Page 25 of Love Me (Charlotte Monarchs Hockey #1)

Shit. I completely forgot that Bree is new and doesn’t know anything about the Dellingers’ situation. It’s not the conversation I thought I’d be having with her on our first official date.

“Jack was the son of a former teammate.” My voice cracks with the emotion I can never hold back when I talk about it. Jesus. I can’t let her see me cry again. Fucking suck it up, Daniels.

“Brandon Dellinger. He took his own life a few months ago.”

“You’re kidding me?”

“No.” I shake my head. “When Jack was in his third or fourth round of chemo. I can’t quite remember.”

“I’m so sorry, Luke.” Bree leans closer to me.

“I don’t know what he was thinking. I mean, I can’t comprehend the amount of pain he lived with watching his son go through all that shit. I know I shouldn’t judge, but how does someone do that to his wife? His kid? Especially then. I just?—”

I still haven’t forgiven Brandon for his decision.

I understand how much it hurt to watch Jack deteriorate and not be able to help.

As a father, Brandon did everything in his power to secure the best doctors and arrange for cutting-edge treatment, but the hard truth was that there was nothing he could do to stop what was happening to his son.

I don’t know what other things he had going on in his head. He’d had a few concussions before everything with Jack. He seemed fine, even if he couldn’t pass the tests doctors gave him, but no one thought he’d been affected that badly. Maybe his head was way more fucked than any of us realized.

“So that’s why you and Ally are so close?” Bree says in a low voice.

“Yeah.” It occurs to me that Bree may have thought we’d been a couple or something—especially with our interaction at the hospital the day she told me she was taking Jack home. I don’t want Bree to have the wrong idea. “There was nothing between Ally and me,” I say quickly.

She stiffens, and I wonder how I fucked up. I thought being honest and straightforward was what women wanted.

“It’s not my business.” Bree casts her gaze down toward her lap and shakes her head.

“I swear, Bree.” I take her hand.

“It’s not that, Luke.” She looks up at me through long, thick eyelashes. “It’s none of my business either way. It was rude of me to pry.”

“I want it to be your business,” I tell her. It’s true. I want to know Bree outside of my bed, and I want her to feel the same about me.

“I’m only here for a few more months. Let’s keep it light and fun, okay?”

Shot down.

Too bad that’s not going to stop me. She doesn’t know it yet, so I move on, letting her think I’m going to let it go.

“What are some things you’ve done in Charlotte so far?” I ask, needing a break from thinking about the Dellingers.

“The Mint Museum, the Bechtler, running in Freedom Park.” Bree pauses to think. “I haven’t gotten out much. Mostly places within walking distance of my apartment and the hospital.”

“Makes sense. You work a lot. Did you come straight here from a shift?” She doesn’t have her scrubs on, so I figured she changed at the hospital.

“No. I went home first,” she says.

“You should’ve let me pick you up. We could’ve driven here together.”

And just like that, Bree’s bright eyes dim, and her lips lower into a line. She quickly lifts her pint glass to her lips.

“Or not…” I say. Maybe I’m reading our connection wrong. Maybe there isn’t one. Maybe I’m chasing a girl who really isn’t interested in more than sex.

“I know we’re compatible sexually, but I’m still not sure I want this to go further than that. I thought if things got too personal, I could ditch,” she explains.

Her confession makes me laugh. “I like your honesty.”

“I’m too old to play games.”

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-six.”

“So jaded for someone so young.”

“I’m not jaded, Luke. I just don’t want to get too involved with someone when I’m only here temporarily. I like Charlotte, but I would never move here permanently.”

“Simmer down, old girl!” I say, throwing my hands up. “Take the compliments and flattery down a notch. I’m getting a big head over here.”

Bree’s lips turn up into a smile. She leans closer, pressing her breasts against my arm and sliding her palm across my thigh. “I’m completely comfortable with your big head.”

Then she laughs, and brown waves of hair bounce around her face. It brings out the bubbly, genuine side of her that fits seamlessly with the other sides I’ve seen: the kind side, the thoughtful side, and the sexy, flirtatious side.

“I can laugh and joke and have a good time. Maturity and communication are integral parts of my job,” she continues. “Parts I carry into my personal life. I don’t have the time or patience for immaturity or people who aren’t ready to behave like adults.”

“I agree,” I tell her. “Hey, wait. Did you just call me immature?”

“No. As long as you understand that we are what we are.”

“Fuck buddies?” I ask.

“Exactly.”

“Just so you know, I think you’re smart, beautiful, and kind. And refreshingly honest.”

“Thank you.” Bree smiles. “You don’t seem like the kind of guy who puts all his cards on the table, Luke. When we first met, you seemed a bit mysterious and closed off.”

“We fucked totally sober the morning after we met. How is that closed off?” I ask.

She tilts her head. “Mentally.”

“I am.” Closed off. Gruff. Emotionally unavailable. Douchebag.

I’ve heard it all before. Even from friends.

She tilts her head. “Yet you just spilled how you felt about me on our first real date.”

“Well, that’s different. I have no problem giving you compliments and letting you know what a beautiful person you are. Doesn’t mean I’m opening my closet to let you count the skeletons.”

“Are there that many?” As always, her voice is soft and warm rather than surprised and accusatory. It’s a welcome change from the girls I’ve dated in the past who would grill me as if I were on trial. I don’t open up like that.

“Enough to keep the door locked for now.” If I’m not careful, I’ll spill my soul to Bree. I feel it coming on.

“Should I be worried?”

“Nope.” I wink and change the subject. “Now that we’ve established that we’re being completely honest with each other, tell me something about yourself. Something not many people know.”

“For someone who just locked his closet, you sure picked a personal question.” She wiggles a bit, adjusting her position in the booth as if she’s uncomfortable. Then she crosses her legs, which makes her dress ride up her thighs, giving me a glimpse of toned olive skin.

All I can think of is how much I want her to lift her onto my lap. My fingers itch to crawl up the inside of her thighs and settle between her sleek legs.

“I’m not talking about a deep, dark secret,” I say, shaking the naughty thoughts out of my head for now. I’m supposed to be wooing her.

“I’ll go first,” I continue. “I know the words to every 311 song recorded before the year 2010.”

“Do they have songs after that?”

“Yes. They’re still very relevant.”

She laughs. “Why did you stop there?”

“I don’t like the newer stuff. I’m a stuck-in-the-aughts kind of guy.”

Bree nods her head, humoring me. “They were our formative years.”

“Your turn.”

As she thinks, she nibbles her bottom lip.

I take that exact moment to drape the black, cloth napkin across my lap.

The fabric is light, but maybe it will be a subtle signal to my dick to settle the fuck down instead of making me think about how much I want to take her lip between my teeth or bury my face between her legs.

I’m just as immature as she thinks I am.

“I climbed Mount Lassen,” Bree finally announces with pride.

“I’ve never heard of it, but the fact that you climbed a mountain is pretty damn awesome.”

A hot nurse who climbs mountains, drinks craft beer, and wants to fuck twenty-four-seven is definitely someone I can see myself with long-term.

I should be pressing the brakes, not speeding up.

Settling down has never been something I craved. A lot of people want to settle down eventually and usually base what they want out of life on the relationships they saw growing up.

My parents had a decent relationship until my dad died. Then my life went to shit—along with any ideas I had about marriage and relationship longevity.

I’m not opposed to settling down. I just haven’t felt that strongly about anyone I’ve dated.

Until now. All I can think about is when I’ll get to hang out with her again.

When Bree speaks again, I’m hanging on every word.

“I love hiking and climbing, but I’m not hardcore about it. It takes about two and a half hours to hike to the top of Mount Lassen. Nothing too crazy. The view is spectacular once you get up there. Mountains and sky for as far as you can see.”

“Sounds amazing. I love being outdoors, but I’ve never been mountain climbing. I usually spend time in the water. Surfing, rafting, boating.”

“You surf?” she asks with wide, hopeful eyes.

“A little. I’m not great since I don’t get a chance to get to the ocean much during the season.

But I keep trying. It’s a lot faster to drive to the mountains from here.

Sometimes, when I’m bored, I’ll hop in the car, head up to the Blue Ridge Parkway, and drive until I feel like stopping.

I’ve hiked in all the main touristy places within a few hours of here. Grandfather Mountain, Blowing Rock.”

Bree leans closer, obviously interested as I name famous landmarks in North Carolina’s part of the Appalachians. “I haven’t even looked at going to the mountains here yet. Are those places cool?”

“Yeah. The trails are probably easier than you’re used to, but you gotta do it while you’re here. And Blowing Rock has the whole star-crossed-lovers legend behind it.”

“What legend?”