Shot at Love

by Melody Heck Gatto

“I wasn’t dancing with you.”

  “Now you are.”

  She grimaced at his protective comments, even though they did something to her insides. Maybe it was the way he looked at her. Whatever it was, it was intense.

  “What’s the matter, Marcella? Jealous?” Kassie was asking for trouble, but she couldn’t help herself. It was too fun to mess with him.

  “You can call me Puck-Star, Kass. Or Luc. Don’t call me Marcella,” he said in an almost growl.

  “Aw, why not?” Kassie said with a faux pout.

  “The guys call me that. You’re not one of the guys.”

  “But we’re friends. Right?” She was grating on his nerves, that much she could tell. That’s what he gets for telling me who I can and can’t dance with.

  The music changed, and Luc tightened his grip on her, pulling her closer to his body. He moved with such precise, yet fluid actions, she couldn’t help but move with him. The heat between their bodies, the masculine scent of him, the way his eyes held hers, made the dance sensual and sexy. His suggestive moves had her gasping to catch her breath. But when he moved, letting her know without any mistake what was under those tight blue jeans, she pulled away.

  “I-I need another drink.” Hurrying to the bar, she asked for another Appletini.

  She didn’t need to turn around to know whose hard body was now pressed up behind her. His warm breath on the crook of her shoulder shot tingles of awareness through her, as he whispered in her ear.

  “Did I make you nervous?”

  Kassie shook her head as she drank her Appletini. She fanned at her face. “Overheated.”

  “Yeah, that happens too.”

  Oh my god, is this guy for real?

  “You want to dance some more?” His strong hand rested on her hip again.

  She didn’t hate how that felt. If she was being honest with herself, she didn’t hate how he took over on the dance floor.

  “Kassie!” Quinn squealed, rushing to stand beside her at the bar. The young friends of Luc trailed behind Quinn like puppy dogs. “Barkeep! Two Blow Jobs!”

  The young guys’ faces lit up until they realized it was just the name of a shot.

  “Don’t worry boys, you’re next,” Quinn yelled with a devilish grin to JJ and Travis.

  Kassie wasn’t exactly sure what Quinn meant by that, and she really didn’t want to know. The guys were Luc’s problem, not hers. But Luc seemed to be focused only on her.

  The bartender placed the shots before them and Quinn paid. “All right, boys. Will you do the honor of holding my hands behind my back?” Quinn said, and fluttered her eyelashes. “Hey handsome hunky friend of Kassie’s, you get to hold her… I mean her hands. Secure them behind her back, so she can suck this drink down.”

  “Oh, Quinn.” Kassie loved her friend dearly, but this was a little too much in front of Luc. Especially with him pressing against her.

  “Ready, Kass? One, two, three, go!” Quinn picked up the shot glass with her mouth and tilted her head back, drinking the shot. She slammed the glass back on the bar and looked expectantly at Kassie. When she spoke, she whined. “Kass! You were supposed to drink on go.”

  Luc held her hands behind her back, and whispered in her ear, “You don’t have to if you don’t want.”

  Too much for him to handle? Kassie didn’t like being told what she could and couldn’t do. She bent down and took the drink in her mouth. Quinn could be heard cheering her on over the noise of the club. Tilting her head up, Kassie drank down the shot, then slammed the glass back on the bar.

  She started to sway to the music, as the alcohol ran through her, helping her to feel a little more relaxed. She licked at her lips, catching some rogue whipped cream.

  Luc moved beside her. Facing her, he leaned his elbow on the bar. He cocked his head. “Kass, you driving home tonight?”

  “No. Uber. I’m responsible like that,” she retorted with sass. Or maybe it was the shot talking.

  Luc shook his head, his eyes heavy and filled with disapproval. He had such a brooding sense to him. Maybe it was the way he towered over her. She didn’t hate it.

  “I’m taking you home.” His voice was stern, and his eyes focused on her.

  “I told you, I’m taking an Uber. And what if I’m not ready yet?” Who was he to tell her what to do?

  “And I said I’m taking you home. You’re too tipsy, and I don’t trust you alone in an Uber.”

  “Barkeep, another shot please!” She slammed her hand on the bar.

  “Really?” Luc shot her a pointed look.

  The bartender looked at her, then looked at Luc. “I think I’m cutting you off, young lady. You weigh what, a buck ten? I think you’ve already had too much. Do you have a ride home, or do I need to call you a cab?”

  Luc spoke up quickly. “She has a ride home.”

  She wanted to argue, but maybe she had drunk too much tonight. “What about Quinn? She’s Ubering too.”

  She glanced over at her friend, who was now tongue wrestling with one of the guys, while the other danced behind her. All Kassie could do was groan and be thankful she wasn’t as drunk as Quinn.

  “No. I called the guys a cab and for her, too. Although, it appears they may be only making one stop.” He nodded to Quinn and the guys.

  Quinn was not shy about public displays of affection. Obviously.

  “C’mon on.” Luc took her hand and led her across the dance floor towards Quinn. “There’s a cab outside for you three,” he told them. “And don’t forget to use protection.” Luc tossed them a couple of condom packs.

  “Really?” Kassie gawked at his actions.

  “I’m supposed to watch out for them, and that’s the best advice they’re going to get tonight.” He tugged on her arm, pulling her towards the exit.

  She looked back to say goodbye to her friend, but Quinn was stuck between those two like the peanut butter in a sandwich. It didn’t surprise her; that’s how Quinn was.

  Kassie shook her arm, trying to get Luc to let go. It was weird that he was holding her hand. It felt wrong, but right in a weird way.

  Luc stopped and turned to her. A naughty smirk sat on his face. “Come on, sweets. I just want to hold your hand. Is that okay?”

  She didn’t hate the idea. His hands were strong and rough, and made her stomach do cartwheels. Or maybe it was the alcohol. Either way, she liked it. She just refused to tell him that.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Luc

  Luc drove his Porsche away from Mario’s. The cool fall air blew in the open windows. Kassie sang along to the rock song on his radio, her words slightly slurred, and she only got about half of them correct. She didn’t fool him; she was drunk. Or at the very least, tipsy. Nonetheless, he wasn’t going to leave her at the bar like that. Too many bad things happened to women when they were drunk and alone. And with Quinn leaving too, he had to make sure Kassie got home safely.

  He sent his buddies home in a cab, fairly sure they were all going back to Quinn’s place.

  “So, who were your friends, anyway?” Kassie slurred.

  “Rookies. JJ and Travis. They’re good guys, but are young and really milking the whole I’m a hockey player pickup line. But they won’t hurt Quinn, I can vouch for that.”

  “Luc, I’m not worried about Quinn. And she really doesn’t care what occupation the guy has. She’s not picky.” Kassie yawned. She made a cute little squeaky noise as she did. “Do you go to Mario’s a lot?”

  “Enough.” It used to be his stomping ground for picking up girls, using the lame line that he was a hockey player. He wasn’t going to tell her that, not like it was relevant ever since he’d met her. No girl measured up to Kassie. Sure, some girls had one or two good features, but none were her.

  “Huh, I’ve never seen you there.”

  “Oh? You go dancing there a lot?” His curiosity was piqued. How did I miss her before?

  “No, not a lot. I was very focused in school. Quinn always wanted me to go out. I onl
y went a few times, but that was our favorite place to go.” Kassie yawned and relaxed back in her seat.

  Luc knew she was too tipsy to remember any of this, which is what made it so much fun. “Did you have fun tonight, Kassie?”

  She stared out the window as she calmly answered. “Yes. You are a really good dancer, Marcella.”

  “Oh? You liked my moves, huh?” He knew he was being way too forward tonight, but he couldn’t help it. He had hated seeing her with that other guy, and that made him bolder. Plus, she didn’t seem to mind his banter.

  “Yeah. Don’t know why you left just to take me home.” She moved her eyes to the floor and wrung her hands.

  “Why’s that?” Luc found her a lot more honest in her tipsy state. This was fun. She didn’t have that wall that she kept up because he was on the same hockey team as her brother.

  “You’re handsome. Don’t think I don’t know that you are well aware of it. I’m sure you wish you could’ve taken some cutie home.”

  “Oh, don’t worry. I am.”

  “Wha?”

  “Well, sweets, here’s your stop. Do you want me to walk you to your apartment?” Their conversation was enlightening and amusing, but he knew better than to get too greedy.

  Kassie bit at her bottom lip and paused before answering. “Um, no. I’m good. But thanks for the ride.”

  “You sure?”

  “No.” Kassie chewed on her bottom lip, and his heart seemed to pause in his chest, waiting for her next words. After a few moments, she opened the car door. “Goodnight, Luc.”

  Luc hadn’t stopped thinking about Kassie since the night at the club. The way she had moved against him, with no inhibitions, it was hot. He wasn’t supposed to be drawn to her, but he was. If falling for your bro’s sister was a no-no, then falling for your teammate’s sister was like signing your death certificate. But he still didn’t care.

  “Hey Rock-Star,” Kaden said beside Luc in the locker room. “I hear you were keeping an eye out on the young bucks the other night. They give you a run for your money?”

  It was the second intermission of their game in New York. They were losing 2–0. Coach Walker only yelled for about two minutes and left them in silence for the rest of the break between periods. They knew what that meant. They were more afraid of him when he wasn’t yelling than when he was.

  “They were fine. But they don’t really need a chaperone, what they need is a leash! Actually, they picked up a girl while they were there, and I was kinda off duty after that.”

  “You mean they picked up some fangirls and went home with them? Nice.”

  “No, they went home with her.” Luc was trying to be more specific without being too detailed.

  “Hey ladies, enough of the chit-chat, time to get back out there,” Coach Walker announced, but aimed it at them.

  Lining up to go back out on to the ice, Kaden nudged Luc’s shoulder. “You didn’t say if you went home with a hottie. Any bunnies from the Marcella fan club there?”

  “Bunnies? No. And the chick that the rookies snagged wasn’t a bunny.” Quinn was more like the object of the rookies’ attention rather than the other way around.

  The horn sounded and the music blared. Time to hit the ice.

  “Third period, boys. Let’s do this!” Tyler yelled, trying to hype them up.

  “Woo!” Patrick yipped as he skated around the ice. “Let’s get this party started! We only need two to tie this bad boy.”

  The refs waited for them to line up, then dropped the puck. Patrick smashed a New York defenseman into the boards, stole the puck, and took off down the ice towards New York’s net. Their defense must not have thought Pat would get near the puck, because they were covering Tyler and Kris.

  Pat had the space to score, but their goalie wasn’t having it. He stuck out his glove hand and deflected the puck into the left corner. Tyler hurried after it, deked out of the way of a New York forward, and went straight for the net, burying the puck.

  GOAL!

  Luc glanced around, but no one was celebrating.

  “Okay guys, we need one more to tie it. Then we can celebrate,” Coach Walker called out from the bench. He waved for Luc to come off the ice. “Torin, Moose, Kris. You guys are up. Let’s tie this thing up.”

  Sitting on the bench, Luc was tired. Everything ached, and sweat dripped down into his face. But he wanted nothing more to be back on the ice. He squirted a bit of electrolyte drink into his mouth and watched the boys go to work.

  It wasn’t long before Tyler was on the ice again and had another one in the back of the net. Coach Walker was not pleased that they seemed to be relying on their captain tonight to get the job done. Sure, Tyler was as talented as they came, and he was no doubt a star. But he wasn’t here to carry the team.

  “No one man should be out there working! Now get your shit together, and get this done! I don’t want to be back for overtime!” Coach yelled.

  “We don’t, either,” Dom mumbled from the bench.

  But things weren’t going as planned. Patrick was tripped by an opposing player and fell exceptionally hard, leading to a diving penalty on the Renegades.

  Kris was in the corner trying to fight for the puck and got speared in the stomach with a stick. Obviously frustrated, he shoved the guy, not once, but twice, before he fell to the ice. Kris ended up in the penalty box also, for roughing.

  Taking advantage of their power play, New York scored again.

  Once Kris and Pat were back on the bench, Coach gave Teagen and Walsh a chance, and after two turnovers and another bad penalty, there were just two minutes left in the game. New York led 3–2. Tyler had played most of the game, and Coach was doing his best to light a fire under the others. “Marcella, Lafleur, Dubois!”

  Luc leapt off the bench and over the wall onto the ice. The Renegades had just taken the puck back to their end so the players could change. Tyler was exhausted, and as much as he protested to stay on the ice, Coach wasn’t having any of it.

  Kris took control of the puck as Walsh and Teagen jumped onto the bench. Kris took it wide around their net, then quickened his stride towards center ice. Tossing the puck to Luc, he fell back into his defensive position.

  Seizing the opportunity to have a chance at the net, Luc flew down the ice with the puck. He knew no one was on his heels, yet. They would be, soon enough. One minute to go. The horn sounded, and the crowd grew terribly loud, cheering on their home team. The upper right side was his chance; the goalie had been sloppy covering that tonight. Taking a hard wrist shot at the net, he held his breath until… “Fuck!” The frozen rubber disc bounced off the post and right to a New York player.

  “Fucking post! Dammit!” Luc muttered to himself, as he took large, hard strides in an attempt to catch up with him.

  The New York player shot the puck towards Kaden, who caught it in his glove hand, but it was too late. The buzzer sounded, and the game was over. They’d lost.

  “Hey Rock-Star, go grab us another pitcher of beer for the table,” Patrick called over the loud music. He did the universal sign for drinking with his hand to his mouth, miming it, and pointed to the empty pitcher. The one they had been drinking was empty, and after that game, they were in desperate need of more alcohol.

  Luc was tired of correcting the guys when they called him Rock-Star. How long is it going to take these guys to embrace Puck-Star? He was tired and still pissed that he missed that shot. “Why don’t we just order it? Where’s the waitress?” He looked around, but the place was packed, and their waitress was nowhere to be found. She’d been MIA for the last half hour.

  “What’s the matter, Marcella? Still pouting over your missed shot? I think the whole arena heard that one ring,” Tanner remarked.

  Luc took a deep breath. “I need more alcohol. Where is that damned waitress?”

  “Just go get a new pitcher! You missed the shot, you go get the booze,” Torin said.

  “Just go, Luc. I’m sure you’ll come back with a fistful
of numbers. Maybe it’ll lighten your mood,” Patrick teased.

  There were plenty of girls around the bar, but none caught his eye. He looked them all over from where he sat, but still nothing. He didn’t want to go get any of their numbers. And the guys were starting to look at him oddly, because they needed more beer.

  “I see about three hotties I’d like to take back to my room,” Torin said, drooling. “If Rock-Star is asleep at the wheel, I’ll go get the beer and get me a girl or two.”

  Before Luc could answer to save face, Torin was already halfway to the bar.

  “What’s up with you, Marcella?” Kaden cocked his head at Luc. “Problems making it stand at attention? It’s okay, you can tell us.”

  The whole table laughed at Kaden’s remarks.

  “Ha ha, you think you’re so funny, K-man. Nah, nothing like that. I’m just pissed about the game. Screw it. I’ll go get the beer,” Luc said through gritted teeth.

  “You gotta leave that shit on the ice, Marcella,” Tyler said. “Torin got the beer, so don’t worry about it. But the next one’s on you. Hey, I think that blonde at the bar has her eye on you.”

  Luc shook his head. He knew these guys better than anyone, and the torment wasn’t going to stop. He didn’t care about the blonde. There was only one girl on his mind, and she was back in Pittsburgh.

  Torin returned with a pitcher of beer, a tray of shots, and three room numbers. “Drink up and eat your heart out, bitches! Guess who’s getting lucky tonight?” He tossed back a shot and released an evil laugh.

  “Three numbers, huh? Way to go, big shot.” Kris poured himself a glass of beer and pushed the shot aside.

  “Well, two numbers for me, which ensures quite an exciting night. But one specified our man Luc, here.” Torin handed Luc one of the room numbers, along with a shot.

  “Oh, yeah, awesome. Thanks,” Luc said, with as much enthusiasm as he could muster. He had no interest in whoever this was. Downing the shot of tequila, he ignored the burn in his throat and waited for it to go right to his head, which was just what he needed tonight. “Which one is 2200?”