Shot at Love

by Melody Heck Gatto

  “Absolutely. I’m your designated driver and will take you anywhere you want to go, just name it.”

  Without hesitation, she responded. “Let’s go back to my place.”

  Maybe her boldness was alcohol induced and maybe not, but she was rolling with it, regardless.

  “Ready?” she asked Luc.

  “Oh, you meant now? Sure.” He held out his arm for her to lock onto, like he had been doing all night, and he led her to the door.

  She looked over at her brother, thinking she should say goodbye, but the disgusted look she got in response made her reconsider. However, Ali waved to her and pushed through the crowd to get to her.

  “Kass! Hey, you guys leaving already?” She poked her bottom lip out in a faux pout.

  “Yeah, we’re going to get out of here. Kaden doesn’t want us here. Well, not together. No use us hanging around and causing any more drama.”

  “Aw, well, okay. Call me, soon? In the meantime, I’ll work on your brother.” Ali gave Kassie a bear hug. “Love you, sis.”

  “Love you, too.”

  Ali turned her attention to Luc. “And you, Mr. Puck-Star, get her home safely. And don’t worry too much about my husband.”

  “Thanks, Ali. He’s just being a big brother, and I knew what I was getting into. I’ll take whatever he hands out, if it means I get to spend time with Kass.”

  “Aww.” Ali swooned while Kaden glared across the room in their direction. “Marcella, you might just be too adorable for your own good! You two be careful going home.”

  They hurried down the hall towards the elevator. Kassie knew Ali would never let her brother chase them, but the worry still lingered in the back of her mind. And she didn’t want to wait around to see.

  Luckily, they had the elevator all to themselves.

  “Hey, thanks for having my back in there. You were like my knight in shining armor.” She wrapped her arms around his middle and hugged him. It felt right being this close to him. She wasn’t sure why she had waited so long. Well, yeah, she did.

  Luc responded with his own comforting hug. His strong arms pulled her closer. “Please. You didn’t need me to defend you. You hold your own just fine against your brother.” He released his grip on her and tilted her chin up so she had to look at him. His thumb lightly slid over her bottom lip. “But if needed, I’d fight for you every day just to see this smile.”

  She bit her lip out of anxiousness at having his body pressed against her. His deep eyes were trained on her. He had the cutest little dimple on his left cheek that was more noticeable when his jaw was clenched. His cologne infiltrated her senses, a sexy mix of bergamot and amber. She couldn’t place the brand, but nonetheless, it had her heart thudding against her chest and her pulse racing. Her breathing was heavy and ragged.

  The faint ding of the elevator reminded her that they were still headed towards the lobby, and this intense interaction would end soon.

  Everything around her stopped as Luc lowered his head to hers. She’d been waiting for this moment. Anticipating his kiss, craving his touch. She closed her eyes and held a deep breath as Luc’s soft, plump lips finally brushed against hers, gentle and warm. She returned his slow, innocent kiss with her own. Sliding her hand up to his chest, she could feel the thud of his heart beating through his soft t-shirt.

  The elevator sounded with a tone that told them they’d reached the lobby, and the doors opened with a low hum. None of that mattered while his lips moved with hers. Luc cradled her jaw in his rough hand, while he pulled her body close with the other. He opened his mouth to deepen the kiss, and then—

  “Um… Hey, Marcella.”

  Kassie pulled back from Luc and looked in the direction of the voice of the man who had interrupted them. His face was familiar, a Renegades player. The look on his face told her all she needed to know: he knew who she was, and he knew Luc’s lips weren’t supposed to be anywhere near hers.

  Luc’s face was tense with what seemed like annoyance. He ran his hand through his dark hair with an almost silent sigh, but she heard it. “Patrick. Hey, man.” Luc grabbed Kassie’s hand and pulled her from the elevator.

  “Leaving the party so soon, Marcella?” Patrick smirked, but it was noticeably not as friendly as it should be. He and his wife entered the elevator.

  Not waiting around to talk, Luc held on to Kassie’s hand and pulled her towards the exit. He called over his shoulder. “You know me, Dubois, I always cut out early. Can’t hang around with you old folks all night. Tell Kaden I said hi!”

  Kassie, shocked and amused by the last comment, smacked his shoulder as he led them to his sports car. “Really? You needed to add that?”

  Luc shrugged. “Sometimes I like to be a smart-ass.” He opened the door of his white Porsche for her. “Shall we?”

  The ride home was smooth and fast, because Luc had a lead foot. Every time a rock song came on the radio, Luc turned up the volume and sang along. And each time he focused his attention on her, heat filled her chest. She wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol taking effect, but she was pretty sure it was more than that.

  It was this hockey boy.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Luc

  Having their first kiss in the elevator wasn’t what he had planned, but he’d waited too long to make a move. It was unusual for him to wait this long to be affectionate with a girl. Bunnies weren’t the kind of girls that you got to know first; you just dove right in. But Kassie, she was different than any girl he’d met before. Take out the fact that she was his teammate’s sister, and she was perfect. He wasn’t fond of the idea of letting her go, even if keeping her caused friction between him and Kaden. He’d have to figure out how to deal with it. But first he needed to show Kassie how he really felt.

  Unfortunately, Patrick had interrupted them before their kiss could turn into anything more and that flame seemed to have cooled down a bit.

  Now the real question was how to fuel that same fire without coming off like a total dick. It was obvious that Kaden’s anger still hung over Kassie’s head. Luc couldn’t do anything about that now, and couldn’t help but anticipate his next face-to-face with Kaden at morning skate. This just got a whole lot messier than simply hanging out with his teammate’s sister in secret.

  “Well, I delivered you home safe and sound. At least Kaden can’t be mad at me for that, right?”

  Kassie shut her apartment door behind them, locking it. “He shouldn’t have yelled at me. Or you.” Her facial expression tightened. No doubt the anger was starting to boil again. Without another word, Kassie left him standing in the doorway while she went into the kitchen.

  The girl had fire, and Luc liked that. Her spark just needed to be aimed in the right direction, like it was in the elevator.

  After lots of noise and her mumbling things that he couldn’t understand, she returned to him with a glass that looked like it had Kahlua and ice. With a smile, she handed him a cold beer.

  “What are you drinking? And why do you have beer if you don’t drink it?” His brain was focused on her, and his words weren’t coming out exactly right.

  “You’re worried about that?” Kassie rolled her eyes, but added a small smile. “I’m drinking a Kahlua and cream, but I don’t have any cream, so it’s… Well, it’s just Kahlua and ice. Make yourself at home. There’s plenty of beer in the refrigerator, so help yourself.”

  She slipped off her heels and walked barefoot into the living room. Luc followed. He couldn’t help but watch how her hips moved in that loose dress. She had shapely legs, which made sense with how she handled herself on the ice. She was athletic, and that was just one of the things that he liked about her.

  After Kassie sat down on the couch, she patted the seat next to her. Kassie switched on the television and took a sip of her drink. Folding her legs under her, she laid her head on his shoulder.

  She flipped through the television channels until she found a movie. “Luc?”

  “Yeah, Kass?”

/>   “Kaden shouldn’t yell at me. I’m not a child. The whole thing is ridiculous. Why does he have to be such a jerk about this? We’re not doing anything wrong.”

  “Kass, tonight was rough. And you’re right. He shouldn’t have yelled at you. But he is your big brother, and he’s always going to try to protect you.”

  Her voice was soft and eerily calm. “He can’t dictate how I live my life.”

  “No. But he can try to help you make the best decisions. That’s his job. If I had a little sister, I’d do that for her. And I can’t say that I wouldn’t try to protect her from guys like me.”

  Ironically, Luc knew he was just the type of guy he would want to protect a girl from. But he wasn’t that same guy with Kassie; she was different. She made him want to be different, too.

  “You would?” Kassie’s brow wrinkled, then a small, meek smile crossed her beautiful lips. “That’s sweet.”

  “Of course, I would! I mean, I have no experience since I have no siblings, but I think I would. The only problem here is that you not only have an older brother who wants to kick my ass—as all older brothers should—but he also plays on the same team as I do.”

  Kassie sighed quietly. “Luc?” Her shoulders were now low, and her appearance reminded him of a scared animal. Maybe it was the effects of the Kahlua, maybe it was because she was hurt by her brother’s reaction tonight. Maybe it was both.

  All he wanted to do was comfort her, pull her into his arms, hold her and make it okay. But he wasn’t sure he would be able to stop there. His jeans were already tight. He finished off his beer and set it on the table next to her empty glass.

  “Funny thing.” Kassie focused her stunning brown eyes on him. “I don’t see anything I need protection from.”

  Kassie’s words made him even more eager to kiss her again. His body was on fire with need. Unable to resist touching her, he cupped her soft cheek in his hand. Her lips were pursed and slightly opened. Her sweet scent teased at his sanity, and he could see and feel only her. Maybe if she wasn’t Kaden’s sister, he would’ve made his move days ago. Or maybe it had nothing to do with whose sister she was, and everything to do with the girl she was. He wanted to taste those lips and explore her in ways he’d imagined a thousand times.

  In his gut, he was torn. He needed some distance, to breathe and gather his control. But at the same time, he wanted to be as close as he could with her. Luc desperately tried to subdue the fire that raged in his pants.

  He cradled her face in his hand and kissed her forehead. He wanted to make this all better for her. She shouldn’t be in the middle between him and her brother. He was the one who had broken the code, so he should be the one to pay for it. “Look, I’ll handle things with your brother. It’s me he needs to be angry at, not you. Don’t worry about him.”

  There was no worry left in her eyes. They sparkled with what looked like the same need that he felt. He didn’t want to think about Kaden anymore tonight, and he didn’t want to keep second guessing whether to hold back with Kassie. Thinking was overrated. He slowly brushed his lips against hers. He outlined her jaw with his finger until he lightly took her chin between his thumb and forefinger.

  Tipping her chin up towards him, Luc ran his tongue over her bottom lip. Kassie tangled her fingers in his hair, causing chills to run through him. With ninja-like movement, Kassie adjusted herself so she was kneeling on the couch next to Luc. The skirt of her dress inched up her thighs, but she didn’t seem to care.

  Needing to be closer, Luc wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up just enough to lay her on her back against a pile of pillows that sat on the couch. He moved over her, and opening his mouth just a little, he kissed her and slowly parted her lips with his tongue, deepening their kiss. A small moan formed in her throat, and her body reacted by arching against his.

  Kassie’s dress was a mess, her skirt now tempting him by riding farther up her thighs. There was no way to hide the bulge in his jeans as he settled between her legs. Her mouth was warm and soft. Running his hands though her thick, dark hair, he fully explored her mouth.

  Kassie kissed him back with the same force, holding him close and encouraging more. She smelled of apple and tasted like cotton candy. It was a magical mash-up of fragrance for his senses.

  Sliding his lips down to her jaw and then along her neck, he dropped little kisses as he went.

  But Kassie twisted out from under him and stood up from the couch. She held out her hand to him. Her lips were puffy and red, and her dress was wrinkled. “Luc, I don’t want to go to bed alone tonight.”

  Her taste lingered on his lips, teasing him, making the decision easy for him. This was what he lay awake nights thinking about. Every inch of his body wanted her. He had since the first day he laid eyes on her.

  “Luc?” Her hand was still out to him, waiting.

  Taking hold of her hand, he let her lead him back to her bedroom. The apartment wasn’t that big, but it seemed like forever watching her hips swing side to side in front of him.

  Finally, at the doorway to her bedroom, Kassie turned to face him. Her eyes moved to his waist and so did her fingers. Chills ran through him as she unbuttoned his jeans and slid her hands around his waist, her nails tickling his sides.

  Luc grabbed her arms to stop her, and he covered her mouth with his, tasting her sweetness again. He couldn’t get enough of her and wanted more.

  Slowly, Kassie backed towards her bed and sat down. She slid backwards, pulling him with her. Luc’s lips found hers again, while she worked on unzipping his blue jeans.

  He sat up to pull his t-shirt over his head, and that’s when he noticed it. Her eyes were glassy and her reactions slightly sloppy. All the alcohol she had drunk tonight, in combination with the drama that occurred, had finally come to a head. This wasn’t how their first time was going to go down. He didn’t want her to regret this. Regret them.

  “Sweets, you’ve had a lot to drink tonight. I think it’s best if you get some rest.” The words made his erection ache. It was not the plot twist he was expecting, but she wasn’t the kind of girl you did this to. He was still kneeling over her. “We can do this another time.”

  He stood up to leave. This was a bad idea. Luc knew what would happen if they continued, and he refused to do that while she was impaired. He was more of a gentleman than that.

  “Wait.” She tugged at his jeans, winding a finger through his belt loop, keeping him in front of her.

  He would’ve enjoyed her hands so close to his belt if he didn’t feel like she was being driven by the alcohol and anger.

  “Luc, please don’t go.” Her slender fingers tangled in his belt loops, tugging at his already opened jeans.

  It was obvious that she didn’t want to be alone, and he didn’t want her to be. Sliding his hand in hers, he lay down on the bed beside her. The yawn that escaped her lips told him he was making the right decision.

  He cuddled up next to her, slipped his arm around her waist, and buried his face in her neck. His voice dropped to a whisper as he added, “Get some rest, baby. I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”

  She must’ve been even more tipsy than he originally thought, because within only a few minutes, he felt her breathing slow, and she made the cutest little snoring sound. Tightening his grip on her to keep her feeling secure, he closed his eyes and did his best to recount the evening they’d had and how they had landed here.

  It wasn’t long before his mind wandered and his dreams crept in, causing his thoughts to become odd. As unusual as they were, they were all surrounding Kassie, and he was okay with that.

  Morning quickly approached. A yapping dog in one of the other apartments woke him harshly. Unfortunately, the lack of activity last night and the early morning hour left him with a nice size stiffy that was nestled perfectly against Kassie’s flawless ass. That didn’t help his current situation, either.

  Kassie was snoring quietly and appeared to be still sound asleep. Luc slid gently out of bed, car
eful not to wake her up. He had slept in his blue jeans and t-shirt, and had no way of freshening up his clothes. But he could clean up in other ways.

  He investigated the bathroom drawers and closet for some kind of deodorant or body spray. If she did have anything for men, it was probably Kaden’s. He tried to push that thought out of his head, because the idea of sharing deodorant with Kaden was just weird. What he did find was a travel size deodorant stick, fresh scent, which smelled like it would work for a man or woman. Luc used it, then made a mental note to replace it with a new one.

  Knowing his breath needed attention, he searched her bathroom for ways to get rid of his morning breath. There were no brand new toothbrushes that he could see. Making a mock toothbrush with his finger, some toothpaste, and a fresh washcloth from Kassie’s cupboard, he did the best he could with what he had. Then he finished off with some mouthwash.

  Checking his breath in his hand and then looking at his teeth in the mirror, he was satisfied. Now I need to take care of this morning wood. Or do I? Rubbing one out, here in her pink bathroom while she lay just feet away, seemed like a creepy thing to do. The knock on the door made his decision for him.

  “Luc? You in there?”

  “Yeah. Yeah. I’ll be out in just a minute.”

  “Thanks.”

  Luc finished up with his morning bathroom trip quickly and exited the room, coming face-to-face with Kassie. She was still in her navy dress from the party, now a wrinkled mess. Her hair was in need of a comb. But she still looked absolutely adorable.

  “G’morning, beautiful.” He didn’t know the proper etiquette for morning afters like this. He wasn’t even sure how to categorize it yet. Her eyes looked tired and her cheeks were pink. Moving in to kiss her cheek, she quickly covered her mouth with a sheepish panic.

  “Oh, I, um, have to brush my teeth.” Her eyes were wide, as if morning breath was something to be embarrassed about. She was so cute. Everything she did was lovable.