Penalty Kill

by Brynn Paulin

  When I’d seen her in the store today, I’d felt faint with relief. I’d gotten a second chance, and I wasn’t losing it.

  “Ten years,” she supplied.

  “I wouldn’t have guessed that; you don’t look it. Still, that’s nothing, Jane. If things were reversed and I was thirty-two and you were twenty-two, no one would think a thing of it. And why the hell should we care what anyone thinks anyway? I want to get to know you. Tell me that you don’t want the same. That you feel nothing.”

  “You’re so passionate,” she murmured.

  “You have no idea. Try me and find out just how passionate I can be.”

  Her tongue darted out to dampen her lip, and I fought back a groan.

  “What are you proposing?” she asked.

  “Dinner and stargazing.”

  “Parking?” she said skeptically.

  “At the planetarium,” I amended.

  She grinned, the first easy smile since I’d run into her. Shaking her head, she pulled out her phone. A moment later, mine buzzed.

  “That’s my address.”

  “I’ll be there at six. You like the fondue place?” I asked. I’d gone there with some of the guys once and seen it was set up so each table was quite private. The entire process would give us plenty of time to talk, too.

  “Love it.”

  Chapter Three

  ~ Jane ~

  Nerves fluttered in my belly. I hadn’t been on a date since college. I’d been with my ex for years, with no ring or permanence in sight. He’d been an ass, but I hadn’t realized how much. He’d eroded my confidence little by little over the years. It had taken everything in me to finally break it off, digging deep for strength I hadn’t known I still had. Thank God, we’d never lived together and I hadn’t had to deal with dividing a household.

  As soon as I could afterward, I’d packed up and moved back to Michigan to be close to my family and my old friends and leave old mistakes behind. The night I’d met Brayden was just weeks after I’d gotten back to Grand Rapids.

  I looked in the mirror, straightening the skirt of the casual dress I wore and noticing every one of the extra pounds I’d put on over the years. I had a fairly average body. Nice but nothing like the women I saw with hockey players or other sports figures. I’d seen plenty this afternoon when I’d come home and looked up Brayden and his team.

  I’d didn’t find much about his personal life beyond who his family was. And that was damn overwhelming. His twin sister, an artist, was engaged to his agent. His parents and one brother were movie stars. He had two more sisters. One was a supermodel and one was a pop idol. His other brother, people knew very little about. So…not only was he an NHL sensation, but pretty much his entire family was uber-famous.

  And he wanted to date me, a curvy, thirty-something, English teacher. In my head, it didn’t add up. I needed backup before I freaked.

  “Hey,” I said to my best friend when she answered.

  “Hey, what’s up?” Sarah asked.

  “So remember that guy from the bar?”

  “Mr. I’m so hot we should go up to my room and take off our clothes? Yeah, I might remember him a little.”

  “I ran into him at the store today.”

  She gasped. “You. Did. Not! What did you do?”

  “I did. He pretty much cornered me. He wants to go out with me.”

  “What did you say?”

  “He wasn’t taking no for an answer, so…”

  “Oh my God!” she screeched.

  “You don’t think I should find a way out of it?”

  “Why? Neither of you were drunk at the store—at least, I’m assuming you weren’t. And he is hot as fuck, Janie. And totally into you. Anyone around could see it. His eyes were eating you up all night. If you don’t go after the hunk-muffin, I volunteer to be tribute.”

  “I think your husband might take offence to that—especially since you’re a million months preggers. You’d probably fall asleep at the planetarium.”

  “Right. My ass wouldn’t fit in one of those tiny seats right now anyway. Besides, I love Danny more than anything in the world.”

  “Back at you, babe,” I heard him rumble in the background.

  “Oh, you’re home,” she gushed. “Janie,” she whispered. “Gotta go. I’m gonna get some hot jealous sex. Promise me you won’t chicken out on your guy.”

  She squealed and was gone before I could answer. I shook my head and turned off my phone screen. I could imagine what was going on over there but didn’t really want to. I’d been friends with both Sarah and Dan since grade school. Imagining their sex life was off the table.

  Sighing, I took a look at myself in the mirror again. My blonde hair hung around my shoulders in a thick, smooth curtain. And this dress did look great on me. My makeup had turned out. I needed to stop being so hard on myself. If Brayden liked what he saw, who was I to change his mind?

  “You deserve a good time,” I told my reflection. “You wasted too many years on that asshole prick who didn’t appreciate you. It’s time to live and forget all those years.”

  I had a lot of living to do, starting tonight.

  * * * *

  “You left home at fourteen,” I repeated, incredulous. That was younger than most of my current students, and I couldn’t imagine any of them mature enough for college, let alone living on their own—in a foreign country!

  “Basically. I mean people checked in on me, and technically, I was living with a billet family in Ottawa. What it amounted to though was be renting an apartment attached to their home while I played for the junior league there.”

  “At fourteen?” I repeated, pretty much gaping at him over the chocolate fondue pot between us.

  He laughed. “Yeah. It’s really not that uncommon in hockey. Matures you pretty fast. I had a couple choices—fuck up or buckle down. I choose the second option. Hockey was everything to me. I wasn’t screwing it up by not doing my lessons or by being a party guy. That’s one thing. That billet family was pretty strict when it came to lifestyle. They left me alone if I was toeing the line. They would have reported me in a hot second if I wasn’t.”

  I studied him for a moment. I’d thought I was so much older than him, and by years, I was, but he’d been on his own almost as long as I had. I recalled the “age” I’d seen in his eyes and realized what I could attribute it to.

  “I don’t know how your parents did it. I couldn’t.”

  “I wouldn’t,” he agreed, shaking his head. “There are other ways for a kid to advance to the national league. Since I’m in the business, I understand the paths to get here now. My parents…they had no idea. They just did everything they could to help us kids achieve our dreams.”

  “I’d say they did a hell of a job at that,” I agreed before I thought better of it.

  “Looked me up, huh?”

  “Yeah, I hope that’s okay.”

  “If you didn’t, I would have been offended and thought you didn’t care one way or another about me.”

  “I just wanted to know a little before I sat alone with you in the dark,” I said, grinning. “There wasn’t much online. Your Wiki page is awful.”

  “Not much to tell. I have a…an unusual family. I play hockey, go out with the guys from the team sometimes, mostly keep to myself and hang at home.”

  “And you like astronomy.”

  “I like learning, especially science. The guys poke at me all the time because I bring history and science books with me when we travel. Fair warning, that can be a lot during the season.” He made a face. “This season, we had a couple travel stretches where we weren’t home at all for at least three weeks at a time.”

  “That is a lot.”

  “Playoffs start soon. I’ll be gone some for that, too. Minimum of two games, maybe three. My team’s new—an expansion team last year. If we make it past the semifinals, everyone will be surprised, even us, but we’re going to give it a hell of a try.”

  “I’ll have to
watch.”

  “Will you? And root for me?”

  I hoped my smile clued him to me being very interested. “Yeah. Yeah, I think I will be.”

  He smiled back, silently communicating his own interest. “Good. Now, tell me more about Jane Robinson, teacher.”

  “English teacher. I teach Shakespeare at a private high school north of here. I used to teach at a public school in DC until the end of last school year.”

  “But your family’s here.”

  “I grew up here.”

  “The guy you broke up with was in DC?”

  “Yeah. He works for the State Department. High level, high stress, high asshole factor.”

  “Should I be worried?”

  “Nope. It’s completely over. He’s moved on. I’m moving on when I find the right guy—”

  Brayden cleared his throat. “Which you have.”

  “First date. We’ll see,” I half-teased. Truthfully, I’d never felt this easiness and attraction with anyone else. I wasn’t discounting it or ignoring it. I already regretted that we’d had the months apart because I’d run off.

  “Jane, Jane, Jane, what to do with you?” he replied.

  “Take me to see the stars?”

  “Be warned. I intend to kiss you under those stars.”

  “Be warned,” I said, a little breathless. “I think I might let you.”

  Chapter Four

  ~ Brayden ~

  Holding Jane’s hand, I shifted in my seat. I stared up at the planetarium’s curved ceiling, listening to the smooth, unaffected voice talk about whatever star system the supposed satellite was rocketing through. It was stunning, but I was more interested in the stunning woman next to me.

  She hadn’t pulled away when I’d intertwined our fingers a half hour ago, and I wondered what would happen if I leaned over and kissed her. Probably more than was allowed at the family-friendly show, although it was late enough there weren’t many kids here. A surprising amount of teenagers, though.

  Sadly keeping it G-rated, I played my thumb along the skin on the back of her small hand. So soft… Was she this soft everywhere? My dick perked up at the idea of exploring her. Or perked up more. I’d been somewhere between half-hard and uncomfortably erect this entire date. Giving into temptation, I turned my head on the rest and looked at her. Her face was illuminated by the overhead show, a small smile playing on her mouth as she watched.

  Her lips parted slightly at something on the screen, and I imagined pressing my mouth to hers, slipping my tongue inside, tasting her…

  She glanced over at me and shook her head. “Pay attention,” she whispered.

  “I am.”

  “To the show.”

  I leaned over so my lips were near her ear. “I’d rather watch you. One hundred percent more interesting. You’re more beautiful than any of those stars or celestial configurations.”

  She ducked her head slightly, and I imagined I may have made her blush. “You’ll make me self-conscious.”

  “You should be confident. You’re the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever met. I don’t know of anyone else who holds a candle to you.”

  Pinning me with her teacher stare, she shook her head, and fuck if that didn’t turn me on. I imagined her dressed like a sexy librarian and me coming behind her and bending her over her desk—

  This time, she leaned close to me, her warm breath sending a tremor of pleasure along my spine. “I’m not sleeping with you tonight,” she whispered.

  I turned my head quickly and brushed my lips over hers, stealing a kiss. “But you will. Soon.”

  “Hmmm,” she hummed and settled back in her seat, watching the overhead show. She gave my hand two squeezes. A yes? A no? Mild encouragement? Too bad, so sad, buddy?

  I needed to learn all her signals.

  The show seemed eternal, but I still enjoyed every second of the torture of being in the darkness with Jane yet unable to do anything about it. After the show, we headed out to my car. I hated that I was taking her home and our night would come to an end.

  “Come out with me tomorrow?” I blurted when we got onto the road. The planetarium was way too close to her home. I had less than fifteen minutes to seal the deal. I willed her to say yes, bracing for a no and telling myself not to pump my fist if she said yes.

  “I’d like that.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah,” she laughed. “Really. Did you think I’d say no?”

  “I hoped you wouldn’t. I had a hard time getting you to agree to tonight, though.”

  “I had a good time. I do like you, Brayden.”

  I took her hand, our arms resting on the console between us. She squeezed my hand twice again.

  “Two squeezes,” I commented.

  “What? Oh… Sorry.”

  “Don’t be sorry. I was just wondering what it means—if it means anything, I guess.”

  She shrugged, her thumb moving against me. She moved slightly in her seat so she could turn a bit toward me, though belted in. “It doesn’t mean anything specific. It’s a family thing. I didn’t realize I was doing it. I guess it’s encouragement, I like you, you’re making me happy…. Now, one squeeze… That means cut it out. The harder the pressure the more important to stop right this second. That was usually my dad when we were in church and bored out of our gourds.”

  “I hope I never get the single squeeze from you then. So who is we? You know about my family; we haven’t really talked about yours.”

  “I have a sister and a brother. They both live here in town. So do my parents. We’re pretty close.”

  “I look forward to meeting them,” I said, knowing it was pushy but needing her to realize I wasn’t kidding about the long haul.

  She was silent for a moment. When I glanced over, her teeth were sinking into the side of her bottom lip, her brows furrowed. I could tell the wheels were turning in her head. I didn’t say a word, letting her process and needing her to be solid in her determination, without me pushing her too hard. Well, as long as she came ‘round to my thinking. If she didn’t, Bossy Brayden would come out.

  “I think they’ll like you,” she finally said, and the tightness in my chest loosened. “Especially my dad. I bet he knows who you are. He’s all about sports. All sports. Well, almost. He thinks golf is boring and NASCAR isn’t really a sport.”

  “I won’t introduce him to my friend, Regan.”

  “Regan McKenzie?”

  “You know him?”

  “I know of him. I don’t know him. He’s like racing’s hot poster boy right now.”

  “And you don’t get to meet him either,” I laughed.

  “He’s not as hot as you,” she added. “Oh geez, I can’t believe I just said that out loud.”

  I smirked, pretty happy that she had.

  “Come to my practice tomorrow?”

  “I thought you wanted us to go out tomorrow night,” she said as I pulled into her apartment complex.

  “I do,” I answered while navigating the twisty warren of streets. “I’m greedy. I want both. It’s our practice skate before things get down to business with the first round playoffs starting.”

  “You should know, I know pretty much nothing about hockey other than there’s ice, skates, a net and a cup prize at the end.”

  “You will,” I promised. “I’ll teach you whatever you want to know. So will you come? I’ll leave a pass for you.”

  Jumping out of the car in front of her place, I circled around to her side of the car and opened the door.

  “A gentleman,” she murmured.

  “I don’t date much. At all, really. My sister gave me pointers.”

  “Blake?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You told her about me?” She looked surprised. I took her hand, and walked her toward her door.

  “Yeah,” I repeated. “I’m friends with the guys on my team, but Blake’s my twin. Probably the closest thing I have to a best friend. I called her to make sure I wasn’t taking you
on a lame date. I really wanted date number two. If I was boring, it wouldn’t happen.”

  We got to her door, way too fast. Standing facing each other, I held both her hands. “So will you come?” I asked.

  “To practice. Yeah. It’ll be fun. I like doing new things.”

  “Great.” I grinned. “We’ll go out after. Make a day of it.” Stepping in, I lifted my hand to cup the back of her head. Her face tipped up as I leaned in, an invitation in her eyes as she slowly closed them. Angling in, I brushed my mouth over her sweet lips, groaning at the chaste touch. Letting go of the hand I still held, I wrapped my arm behind her and drew her closer. Her fingers clenched in my shirt as she went to her toes so we were pressed nearly chest to chest.

  Her lips parted, and I swept my tongue inside to slide against hers. She moaned, her pleasure clear. We could have stood there forever, kissing, connecting in this physical way. I longed for so much more as I devoured her. When I almost turned and pressed her into her door, I pulled back, panting.

  “I want so much more,” I confessed. “A lot more. But…” I shook my head. “I promised not tonight, and I’m not pushing.”

  She made a small sound, her fingers clenching tighter on my shirt, but I refused to push for something she’d regret tomorrow. I didn’t want a single regret between us. I pressed a kiss to her forehead, disentangled us and stepped back.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow,” I promised.

  Aching, I watched as she nodded then let herself inside. I hated this now, but I knew it would be worth it later.

  Chapter Five

  ~ Jane ~

  “I’m here,” I told Sarah as I parked my car at the arena. I thought the team practiced somewhere else, but apparently not. Brayden had texted me directions last night and told me how to get in, who to see and where to sit.

  “Bish…you better kiss the hell out of that man and tell me everything later,” she said. “I’m living vicariously through you.”