Hard Stick

by L. P. Dover

  I held up my hands. “You don’t have to explain. I, of all people, know what kind of head he has.” It was the size of the entire country.

  Chuckling, he stepped forward, his gaze roaming over my body. “You seem different tonight. It’s not very often you smile.”

  I hadn’t had a reason to, but I couldn’t tell him that. “Maybe it’s because I know something you don’t.”

  “Oh yeah? What’s that?”

  “Uh, I don’t know, perhaps something about a bet?”

  His eyes went wide and then he sighed. “It’s not what you think. I didn’t come here to try to con you into a date.”

  I held up a hand. “Kellan, I’m not mad. But since you are here, can I ask why?”

  Crossing his arms across his chest, he stepped back and leaned against his truck. “To see you. The bet was stupid and I never should’ve agreed to it. That’s why I was going to stay away until it was all over. It’s not like I had hopes of you saying yes anyway. I’ve been trying to ask you out for months.”

  “And like I told you the other night…”

  He nodded. “I know, you’re not interested.” For the longest time, I wasn’t, but now that I had my freedom I felt more alive. Maybe I could try to go out and have some fun. Cole would’ve wanted me to be happy. He used to say all the time that I needed to move on with my life. I couldn’t let Mitchell be the reason I lived my life alone.

  A small smile spread across my face. “I’m not, but if I agree to one date, will you leave me alone?”

  “I don’t know, that might be kind of hard. If I say I’ll try, does that work?”

  “It’s a start, but now I have to figure out if I want to say yes to this weekend or wait until after the bet.”

  His shoulders shook with laughter. “If it makes you feel any better we can wait until next week. The bet means nothing to me.”

  After everything that happened with Mitchell, Jason and Aylee had trained me on the art of reading people. You could look at a person’s eyes, body language, and the way they breathed to tell if they were lying. I could see the truth in Kellan’s eyes. If Jason and Aylee thought he was a good guy, that had to mean something.

  “Actually, I think this weekend will be good. I think it’s time Dallas gets taken down a notch.”

  Kellan laughed and I loved the sound. “I agree. What days do you have off?”

  “Friday,” I said.

  He pulled out his phone and closed the distance between us. The smell of his cologne wafted toward me and I breathed it in. “Friday it is then. I need to give you my number so you can text me your address.”

  I reached for his phone and put my name and number in his contacts. “There you go.”

  “You sure this is your number?” he asked, taking his phone back. “It’s not some gay hot line, is it?”

  Rolling my eyes, I laughed. “Text me if you don’t believe me.”

  He typed away and my phone beeped. “See? Now I have your number as well. I’ll text you my address on Friday.” It was only two days away and I was curious to see what kind of date he’d take me on.

  “I look forward to it.”

  I unlocked my car door and he opened it for me. “Thanks.”

  “No problem. I want to make sure you’re safely in before I leave. It’s dark out here.”

  I couldn’t help but smile. “I know how to take care of myself.”

  “I don’t doubt it, especially being friends with Avery and his wife. Everyone in this town knows who they are.” Jason and Aylee had worked together on some of the FBI’s hardest cases. They’d killed people before, and it was always strange hearing them talk about it. I couldn’t imagine doing that, but if my life was in danger I’d do it in a heartbeat. At least, now, thanks to them, I knew how to defend myself and use a gun.

  “What exactly are we going to do Friday?” I asked.

  His lips pulled back into a grin. “Wait and see. You’ll have fun, I promise.”

  “Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” I said, getting into my car.

  He looked down at me, his gray gaze serious. “I never do. Good night, Kristen.” The way my name rolled off his tongue made me tremble; I loved it.

  “Good night, Kellan.”

  Chapter 10

  Kristen

  “I can’t believe you’re actually going on a date,” Brooklyn said, laughing. “I’m so proud of you.”

  I put her on speakerphone so I could get dressed. “Gee, thanks. You act like I’ve never been on one before.” Now that I thought about it, I hadn’t been on a date in years. When I was with Mitchell, he didn’t want us to be seen in public until his divorce was final, so there were no official dates there. What a mistake that was. My actions and decisions would forever haunt me. From what I could tell, Kellan was nothing like Mitchell.

  “I know, but I’m glad you’re finally moving on. It couldn’t have been easy dealing with your death.”

  “It was strange seeing my face on TV. Have you talked to Cole’s parents?” My “ashes” were being sent to them, but I didn’t know if they’d arrived or not.

  She released a heavy sigh. “I don’t want to lie, they’re not doing well, Kristen. They’ve lost their son and now you. When a little more time has passed, we’ll go see them. I know they’ll keep your secret.”

  I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I know they will. Do you know what they’re doing with my ashes?”

  “They’re burying you beside your parents. I’m heading to North Carolina in a couple of weeks so I can see you. With me being with you, maybe it’ll help them understand what’s going on.”

  “Sounds good, B. I’ve already tormented them for over a year now. I can’t stomach doing it any longer.” My phone beeped and I gasped. When I looked at it, there was a text from Kellan. “Hey, that’s Kellan. He’s probably on his way and I still have to finish getting dressed.”

  “All right, have fun. Let me know how it goes. Those hockey players can be real characters.”

  I laughed. “Tell me about it. I’ve gotten to know a few of them.” We said our goodbyes and then I hung up so I could look at Kellan’s message.

  Kellan: On my way. Might want to wear jeans and a T-shirt.

  I looked down at my clothes. “Now he tells me.” Kellan hadn’t mentioned what we were doing, so I’d put on a pair of black pants and a dark pink silky top. Since this was my first date in a while, I had no clue what to wear or what to expect.

  Hurrying into my bathroom, I finished my makeup and sprayed a little perfume on my wrists before changing clothes. My heart beat out of control as I rushed downstairs. Why was I so nervous? It was one date, that was it.

  Kellan’s truck rumbled down the driveway and parked by the house. I didn’t want to wait by the door so I retreated to the kitchen to grab a glass of water. His footsteps thundered up the front porch steps and he knocked once. I waited a few seconds before shouting, “Come in!”

  He opened the door, his gaze darting around the living room before landing on me in the kitchen since both rooms were connected. Instead of his dark hair being gelled like it usually was, he had on a baseball cap that sat low above his eyes and another snug T-shirt that made me want to touch his arms.

  “Hey,” he said, raking his gaze down my body. “You look beautiful. It’s just a shame you’re about to get sweaty.”

  “I am, huh?” I laughed.

  “I guess I should’ve warned you. I’m not exactly the kind of guy who likes the fancy shit.”

  I think I liked him even more. “I didn’t think you were, but then again I don’t know you very well.”

  “We’re about to change that. Ready to go?” he asked, nodding toward the door.

  “Yep.” I finished my water and grabbed my purse and keys, locking the door behind me as we walked out.

  “You have a nice house. How much land do you own?”

  “None at the moment. This is my friend Brooklyn’s house. I’m staying here for a while until I ca
n find my own place.”

  He opened the door to his truck and I slid in. “Where do you want to move to?”

  I shrugged. “Not sure.” Then I looked over at Brooklyn’s small house and the wooden fence that surrounded it. It was the type of house you’d see in the Hallmark movies, quaint with a country atmosphere. “I’m happy here, but it’s not mine.”

  “Maybe your friend would let you buy it,” he suggested.

  I shook my head. “She loves it too much. I would never put her in that position.” If I asked, she would definitely agree to it, but I didn’t want her to feel pressured when I knew she didn’t want to give up her land. Kellan shut the door and jumped in. “So where are we going?”

  He winked. “Somewhere fun.”

  We headed out of Belmont toward Charlotte. “Do people in the media ever tail you when you’re out and about?” No one followed him whenever he’d come into the pub, but if it happened I’d be in big trouble. The last thing I needed were pictures of me and an NHL star floating around the Internet. Mitchell didn’t give a shit about hockey, but I still had to be careful.

  Kellan shook his head. “Not really. I’m pretty low key. Sometimes there’ll be people waiting at the rink after practice, but that’s it. With my physical record, not many people mess with me.”

  “But you don’t act mean and macho all the time. Right now, you seem like a normal guy.”

  He burst out laughing. “And here I was thinking I was normal.”

  I rolled my eyes. “You know what I mean. When I met you for the first time, I never thought you’d be the beast you are on the ice. You guys are so violent.”

  “That’s just who I am on the ice. I don’t hit things unless they piss me off.”

  “Like Maddox.” I laughed.

  He shrugged. “And other people, but they totally deserved it.”

  “How long have you played hockey?”

  His lips pulled back in a small smile. “Basically my whole life. It’s kind of a big thing in Vermont. My father got me into it as soon as I could walk. I haven’t stopped since.” I knew what that was like. My mother did the same with me, but with figure skating.

  “Are your parents still in Vermont?” I asked.

  He shook his head and his smile faded slightly. “My father moved down here with me when I got drafted. My mother, on the other hand, is a completely different story.” There was bad blood there; I could hear it in his voice. I was curious, but it was too early to start asking personal questions. “And I’m sure one day I can tell you all about it, but right now,” he said, grinning wide, “we’re going to have some fun.”

  We made it to Charlotte and the road he turned down was kind of sketchy. It wasn’t exactly the kind of place you wanted to get lost around at night; I was glad it was the middle of the day. There were several guys in the parking lot that was beside a large warehouse-type building, and when we pulled up, they walked over to Kellan’s side of the truck.

  “Dude, what the hell are you doing here?” one of them said as Kellan rolled down the window. He was younger than us, probably in his early twenties, with tattoos all down his arms and piercings in his ears.

  Kellan fist-bumped him and then looked over at me. “Hoping to show this one over here a good time.”

  The guy chuckled. “Bring her in, then. We’ll get you started right up.” He walked away and I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of place Kellan brought me to.

  “Care to tell me what we’re doing here?” I asked. He grabbed my hand and pulled me to the door of the building, the excitement radiating from him. When I looked inside and saw the go-kart track, I couldn’t believe my eyes.

  “Think you can beat me?” he challenged. “Or are you scared?”

  The carts were fast, not like the usual ones you saw at amusement parks. For these you actually had to wear jumpsuits and full-faced helmets. Little did he know I had mastered the art of driving fast and weaving in and out of traffic in Boston. People couldn’t drive for shit up there.

  The guy with the tattoos caught my attention and waved us over. Lifting my chin, I started toward him. “I’m not scared. Let’s see what you got.” I knew I most likely couldn’t beat him, but I sure could give him a run for his money.

  Chapter 11

  Kellan

  After racing the go-karts, we stopped at one of the best burger joints in Charlotte. The weather was cooling off from the afternoon sun so we decided to sit outside and eat. It wasn’t anything fancy, but I knew Kristen would appreciate it. She wasn’t like the stuck-up bitches I’d wasted my time on before. I was so sick of women like that. Kristen was different, and I’d seen a side of her I never knew existed; the girl was downright dirty on the track. Although looking at her you’d never suspect it. Her soft auburn hair blew in the wind showing off the delicate features of her face. Her skin was smooth, dusted with a thin layer of makeup, but I could see the hint of freckles underneath. However, her eyes were what got me. It was almost like she’d seen too much in this world; they were haunted yet beautiful.

  “You did see Anthony waving the warning flags at you, right?”

  Laughing, she tossed the last french fry into her mouth and started on her chocolate shake. “I was trying to win. You kept taunting me, so I thought I’d step it up a bit.”

  Reaching below the table, I patted her thigh and winked. “I still beat you, though.”

  “Not by much.”

  The girl was a fucking madwoman on the track and scary as hell. I loved that I couldn’t figure her out. With most women, you knew what they were about the first second they opened their mouths. Kristen wasn’t like that; she had no interest in me because I was a hockey player. I just hoped I could break through that icy exterior of hers. The more time I spent with her, the more I could see it breaking.

  “All I can say is that I’m glad I’m driving,” I teased. “I don’t ever want to get in the car with you.”

  She snorted, but I could see the twinkle in her green gaze. “I guess it’s a good thing this is our first and only date then.” That’s what she thinks. I wasn’t giving up on her that easily.

  She grabbed her spoon and scooped the last bit of chocolate from the bottom of her glass. Closing her eyes, she licked her lips, and I’d have given anything to suck the chocolate off them. Just thinking about it made my dick twitch. “How’s your milkshake?” I asked, rearranging myself under the table.

  “Pure heaven,” she sighed. “I can’t believe I’ve never been here before.”

  “You work all the time,” I said. “Kind of hard to go out and enjoy life like that.” Every time I’d gone to the pub, she was there. Never once had I seen her with anyone else other than Jason and Aylee.

  She shrugged. “True, but I don’t really have much else in my life right now.”

  “Do you not have family?” She averted her gaze, and I could see on her face it was a sore subject. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want. I just want to get to know you better.”

  She waved me off. “No, it’s fine. It just hurts to talk about it sometimes. My parents died when I was in high school.”

  “Fuck,” I said, reaching for her hand. “I can’t imagine.”

  Sighing, she looked down at my hand covering hers. “The only other family I have are out west, and we aren’t close. I think I’ve met them once or twice in my lifetime. My friends Brooklyn and Cole were all I had.”

  “Where are they now?” I asked.

  Her lips trembled. “Brooklyn is in California and Cole’s dead. He died in a motorcycle accident right before I moved back down here.”

  I was speechless. I thought I had a bunch of bad shit in my life, but hers topped it. “Jesus Christ,” I gasped. “You’ve lost a shit ton of people for someone so young.”

  She scoffed. “Tell me about it. My heart can’t take any more loss.”

  “Where did you move from?”

  “Massachusetts.” That was where my mother lived, but I wasn’t about to
fuck up the day talking about her. Kristen glanced down at her empty plate and then looked up at me, her expression sad. “I used to live in Charlotte before my parents died. Afterward, Cole and I moved up there to go to college. When we graduated, we just stayed. It wasn’t like I had anyone to come home to.”

  I nodded in understanding. All I had other than my father was an uncle, but he was still in Vermont. I hadn’t talked to my mother’s side of the family in years, so basically they didn’t exist to me.

  “Were you and Cole together?” It was a question I’d been dying to ask since I met her. I hadn’t seen her with another man besides Jason Avery. She didn’t have a ring on her finger, but that didn’t mean anything.

  A small smile spread across her face. “No, we were never like that. Our parents were best friends so we were more like brother and sister.”

  I couldn’t imagine losing that many loved ones like she had. “I’m sorry, Kristen.”

  “Thanks,” she said. I could tell there was something weighing on her mind, but I didn’t want to pry. The waitress came by and dropped off the check, so I sent her off with my card.

  Pulling out my phone, I held it up. “How about we fuck with Dallas? I think it’s time he knows he lost.”

  Snickering, she got up and snatched my phone before sitting on my lap. I put my arm around her waist, thankful I’d rearranged myself when I did before she could feel my dick poking into her ass.

  “All right, here we go,” she said, holding up my phone. She smiled into the camera, but I was stuck looking at her; she was so fucking beautiful. The camera clicked a couple of times and then she slid off my lap. “I think we got it.”

  She handed me my phone and I looked through the pictures. “You have a nice smile.”

  “Thanks. So do you,” she said, narrowing her gaze at my mouth. “Are they all real? I know how a lot of players get them knocked out.”

  I traced my tongue across my teeth. “They feel real to me. Wanna take a closer look?”

  She rolled her eyes and giggled. “No, thanks. I’m fine.”