Page 15 of Claiming Her Cougar (Shifting Pines #2)

LIAM

I’m living dangerously, getting Daphne involved in my pursuit of Mallory, but I’m betting I’ll need all the help I can get.

I’m under no illusions that I am so irresistible that every woman wants me.

I’ll respect that Mallory doesn’t want to date me, but I can’t know that for sure if we don’t hang out as friends first. If Daphne can help with this, I’m going to accept it.

Who knows? Maybe when Mallory gets to know me better, her resistance to dating me will fade.

I don’t need to know her better to want her more.

My interest in her is growing every moment.

I don’t believe in fated mates. You choose who you end up with.

It’s not fate. It’s not magic. It’s simply hormones and logic.

We obviously have compatible hormones based on Vegas.

Logic is showing we have things in common—we know the same people, like the same things, and for now, we work for the same company.

She liked me before she knew I was a Morgan.

Ironically, the thing that often draws women to me is a major point pushing her away. Fate. Ha.

“Did you still need us to leave so you two can talk?” Logan asks Daphne.

I try to stifle my snort-laugh at his bluntness.

Daphne looks to Mallory, who shakes her head.

“No, we’re good. Do you need to get home early, Mallory, or do you have time to play a game? We could play something simple like Uno or Phase 10.”

Mallory glances at the grandfather clock in the corner. “It’s only seven. I can stay a while longer. I just need to leave around eight thirty, so I’m home by nine-ish.”

Daphne pulls out a deck of Phase 10 cards when we all agree that sounds more fun than Uno. Logan shuffles and deals, starting an hour of the most cutthroat game of Phase 10 I’ve ever played. Daphne seems so sweet, but she’s ruthless.

Mallory looks at me with wide eyes. “Did you have any idea she was like this?”

Daphne dances around the living room, celebrating her victory, yelling out, “Booyah!” and “Suck it!”

“Only when she has more than one beer at Flyers’ games. I didn’t know she was like this in general. Popcorn?” I offer her the bowl sitting at my elbow. She takes a handful and eats it kernel by kernel as she watches Daphne’s antics.

Daphne finally stops dancing and drops to her knees next to Mallory.

“Oh, yeah, the game! Mallory, did you want to sleep over tomorrow night? I figured Logan could drive me to work tomorrow, you could drive me home, and then we’d go to the game together.

It’ll be close to midnight when we return, and then you’d have to drive home. Just stay here and go to work with me.”

“I don’t know…” Mallory starts.

“You’re welcome to stay at my place, Mallory,” I offer.

She shoots me a glare and turns back to Daphne. “If you’re sure I won’t be in the way, I’d appreciate staying over. Thanks.”

I’m impressed. She accepted gracefully. Considering she was trying to get out of going to the game once she found out who I was, this is amazing.

“You won’t be in the way at all,” Logan assures her. “We’d worry about you driving home that late, so you’re doing us a favor.”

“Wow.” Mallory laughs, smiling at Daphne. “He is charming. You weren’t exaggerating!”

“I told you! And he’s not even the most charming one. This one” Daphne gestures to me “is the real charmer.”

Mallory glances my way. “Thanks for the warning.” She stands up and says, “Well, let me head home. Thank you for dinner. I had fun. I’ll see you all tomorrow.”

I stand as well. “Thanks, guys. I’ll walk Mallory to her car and head out myself. See you tomorrow.”

I don’t miss the glance my cousin and Daphne share as Logan snags our jackets. I want to be a gentleman and help Mallory into hers, but I think that would be pushing it. Instead, I open the door for her to leave after we say our goodnights.

“You didn’t have to leave early just because I am.” Mallory gives Gritty a high five as we walk past him on the way to our vehicles at the curb.

“I know, but I have emails to catch up on and some reports to read before I leave town. I wasn’t planning on having a late night tonight, anyway.”

We stop next to the driver’s side door of Mallory’s car.

The streetlight is like a spotlight, and Logan and Daphne are probably peeking through the curtains.

I don’t dare glance to check. I don’t want to break this moment with Mallory.

The fog of our breath mingles in the crisp fall air.

I wish our bodies were mingling. Mallory shivers slightly, and I long to pull her into my arms to share my heat.

She’d feel how fast my heart is beating from being near her.

It’s hard to resist the urge to lean down and kiss her, but that isn’t a great idea.

I can be patient. The MINI Cooper’s lock disengages when Mallory hits the button on her key fob.

I reach for the door handle and open it for her.

She sits in the driver’s seat and looks up at me as I stand in the open doorway of her car.

“I’ll see you for the game tomorrow night. Drive safely, Mallory.” I tap the roof of her car and back away so she can close her door.

“See you tomorrow. Have a good night, Liam.”

Before the door shuts, I rush to say, “Hey, could you please text me when you get home? Just so I know you got home safely?”

I hope she doesn’t think I’m trying to keep tabs on her. I’m not. This time of year, there are deer and other critters about, and she lives alone. I know she’s been driving these roads for a decade, but I didn’t know her then. I know her now, and I worry.

Looking at me appraisingly, Mallory seems to consider my request. “Okay, I will. Drive safely too. Goodnight, Liam.” She gives me a quick smile that I feel like a kick to the chest and closes her door. I get in my truck and watch her drive away. I can’t wait for tomorrow night.

* * *

The atmosphere inside the arena is electric, like it always is before a home game.

It’s a sea of orange and black jerseys with a rare green Dallas jersey spotted now and then.

The Philly/Dallas hatred doesn’t really carry over to hockey the way it does with football, but it’s still brave to wear anything Dallas-related in the City of Brotherly Love.

“They’re here!” Mom cries out as we enter the box. She’s seen three of us in the past week, so I know her excitement is for the fourth member of our party—Mallory. Dad and Uncle Mike glance over and do the chin-lift acknowledgment thing, then resume their conversation in the back of the room.

Teagan and Jake aren’t here yet, and no one else from the office is here. I was hoping there would be a larger group of people so Mallory would feel like part of the crowd. Nothing to do but approach my mother and aunt.

“Hi, Mom, hi, Aunt Holly. What’s up?” I lean in to kiss each of their cheeks. Logan does the same, and the moms hug Daphne. When that’s all done, their attention falls to Mallory, who’s standing there with a polite smile on her lips and a deer-in-the-headlights look in her eyes.

“Hello,” Mom says, holding her hand out to Mallory. “I’m Faith Morgan.”

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Morgan. I’m Mallory Carter.” Mallory shakes her hand and smiles.

“Call me Faith, please!”

“And I’m Holly Morris,” Aunt Holly says. “You work at Morgan with Daphne and Mike?”

“I do,” Mallory affirms.

The teams skate out for pregame warm-ups, catching Daphne’s attention.

“Ooh, want to go down to watch, Mal? We can see your captain up close!”

“Your captain?” Mom asks.

“She has a crush on the Dallas captain,” Daphne says, ignoring Mallory’s glare. “She has a thing for tall, dark, and bearded guys.”

Mallory flushes deep pink with embarrassment, and Mom glances my way with lifted brows.

“Tall, dark, and bearded hockey players ,” Mallory retorts.

I know she doesn’t mean anything by it; she doesn’t know my history, and she’s trying to deflect her embarrassment.

However, even though I know it in my head, I’m having a difficult time not feeling it in my heart.

Everyone is shooting quick glances at me to see how I’m going to react.

I’m not going to react. I don’t want to turn a flippant off-the-cuff comment into something that casts a pall over our night.

“Ooh, yeah, let’s! Holly and I can look at Dallas’s cutie pie center up close.” Mom winks at Mallory. “You have good taste. The captain looks like a sexy, growly bear. For a human.” Mom giggles at my groan.

I watch them head down to ice level and go to the glass on Dallas’ side of the ice.

The moms appear to be hollering out, and I’ll be damned if the first-line center doesn’t skate over.

I played against him a couple of times in junior tournaments before my accident.

He’s a skillful player. He laughs and calls his captain over and skates away.

Mr. Growly Bear smiles at Mallory, and I want to punch him.

He flips a puck over the glass that Mallory catches with ease, flashing him a smile of thanks, and he skates away with a wink.

“Is that her?” Jake asks.

My attention focused on the ice, I didn’t realize they’d arrived. “Who?”

“The woman you’re trying to impress.”

“I didn’t say anything,” Logan assures me.

“It’s the redhead,” Teagan says with certainty.

I glance at Teagan before looking back at the ice. “Is that your witchy superpower at play?”

“No, I recognize her from Vegas.”

The foursome is headed back up to our box.

Mallory is clutching her puck and has a pink flush to her cheeks.

She looks so pretty. Mom and Daphne are chatting with each other, and Aunt Molly must have said something funny because Mallory smiles and nods.

Mallory’s smile fades when she looks up at the box. Uh-oh.