Page 35

“While I have you, Beck, your season opener is next week,” Walker said. “The whole family will be at the game. We need to talk about what we’re going to do after. Should we celebrate at Musik? Or go somewhere else?”

When Walker said all, he meant my siblings.

But that didn’t mean all of them would go out after.

“Musik is easy,” I told him. “We’ll get the privacy we need. We can get Charred to deliver whatever we want food-wise. And we can reserve the whole VIP area if we need to, given that I’ll be inviting the entire team and staff.” I paused. “Eden, you’re going to come too, aren’t you?”

She quickly replied, “To the game, yes. Out, no.”

I expected her answer, but I still wanted to ask.

“Give me an estimated number of people who will be going to Musik,” Eden said. “I’ll make sure the rest is taken care of.”

“I’ll talk to the team today at practice.” I pulled into the private lot directly behind Jolie. “Speaking of which, I just arrived, so I’ve got to go.”

“Get me that number, Beck.”

I groaned, “I’m on it,” and I disconnected the call.

I pulled into the security gate, showed the guard my credentials, and headed toward the back side of the covered lot, closest to the elevator. Practice didn’t start for another thirty minutes, so there were plenty of spots available.

It was no coincidence that I chose one close to where Jolie had parked. She was in the row directly in front of me, and she was standing outside her back seat, reaching in to grab something, wearing a long dress that wasn’t nearly tight enough. She still looked achingly beautiful in green.

I got out, locked my car, and walked across the row toward hers. I was about halfway there when I saw she was struggling with whatever she was trying to take out of her back seat.

“Let me help.” Those words were my warning before I appeared at her side, moving right in, lifting the box off the seat and hauling it out.

“You … didn’t have to do that.”

“But I did.”

Her slow speech, I assumed, was because she had just realized how close we were standing. The box was tall and wide, like a piece of artwork, and it was the only thing between us. Which meant several inches of cardboard were all that separated us.

That also meant I was getting blasted by her scent, my vision overwhelmed with the sight of her face, my imagination exploding from everything I wanted to do to those goddamn lips.

Why is she so fucking beautiful?

The silence was building between us. Her stare was moving from my eyes to my lips, and with each dip, she seemed to breathe a little harder, her chest rising faster.

What are you thinking about, Jolie?

“Beck …”

“Yes.”

She rubbed her lips together and glanced away. “Why does it seem like every time I blink, you’re here—in some way or another?” Her voice was slightly above a whisper, but not by much.

I chuckled. “Trust me, I feel the same.” A memory of this morning and that raging fucking hard-on was haunting me. “What is this? Another poster of me?” My teeth skimmed my bottom lip, and I nodded toward the box. “I’m just taking up all your walls, aren’t I?”

She stared at me silently for a few seconds. “No, I?—”

“I was joking.” I smiled.

She nodded. “Of course you were.”

“Come on. I’ll carry this to your office. That’s where it’s going, isn’t it?”

“Yes, but you don’t have to?—”

“I know I don’t have to.”

I started walking and heard the sound of her Jeep lock, and she rushed to catch up to me.

“So, funny story,” she began as she reached my side. “Ginger and I ended up at Toro last night for dinner. Beck, I’ve got to say, it was amazing. We couldn’t stop raving over everything we ate.”

Our seafood and raw bar was one of our newest concepts, and it had exploded in LA, becoming one of the most popular restaurants here.

“And you didn’t tell me you were going …” I eyed her down, those red locks softening me. “I’m disappointed in you.”

She smiled. “It was girls’ night.”

“I wouldn’t have come.” I laughed. “I would have sent over a round of drinks or my favorite dish.”

“Next time.”

We reached the elevator, and the doors opened.

I nodded at the entrance. “After you.”

She stepped in and hit the button for the executive-level floor.

I stood against the back wall, holding the box against the front of me.

“Listen, since becoming the captain, I host a little get-together—or whatever you want to call it—every year after the season opener. It’s going to be at Musik, and most of the team will be there, I’m sure.

The coaches will be invited and your dad too.

You should come if you’re free. Bring Ginger if you want. ”

Her arms were folded around her stomach, and they seemed to tighten once my question lingered. “I’ll ask her, but I’m sure she’ll want to go. Thanks for the invite.”

A reply that told me Jolie was going regardless.

Interesting.

The elevator opened, and she got off first, making her way down the corridor that had a direct view of the rink. The ice had just been cleaned and smoothed out by the Zamboni, and only a few lights were on, the stands, monitors, and scoreboards completely dark.

“I love seeing the arena like this.”

She looked at me over her shoulder. “Yeah? Why?”

“I like the quiet before the storm.”

“You are the storm, Beck Weston.”

I laughed and followed her into her office. “Where do you want this?” I set it directly where she pointed and turned around to face her. “Do you need help hanging it?”

She lifted her bag off her shoulder. “No. I’m going to bribe the maintenance department to do it. Meaning I’m buying someone lunch if they say yes.”

“Jolie, if you have a hammer and a nail, I can do it for you right now.”

“You need to go stretch and get ready for practice. You’ve already done more than enough.” She smiled again, this one smaller than before. “But thank you.” She had a closet in her room, and she opened the door to put her bag inside.

I had to pass the closet on my way out. But instead of leaving, I stopped directly behind it. The placement put me only a pace away from her.

Less than a foot or so from her body.

A closeness I fucking needed.

And even though her scent was all I could smell and I’d gotten a little of the nearness I’d been craving in the parking lot, it wasn’t enough.

I needed more.

She must not have realized my new position because when she turned around, she looked startled. Even after she calmed, she was still drawing in long breaths.

My fingers clenched at my sides. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“What did you mean to do, then?”

I touched her waist. I couldn’t help myself. “I want to …” I was scanning her eyes, trying to read them. My other hand went to her hip, and I was so tempted to pull her against me.

She just felt so fucking good.

“Beck …”

I waited for her to push me away; it didn’t happen. I waited for her to tell me to back up; that didn’t happen either.

My arm lifted, my palm pressing against the wall above her head. The movement caged her in, but there was plenty of space for her to get out if she wanted to.

She clearly didn’t.

“I want to kiss you so fucking bad.” The hand that was on her waist wrapped around the back of her head, getting lost in her wild web of red hair. “Tell me you don’t want me to.”

I could feel her exhales, especially as my face got closer to hers. “I don’t want you to.”

Her eyes were saying something different.

“I don’t believe you.”

She turned silent and still didn’t wiggle her way out of my hold. “Do you have any idea what this is like for me? How hard this is? My father is the owner of this team, Beck.”

“And?”

“And—” Her voice cut off when her phone began to ring. She set her hands on my chest, holding them there, tapping my pecs, as though she was rethinking her decision or she was having second thoughts, and then she ducked under my arm and went to her desk.

“This is Jolene,” she said as she answered, her eyes on me.

The moment was over.

Her attention … lost.

Whenever she hung up, if I stuck around for that long, I wouldn’t be able to get her back to that place.

So, I left.

Jolie

I need some shots of you working out, so after today’s workout, do you mind sticking around, and the video team will snap some footage?

Me

It’s leg day. That means I’ll be extra sweaty. Do you want me to shower first?

Jolie

Please don’t.

Remember the meme of you stretching that went viral? When they see your sweat, this will have the same result.

Me

You’re using my sweat to sell our team …

Jolie

Don’t be mad at it. Our audience is going to die when they see the footage.

I wondered if she was going to die when she watched me work out. Or maybe the better question was … could I make her die?

I smiled at the thought and slipped my phone back into my pocket.

I was on the floor of the gym when Jolie walked in, the sound of her heels a dead giveaway. I was just finishing a round of abs, and as promised, there wasn’t a dry spot on my body; the last set of crunches, balancing a thirty-pound kettlebell in the air, was only adding to it.

“I’ll be done in a second,” I grunted.

“No need to rush.”

I sensed her by the incline benches, directly next to me, and a quick glance told me I was right. “Admiring the view?”

She laughed. “Asshole.”

“Well, are you?”

“I’m checking to see where the best lighting is. You happen to be in my direct line of sight.”

“Sure you are.” I sat up and placed the kettlebell on the rubber flooring, noticing that Jolie didn’t move, nor did she look away.

“I told you I was going to be sweaty.” There was a towel around my neck.

I used it to wipe my forehead, and I ran it over my hair, flattening the strands when I was done.

“Keep staring at me like that, and I’m going to think you want to lick this sweat off me. ”

Her eyes widened. “What if someone heard you say that?”

“If there was someone in here other than us, I wouldn’t have said it. But if there was someone in here, I suggest you stop looking at me that way.”

“I’m not looking at you any differently than I normally do.” She shifted her weight.

“Jolie, the expression you have right now, it’s the same one when my face is between your legs and my tongue is on its way to your pussy. Any idiot could guess what that look means.”

“Oh my God.”

“Did I make you wet?”

Her head dropped. “I simply can’t with you.”

Pleased, I stood and brought the kettlebell back to its home, a spot not far from where she was. “Where’s the film crew?”

“They’ll be here at any second.”

“Where do you want me?”

She pointed to the other side of the gym, toward the rack of free weights. “I think the lighting is best over there.”

I stretched my arms from one side to the other and then over my head. “What do you want me to do?”

“Lift, like you normally would.” She wasn’t smiling, but her eyes were.

“Any specific body part?”

Her lips finally moved into a grin. “Whichever one you think will have the biggest effect.”

“You mean whichever exercise will make the women lose it and die …”

“ Mmhmm .”

I held my hips. “When you were filming my other teammates, did you say these kinds of things to them?”

“Heck no. I just have a … different relationship with you.”

“We have a relationship now?” She went to say something, and I cut her off with, “I see we’re still rolling with the professionalism.”

She crossed her arms. “Are you kidding me? First, you try to kiss me in my office. Now you’re talking about licking me. And I’m the one who’s not rolling with the professionalism?”

“I also see you’re avoiding my question.”

Her head fell back.

And before she could answer, the door opened, and the two-person film crew walked in.

When her eyes locked with mine, I gave her my cockiest smile, and I made my way over to the free weights. My legs were toast after today’s workout. They were going to have to settle on arm exercises.

The film crew—a man and woman—came closer. The woman pointed the camera at me as I lifted the forty-pounders off the rack, and the man positioned a microphone not far from my face.

“We’re not going to ask you any questions,” the man said. “We just want to record your movements and catch any sound you make. We’re ready whenever you are.”

I didn’t look at the camera.

My focus was on Jolie as I curled the weights. But after a few reps, my grays were really sticking to me, the sweat acting like fucking glue. So, I set the weights down and peeled off my T-shirt.

Now shirtless, knowing the weight and repetition would cause a pump through my muscles, making my veins pop and my biceps bulge and my pecs tighten, I looked fucking ripped for this shoot.

And Jolie noticed because there was an instant change in her expression.

A redness spread across her face; her lips parted, like she wanted to say something or she needed them open to breathe.

Whatever the case was, she stayed silent.

I was sure that was due to the fact that we weren’t alone.

And since she was standing behind the film crew and had nothing to hide, she didn’t just watch me; she gawked.

Before I even finished a set, she was shaking her head and putting her back to me, walking to the other side of the gym.

Someone couldn’t handle what she was seeing.

Someone was fucking dying from the view.

And someone was trying to maintain the utmost professionalism.

But I saw right through her.