“Pay attention, Rush.”
Right.
Squatting, I focus on the players on the ice. This is morning skate, which means in a few hours, it’ll be the real deal, and the last thing I need is to be thinking about Ellie in that damn dress. Although our preseason games were shit, we’ve kicked off the season with a bang. As of right now, we’re 4-2-0, and though it’s early, I feel good about how I’m playing. Far better than at the end of last season.
Coach advised a few minutes ago that he was putting me in goal tonight, and I’m cool with that. There had been talk that he wanted Locke in, to give him some ice time, but it looks as though that’s not the case. Since I’m hot right now, pulling me could very well change that. I’m sure Coach is thinking the same thing.
I’m in position as several players come my way. I notice Spencer break away, and I know he’s looking to get a shot on me, but I’m ready for him now. My eyes never leave the puck, even when I drop to the ice and secure the net. My size is beneficial because I take up so much space, but that doesn’t mean shit when you’ve got a creative forward coming toward you. And Spencer is one of the best.
I shift; he shoots… The puck bounces off the post. I’m instantly on my feet when Mattias gets it, pulls back for a slap shot… I’m in position, peering around Spencer, who is looking to secure the goal. The puck sails my way. It bounces off my chest, hits the ice, and I pounce on it. The whistle blows.
“Much better,” Spencer mumbles.
I smile, but he can’t see my face beneath my mask.
Little does he know but I’m in it to win it. I’ve got a girl to impress. One with a rocking body and a sweet smile… And after seeing her in that dress, I’m pulling out all the stops.
Several hours later, I’m geared up once again, pacing as the arena prepares for our entrance. I received a text from Ellie earlier, letting me know that she’s willing to go double or nothing on tonight’s game. We’re playing Ontario, so I’m feeling a little confident. You can never predict the outcome, but I like that she’s playing along. This is a side of her I’m not used to seeing, but I like it. I spent a good hour thinking about what that meant, but now I’ve pushed everything out except for the next two hours that I’ll be on the ice.
Focus. Puck, patience. React. Focus. Puck, patience. React.
It’s time to focus.
Time to get down to business.
Focus. Puck, patience. React. Focus. Puck, patience. React.
Time to win.
Ellie: So, I assume you plan to collect? Nice game, by the way. You were fantastic.
Kingston: Thanks. And yes, I absolutely plan to collect. Saturday night, in fact.
Ellie: We’ll be at a charity event. You can’t collect there.
Kingston: No? Why not?
Ellie: Because there’ll be people around.
Kingston: That’ll make it even hotter. Knowing someone might catch us.
Ellie: You mean catch me. I’ll be the one naked.
Kingston: Holy shit, woman. Do you know how hot it is when you talk like that?
Ellie: Talk like what? All I said was naked.
Kingston: I think it’s hot in here. Too hot.
Ellie: Oh, whatever. You’re such a tease.
Kingston: Is that a dare? You don’t think I’ll sneak off with you?
Kingston: Ellie?
Kingston: Where’d you go?
Ellie: Sorry. I needed a minute.
Kingston: To do what?
Ellie: Wouldn’t you like to know.
Kingston: That’s it. Just wait until Saturday night.
Ellie: I think you’re bluffing.
Kingston: Call my bluff, little girl. I dare you.
20
Kingston
Saturday, October 29th
It’s been a hectic week. Being that the season just got underway, I have to find my groove again. It usually takes me about a month to get in the swing of things after having a few months off. Especially the traveling part. It doesn’t help that I’d wished I was home to see Ellie, so it made the trip a little more stressful. Overall, it was still a good week, though. We won two of the three games, so I can’t be disappointed. That puts us at 6-2-0, but we’ve got a long way to go.
But tonight isn’t about hockey. Well, not in the arena sense. The event we’re attending is in direct relation, but the outcome will likely be far less exciting. Then again … I think back to the bet Ellie and I made. Tonight might actually be better than I originally thought.
I dressed up in the requisite tuxedo, and for the past half hour, I’ve been pacing my living room floor while I count down the minutes until the limo arrives to pick me up. The car was Spencer’s idea, and I’m glad he came up with it because I wouldn’t have. I’m not that romantic.
Then again, tonight isn’t really about romance. It’s more about making an appearance and networking in an effort to raise money for mental health awareness. When Spencer originally mentioned it, I didn’t hesitate in accepting the invite. We lost a teammate to mental illness, and though it’s been a decade, it’s still with me. I’ll never forget when we found out that Jason took his own life. And I’ll never forget that I wasn’t there for him when he needed someone to be. Looking back on it now, he seemed to have been crying out for help with his actions. No one had seen it coming, no one had expected him to…
That’s the reason I’m dressed in the monkey suit and ready to go. Although I hate these charity things, getting dressed up and shit, they’re worth it when they bring attention to important causes. So, that’s why I’m going.
Well, that and the fact that I get to see Ellie in that dress.
My phone buzzes with a text. I glance at the screen.
Finally.
I pat my pocket to ensure I have my wallet, then tuck my phone into my other pocket. I’m out the door as the limo is pulling into the circle drive.
“You clean up nice,” Spencer says when I join him in the car.
“Yeah?” I glance down at the tux. It’s not my thing, but I do what it takes. I’ve spent my fair share of time in a monkey suit over the years. These benefits aren’t as rare as one would hope.
“Noelle’s at Ellie’s,” Spencer informs me.
Speaking of Noelle…
“What made you ask her out?” I’ve known Spencer for a long time. I’ve also known Noelle for a long time. As far as having ever imagined them as a couple … not once.
“She agreed to go as friends.”
That doesn’t explain shit. It still doesn’t tell me why he asked her, but I let it go. There’s something in the way he says that, but I can’t put my finger on it. I do notice, however, that he doesn’t look me in the eye, which, with Spencer, usually means he’s holding something back.
I decide not to press it. Instead, I change the subject. Kind of. “Is it because you’re trying to avoid Amber?”
We have yet to discuss the situation with Amber. I’ve tried a couple of times, but admittedly, I haven’t tried all that hard. Things between Spencer and me have been a little tense, due to the fact that he’s still attempting to control this arrangement I have with Ellie. Granted, he’s backed off quite a bit since the night I leaked our relationship to the reporter. I figure it’s because he has other things on his mind, like this charity event.
“I’m not avoiding her.” He sounds defensive.
“No?”
“No. I needed a date. Noelle was free.”
“Mmm-hmm.”
Spencer glares at me.
I shrug. “So it has nothing to do with the fact that Amber is going to the dinner tonight with Seg?”
A frown instantly distorts Spencer’s features. Apparently he didn’t know about that. Or maybe he did, and he’s simply frustrated that I keep pushing the issue.
And now I feel like a dumb ass for bringing it up.
Luckily, we’re pulling up to Ellie’s house and I don’t have to deal with a moody guy anymore. I can tell by the look on Spen
cer’s face that he won’t be happy no matter what I say, so this is perfect timing.
Once the car is parked, I climb out with Spencer right behind me. We make our way to the door, but rather than let Spencer barge in like he normally does, I ring the doorbell and shove my arm out to hold him back.
“It’s my sister’s house. We don’t need to ring the doorbell.”
I peer over at him. “When you’re taking a woman on a date—friends or not—you ring the fucking doorbell.” Even I know that.
The door opens, and Noelle’s bright blue eyes sparkle when she sees us.
“Wow. Fancy.”
“You look fantastic,” Spencer offers, sounding somewhat mystified.
I glance over at him and chuckle. I’ve never seen him look at Noelle like …well, like he wants to eat her for dinner. Or dessert. Or … whatever.
Interesting.
“Thank you,” Noelle says sweetly. “Come in. Ellie’ll be right out.”
I step into the house at the same time Ellie appears in the living room.
I swear my heart stops beating.
She’s wearing the dress she had on in the picture, but this time she’s all made up. Her long hair is pulled up, a few loose strands fluttering around her face. There’s a delicate silver chain around her neck and big silver hoops in her ears. She’s not one to generally wear a lot of makeup—she doesn’t need it—but tonight she’s sporting dark eyes and crimson lips, and holy fuck, my dick is doing a happy dance.
“Excuse us for a minute,” I say to Spencer and Noelle.
Taking Ellie’s hand, I pull her out of the living room and down the hall that leads to her bedroom so that we have a little privacy.
“Is something wrong?” she whispers, her eyes wide as she stares up at me when I spin her around and pin her against the wall.
“Yeah,” I whisper. “I need to kiss you, and I can’t do it with your brother in the room.”
Her smile is slow and sexy and it makes my dick jump.
Gently cupping her cheek, I lean down and press my mouth to hers. I don’t want to mess up her makeup, but I can’t help myself. I haven’t kissed her since the day we went to breakfast, and it’s been killing me ever since. In an effort to take things slow, I haven’t pressed for anything more. It doesn’t help that our schedules don’t mesh.
Her hands grip the lapels of my suit as she pulls me closer. In her heels, she’s got to be almost six feet, which makes the kissing thing a whole hell of a lot easier.
“You look stunning,” I mumble when our mouths separate. “And fuck, you smell good.”
“Thank you. I was gonna say the same about you.” Her thumb swipes across my lips, and I assume she’s wiping lipstick from them. It doesn’t look like hers is smudged, though.
I take a deep breath, willing my dick to chill the fuck out. I think about Spencer waiting for us on the other side of the wall, and that pretty much takes care of my problem. Taking her hand, I lead Ellie back toward the living room but pull up short when I hear Noelle talking.
“You don’t need to apologize,” she snaps. “It never happened, okay? I’m good with that.”
“Noelle, I just don’t want you to—”
“Enough.” This time she’s speaking at regular volume, and it’s obvious she’s pissed. “I said it never happened. You have to pretend it didn’t, too.”
When Spencer doesn’t say anything, I turn to look at Ellie. Her eyes are wide and she’s clearly processing what she heard. I’m curious to know what didn’t happen, but I damn sure won’t be asking about it. At least not tonight.
Pretending we didn’t just eavesdrop on what was likely a pretty important conversation, I turn to Ellie and smile. “You ready?”
Ellie nods.
I lead her into the living room, ready to face off with Noelle and Spencer, but…
They’re gone. The room is empty.
I lift an eyebrow at Ellie. She shakes her head slightly as she grabs a small purse.
I peer up at the stairs. “Is Bianca here?”
“Nope. She’s staying with Gabby tonight.” I notice something spark in Ellie’s eyes, and I’m not sure if that was an invitation or merely fact.
I’m not quite sure what to do with that information, so I tuck it away for later.
Right now, I have to focus on getting to the dinner without thinking about getting Ellie out of that dress. That will come soon enough.
If I’m lucky.
Ellie
I’m nervous.
Like, seriously nervous.
Although Kingston eased some of my tension with that unexpected kiss back at my house, I’ve all but forgotten that now that we’re in this huge ballroom with all these people.
And there are people everywhere.
Old, young, tall, short, rich, uber-rich … they are all present and accounted for. I’ve seen Phoenix, as well as his husband, Tarik, and their wife, Mia. They greeted us when we arrived. It appears that Spencer and Kingston are the only players here tonight, though, which means we pretty much know no one. I’m simply glad that Noelle is here. I’m not sure how I got lucky enough that my brother needed a last-minute date, but I’m not going to question it.
We mingle for a few minutes while we sip ridiculously expensive champagne from fancy crystal flutes, and then we make our way over to the section that has been reserved for dinner. I notice that the tables are decked out in white linen, and there are large, exotic flower arrangements in the center, along with several candles flickering around them. It’s nicely done, but I shouldn’t have expected any less. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Mia, and the woman will spare no expense when it comes to drumming up money for the charity that means so much to her. Spencer told me the story about how her father died by suicide. I’m sure that was incredibly difficult for her to deal with. I can’t even imagine how hard it was. And the fact that she’s a proactive supporter of raising awareness and helping to eliminate the negative stigma associated with mental illness shows how noble and incredibly strong she is.
I hope they accomplish what they’ve set out to do tonight. If they don’t, it certainly won’t be from lack of trying.
Kingston seems to be following Spencer’s lead. I’m not sure that’s such a good thing since my brother seems terrified to be here. He’s done dozens of these things, so you’d think he wouldn’t be quite so antsy, but he is. I can tell because he continues to thrust his hands in his pockets over and over, a tell of his. Even with Noelle at his side, he looks like he wants to crawl into a hole.
“Ready to eat?” Kingston asks, taking my hand and leading me to the table we’ve been assigned to.
I smile and nod as Kingston pulls my chair out. He sits to my left, and Noelle takes the chair on my right with Spencer beside her. That leaves two other seats at the table, and I briefly wonder who will occupy those.
My curiosity is sated rather quickly when Amber North walks up. If I hadn’t already reconnected with her back when Spencer was laying the ground rules for mine and Kingston’s pretend relationship, I would’ve recognized her anyway. Hell, she dated my brother for so long, and at one point, I even thought she would eventually be my future sister-in-law. I don’t think I will ever forget her face. But the face next to hers… It surprises me to see Colton Seguine in tow. He looks relaxed as ever and quite handsome in his tux.
I take a moment to study Amber. She seems to be in her element, decked out in an emerald-green gown that makes her eyes pop. Her red hair is piled on top of her head, a pair of diamonds flashing in her ears. She’s still just as beautiful, just as poised and delicate as I remember.
However, I also notice that she doesn’t seem at all interested in her date. Maybe they came as friends.
Noelle elbows me and I glance over at her.
“This should get interesting.”
One thing I love about Noelle is that she’s no dummy. She told me that Spencer asked her to this dinner and she agreed, but only as friends. I know Noelle ha
s no misconceptions when it comes to Spencer. She might think he’s attractive, but she’ll be the first to tell you that she isn’t at all into him.
Until tonight, I believed her, too. After hearing their conversation at my house, I’m not sure what’s going on with them. During the limo ride over, they remained awkwardly silent. In fact, Noelle hardly glanced at me, so I know something is bothering her. I wish it was something along the lines of her liking my brother. In my opinion, they would be good for each other. But I seem to be the only one who thinks that.
And I also believe that she agreed to go only because my brother looks ready to bolt anytime Amber’s name is mentioned. He looks like that now as Colton pulls out her chair and Amber takes a seat at the table.
I lean over and whisper in Noelle’s ear. “Did you know she was dating a player?”
Noelle turns her head, her mouth close to my ear. “A gay player at that.”
I jump back and stare at my friend. “What?” I do my best not to spin around and look at Colton, but it’s not easy to do. “He’s gay? Really?” I mouth.
Noelle smirks, then sips her wine. Knowing how it looks with me whispering, I sit up and smile, trying not to stare at Colton or Amber like they’re carnival freaks. Well, if he’s gay, at least that explains why they don’t look like they’re together.
Kingston’s arm wraps over my shoulders and he leans in close. I’m expecting him to say something about Amber, but he doesn’t. Instead, the words that come out of his mouth make my face flame.
“Do you know how badly I want to see what you’ve got on under that dress?”
I’m instantly reminded of our bet. More accurately, how he won that bet and told me that he would be collecting tonight.
“Do you now?” Wow. I sounded way too breathless there.
“Yes.” His breath is warm against my neck. “I’ve wondered ever since you sent me the picture.”
I remind myself that Kingston is a ruthless flirt. We’re here because of our pretend relationship, and it’s extremely important that I remember that. It’s sometimes difficult, especially after the few kisses we’ve shared and after all of the flirting we’ve done via text messages. I’ve admittedly developed a crush on the guy, which isn’t helping my situation at all.
The Season: Rush (Austin Arrows #1) Page 17
