Breakout (A Dallas Demons Hockey Romance)

by Ellis, Aven

  “Well, CiCi probably figured Kenley would be at Nate’s tonight. She didn’t want me to be alone on the holiday.”

  “Darling,” CiCi says, sweeping down her stone-paved sidewalk. “So glad the whole family is finally here!”

  I bite my lip. CiCi is stunning as usual in a long rich brown skirt, fitted blazer, and scarf tied perfectly around her neck.

  “Auntie Lexi!” Claire yells happily, scrambling to get down from Ryan’s arms. Ryan sets her down and she flies down the sidewalk toward me.

  “Hey, baby,” I say happily, scooping her up. “Happy Thanksgiving!”

  “Happy Turkey Day!” she yells excitedly as she winds her tiny arms around my neck. Then she looks seriously at Niko. “CiCi says you’re The Gweek One.”

  Fuck.

  Niko furrows his brow. “Um, the what?”

  “Nothing,” CiCi interjects. “I’m Cecily Hunter. But everyone calls me CiCi. So please don’t call me Ms. Hunter, because that makes me feel so dreadfully old.”

  Niko smiles and shakes her hand. “Thank you so much for including me, CiCi.”

  “Good boy,” CiCi says, smiling with approval at him. “And we finished individual pics of Amanda’s family, and Nate and Kenley, so if you two could take yours, then we can take the family picture.”

  “The Gweek One is our family, CiCi?” Claire asks innocently.

  Argh! I want to die. I want to die.

  “I want all of our guests in the picture,” CiCi says smoothly. “Niko, you don’t mind, do you?”

  “Mom, stop badgering him,” Kenley says, quickly coming down the walk, with Nate following behind her.

  “What? Don’t be ridiculous. I’m not badgering. I’m recording this year’s holiday. Oh, and Nate and Kenley posed with hockey sticks, maybe you and Niko can do that since you’re both involved with hockey.”

  I plead with Kenley to save me. Thank God she’s my best friend and knows exactly what I need by the expression in my eyes.

  “Hey, Xenakis, what’s up?” Nate says, grinning and shaking his hand.

  “Hey, man, good to see you,” Niko says, gripping Nate’s hand.

  I study Nate, who is dressed in an olive field jacket, chambray shirt, and jeans. Kenley is wearing a Polo cable knit, V-neck sweater in cream, over a red plaid shirt with slim jeans and suede loafers.

  “Niko, you don’t have to do any of this,” Kenley assures him.

  “If I have to, he has to,” Nate says wickedly.

  “This is insanity,” Amanda says, jumping in. “Niko and Lexi do not have to be a part of the looney bin.”

  “Amanda! For God’s sake, it’s not looney,” CiCi declares. “Honestly, what is wrong with trying to take a simple picture?”

  Simple. CiCi thinks this is simple. Niko is so never going to ask me out after this. And he’ll probably ditch out before dinner claiming he’s sick or something.

  “I could draw it, CiCi,” Claire suggests.

  I set her down and she instantly runs to Nate, who picks her up and plants a big kiss on her cheek.

  “Um, is the next couple ready?” the female photographer yells out. “We’re on a schedule.”

  Couple. Damn it she referred to us as a couple.

  I look at Niko as Amanda and Kenley continue to argue with CiCi, Claire keeps asking him why he’s called The Gweek One, Nate is simply observing this while Ryan is holding a crying Bella, and Niko is taking all this in with a look of complete bewilderment on his face.

  Then I see Niko’s expression change. In fact, he’s now smiling at CiCi. “We’d be happy to take a picture. Right, Lexi?”

  Okay. He’s going to roll with this before bolting.

  “Yes.” I nod.

  CiCi claps her hands together excitedly. “Fantastic!”

  “Um, hold on for a second,” Niko says, reaching into the backseat of his car. “We have a gift for you.”

  So I know Niko is going to never ask me out after today, but my heart briefly rises when he said the word “we.”

  Niko retrieves the gift basket we worked on last night. He turns and presents it to CiCi. “Thank you for having us today.”

  “What? For me?” CiCi says.

  I nod. “Yes. We brought you a bottle of St. Germain, which is an elderflower liquor, champagne, and everything to make elderberry-grapefruit sparklers.”

  “Oh, it’s gorgeous and so thoughtful,” CiCi declares. “Thank you. I’ll have the chef prepare these as our pre-dinner cocktails. Excuse me while I take this in to Monica.” Then CiCi looks at me. “Did you bring your overnight bag?”

  “Yes, I did.”

  “Will one of you boys get her bag please so they can stay on schedule for photographs?”

  “I’ve got it,” Nate says, handing Claire to Kenley.

  “Thank you,” I say.

  “Anytime. Can’t run behind on pictures,” he says, winking at me.

  Gah.

  CiCi sweeps past, moving up the sidewalk, with everyone following behind her.

  And now it’s me, Niko, and the photographer.

  “Come on,” Niko says easily.

  He’s too nice. Nobody can be this nice. Niko must think I’ve been babbling about him non-stop and have determined he will be my husband and the man hasn’t even kissed me yet.

  And I know he’s bolting right after that first cocktail is served.

  We walk up the winding pavement, and the photographer greets us.

  “Hi, I’m Lisa,” she says, smiling at us. “Are you ready to take some pictures?”

  “We are,” Niko says.

  She studies us for a moment. “I’m going to have you move out on to the lawn. Give me just as second.”

  As she moves around, trying to determine the perfect place for us to be, I swallow hard and gaze up at Niko.

  “I’m beyond sorry about this,” I say quietly.

  A look of confusion passes over his gorgeous face. “Why?”

  “Why?” I ask, incredulous. “You know why, Niko. This is so awkward.”

  “Is it awkward for you, Lexi? Because it’s not for me.”

  My heart stops beating.

  “Lexi, Niko, come down about halfway. I want to get the trees with gold leaves in the background. It’ll look fantastic with Lexi’s gorgeous red hair.”

  We move down the lawn, but I’m shaking the whole time. What did he mean by that? Is there a reason this isn’t awkward for him?

  “Niko, I want you a little behind Lexi,” Lisa says.

  Niko slips behind me, and his closeness makes my throat go dry.

  “Now put your hand on her waist, and draw her into you.”

  Slowly, Niko’s hand slides underneath my tweed blazer, finding the curve in my waist, his hand pressing against the silk of my purple shirt. I burn hot the second his hand touches me.

  A gust of wind blows up, and my hair streams back. Leaves swirl around us and Niko takes his other hand, gently smoothing my hair back and then stroking it into place.

  “I don’t feel awkward,” Niko says again.

  “Great! Right there!”

  Lisa begins snapping away, but I’m oblivious to her. I look up at Niko, stunned by his admission.

  “You don’t?” I ask, barely able to hear the words over the pounding of my heart.

  He bends his head closer, his cedar and spice scent mingling with the fall air, as he gazes back at my upturned face as leaves drift down around us.

  “No. And I don’t think you do, either.”

  Joy fills my heart. “No, I don’t.”

  “So we agree this feels right?”

  I nod as an electric feeling sweeps over every inch of me.

  “Okay, that’s great!
Let’s do the family picture now!” Lisa declares. “I’ll get everyone.”

  Lisa moves past us, toward the house.

  Now it’s just me and Niko.

  Niko turns me around, gently putting his hand against the side of my face. “This feels real,” he says softly. “This Thanksgiving is the most real one I’ve ever known.”

  Emotion fills me. Suddenly it’s not about working in a bakery or skiing in Aspen or costumed photo shoots. It’s about being here, with Niko, sharing this day together.

  And the one big hurdle we had, about dating a coworker, has been cleared with his words. It doesn’t matter that we work at the same place.

  Nor does it matter that we haven’t had an official date or even kissed. I’m falling in love with this man, and I swear by the look in his eyes he’s falling in love with me.

  Our beginning is now.

  And I can’t wait to see what happens next.

  “I’ve never been to a Thanksgiving like this in my life,” Niko says quietly, dipping his head toward mine so I can hear him. “Here I am, sitting in his huge house, one that is already professionally decorated for Christmas. My dinner was cooked by a chef and served to me. I appeared in a photo shoot that could be a Ralph Lauren ad, and I’m hanging out with one of the greatest American-born hockey players in history at a holiday dinner. It’s surreal.”

  I gaze up at him and see the utter look of amazement in his Mediterranean Sea eyes. We’re sitting in CiCi’s living room, stealing a few minutes alone while everyone else has headed into the dining room for the dessert buffet that is the final part of the Thanksgiving meal.

  Niko chuckles softly, stroking his hand over his stubble. “How does a kid from a Greektown bakery end up here?” I watch as he looks around CiCi’s expensively outfitted, equestrian-themed living room. “I’ve never been around this much money in my life.”

  I hesitate for a moment. It hits me that Niko has no idea that I come from even more money than Kenley and Amanda do.

  Insecurity ripples through me. Does that matter to him? Could it make a difference in how he sees me, if he knew I came from a wealthy background, one very different from his own?

  I clear my throat.

  “Does this make you uncomfortable?” I ask, needing to know.

  Niko tilts his head back toward me, a thoughtful expression passing over his face. “It’s just different. I’ve never been to a home where people waited on me.” Then he smiles. “And usually on Thanksgiving, I was the person waiting on customers and cleaning up. Funny where life takes you, isn’t it? I never dreamed I’d ever be in a place like this.” Then he stops for a moment. “And with a girl like you,” he adds softly.

  My heart stops. I can’t breathe. I see the way he’s gazing at me through those long, dark eyelashes, and I want his mouth on mine so badly I can barely stand it. We’re so close. His arm is resting across the back of this sofa, and his head is tilted toward mine. I’m inhaling his rich cedar-and-spice scent and am getting drunk on it by the second. I study his full lips, willing him to press them ag—

  “Niko, Lexi, are you coming?”

  I whip around, startled by the sound of CiCi’s voice in the doorway. We both quickly stand up, and flustered doesn’t even begin to cover how I’m feeling right now.

  “Yes, we’re coming,” I manage to say.

  I see CiCi’s eyes dancing at me, and now my face feels hot.

  “Well, please, get some dessert and meet us in the media room. As soon as the Dallas Cowboys are finished, which I hope is soon because football is dreadfully dull, we’re watching My Little Pony: A Very Minty Christmas. I know you don’t want to miss that.”

  I smile at CiCi. Ryan and Nate have her wrapped around their fingers and if they wished to watch football after the meal, they got it. And then Claire gets her wish of watching the first holiday show of the season with My Little Pony.

  She steps to leave the room but stops. “By the way, this is called a kissing ball,” CiCi says, gesturing to the elaborate fresh floral display hanging from a rich red ribbon over the doorway. “You need to kiss under it to pass through to the dining room. You might want to make use of it.”

  Then she grins wickedly as she exits the room.

  I turn to Niko, mortified that he’s been pressured to kiss me.

  “Give me your hand,” Niko says.

  I extend my hand to him, thinking he’s going to ignore what CiCi said and simply warm it up, remarking how cold I always am, but he doesn’t. Instead, he laces his hand through mine.

  Sparks fly the second our fingers are entwined. His hand is warm and rough and strong, and my breath catches in my throat from the sensation of feeling his skin.

  Niko leads me to the doorway and stops right underneath the kissing ball. He removes his hand from mine, but lightly places it against the curve of my waist, like he did earlier.

  Every nerve I have dances from his touch. I draw a breath of air, and Niko takes his other hand and begins slowly brushing the side of my face, his fingertips gently grazing my cheekbone, climbing up to my hair, where he strokes it behind my ear.

  “We’re coworkers,” Niko whispers, his eyes flickering at me. “Normally I’d never do this. I’m not that producer who comes in and hits on girls at work.”

  “I’m normally not the kind of girl who would let you do that,” I say smartly.

  A grin lights up his face, and my heart accelerates in response.

  “So you’re telling me you’ve rethought this theory?” Niko asks.

  “I have. And I changed my mind. I think it’s okay for coworkers to go out if they want to,” I say, finally putting what has been in my heart out in the open for him to see.

  Niko searches my face as he processes my words. He slides his arms around me and draws me into his strong body, and I instinctively wind my arms round his waist. Both of his hands are in my hair now. Niko’s eyes are locked on mine and I find myself lost in his gorgeous sea of blue.

  “I go out to St. Louis and Denver for a two-game road trip after the game tomorrow night,” he whispers as he continues to slowly, sexily, caress my hair in his hands. “But I’ll be at work on Monday. We can talk more when we’re alone in my office. Because what I want to speak to you about I need to do it in person.”

  Butterflies shift manically in my stomach from his words. He’s going to ask me out. I know he is.

  And with Casino Night being next Saturday....

  My heart leaps in excitement. Could our first date be Casino Night? With me in my gorgeous dress, and Niko wearing a sharp black suit? I don’t know if I could handle the hotness of a first date like this.

  “Okay,” I manage to say.

  “All right, so one more thing to do before dessert,” Niko says, jarring me from my fantasy of him looking all dashing and hot in a suit for Casino Night.

  “What’s that?” I say, faking calmness my body does not have at the moment.

  “I need to kiss you. CiCi’s orders, you know.”

  Niko bends down and slowly brushes his lips against my cheek. I close my eyes, relishing the feel of his warm mouth briefly on my skin. Niko then steps back from me, and I can’t even believe the feeling sweeping over me.

  I gaze at him, knowing he’s everything I’ve been looking for. No matter how many questions I answered from The One Online Dating Service, they could never find me a man with such strength, intelligence, determination, and compassion. One who is funny and sexy and who makes me feel like I’m the only woman in his world. He’s gentle and protective. But I know he would be a warrior if he needed to be.

  Niko’s my man.

  And next week is the true beginning of our story together.

  Starting with Casino Night.

  Chapter 15

  The One Online Dating Serv
ice Profile Question: Would you describe yourself as an emotionally driven person?

  My write-in answer: I never thought I was until now . . .

  “Hey, Lexi, can I pick your brain on something?”

  I swivel in my seat. Chip is looking over at me from the other edit machine, where he’s working on the open for the Dallas Demons game Friday night.

  “Yeah?” I ask, going back to my newly assigned task of editing an open for this week’s high school sports magazine show.

  “Um, you know, I’ve been really busy and haven’t watched the Demons game from the other night.”

  I freeze. Of course he hasn’t. He doesn’t care about hockey. Not like I do. And the fact that he’s getting that edit assignment pisses me off.

  But I shove that thought aside and try not to let it consume me.

  “And?” I ask, adjusting the volume on my edit.

  “Um, I was thinking you can’t go wrong featuring Harrison Flynn, right? I mean, Niko mentioned he wanted defense featured in this open, but Flynn would still fit that, wouldn’t he?”

  It’s all I can do not to explode in my seat.

  “Actually, in the last game of the road trip against San Francisco, JP Rochat has some tremendous defensive plays that cemented the win. And because tomorrow is his first game against his former team since he was traded here last month, you should feature him.”

  I see nothing but epic vacancy in Chip’s eyes.

  “Right,” he says, nodding.

  “You know he was traded here from Buffalo, right?”

  Chip stares at me.

  Blankly.

  I swear if Niko weren’t coming into work this afternoon, I’d have to take a mental health day because I’m about to lose it.

  “You must be talking about JP,” Kimberlee says, stepping through the doorway. “He’s such a sweetheart. We’re personal friends, you know.”