner of his mouth turned up in a grin before he motioned for her to turn around again.

  "I—no, I don't have a passport."

  "Then I guess my gut is safe from Val for a little while." He moved behind her, lathering his hands again before continuing the slow, even strokes against her back. "You should get one. A passport, I mean. I'm pretty sure I can get away during the All-Star break."

  Alyssa swallowed. "The All-Star break?"

  "Yeah. It's in January. I figure it'll be so cold here by then, it'll be the perfect time to hit the islands. It would just be for the weekend, though."

  Alyssa swallowed again, not sure what to say. Ten minutes ago, she was wondering what exactly was going on between the two of them, and he was making plans for them in January, five months away?

  She instinctively pushed away the jolt of excitement at his words. Things like this didn't happen in real life. Not in her life, anyway. She couldn't let herself picture a future, any kind of future, with him. There was too much tied up in the restaurant, too much sweat and labor and money and hope. There wasn't room for anything else, not right now.

  There would be consequences if she let herself get pulled into the fantasy he was weaving. She wanted to tell him that, wanted to ask him if he was teasing her. But the words wouldn't come, almost like she was afraid of the answer. And then it didn't matter because he was speaking again.

  "Think about it. In the meantime," Randy paused, his hands sliding deeper against the muscles along her shoulder blades. "Some of us are getting together for dinner and stuff this weekend. I was wondering if you wanted to go."

  "This weekend? Which day?" It was harder to concentrate with each stroke of Randy's hands. Alyssa dropped her head, giving him better access to her neck.

  "Saturday night." Randy's breath was warm against her neck, the touch of his lips against her skin a soft caress. Sensation of a different sort swirled through her, and she struggled to answer his question.

  "S-Saturday? We're usually busy—"

  "I want to show you off." His lips moved further up her neck, gently tugged at her sensitive earlobe. "It'll be a night just for us. All night."

  Heat laced his words, heat filled with a seductive promise. He shifted behind her as his hands slid along her sides then forward. His palms closed over her breasts, his thumbs gently teasing her peaked nipples.

  One night. An entire night. Could she do it? Would she be able to take one night away from the restaurant?

  His touch grew bolder, his hands sliding down her stomach, disappearing under the rolling water. Alyssa sucked in her breath as his fingers dipped lower, spreading her, teasing her.

  One night. Yes, she could do it. They could manage one night without her, surely.

  Randy's touch grew bolder, igniting the heat within her. Her head dropped back against his chest and her hips thrust forward. She took a deep breath and tried to nod. "Y-yes."

  He whispered something in her ear but the words held no meaning, lost in the rolling water and thundering jets that surrounded them. Waves crashed over her, washing her in sensation, pounding her senses over and over. She felt herself being lifted from the tub, felt weightless as Randy carried her into his room.

  And then nothing else mattered, nothing but the pleasure of her surrender.

  Chapter Fifteen

  "Table eight is still waiting on their entrees."

  "Table six received their wrong appetizers, I need two more now."

  "Has anyone seen Gary? He's got two tables that still haven't been waited on."

  Alyssa closed her eyes against the nightmare taking place around her. Their streak of smooth sailing had come a crashing halt. The only thing that surprised her was that it had taken so long to happen.

  She pushed her way to the stove and jumped in, grabbing orders, placing food, passing plates through. It was hot, hectic, and completely insane.

  It was just what she needed to get her mind off everything else.

  The crash of china against tile rang in her ears, the sound silencing the noise and shouts for a brief second.

  "Get it cleaned up! What do we need?" Alyssa turned, reaching out to grab the slip containing the order that had just hit the floor. She glanced at it, then quickly grabbed two oversized beef patties from the tray and tossed them on the grill. Lou was busy with three other orders, his competent hands and easy-going manner unruffled by the chaos around them. Alyssa pushed by him, grabbing several more orders as hands reached around her, grabbing plates. She looked up, not surprised to see Val jumping in to carry orders out to waiting customers.

  As much as Alyssa loved the chaos, the hectic pace and sheer insanity, she knew they needed help. As in, yesterday. They had never imagined they'd be this busy, that business would steadily increase each day. It was good for the bottom line, but all four of them were beginning to feel the physical effects of too little sleep and no time off.

  Just one of the joys of being a business owner.

  The flurry of activity finally evened out after two hours and a collective sigh rang through the kitchen as, one by one, her staff took a minute to just breathe. Alyssa grabbed a towel and wiped it across her face, then looked around with a smile. "Great job everyone!"

  Surprisingly, they'd had very little turn-over. Yes, a few people had quit, mostly wait staff who hadn't expected such a grueling pace. But they were quickly replaced by others, who adapted and thrived. Food service wasn't for everyone. It was hard work, more demanding than the average customer could imagine and not without challenges. Alyssa—as well as her three friends—were making it work.

  Maybe a little too well.

  She stepped out of the way and grabbed her water bottle, taking a long sip to rehydrate. The doors swung open behind her and she turned to see Jodi rushing in, her eyes searching until they rested on Alyssa.

  "Randy's out front."

  Her stomach lurched then fluttered, and she pressed a hand to her middle to stop the senseless reaction. It had been well over a month since that night he had shown up at her apartment, unannounced, unexpected.

  But certainly not unwelcome.

  And yet she still felt her stomach lurch whenever she saw him.

  Which scared her, because she saw him all the time. He called or stopped in almost every night. If he was here, he waited for her to finish up then followed her home. If he wasn't here, he'd be waiting for her when she
got home.

  And some nights, they actually slept.

  Alyssa glanced at her watch and groaned. She knew why he was here tonight, so early, and it wasn't to follow her home. Tonight was the night Randy and several of his teammates were getting together and going out on the town. With their girlfriends.

  Alyssa was supposed to go with him.

  She glanced down at herself, at her baggy black pants and shapeless white chef's coat. She had brought a cocktail dress with her, had every intention of staying food-free and clean so she could change into it and go out.

  On a real date. Away from work. With Randy.

  That wasn't going to happen now. Even though catastrophe had been diverted and the usual crazy rhythm restored, they were still short-handed in the kitchen. She couldn't leave, not when just one small thing could create another catastrophe, not when her being there could help divert it.

  She swallowed back her disappointment and was ready to tell Jodi to bring Randy back, when the doors swung open and he walked through them. Her heart stopped at the sight of him, and her stomach started fluttering again.

  He was gorgeous, dressed in exquisite designer slacks and jacket of midnight black that had, no doubt, been expertly tailored to fit his strong build. The blue shirt was open at the collar, revealing the healthy glow of tanned skin and a hint at the rock-solid muscle beneath. His black hair was slicked back, smooth except for one small piece that dared to drop forward and fall against his high forehead. His jaw was cleanly shaven, the lines of his chiseled face even stronger.

  And his mouth was pressed into a tight line as disappointment flashed in his hazel eyes. His gaze raked her from the top of her toque to the tips of her no-nonsense skid-proof black shoes, then darted around the kitchen. No doubt seeing the curious looks from some of the staff, he closed the distance between them and cupped his hand around her elbow, leading them quickly outside.

  The warm summer air hit her in the face, slightly muggy but less humid than the heat from the kitchen. Randy's arms came around her and he lowered his head to hers, claiming her mouth in a searing kiss that brought her to her toes. Too quickly he pulled away, his dark brows a slash above his eyes.

  "Why aren't you ready?"

  "We were short-staffed and had a series of crises, then one thing to led to another and I lost track of time."

  He glanced at his watch, something dressy in gold that she knew probably cost a small fortune. He looked back up at her, took a deep breath, then relaxed the frown from his face.

  "So we'll be a little late. Not a big deal. Go change, and I'll wait for you at the bar."

  "Randy, I can't go."

  "What do you mean, you can't go? I thought we were going out tonight."

  "I can't. Didn't you hear me? We're short-staffed. I need to stay here."

  "Let someone else handle it. Val, or one of the other girls. Or that old guy."

  "Lou. My sous chef. And he is handling it. But I still need to be here."

  "Alyssa, we had this planned. A night out. You haven't had time off since you guys have opened this place, and it's getting old hanging around here waiting for you to get off every night."

  Alyssa folded her arms in front of her and swallowed back the sudden flash of irrational anger. She knew he didn't mean it quite the way it had come out. It would only make things worse if she responded in anger. But there was still a small tremor of impatience in her voice when she spoke. "I'm sorry, but none of us has had time off. It doesn't work that way, Randy. This is what I signed on for when we opened this place. This is my responsibility. I can't just leave."

  Randy's jaw clenched, a muscle twitching as he looked down at her. His brows lowered over his eyes, the small scar making him look dangerous, reckless. His mouth compressed into a tight line. "What about tonight? What about you telling me you'd be able to get away?"

  "I thought I could. I can't. I'm sorry."

  "Sorry." He repeated the word then looked away, the muscle in his jaw twitching once more. She reached out, thinking to touch him, to just rest her hand against his arm, but he stepped back and looked at her, his expression unreadable.

  "I need to go. I'm going to be late."

  "Randy—"

  "I'll call you later." And he turned and left, his expensive shoes churning up the gravel as he walked away. Alyssa watched as he moved through the parking lot, torn between going after him, or yelling at him.

  She was tired, too tired to deal with his disappointment when her own threatened to swallow her. Couldn't he have been a little more understanding? Didn't he know how much she had been looking forward to tonight?

  Didn't he realize that she couldn't just walk away from her responsibility? No, he didn't, or he wouldn't have acted the way he had, wouldn't have turned and left the way he did. How could he understand, when he didn't have the same worries, the same day-to-day responsibilities she did? In his world, people jaunted off to the islands on a whim. Never mind that he had offered to take her with him in five months. In his world, he could do what he wanted, when he wanted.

  She didn't have that luxury. Never had, and never would. That was something Randy would never understand.

  She ran her hands over face and swallowed her disappointment and anger, then turned to go back inside. She didn't have time to stand out here and worry or wonder, not when there was so much waiting for her to do inside. Not when she had responsibilities she had to take care of.

  Chapter Sixteen

  The atmosphere was deliberately designed to be cozy: leather sofas and chairs arranged in intimate settings, accented by dark wood tables and thick area rugs. Small lamps were placed in each seating area, casting soft light over the occupants, inviting conversation. Music floated over everything, loud enough to enjoy, but without the sometimes-obnoxious notes of nightclub music. A few couples took advantage of the dance floor in the middle of the room, but most patrons were content to sit, drink, talk and relax.

  Randy looked down at the drink in his hand and wondered what the hell he was doing here. He should have just cancelled. But he hadn't been thinking, had been so pissed when he realized Alyssa wasn't coming with him tonight.

  Pissed? Yeah, if he was honest with himself, he was pissed. But underneath that was a chilling sense of disappointment, a reaction that completely unnerved him. What unnerved him more was the reason for the disappointment.

  Tonight was a couple's night. At least, it was supposed to be, until he showed up by himself. He had been looking forward to the evening, because it was something completely different than what he usually did—which was hang out at the nightclubs or strip joints with JP and a few of the other single guys. It would have been nice to be part of the 'respectable' group for once. And yes, he could be honest with himself and admit that part of him also wanted to show off Alyssa. Not just show her off, but to actually be with her. In public. Away from that damned restaurant.

  Randy took a long swallow of the drink, ignoring the girl squirming on JP's lap. Of course, JP's date put a slight damper on the whole 'respectable' part of the night. The woman was a known puck bunny, and tonight wasn't the first time she had been out with one of the players, didn't matter who. Randy had no idea why JP had brought her along, but if she accidentally grabbed him one more time, Randy was going to have to do more than have a little talk with his pal, JP.

  He drained the drink and leaned forward to place the empty glass on the table. His gaze caught the curious eyes of Ian's date. What the hell was her name? Kelly? No, Kayli. She had been talking with AJ, their goalie's wife, for the last few minutes, while Ian and Alec had gone to the bar. But now she was looking at him and he couldn't help but think that she was wary of him for some reason.

  Hell, did his mood show that much?

  And what the hell did that whole situation even say about him? Christ, even Ian had a date, a woman who seemed to be down-to-earth and genuinely nice. What the hell was wrong with him, that he couldn't even get his girlfriend to take off one night of wo
rk to be with him?

  A jolt shot through him, the feeling not that different from taking a puck to the chest. Girlfriend? He had never thought of Alyssa with that term in mind. But what the hell was she, if not his girlfriend?

  Except they didn't date, and they didn't go out anywhere. Ever. Not unless you counted the times when he waited for her to get off work. No, those times didn't count, not to him. So no, they didn't date and they didn't go out anywhere.

  So what the hell were they doing?

  Something brushed against Randy's thigh and he turned, not surprised to see that JP's puck bunny was reaching for him again. Only JP was too busy staring at the woman's chest to notice that his date had other intentions. Either that, or JP didn't care. Maybe both. It was hard to tell, not with the way his friend had been acting lately, like he was trying to find something and hell-bent on forgetting at the same time.

  Randy shifted away from the groping hand with a muttered curse then made the mistake of looking across from him. Ian's date was watching him again, her curious gaze seeing too much. AJ was much blunter, and just rolled her eyes at him before leaning over and whispering something to the other woman.

  It was too much for Randy. He didn't want to be here, not as the odd man out, and he certainly didn't want to be the subject of whispers and curious looks. It should have been a fun night—and it would have been, if Alyssa had been here. But she wasn't.

  She was too damn busy with the damned restaurant.

  Randy swallowed back a curse and stood up so abruptly that the two women sitting across from him stopped talking and watched him. He ignored them and moved away from the seating area, torn between going to the bar for another drink or just leaving.

  Except he didn't want to go home. Home to what? An empty condo overlooking the cold, impersonal lights of the city? There was nothing for him to do there, nothing except brood.