Crossing the Line (The Baltimore Banners Book 1)

by Lisa B. Kamps

  But he didn't have to look at her in order for her to see the cuts and bruises on his face. They looked worse than they did last night, and she didn't know if it was because of the time that had passed, or if it was because she could see them in the light now.

  She inwardly winced as Alec took another bite of his breakfast, watching as he made sure to stay away from the cut on the side of his lip. How he was eating at all without writhing in agony was beyond her. It hurt just to look at; she couldn't imagine how it actually felt.

  "I can do without being stared at while I'm eating."

  AJ started then looked back down at her own breakfast, feeling guilty at being caught staring. Then she just felt irritated. She finished her omelet and pushed the plate away, then took a few more sips of coffee before looking up at Alec.

  He was still leaning against the counter, his legs still crossed, still eating. Still ignoring her.

  "Okay, I get that you're pissed off. Are we going to talk about it or not?"

  He looked up at her, his eyes dark, a spark of irritation flaring in their depths before he looked away again. AJ let out a sigh, deliberately loud and impatient, just to see what he would do. Again, he gave her another dark look before turning away, placing the empty plate in the sink.

  "What? Didn't feel like throwing that in like you did the frying pan?" AJ wished she could take the words back as soon as they left her mouth. They were sarcastic and immature. It didn't matter that they relieved some of her own frustration. At least, it was obvious it didn't matter to Alec. He again turned his dark gaze on her and just stared at her, a muscle twitching in his clenched jaw.

  A few long, quiet seconds stretched between them before he stepped to the island counter and reached for her plate. His eyes still locked on hers, he stepped back and threw it into the sink, where it landed with a shattering crash as it hit the other plate and frying pan. "Like that?"

  AJ bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. This was not funny. It really wasn't. Alec was more than just a little upset. Anger and frustration rolled off him as he watched her, the emotions flaring in his eyes. And AJ felt her own anger spark to life under his gaze, an irrational ignition of emotion that had been left to simmer for too long. She leaned back on the stool and crossed her arms, fixing him with her own cool stare.

  "So are we going to have this out or not? Because, like I said, it's obvious you're pissed. Are you going to tell me why?"

  "Am I going to tell you why?" Alec repeated, his voice dangerously low and quiet. He reached behind him and grabbed the paper from the counter, then flung it to the island countertop. "Christ AJ, why do you think? Do you think maybe this could have something to do with it?"

  AJ glanced down at the paper then back at Alec, understanding he was upset about the feature, but not really understanding why. A blade of defensiveness knifed through her, and she sat up straighter. "Do you want to tell me what is so wrong with this?"

  "What's wrong with it? What do you think is wrong with it? This isn't a simple story! It's more like a damned expose in a fucking tabloid."

  AJ jumped back so quickly she almost fell off the stool. A hard slap would have hurt less than the words he had just thrown at her. Her heart hammered deep in her chest, pounding below her rib cage and against her lungs, making her breaths come sharp and quick. She returned Alec's stare, making no attempt to hide her anger and her hurt. Something flashed in the depths of his eyes and he looked away, taking a deep breath and running his hands through his hair.

  "I didn't mean it like that."

  "The hell you didn't." AJ lowered herself from the stool, standing ramrod straight as she faced Alec, her chin held high in stubborn defiance.

  "AJ...this isn't what I agreed to. This," he grabbed the paper and held it clenched in one fist between them, "this isn't an interview."

  "You're right, it's not. It's a feature article. And it's a damned good one."

  "It's not what I agreed to! You've made me out to be some kind of...of...I don't know. Some kind of elite pretty boy."

  "What are you talking about? That is absolutely ridiculous."

  "Is it?"

  "Yeah, it is. The feature doesn't turn you into anything—it just brings out a human side to all the boring stats that you've hid behind all the years you've been playing."

  "Well I hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but the general consensus now is that I'm a pretty boy. I believe the term 'henpecked pansy ass' was also used."

  AJ closed her mouth with an audible snap. Had she really heard him correctly? The dark look was still on his face, the flare of anger and frustration still lingered in his eyes. Yes, she had heard him correctly. She swallowed and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as realization dawned on her.

  "Is that what all the fighting was about last night?" The muscle ticked in his jaw again, giving her the answer. "Really? So where did the 'henpecked' come from? Because I don't get that one—"

  "Dammit AJ, this isn't funny!" His shout echoed in the silence of the kitchen, ringing off the stainless steel appliances and granite floor and countertops to bounce back at both of them. Alec met her stare and their eyes locked for several minutes until, finally, his lips twitched upwards. It was the smallest twitch, but it was there. His lips twitched again and he quickly turned away, wrapping his hands around his neck and leaning his head back with a frustrated groan.

  "It's really not funny," he said again. Except this time his voice was muffled and hoarse, almost like he was choking. AJ pulled herself back onto the stool and propped her elbows on the island top as she watched him.

  "So...are you, like, laughing? Or are you choking? Because if you're choking I'm not sure I want to help you."

  "I'm not choking." Alec stood with his back to her for another minute then finally turned to face her with a heavy sigh. She watched him warily as he looked at her, almost as if he was studying her, before he took a step forward and leaned his arms against the island. The move put him dangerously close and she sat back just a little, unable to gauge this new mood and needing to put distance between them.

  "I'm sorry about the 'tabloid' comment."

  "Okay." AJ sat back even further, still cautious, not entirely trusting him. "I'm sorry about the 'henpecked' comment."

  Alec stared at her, the marks on his face making him look even more menacing. "Why? You didn't make it."

  "No, but I figured I may as well apologize since you're blaming me for it."

  Alec hung his head and muttered to himself. AJ couldn't quite make out what he was saying, but she had a sudden suspicion that he was counting to himself. Except he kept counting long past the time he should have reached 'ten'.

  Which she thought was kind of insulting.

  He finally looked up at her, the darkness and frustration gone from his eyes. "I let the trash talk get to me last night. And I believe 'henpecked' came because everyone knows you wrote the article."

  "Everyone who? In case you didn't notice, the byline says 'AJ Johnson'. Not Amber Johnson. There's a reason I use 'AJ', you know. People don't take people named 'Amber' seriously."

  Alec looked a little taken aback. He actually pushed himself up on his elbows, putting distance between them, and looked at her. "Is that what you think?"

  "No, it's what I know. Would you read a serious sports piece by someone named 'Amber'? No, you wouldn't."

  "Well it doesn't matter what you think. Everyone knows who wrote it, no matter what name you used."

  "That's because everyone on your team knows who I am."

  "AJ, I'm not talking about the Banners. I'm talking about Pittsburgh."

  She sat up straighter, trying not to smile. People knew who she was? That had to be a good thing. "Really? They knew who I was?"

  "Yeah. The 'henpecked' came from them because I 'opened up' to a 'girl'."

  Her brief excitement died at both Alec's look of amusement as well as his words. "What? Of all the...just wait until they're playing here. I can't believe—
"

  Alec's hand clamped over her mouth, stopping her tirade. Their eyes locked and her stomach did a little flip at the instant spark that shot between them. Alec quickly removed his hand and shifted back, pulling his gaze away.

  "I just...why didn't you tell me about it, AJ? If you had told me, I wouldn't have been caught off-guard by the whole thing."

  "I tried!"

  "When?"

  "Friday. As soon as I walked through the front door, I told you we needed to talk but you didn't want to hear it." He frowned as he thought back, and she could tell when he finally remembered by the spark of realization that flashed in his eyes. Alec stood up and walked around the edge of the island, coming closer to her. She scooted further back on the stool, wary, not quite sure what he was planning on doing. "And then, later that night, I said I wanted to talk but you—"

  "Yeah, I remember." He stopped inches from her, towering over her, his eyes burning as he looked down at her.

  "I really did try—" Alec didn't let her finish, just wrapped his arms around her and kissed her, claiming her mouth in a searing move of possession. She placed her hands against his chest, not pushing him away, but not giving him the leverage to get any closer, either. He gentled the kiss then broke away, pulling back only a few inches to stare at her.

  She reached up and gently touched her fingertip first to the cut at the corner of his mouth then to the cut under his eye. He winced just the smallest bit but didn't pull away. "Does it hurt?"

  "Would you kiss it and make it better if I said yes?" She thought he meant for the words to come out as a teasing joke, but his voice was a hoarse whisper instead. Heat simmered in his gaze, settled between them, smoldering. AJ leaned into his hold and tilted her head up, placing the lightest of kisses against the cut under his eye then moving lower, gently kissing the cut at the corner of his mouth.

  His arms tightened around her and he pulled her closer, his mouth claiming hers in a kiss as light as hers had been. His touch was gentle, a feathery caress of his lips on hers. AJ curled her hands around his arms, feeling the hard muscle under her touch, the heat of his flesh through the thin cotton of his t-shirt. She ran her hands up his shoulders then down his back, her fingers tracing the sculpted ridges of his body.

  Alec's kiss became bolder, possessive, his tongue seeking and finding hers as his hands moved along her body, down to her waist, her hips, her thighs. His touch ignited a trail of heat as his mouth continued its seduction of hers, unleashing any hesitation she had felt only minutes ago. She slid her hands lower down his back, into the waistband of his sweatpants, along the firm muscle of his ass.

  Alec groaned and broke the kiss, his own hands reaching for the hem of her shirt and pulling it up, the palms of his hands skimming her flesh as he pushed the shirt up and pulled it over her head. "By the way, you look great in my shirt. But you look even better out of it," he whispered, his breath warm against her neck. AJ tilted her head back, her eyes closed, enjoying the sensation of his lips against her flesh, of the feel of his hands as they caressed and molded her breasts.

  "You noticed, hm?"

  "Hm-hm." Alec nuzzled her neck, his hands heavy and warm along her flesh, teasing. AJ swallowed against the sensation, wanting to lose herself in his touch, but needing to hold herself back. She slid her hands from his backside to his chest, finding the strength to grasp his wrists and pull his own hands away from her.

  Alec lifted his head the smallest bit and stared down at her, confusion mingled with the heat in his dark eyes.

  "I...does this mean you're not mad at me anymore?" AJ's voice sounded more like a desperate croak but she didn't bother to clear her throat and repeat her question, not when Alec smiled at her.

  "No, I'm still a little mad. But I think this might go a long way to making me get over it." His own voice was as raspy as hers had been. He leaned forward, intent on kissing her again, but she pulled back, just a bit.

  "Alec, I'm—"

  "Shh. It doesn't matter."

  "But I didn't mean—"

  His mouth closed over hers, effectively quieting her. AJ surrendered to his touch, giving in to the quiet demands of both of their bodies. She clung to him as he grabbed her by the waist and lifted her, then gently sat her on the island countertop.

  Where they both proceeded to make the other forget about anything but just the two of them.

  THIRTEEN

  If part one of the feature had turned Baltimore's female population into Alec Kolchak fans, the second part turned the city itself into hockey fans. Known more for its football team, baseball team, and local Natty Boh brew, Baltimore reserved a loyal—but small—fan base for its ice hockey team. If the increased crowds filling the stands for the last few games were an indication, that fan base was growing.

  Alec pushed back his helmet and surveyed the crowd pushing against the boards of the practice rink. He couldn't remember the last time this many people had come out for one of their practices.

  And if you asked him, that wasn't a good thing. It was great that game attendance was up, nobody argued that. The crowds at practice, however, were nothing but large distractions—just one more in a line of distractions he didn't need.

  He turned to grab his water bottle just as Ian skated up to him, spraying him with a shower of ice. Alec filled his mouth with water, rinsed, then spit it out before taking a sip.

  "Can you believe this?" Ian asked quietly, his eyes scanning the crowds. "I've never seen this many people at practice before."

  "Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing. Coach is going to have to start closing them if this keeps up."

  Ian continued scanning the crowd, slowly shaking his head. "I don't think they will. Why piss off the new fans, you know?" His searching eyes stopped and he nudged Alec. "Hey, isn't that AJ? What's she doing talking to them? And who's that guy with her?"

  Alec turned in the direction Ian was pointing and frowned. AJ was supposed to be in a meeting with her editor. He looked closer and his frown grew deeper. The man with her was her editor. And they were talking to the team owner and two people he recognized as being from the PR and Marketing Department.

  "Shit. That's her editor. This cannot be good." Alec and Ian continued watching the small group in silence, but there was no way Alec could tell what was happening. AJ finally looked over, an expression of dismay on her face. She offered him a small shrug, and mouthed something that made his stomach drop as he cursed.

  "What? What did she say?"

  Alec turned away from watching the group and slapped his stick against the ice then banged it against the pipe. "She said 'I'm sorry'. Shit, this is so not good."

  "So what's going on?"

  "I have no idea, but I have a bad feeling about it."

  Ian watched him for a few seconds then tapped the blade of his stick against Alec's skate. "Well, she's your girlfriend, I suggest you do something about it."

  "She's not my girlfriend." The denial flew from his mouth before he even realized he was going to say anything. An odd emotion crept over him, leaving him feeling hollow.

  Ian snorted loudly, then shook his head. "Dude, not sure who you think you're fooling with that line but okay, if you say so."

  Alec watched Ian skate away, then turned back to the stands to catch a glimpse of AJ. She was still in the middle of the small group but they were now walking away, and he quickly lost sight of her.

  The odd hollow feeling stayed with him, though. AJ wasn't his girlfriend, so why did the denial leave him feeling empty? It wasn't as if they were dating, as if there was anything real between them.

  Except for her laughter and smile. Except for the easy feeling of companionship and camaraderie that had grown between them. Except for the unexpected friendship he had found with her.

  Except they went to sleep in each other's arms every night and they woke up curled together each morning.

  Shit. So if she wasn't his girlfriend, what the hell was she? And what were they doing? He muttered to himself a
nd grabbed the water bottle, squeezing a stream into his face and shaking it off as he repeated the question to himself.

  What were they doing? And more importantly...what was it he wanted them to be doing?

  **

  Alec dimmed the dining room lights and took one last look at the set table, grinning to himself. As a surprise, he was sure AJ would enjoy it. The formal china and heavy silver utensils rested on fancy linen placemats—none of which he had ever bothered to use before—and the lit candles reflected off the heavy glass table and the crystal glassware. The real surprise was in the kitchen, keeping warm until she got home.

  He glanced at his watch just as he heard the door open, and smiled again. Perfect timing, he thought, hitting the remote for the stereo system so soft music filled the room. He walked toward the living room just as AJ came through the foyer, her head down as she tossed her keys onto the table and sat her backpack on the floor.

  He leaned against the door frame, just watching for a few seconds as she straightened and stretched, still not seeing him. She was wearing the outfit she had on earlier, a flowing sweater in a light brown and curve-hugging khaki pants. His gaze drifted down her legs and he smiled when he saw the pirate boots.

  "Hey."

  AJ turned, looking startled for a quick second when she saw him standing there. She offered him a smile that left too quickly but she stayed where she was. Alec frowned, noticing the tension around her mouth and the paleness of her skin.

  He pushed himself away from the door frame and took several steps toward her. "Everything okay?"

  "Yeah. I just...I've got a headache, that's all."

  Alec closed the distance between them and pulled her into his arms, dropping a kiss on the top of her head as he gave her a hug, trying to ignore the effect she had on him. "Well, come in here. I have a surprise that might help."

  She pulled out of his arms and offered him a brief smile that didn't quite meet her eyes, then let him lead her toward the dining room. She paused at the doorway, then looked up at him, giving him another small smile.