Page 4 of Not in the Plans (London Lightning #1)

Chapter Four

OLIVIA

W hy is there light waking me up? Did I not shut the lights off last night? Or forget to close the curtains? Shifting to try and find the source of what’s waking me up, I’m met with a hard body.

Oh my God.

Tag.

One arm is thrown over his eyes, another resting on his abs. The sheet covering him leaves very little to the imagination.

I still can’t believe I did this. I don’t regret it for one second. The number of times this man made me come is more than I ever have in my life.

The men before him were adequate at best.

Tag? He is on a whole different level. Not that it’s one I can keep up. I don’t do this, and now that the cold light of day is seeping in through the window, I need to leave and get back to real life.

A man like Tag is not real life.

Real life is facing the consequences of my actions at work .

Slipping out of bed, I cover myself with a stray pillow and shuffle into the kitchen to grab my skirt and blouse. My bra is lying on top of the pile.

“Crap. Where are my panties?”

I get dressed as best I can before wandering back into the bedroom.

Tag stirs. Shit. The last thing I want is to have to talk to him this morning. This is a one-night thing only. Even if I’d like for him to make me come again and again.

I spot the soft pink cotton of my underwear and grab them before he can wake up and stop me from leaving.

Bolting from the room, I grab my heels, shove the offending clothing item into my Mulberry bag, and am out the door.

I glance at my phone as I quietly close the door behind me, and it’s blowing up with messages. A light rain is falling as I hail a taxi to take me back to my place.

Imogen

Did you make it home safely?

Sienna

Check in, Liv!

Sienna

How was Tag?

Imogen

We need deets, Liv!

Imogen

Liiiivy!

Imogen

Where are you, darling?

Sienna

Maybe she’s still with him

Imogen

Nothing like morning sex

Sienna

Sigh

Sienna

Now I wish I got some last night

Olivia

Would you two quit talking?

Imogen

She’s alive!

Sienna

Blink twice if you need us to rescue you

Sienna

Does that mean you’re safe?

Sienna

Your status is unclear

Imogen

Obviously she is safe

Imogen

And annoyed with us

You are correct

I have to get to work

Imogen

I thought you were getting fired

Sienna

She doesn’t know that yet

I’m almost home

selfie in cab

I will give you details later

Imogen

Yes!

Imogen

We want them all

I meant about my job

Imogen

And I meant about the man

He has a name

Imogen

Hopefully you were screaming it last night

Sienna

Stop it

Sienna

You’re making her blush

Am not!

Imogen

You totally are

Imogen

But go to work

Sienna

We’ll see you later, Liv

Sienna

It’s going to be okay

I hope so

Imogen

At least you went out in style

Back to ignoring you now

I tap my phone on the card reader before stuffing it into my purse.

Rushing out the door, I head straight to my flat.

I don’t have much time to shower and change before work.

I start my coffee pot as I take the fastest shower I’ve ever taken.

I’m already running behind. Not being at home made me not have an alarm to wake up to.

By the time I finish getting ready, I’m only twenty minutes late. I’m thankful my flat is so close to the rink. Being late when I might get fired?

Not your best moment, Olivia.

Only a few people are buzzing around the front offices by the time I make it in. Our receptionist waves hello to me. I smile at her, ducking into my office. If I stay here all day, maybe no one will come looking to fire me.

The morning goes by in the blink of an eye. I ignore checking my email for trade deadline information. Blissful ignorance, right?

Except as I’m leaving for lunch, I run right into my manager, Joe.

“Olivia. The new coach arrived this morning and we have some last-minute forms for him to complete. Mind running them over to him to get signed?”

“Erm, okay.”

“Everything alright?” he asks, looking confused.

“No, I’m fine, Joe. Nothing else that you need to discuss with me?”

So much for not pointing out my error. Although, I don’t know if I could sit and deal with the stress of waiting for the other shoe to drop.

He quirks a brow at me. “No. I appreciate you getting the trade paperwork ready. Willis is going to be a fine addition to the team.”

“What? I tried to file it last night and it said the deadline had passed.”

“I got an email this morning that there was a glitch with the portal, but it’s working now.”

I nod. “Right.”

He smiles at me. “Hopefully it didn’t cause you any undue stress.”

“It’s fine. I’ll get that paperwork filed today.”

“Great. Thanks for taking care of it, Olivia.”

“That’s alright.” I wave him off even though it really wasn’t alright—more like panic-inducing and causing a string of bad decisions, but I don’t need to let my boss know that. Taking the stack of papers from him, I stand from my desk. “I’ll take these down now.”

“Thanks.” He gives me a warm smile before turning on his heel to leave. “And hey, if he needs help with anything getting settled in the city, make sure he’s taken care of.”

“I will.” I head down the hall toward the coaches’ offices. My nerves are a jumbled mess inside of me.

I’d been preparing for the worst. I thought I would be unceremoniously fired and escorted from the building by security.

Instead, I’m heading into the coaches’ offices to get paperwork signed. Not the worst way to be spending this morning.

“Hey, Olivia,” Danica, the coaching assistant, greets me as I walk into the offices.

“Hi. I’m looking for”—I run my finger over the paperwork, looking for our new coach’s name—“Stanley Easton.”

“He’s back in the office. You know the way.”

“Thank you.” I smile at her, heading between the shared workspace toward the back of the offices. I recognize a few people down here, am friendly with them, but I don’t make a point to socialize with people from the office.

Finding the correct door, with a brand-new name placard on the front, I knock.

“Come in.”

“Am I interrupting—” Peeking my head inside, my jaw hits the floor.

There is no way this is happening. There is no way that the man sitting in front of me is the man I went home with last night.

Tag.

My legs wobble. I cross the short distance in the small room and drop down into a vacant seat. I clutch the papers to my chest like they’re the only lifeline I have.

I slept with our coach.

“Alfie, would you give us a minute?” His eyes stay locked on mine.

If only the ground would open me up and swallow me whole.

“Everything okay?” he asks.

“Perfectly fine.”

I do my best to ignore the assistant coach as he gets up and leaves the office. I have no issue with him. It’s the man that has a grin that would make the Cheshire cat proud.

“Well, isn’t this a surprise.” Tag leans back in his desk chair, crossing his arms over his chest.

His very well-defined, muscular chest. One that I spent the night exploring.

Don’t go there, Olivia .

“You said your name was Tag!” I hiss. It’s the first thing that comes to mind.

Is it possible to die of embarrassment? Because I think I’m about ready to take my last breath.

This is why I never do anything impulsive.

Sleeping with a man that I had one conversation with before I suggested we go back to his place? I never do that.

And he just so happens to be the new coach of the hockey team that employs both of us.

Maybe no one will talk about this in my eulogy.

Oh, who am I kidding? Imogen would love it.

Died of embarrassment after having a one-night stand with the hockey coach.

“I go by Tag. It’s a nickname. Stanley is too stuffy for me.”

I scoff. “You should have given your real name. I feel like you lied to get me to sleep with you.”

Tag stands, coming around the desk to stand in front of me. The papers in my hand are still clutched tight to my chest. He drops his hands on the arms of my chair. When he leans in towards me, he is overwhelming.

The scent of his cologne.

The flex of his jaw.

His gaze staring down into mine.

Heat racks my body. No man has ever made me feel like this. Adequate, maybe, but not like I want him to devour me again.

“Make no mistake, Olivia. You approached me. You asked to come home with me. If you want to lie to yourself, by all means, go right ahead. But I know whose name you were screaming last night.”

Warmth blooms in my cheeks. I should not be thinking about how he made me feel.

I have never felt so good in my life. So satisfied. If Tag is half as good at coaching as he is at giving orgasms, I’d say the Lightning are going to turn things around.

“What are you thinking?” Tag grasps my chin and pulls my gaze back to his.

“I need you to sign these papers.”

His eyes dart down toward my chest before looking back up. “That’s what’s causing this pretty little flush all over your face?”

I nod, doing my best to fight the reaction I’m having to him.

“Yes.”

He grins. “I don’t believe you.”

I stand, pushing him out of my space. “I don’t care if you believe me or not. I’m here for business purposes.”

Tag leans back, resting his perfect arse against the edge of the desk.

“As opposed to last night.”

“You can’t say things like that,” I whisper.

“Like I didn’t think I’d see you again because you snuck out of my apartment like a thief in the night?”

“Flat,” I correct.

That earns me a smirk. Tag—Stanley—is still hovering over me. I can’t decide if I want to push him away or pull him closer.

All I know is, I need to get out of this cramped space before I do something stupid. I thrust the papers at his chest.

“Sign these.”

I scurry out of his office like the coward that I am. I don’t stop until I’m safely in my office with the door shut. The last thing I need is for anyone to come in here while I look like the cat that ate the canary.

Tag is our new head coach. The man I slept with. There is no way I’m going to be able to talk myself through this. Pulling out my phone, I message the two people who will.

Olivia

Free for dinner tonight?

Sienna

I have a date tonight, sorry!

Imogen

I can meet

Imogen

Everything okay?

Sienna

Did you get fired?

No

But the man I slept with last night is the new coach of the Lightning

Imogen

He is not! Omg! I cannot believe you slept with the coach

Imogen

How did you not know it was him?

Because I’ve never seen him before now!

Sienna

Reservation for three at seven at The Ivy Asia. Don’t be late

What happened to your date?

Sienna

This is way more important