“Who do you think I am? I learn from my mistakes. I’ll go get Gus.” Tianna put her basket up on the counter and left the store.
Alexi took this time to study the choices in magazines, gum, and candy. Nothing appealed to him. His gaze passed over the sports sections. This week would be a hockey-free zone. Besides he didn’t want to see the current Stanley Cup champs on the cover with their prize. Having been knocked out first round, his pride was still bruised. Once he determined there was nothing for him, he did a mental calculation of what they’d do for the rest of the week. His thoughts faded away at the sound of Ti and Gus’s footsteps on the worn wooden floor.
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure we come back often. Now ring us up. We’re hungry.” She tugged him to the open space that led behind the counter. To punctuate her statement, her stomach rumbled yet again.
“Not keeping the lovely lady fed? For shame, Kurraine,” Gus admonished with a toothy grin.
“No, it’s her fault. She wanted to leave early. At least we missed the charity football game traffic around the stadium.” Alexi shuddered at the thought of getting caught up in that mess.
“Was that today? I heard ‘Steam Engine’ McClain was gonna be there. And Bobby ‘Bear’ Brady. Man, both of them could play. And Steam Engine had an arm on him.” Gus rang up their purchases. If he was annoyed at having his entire stock of Irish cream hot chocolate being bought out, he didn’t say.
“Yeah. My brothers wanted to be at the game, but they couldn’t due to football preseason. And I didn’t want to be around a crowd.” Alexi ducked his head and refused to meet Tianna’s gaze.
Tianna gave his hand a squeeze, but he didn’t glance up.
“No shame in losing, son. It’s staying down on your ass or getting up that matters.” Gus swiped the last item and gave them the total. “You do realize I have two whole boxes more of that hot chocolate, right?”
“Hand it over, Gus, and no one gets hurt. I have to wait all year round for those things to come out, and I can only get them here.” Tianna followed Gus to the back, where he grabbed the last of his stock.
“There you go. I actually saved them for you. Ordered them special when Alexi called and let me know you’d be coming down here.” Gus nodded at Alexi, who lifted his head and grinned.
Tianna came at him, wrapping him up in a bear hug that made his cock jump and his heartbeat stutter. Fire threaded his veins as he hugged her back, savoring the feel of her lush curves against his muscular body. If they could stay like that forever, he’d be the happiest guy alive. Gus’s cleared throat drew him out of the moment. They paid and promised to come back during the week and before they left.
As Alexi climbed into the passenger seat of his SUV, he hoped Tianna hadn’t noticed that his dick was just as happy hugging her as the rest of him had been. She didn’t make a single remark about his erection and instead focused on rattling off all the food they’d be ordering at Mama Leslie’s. Now if only he could survive the rest of week without getting another boner and keeping things friendly, he’d be fine, he hoped. Although the question reared up in his mind again: What the fuck did I get myself into?
Chapter Two
Tianna dug into her meal with gusto, savoring the heat and crispness of the hash browns, the fluffiness of the pancakes, and the smoky sweetness of the bacon. So long as she didn’t glance across from her, she could focus on her food rather than her hunk of a best friend. Neither of them spoke, but since arriving at his apartment last night, she’d felt a tension between them that hadn’t been there before. Every so often she’d catch him giving her the once-over or a heated glance that made her tummy flip and heart beat just a little bit faster while liquid need flooded her sex. She had to remind herself that they were best friends only. This should be their usual friendly get-together. If only her libido would listen to that.
Awareness at how far away and yet how close he was flickered through her. Every little move, each glance that landed on her body reminded her she would be spending alone time with him. Their own secluded forest getaway; whether things would burn down to sex or nothing, she couldn’t quite say. From under her lashes she took him in. His pale blond hair—the sides and top were longer than the last time she’d seen. His thick, dark brown lashes and brows framed cool gray eyes. He had dark circles that worried her. The last time they’d spoken, he’d sounded so tired.
In person he seemed to be forcing himself to be upbeat. He would be thirty-six this year. Was he worried that he’d have to retire soon? As far as she knew he was in perfect shape, always took care of himself, only during special occasions like their annual summer get-together week did he let loose on his diet. A distance she hadn’t been aware of yawned between them. She didn’t like that she didn’t know something about him. She opened her mouth to ask but stopped herself. This was a talk they should have in private, not where anyone could overhear and then post it on social media.
Frustration at having to bite her lip took hold, pushing back some of her sexual desire for him. He’d never been one to keep things from her. Well…there was his erection from before. She hadn’t missed that thick bulge when she’d hugged him. That had been the fourth time she’d felt proof of his arousal since she’d arrived. The first time she’d dismissed in the name of a friendly week; now she couldn’t push it out of her mind. What the hell am I going to do? Clear the air? She glanced around. So far, no one was trying to take selfies with him; in fact, since walking through the door, everyone had left them well enough alone. Which was good. She hated when his private time was taken over by people who thought it was just fine following him into the bathroom or propositioning him after they’d just met him.
She shook her head, loosening those thoughts. Concentrate, she ordered herself. “What’s wrong?” The question got blurted out, and she gave herself a mental smack. “Never mind, forget it.” She prayed he wouldn’t answer.
She dug into her food, waiting for him to respond or not.
“And don’t say ‘nothing.’ I know you, remember.” Yeah, we’ll just talk about other shit and ignore the sex stuff, she thought.
“Yeah, sorry, I’m just tired. Haven’t been sleeping lately.” He ran a hand over his face and through his hair, turning the placid locks into messy waves. Something flashed in his eyes that she couldn’t quite read.
“Worried about your place on the team?” In for a penny, in for a pound, as they said.
He shook his head and put down his fork to sit back in his chair, shoulders slumped, face drawn. “No, it’s not that. It has nothing to do with hockey. Well, not really.”
Well, that answered something—not. “Family?” She’d spoken to his mom and pop before she left, and all was fine on that front. As far as she knew his brothers were also doing okay, both prepping for preseason in football with their respective teams.
“Nope.” He stared at her, indecision filling his features.
Her stomach fluttered in worry. “Me?”
“I think so, but we can’t talk about it here.” His face hardened, and his lips thinned.
Cards on the table time, I guess. “Okay. Once we get to the cabin. Did you have it cleaned, or am I going to enter only to run out demanding you set fire to the whole damn place because a group of mutant spiders have made it their home? I refuse to have this turned into a fantasy book moment. I am not making deals or friends with them, got it?” She pointed her fork at him, hoping it lifted up his mood.
He cracked a smile. “They’re not real, you know. It’s called CGI. You know, digital work?”
She shook her head. “Didn’t you see that post on my Facebook page? They are so too real and getting deadlier by the day. There’s a species that can give guys deadly erections. Can you imagine that? Dying all because you got a woody?”
Heat flashed on her face as she remembered the feel of his thick bulge pressing into her stomach. She swallowed. Stop thinking of that, she admonished herself but doubted it would work.
“Are
you sure that’s a real story and not on one of those satire sites?” Skepticism filled his face.
“Yes, I looked it up and asked a friend who was a bug expert.” Her stomach threatened to revolt at the thought of those creepy crawlies. “Why would someone want to go into that field of work? I like bees and butterflies and ladybugs, but the others, no, no, and no.” She took a sip of her cookies-and-cream latte to stave off the nausea. It worked but barely.
Alexi chuckled. “You are so adorable, I swear. I still don’t understand why you come up to the cabin with me. You’d have to interact with all of that and more.”
She let out a squeak and shook her head. The newly shorn edges slapped her jawline each time, grating and scrapping against her skin. A few more days and she wouldn’t notice the sensation.
“Still getting used to the cut?” Alexi wiped his mouth with a napkin and settled back against his chair, his mug of coffee cradled between his hands.
“Yeah, it’s weird when I sleep; it feels so irritating.” She eyed his longer hair. “Are you going to shave off all your hair for the summer?” Her stomach tugged at the thought of all that gorgeous hair shorn so short.
“Maybe just a trim.” He ran a hand though his tresses once more, making her wish she could just reach over and touch him.
She missed his hockey-season beard; all that remained was a bit of brown stubble that shadowed his sharp jawline. Once she’d realized just how in love she was with her best friend, she’d found herself wondering what it would be like to fuck him with his play-off beard. Unfortunately that realization came around the same time as her new job did.
“Ti, you want to order lunch and dinner to go since you’re finished?” Alexi nodded toward her plate.
She glanced down to find she’d eaten every bit of her brunch without thinking about it. Damn it, no more stalling. “Yeah, sure.” She glanced over the menu to cover how flustered she felt.
“I want to drive to the cabin. I know the way better, and I won’t end up flipping off an old lady for driving the speed of the blob.” Alexi’s lips quirked in a smile.
She blushed but refused to feel bad. “She was driving so slow, and we were in the fast lane. What was I supposed to do, tailgate her so she’d drive faster?”
“But did you have to flip her off?” His grin grew wider, showing off straight white teeth. All his, none lost even after a few really bad fights, much to her amazement.
“She did it first, or are you gonna deny she made a rude gesture to me just ’cause she looked like Grammy Ruth?” She waited for him to contradict her, enjoying their normal, everyday banter.
“She looked nothing like Grammy Ruth, not with that witch’s wart! Would you hurry up and order? I want to get the grill ready for the week and prep the meat.” He moved around in his chair and played up his impatience with facial gestures that made him look ridiculous.
She laughed so hard she started to hiccup. Alexi called their waitress over for a glass of water and placed their usual weekly order, which included burgers, fries, and several slices of pie, cake, and breakfast pastries as well as some salads. “Gotta at least have something green and healthy.”
“Uh-huh.” She hiccupped and accepted the water. Her stomach muscles and throat ached, and every once in a while she’d dissolve into giggles until she finally took a breath, held it, and downed the water. After a minute or two she swore. “Shit, gotta go to the bathroom. Do not eat my peanut butter cup cream pie!”
Alexi rolled his eyes. “Like I would touch your precious pie. Jesus, you’re as bad as that guy on that paranormal show about hunters. Obsessed with pie. How the hell do you look so damn sexy and eat that much pie?” He snapped his mouth shut, a ruddy flush filled his cheeks.
She grinned but decided not to press him on the sexy comment. Not yet anyway. “Be back in a bit.”
She got out of her chair, making sure to put a little extra something in her step just in case he watched her go. When she got to the bathroom door, she peeked behind her to find his gaze glued on her ass. She headed into the room, did her business, washed her hands, and took in her features. Both he, Hodgeson, and Gus had found her attractive despite her only wearing a bit of tinted lip balm and some mascara. She didn’t need a man to tell her she was sexy or beautiful. Tianna felt comfortable in her own skin, despite not being the image of what should be acceptable. At a size 18, she loved her curves from her generous DD breasts to her wide hips. She exercised, kept healthy, but didn’t punish herself for her love of sweets. Clearly, Alexi and other men wouldn’t turn their heads to watch her walk by because they thought she was missing something.
She tucked her short hair behind her ear and shivered as she remembered Alexi’s touch on the sensitive area. The door opened, admitting one of Mama Leslie’s waitresses. “Hey.” She nodded.
“You two make a totally cute couple. All the waitstaff think so.” The young woman grinned and gave her a wink.
Rather than deny it, Tianna just accepted it. “Thanks. Um”—she moved closer to the woman who was primping in the mirror—“is there any of that peanut butter cup pie left, like a whole pan of it?” She hoped there would be a yes.
The young lady’s name tag, which read Jill, shook her head. “Sorry, one of our most popular flavors, but we do have some pans of strawberries and cream and grasshopper pie with dark chocolate and white chocolate shavings. Please, take them. If you don’t, we’ll end up eating it, and I’m kind of sick of pie.” She made a sour face.
All Tianna could do was stare at her. Sick of pie? The sacrilege! Rather than go on a mad spiel about all the wonders of pie, she agreed to take them. “Add them to my bill, please, and make them to go.”
“You guys gonna be around for the parade and fireworks? I’m a senior at WFH. We’re doing a dance routine during the parade. We’re also selling cookies to raise money for the local daycare center.”
Aha! So there was more to this meeting. Tianna decided to play along. “What kind of cookies?” If she got any, she’d have to hide them from Alexi. God knows he’d devour them if they were the right flavor.
“They’re leftover scout cookies. We have all the flavors.” A shrewd light came into Jill’s eyes.
“How much for all of them?” Sold! Ti knew she should have the word suckeR stamped on her head. Leftover, my ass.
Jill laughed. “We have some earmarked for a few people, but if you can wait ten minutes, I can get you three boxes of the shortbreads, the peanut butter chocolates, the peanut butters, the lemon, and the caramel coconut all for sixty bucks.”
Tianna thought it over. “Deal!”
Jill grinned, the shrewd light in her eyes not leaving. Tianna had a sinking feeling she wasn’t the first person to fall for this type of deal, but who in their right mind would say no to leftover scout cookies? Plus, it was all for a good cause. Her sweet tooth. Now to figure out how to get them and hide them from Alexi. As she left the bathroom, she spotted Alexi kneeling down to the level of a little girl wearing a Prowlers jersey. Emotions filled her heart at the sweet sight of him laughing, smiling, and ruffling the girl’s hair. Okay, maybe he could have some cookies. He hugged his littlest fan, and she sighed. Fine, he could have more than the cookies. Her vaginal walls rippled in agreement. Damn sexy hockey players, plucking on her heartstrings.
Chapter Three
Alexi called himself all shades of stupid as he climbed into the truck, settled in, and buckled up, being in the driver’s seat forgotten in the face of his mistake. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched her putting things in the backseat, several bags that he knew they couldn’t possibly have ordered, before she got into the driver’s seat, locked her seat belt in, and turned the key in the ignition.
“Ready?” Her tone was bright and cheery.
“Yep.” That single word was all he could utter, not daring to say any more for fear of spilling his guts right then and there.
She pulled out of the parking lot and onto the curving mountain road. He watched
the scenery go by.
“You think I’m sexy, huh?” The teasing note in her voice didn’t sit well with him.
“I wasn’t kidding,” he bit out. “And I won’t take it back. No more hiding how I feel, Ti. I’m tired of all that shit.” There, out in the open.
“Didn’t think you were. So you want to get serious?” Caution filled her voice.
“Yeah, very serious.” He hoped by her pressing the issue that she was willing to take the next step into an actual relationship.
“What do you want, exactly?”
Alexi thought over his words, not wanting to scare her off if he asked for too much too soon. “My contract with the Prowlers ends in two years. After seeing so many of my teammates settling down, I realized that that one New Year’s encounter isn’t enough for me.”
“Go on,” she urged.
He shifted in his seat, not wanting to glance over at her and see something that would steal his courage. “I’ve come to the conclusion that I want to get serious with you. I love you, Ti, more than just my best friend.”
She downshifted and snorted. “I wish I’d known that before. Might’ve saved me a lot of bad choices.”
“Huh? What the hell are you talking about?” He prayed that she wouldn’t say what he thought she was talking about.
“Well, there was Joe and Dave and then that asshat Mick, your ex-teammate from Ottawa.”
Shit. “Are you saying if I’d made it known to you that I wanted more before this, you wouldn’t have dated those morons?” He didn’t know how to feel. Annoyance, anger, and amusement warred within him.
“Joe and Dave were nice but boring as hell. Mick started out nice, but then he told me he was only doing it to get on your nerves, which I didn’t believe, but now I have to wonder given how pissed off you always seemed to be when you saw he and I together.” She flipped on the turn signal and guided the car onto the paved hidden driveway that would take them to his hideaway from the city.
Facing Off with Alexi (Witch Field Prowlers Book 2) Page 2
