Romance The Ice-Breaker

This is usually the spot where I mention who the story is dedicated to, or who requested the story featuring whichever player and team. However, this time, this story is all for me. He's my favorite player on my favorite team and that's all there is to it.

One funny point to share first... I started writing this story early in January and there's one game I mention the actual score of (Flames vs. Hurricanes on Feb. 3). I wrote the score and outcome before they ever played the game. Then they go and win, 4-1. How crazy is that? LOL, I just had to share with everyone.

Oh, and one more thing... this is a romantic story involving someone who happens to play hockey. If you're not interested in either topic - you know who you are - then don't read any further. Wouldn't want to injure your eyes with another sub-genre romance.


Easy... easy. Hold your speed. OK... now!

Shiff, shiff... scrape... crunch... Boom!!

The crowd leapt to its feet as Alex Perdue soared into the Edmonton Oilers forward, sandwiching him between Alex's shoulder and the boards. The glass rocked and groaned above them. Alex caught a glimpse of fiery red jerseys beyond the glass before spinning and skating after the puck. The Oiler slumped to the ground, stunned but he gamely got to his feet again. Instead of joining the scramble for the puck in the Flames zone, the Oiler headed for his bench.

Alex noted the absence of the forward with barely a glance, focusing his attention on clearing the zone. It was a frantic penalty kill and his heart was beating double time.

Here it comes, he thought as the frozen disc of rubber shot out from under his teammates' legs.

With long strides, Alex crossed the empty space. He swung his stick and lifted the puck into the air, sending it flying across the ice to the Oilers' zone. As he skated for the bench, he glanced up at the big screen, grinning when he saw the last three seconds of the Oilers' power play count down. Several of his teammates jumped over the boards, and the Flames were back to full strength.

Alex watched the action on ice as he reached for the water bottle, dousing his neck and then swallowing generous mouthfuls before setting it down again.

"Good PK, Alex," one of his teammates said from his right.

Leaning his head forward, Alex grinned at Max Tournet. Alex didn't get a lot of time on penalty kills; that honor went to the more experienced defensemen. Over the course of the season, Coach had started throwing him in there more often. He must be doing something right and he wasn't about to sit it out.

Alex had always been a competitor, up for any challenge.

There was another five minutes of play left in the second period and the Flames and Oilers were tied with a goal apiece. The pace was furious, as it always was with the Battle of Alberta. The fans were more intense during the Flames-Oilers games and half the time, the crowd was almost evenly split between Edmonton and Calgary fans. It certainly made things more interesting.

By the time the teams headed into their locker rooms for the second intermission, Alex and the rest of the team felt confident of their success.

"Perdy!" one of the assistant coaches hollered as the team filtered into their locker room.

Alex jerked his head up and nodded when the other man waved him over. He hobbled over on his skates, towering over the coach. At 6'2" without his skates, Alex became downright monstrous when he suited up for games. "What's up?" he asked.

"You're up for the 'Favorite Flame' tomorrow night before the game," the assistant coach told him. "Make sure you come in early enough."

The Favorite Flame contest was run by one of the local newspapers and all season long, each player had had their turn as the grand prize, so to speak, of the draw. Each winner of the weekly contest got tickets to a game, as well as a meet-and-greet with a player, their favorite player. Apparently this week was Alex's turn. He flushed as the coach told him the deal, even as he nodded along.

He'd never been the kind of guy to flourish in the limelight. He was more of a behind the scenes player, leaving his flashier teammates to soak up most of the attention. Perhaps that was why he made such a good defenseman; he hung back and stepped up to make a hit or set up a play only when it was required.

"I can be here early, no problem," Alex assured the assistant coach before returning to his spot on the benches.

"All right, everyone listen up!" the head coach barked as he walked into the room.

The intermission flew by and soon they were all heading back out to the ice. The last period was as fast and physical as the first two and in the end, the Flames prevailed.

Alex was exhausted by the time he got home. He collapsed on the couch and flicked on his TV after making himself comfortable. Of course, this late at night, there wasn't much on but he didn't usually last long, even after such a tense game.

Some of the guys had suggested going out for drinks after the win but with another game the very next night, it didn't seem like a smart idea. Alex declined the invitation, knowing that even though they'd beaten their provincial rivals, they had a long way to go before making the playoffs. It was still early February and all the talk was about trades. After trades, all the talk would turn to the playoffs and the final push for positioning.

With a sigh, Alex rolled over and shut off the TV. He took himself to bed and fell asleep, dreaming of crunching hits and shaking plexiglass.

"Why the hell do you think I'd want to go?" Kaitlyn Walker asked her cousin, and best friend, Joel.

"Because you love me and want to see a live game?" Joel replied.

They were on opposite sides of the bar inside the restaurant lounge he bartended at. He was working and she'd come in for a drink after her horrific shift at the bookstore across the parking lot.

"I'm not Jules," Kaitlyn replied with an eye roll, referring to their friend, Julia. Julia was working on the night in question, otherwise Kaitlyn was more than certain their friend would be suiting up in her red jersey before Joel had even finished asking. She sipped her drink and brushed a strand of dark hair out of her eyes. "I'm the one who doesn't care about hockey." Her sharp tone drew a few curious looks - and one hostile one - from the patrons nearby.

"And you call yourself a Canadian," Joel grumbled, tucking the nozzle for soda water back under the counter as he finished mixing a drink. He turned and moved a few steps away to deposit the finished drink on the counter for the waitress waiting there. He came back a minute later and gave Kaitlyn a searching look.

"What?" she demanded.

"You're working too much," he told her.

"I'm the manager," Kaitlyn replied. "If I don't do it, no one else will."

It was Joel's turn to roll his eyes. He leaned his hands on the bar and smiled at his cousin. "So take a break. Come to the game with me tomorrow night and meet one of the Flames."

Kaitlyn huffed out an annoyed sigh and glared at Joel. "Which Flame?" As if that will make a difference, she added silently. Sure, she was Canadian, born and raised in the prairies where hockey was just a part of everyday life. She'd watched her brothers and cousins play hockey for years and had even skated a frozen pond a time or two herself. As an adult, she no longer had any real desire to watch, listen or even discuss hockey. There was no specific point in her life when she'd lost interest. It was more like she'd grown out of it and no longer understood the obsession.

"It's Alex Perdue," Joel told her.

She wrinkled her nose and gave him a blank stare. "Who the hell is Alex Perdue?"

"He's a defenseman," Joel explained. "Third line."

"And that's supposed to mean something to me?"

"God, stop being such a crotchety bitch and just say you'll come to the game with me," Joel said with a heavy sigh.

"Oh wow, when you talk sweet like that, it makes me want to agree," Kaitlyn snapped back, in no mood for Joel's humor.

"I'm sorry for calling you a bitch," Joel apologized. "Even though you are," he added under his breath.

"I'm sorry you're an asshole, but what can you do?" Kaitlyn replied, waving a hand dismissively in his direction. Neither of them meant what they said; name calling was a part of their rapport and nothing so little as weak insults would ever come between them. They were family, after all.

Joel laughed and grabbed her hand, giving her fingers a squeeze. "Come out with me. I'll buy you a couple drinks, you can get an autograph and then I'll even drive you home."

Sighing, Kaitlyn looked into her cousin's brown eyes and gave up. He was obviously determined to take her to this game, whether she wanted to or not. "Fine, but I want an ice cream, too."

"All right!" Joel exclaimed and yanked her close to kiss her noisily on the cheek. "You'll have a great time, wait and see!"

"I don't know about that," Kaitlyn replied, laughing as Joel kissed her again. "If I have ice cream and a Molson, I'll be on the right track."

"I'll make sure you can't see straight by the end of the night."

She laughed and shook her head, sitting back on her stool. "Don't get carried away."

Joel just winked at her and moved away to fill a few more orders, leaving Kaitlyn alone at the bar. She propped her chin in her hand and stared mindlessly at the television screens hanging over the bar. Sportscentre was on and the highlights from last night's games were playing. Kaitlyn watched without really paying attention.

Now that Joel had convinced her to go out tomorrow night, she was already planning her workload for game day and the day following. The book store was short-handed and she'd been covering a lot of the vacant shifts. Mostly, she felt like she was helping and other days, like today, she just felt like a chicken running around with its head cut off.

Maybe it will be good to go to the game and have a night off, she thought and absentmindedly sipped her drink.

She stayed at the bar for another half hour, until Joel got busy. Before she left, she promised to call him the next day so they could meet up before the game.

At home, alone in her apartment, she shuffled around in her slippers, putting in a load of laundry and washing the dishes from her breakfast. By the time she settled down on her couch with a book, she could barely keep her eyes open.

Joel expects me to stay awake until midnight tomorrow? she thought with a jaw-cracking yawn.

She gave the page in front of her another try and gave up in five minutes. Yawning again, she tossed the book aside and went to bed.

The following night she pasted a smile on her face as she walked beside Joel from the train station to the Saddledome. The crowd was thick around them; it was half an hour before the puck dropped. Kaitlyn kept her thoughts to herself, putting on a happy face for her cousin. She could tell how excited he was to be there. He was spouting facts and statistics and making a prediction for the outcome of the game.

Kaitlyn couldn't bring herself to ruin his mood, however much she wished she was somewhere else. She'd had another harrowing day at the bookstore and just wanted to have a hot bubble bath. However, she'd made a promise and Joel was her best friend. She'd at least make an effort.

"When are you supposed to meet the player?" she asked as they moved along the walkway. The night air was crisp and Kaitlyn shivered, pulling the collar of her jacket up higher around her neck.

"Uh, now?" Joel replied, glancing at his watch.

"Joel!" Kaitlyn laughed and shoved her shoulder into his. "You're late for the big meeting? They might pass you over for someone who's on time."

Joel shook his head with a grin. "They won't do that."

Kaitlyn just rolled her eyes and picked up her pace. "Why didn't you say something? We could have left right away." She'd come over to the bar to meet Joel after her shift was done and he'd served her dinner before they left. Now that she knew they were supposed to have arrived early, she felt bad for causing them to be late.

"It's all right," Joel replied and slung his arm over her shoulders. She was shorter than him by several inches, being five-foot-three to his five-foot-ten. He used the arm around her to propel her forward a bit faster, making her laugh as she scrambled to keep up. "You needed to eat. I know you hadn't eaten since the morning."

"What? You have a video camera in my apartment or something? You're a spy now?"

"No. I just know you. You work too hard."

"I do what needs to be done," she replied. She always did. Like dropping out of college when money had become an issue for her parents, or sacrificing her European vacation to stay home with her mother as she went through chemotherapy. It was never something she thought about, it wasn't a conscious decision each time to take on the extra burden. She just did it.

"Well, tonight you don't need to do anything, Kait," Joel told her and gave her an extra squeeze before reaching for the door to the Saddledome. He held it open as she walked through. "I'll fetch your beer and ice cream all night."

Rolling her eyes, Kaitlyn took the ticket from him and they made their way to the inner arena. The crowd inside was thicker, milling in every direction. The concession lines were several bodies deep and workers shouted over the din, selling programs and 50/50 tickets. Kaitlyn stuck her hand in Joel's as he weaved his way through the crowd.

"Do you even know where we have to go?" Kaitlyn asked when they paused near a restroom.

"The lady on the phone told me to find customer service and then someone would escort me to the locker room," Joel replied, looking around.

"Customer service was way back where we first came in," Kaitlyn said with a laugh. "Before they took our tickets."

Joel glanced down at her. "I thought that was just the box office."

Shrugging, Kaitlyn looked around as well. She'd only been to the Saddledome a handful of times and never for a Flames game. Eventually they found their way around and located someone in customer service. Sure enough, an usher appeared to take them below the main concourse.

"You'll have about ten minutes with Mr. Perdue," the usher, an older, bald man, explained as he led them down a set of stairs. "If you'd been here earlier, you could have had more time."

Joel smiled sheepishly back at him and Kaitlyn smothered her laughter with one hand. Joel poked her teasingly in the ribs as they reached the lower level.

Down below all the action of concourse, it was quieter, but no less busy. Arena employees and team staff moved everywhere. Voices rose and orders were shouted back and forth. Kaitlyn stuck close to Joel's side as the usher continued to lead them through the hall.

"Here we are," the usher announced, coming to a stop. "Here are your guests, Alex."

Kaitlyn looked up - and up, and up - into the friendly, smiling face of a hockey player in full gear. "Oh wow," she breathed and blushed when his dark eyes flashed to her face.

"Hi, I'm Alex Perdue," the player said, extending one hand towards them.

"I'm Joel Sanderson," Joel said and shook Alex's hand. "This is my cousin, Kaitlyn Walker."

"Pleased to meet you," Alex said and held his hand towards Kaitlyn.

Timidly, Kaitlyn shook his hand, amazed at how it encompassed her fingers. She couldn't get over how big he was. Sure, he was wearing his skates and his full gear but he was positively intimidating.

"I'm supposed to ask why I'm your favorite Flame," Alex said to Joel, a wide smile spreading across his face, dimples appearing in each cheek.

"Oh, that's embarrassing," Joel replied with a laugh. "Do I have to?"

"I'd like to hear it," Alex told him. "As long as it's not something like, 'he's no one else's favorite so this way I get free tickets.'"

Joel laughed and shook his head. "That's not it, trust me."

As the two men chatted, Kaitlyn took the opportunity to study Alex. She guessed that he must be over six feet - without his skates - and without his gear, he was looked still a big guy. Kaitlyn knew enough to know that hockey players were generally large guys; except, of course, for Theo Fleury. He'd been an exception, the only one Kaitlyn could recall from her teenage years in Alberta. Alex had a friendly, open smile and those dimples were definitely appealing. His hair was dark and messed up from wearing a helmet during the warm-up skate. His eyes were a grey-green hazel color, surrounded by dark, thick lashes that most women would kill for. When he spoke, it was with a deep voice and a thick Newfoundland accent that Kaitlyn found incredibly appealing.

His eyes came back to her face after a few minutes and he grinned. "Are you a Flames fan, too?"

Kaitlyn opened her mouth to respond but her cousin beat her to it.

"She's a closet Flames fan," Joel replied.

Kaitlyn narrowed her eyes at Joel, who smirked back at her. Alex chuckled and nodded.

"Don't worry," he said. "I'm not offended. If we start playing the way we want to play, then you can come out."

Kaitlyn flushed at his choice of words. "Joel is joking. I've never been a huge fan of any team, not since I was a kid."

"Who did you cheer for as a kid?"

"The Jets," she replied and smiled.

Alex's eyes widened. He was clearly surprised by her response. "Wow. You must have been born there, then."

"How'd you guess?"

"Only natives of Winnipeg still talk about the Jets," Alex replied. "Don't tell me that you cheer for Phoenix now?"

Kaitlyn laughed and shook her head. "I refuse to cheer for a team in a city that doesn't even have naturally occurring ice."

"Calgary has its own troubles producing ice sometimes," Alex commented and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I can't believe how warm it was in January. I think most frozen ponds ended up melting halfway through the month."

"I think so, too," Kaitlyn agreed. It had been an unusually warm winter so far, with temperatures above freezing for weeks at a time. It made it difficult for community associations to maintain their outdoor rinks.

"So you're going to cheer for the Flames tonight, right?" Alex asked, his dimples appearing again.

Kaitlyn couldn't help but smile back at him. He was so friendly, not at all the arrogant, flashy athlete she'd assumed they all were. "I'll try. You going to give me something to cheer about?" Wait a second, she thought, feeling heat suffuse her face. Am I flirting?

"I'll damn sure try," Alex replied and drew himself up to his full height, towering over her and Joel.

"Then I guess I will cheer for you," she replied. You, she repeated silently.

"Perdy!" someone called from behind them.

Alex glanced over to see one of the assistant coaches waving at him. "Oh, I guess I'd better get back to the team."

"Thanks for doing this, man," Joel said, shaking his hand again.

"No problem," Alex replied, shaking his head. "It's always nice to know there are some real fans out there." As he said this, he glanced at Kaitlyn and winked.

She laughed and shook his hand, this time taking an extra moment to appreciate how his palm warmed against hers.

"I'll do my best, Kaitlyn, to give you something to cheer for." Alex said, his accent clipping the first syllable of her name. She found she liked the way her name sounded coming from his mouth.

"I'll be watching," she replied with a grin.

He gave her fingers one more squeeze before letting her hand go. With a grin and a wave, he ambled along the rubber carpet, disappearing into the locker room a minute later. Joel and Kaitlyn watched him go before turning to follow the usher up to the concourse.

"Are you glad you got to meet your favorite Flame?" Kaitlyn asked as they settled into their seats a short while later.

"It was great," Joel answered with a grin. "Are you?"

"Well, he wasn't my favorite, but it was nice to meet him." Was it ever, she added silently.

She gazed around her, taking in their surroundings and smiled. They were low in the second tier, row six, and just behind the players' benches. The arena was mostly filled with spectators now and almost as soon as she made herself comfortable, the lights went out. Her eyes went to the jumbotron overhead and she watched the intro video. As the video finished, the players filed out of the tunnels behind the benches, skating onto the ice.

Kaitlyn watched, caught up in the cheers in spite of herself. Her eyes automatically sought out the big black number seven, finding him sailing smoothly around the ice.

"Who are they playing tonight anyway?" she asked Joel as the lights came up and the singer came out to perform the national anthem.

"Carolina," Joel replied and cupped his hands to his mouth as he whistled.

Kaitlyn laughed and clapped her hands.

It didn't take her long to get into the game. It brought up vague memories of attending games in Winnipeg as a child before her family had moved away. She'd forgotten what it was like to sit in a full arena, the draft brushing her face as the players raced back and forth on the ice. The 'C of Red' was loud tonight and she couldn't control her reactions as she watched the Flames battle the visiting team. She tried to locate Alex several times but ended up distracted by the on-ice action. By the first intermission, she was exhausted.

"I think I need a coffee," she said around a yawn, making her cousin laugh.

During the final two periods of the game, Kaitlyn forgot about being tired and was once again caught up in the excitement. The Flames won, 4-1, and she was hoarse by the time they made their way to the train station.

"Did you have a good time?" Joel asked her.

"I did," she replied, smiling up at him. "I really did. Thanks for taking me."

"I knew you'd have fun. You need to relax more."

Kaitlyn rolled her eyes. He was always telling her to relax and have more fun. She didn't think she was built that way. Fun wasn't part of her daily routine anymore.

Alex was amazed he didn't just fall over on the ice when he skated out before the start of the game. He hadn't expected to meet a gorgeous woman before the game and it had thrown him for a loop. Whenever he'd come off the ice, he'd found himself looking through the nearby crowd, searching for soft brown hair and shining green eyes, which was an absolutely useless exercise. He'd done his best during the game to not make a complete fool of himself. He recalled his words to Kaitlyn before the game and had tried to give her something to cheer about. In the end, he wasn't sure if he had but at least the team had won.

Doesn't matter anyway, he told himself as he showered. It's not like I'm ever going to see her again.

Days later, on a road trip to sunny Florida, he still couldn't get her out of his mind. He played his games, the thought always in the back of his mind, wondering if she was watching on TV. Of course, he had no way of finding that out. The thought bothered him night after night. By the time they were back in Calgary for the last two games before the Winter Olympics break, he was exhausted.

Thank God we have a two week break, he thought as he let himself into his quiet, empty house the night he arrived home.

Practices would continue but they wouldn't be traveling every few days or playing a game every other night. The schedule had been grueling for the past month and he was sure they weren't the only team feeling it.

He set his bags down in the bedroom and wandered back out to turn on the TV. It wasn't very late, only just past seven and as he flipped through several channels, he realized there wasn't anything on that he wanted to watch. So he tossed the remote aside and stared at the blank screen.

I don't have practice in the morning, he told himself. I could go out for a drink.

There was a restaurant with a decent lounge just a few minutes from his house. He'd been there a few times during the season, and liked the service, and the fact that no one ever knew he was a Flame. Either that, or they just left him alone if they did.

A short while later, he was sliding onto a stool at the bar in the restaurant lounge. It was quiet tonight, a Wednesday, and the dinner rush was over for the evening. He sat there for a few minutes before the bartender made his way over.

"Hey!" the bartender exclaimed, drawing Alex's attention away from the screens showing the Oilers-Kings game. "You're Alex Perdue!"

Alex smiled at the bartender, who looked vaguely familiar. "Yeah, that's right. Do I know you?"

"We met at the game last week," he said. "I'm Joel. I won the 'Favorite Flame' contest."

"Right. I remember you now. You work here?"

"Yeah, I've been here for a few years. You come in here a lot?"

Alex shook his head. "Not a lot. Most nights I'm either playing or just too tired."

Joel chuckled and nodded. "I can understand that. What can I get you to drink?"

"You got Keith's?"

"Sure do." Joel walked away and returned with a bottle of Alexander Keith's. "You want anything else? The full menu is available in the lounge."

Alex waved the food off. He didn't want to eat so late at night. "I'm fine with this."

"Joel!"

Both men turned to see a woman come running into the lounge. Alex's eyes popped wide open and he gaped as she whipped her toque off.

Oh man, he thought. It's her!

"Joel, you won't believe the day I've had!" she exclaimed, hurrying to the bar and all but throwing herself onto a stool.

"Easy, Kaitlyn," Joel laughed and waved a hand at her in a 'calm down' gesture. "Tell me what you want to drink and I'll let you tell me all about it."

"I can't drink now," Kaitlyn replied as she unraveled her scarf. She glanced at Alex, who was still gaping, and turned back to Joel. "The regional manager came in today and we had a meeting. She told me that I've been doing such a great job and our store is bringing in more revenue than the next three closest stores."

"That's awesome, Kait!" Joel said.

"I'm not finished! She also said because we were doing so well, she authorized me to hire three new people so I won't have to work sixty hour weeks anymore."

Alex was transfixed as she talked about her day. He'd thought she was pretty when they'd first met, but now she was positively stunning. Her cheeks were flushed - either from excitement or the cold air outside - and her eyes were shining, reflecting the lights above the bar. Her hair was messy, flattened where she'd been wearing her toque and flailing around her shoulders from the static electricity. He found himself smiling and was caught checking her out when she turned to look at him.

"Do I know you?" she asked. Her tone wasn't sharp; she sounded more curious, and Alex indulged himself by believing that she sounded interested.

"Alex Perdue," he answered and shifted closer; there were two bar stools separating them but he didn't want to move right next to her. No sense in looking overeager, he told himself. "We met at the Saddledome last week."

She blinked, her dark lashes catching Alex's attention. Then a smile spread across her face and it was she who moved over two stools so they were now sitting right next to each other. Alex told himself to remain calm but his body had a mind of its own; his heart increased its beats per minute and he felt warmth settle low in his abdomen. Another few minutes of her smiling so prettily at him, and he'd have a hard time hiding his erection.

"I remember," she said. "Joel dragged me to the game that night."

"Dragged?" Joel protested. "I didn't drag you. You offered!"

Her head snapped around and she narrowed her eyes playfully at her cousin. "Liar! You couldn't find anyone else to go with you!"

Alex winced and Kaitlyn turned back to him. "Sorry," she said. "That wasn't a dig."

Alex shrugged it off, smiling weakly at her. He knew as well as the next person that the Flames hadn't exactly been in top form over the past month. It would come as no surprise if people started turning tickets away.

"Kait, you gotta let me get you a drink," Joel said, leaning over the bar and clasping Kaitlyn's hand. "You need to celebrate."

She turned to look at him, a laugh falling from her full lips and Alex swallowed with some difficulty. "Celebrate? It's hardly something I need to celebrate. I just get to hire more employees."

"So you don't have to kill yourself working anymore," Joel reminded her, his face serious.

Alex assumed, from what he'd heard them say to each other so far, that Kaitlyn worked most of her waking hours. That's impressive, and kind of sad, he thought, taking another pull of beer from the bottle in his hand. He looked over Kaitlyn's profile, noting for the first time the lines around her eyes and mouth, the darkness under her eyes, and the sag to her shoulders. No one should have to work so many hours in a week, he thought, feeling inordinately protective of her.

"I'll get you something good, Kait," Joel said and patted her hand once before releasing her.

As he strode away, Kaitlyn turned her face back to Alex with a shy smile. "I didn't think I'd ever see you again," she said, her tone friendly. "I hope there's not a game on that you're skipping."

Alex chuckled and shook his head. "No. I'd never miss a game. Even when we're doing terribly, I love to play."

"That's good," Kaitlyn replied. "That you love what you do so much."

"You don't love your job?"

Her eyebrows lifted and she smirked. "Love is a strong word. I'd say it's a good enough job for now."

"What would you rather be doing?"

This time she laughed, sounding a little breathless. Alex felt the blood draining from his head and heading south. Still, he tried to focus on what she was saying. "Isn't that a loaded question?" she said and smiled at him. "I'd rather be lying on a beach, or dancing in the rain, or browsing through the books in a store, instead of wondering why they're misplaced. Sometimes I wish I was in university again, sitting in a lecture hall or even writing a paper."

Alex lifted his eyebrows in surprise. He hadn't been expecting all that for his simple question but he was glad that she'd shared.

She met his eyes and flushed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said all that."

"Why not? I asked."

"But I... that was all... it was too much information."

He chuckled and sipped his beer, keeping his eyes on her face. She looked embarrassed and he supposed most women went with the general rule of not talking too much about themselves with a new guy. It wasn't like they were on a date. "As long as you weren't telling me things you normally only tell your girlfriends, it's fine."

She blinked and laughed at his words as Joel returned with a fruity purple drink for his cousin. With a grin, she thanked him and watched him head off to help another customer at the corner of the bar.

"So, do you come here often?" she asked with a smirk as she lifted the straw of her drink to her mouth. She took a sip and cringed, smacking her lips together. "Good God almighty, that's sweet."

Alex laughed at her expression. "Looks sweet. Is it your favorite?"

"Hardly," Kaitlyn replied and set the glass down on the bar. "More like Joel's favorite joke. I'm more of a Keith's girl myself."

Alex held up his bottle. "Me too. Well, not a Keith's girl, of course."

"Of course." As she spoke, her eyes dropped to his hands and then leisurely traveled back up to his face. He felt thoroughly scrutinized by the time their eyes met again. "Not a girl."

"Nope."

For a second, neither of them said anything. If asked to describe what was happening, and if he was feeling poetic, Alex would say there were sparks.

"So really," she broke the silence. "Do you come here a lot? I don't think I've ever seen you in here."

"You come here that often?" Alex asked, shifting his position to hide the bulge in his pants. "Maybe you'd just never notice a hockey player."

"A hockey player, maybe not," she agreed and tossed a smile his way. "But a behemoth like yourself, I would."

"Behemoth? I'll have you know I work out five times a week and have a very physically demanding job."

"It shows."

Her words, coupled with the look she cast down his body again, had Alex clenching his teeth and willfully turning his thoughts to old men in Speedos. Calm the hell down, man, he told himself. She's going to think you're a pervert. "Well, good, then." It was all he could think to say out loud.

He was rewarded with her bright laughter. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I come here most days after I'm done at the bookstore," she told him and pointed out the windows that faced the large parking lot. The restaurant shared the lot with several other businesses; Kaitlyn's bookstore, a theater, a small pizza joint, and a few other shops. "That one there. When Joel's working, I'll come and sometimes eat dinner here."

"Late dinner," Alex replied, glancing at his watch.

"Well, I don't keep regular hours. I eat and sleep when I can."

"Sounds rough."

"It can be." She paused and gave him a silent look, lifting her purple drink to her lips again for a second try. "I don't think you want to listen to me whine about my work."

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Because you've got a game tomorrow night and can't stay out late enough to hear it all."

Alex grinned and downed the last of his beer. "I thought you weren't interested in hockey?"

"I'm not," she replied with a nonchalant shrug.

Leaning close, Alex spoke in a low voice. "Then how is it you know about my game tomorrow night?"

He watched her back stiffen and the color rise from her throat to her cheek. She met his gaze and her lips parted as they sat there, breathing each other's air. Alex wanted very badly to kiss her and would have if he could be sure she wouldn't sock him in the jaw. Now that he knew where to find her, he could be patient.

"Are you working tomorrow night?" he asked, not moving back. He might be patient but he was also greedy. He wanted to inhale more of her feminine scent before going home alone.

"T-tomorrow?" she echoed, sounding confused. She shook her head and frowned. "Uh... no, I don't, for a change. I work the early part of the day and that's it."

"Maybe you can meet me for a drink after the game then."

Her eyes widened. "OK."

Alex drew back, surprised. However much he'd managed to fantasize about this in the past several minutes, he'd never thought she'd agree, or so quickly. "OK."

Now she was smiling. "What time?"

"I should be done about ten-thirty, maybe eleven."

"You expect me to wait up that late just for a drink with you?" she asked, a playful smile teasing her lips.

Alex quirked a smile at her and leaned in again. "You want more? I can offer more than just a drink," he told her.

Her responding intake of breath had him clenching his jaw. They exchanged phone numbers and agreed on a place to meet after the game. Then he straightened, sliding off his stool. As he moved a step away from her, he smiled and held his hand out. She shook his hand, still looking a little stunned.

"So I'll see you tomorrow night?" he asked, not all that surprised when his voice came out thicker than anticipated.

She smiled and nodded, not speaking.

"See you tomorrow," he said. As he walked away, he hoped no one noticed how funny he was walking in an effort to conceal his arousal.

Kaitlyn told herself later that she'd just been imagining the sparks between her and Alex. She went home that night after running into him at the lounge and got ready for bed, but she was unable to shake the image of Alex's hazel eyes. He'd been so big next to her, and his voice was so deep, she could still feel the vibrations. Pushing it out of her mind, she went to sleep.

Plenty of time to freak out over meeting him tomorrow, she told herself before drifting off.

The next day at work, she was mostly useless. She restocked the same shelf three times before passing the job off to someone else, and barricading herself in the office for the rest of her shift. She tried to focus instead on writing out a job posting, which she sent off to the local newspapers and posted on the website. After that, she double checked the schedule for the rest of the weekend and went home on time for the first time in her life.

When she got home, she wasn't sure what to do with herself. Normally she'd be so exhausted at the end of a shift that she'd just fall into bed and sleep. Now, it wasn't even four in the afternoon and she didn't have anywhere to be until ten thirty that evening.

Shower? she thought as she paced past her bathroom. Then she stopped and walked into the small bathroom with a grin on her face.

It had been a long time since she'd had free time like this and even longer since she'd last indulged in a bath.

Far too long, she thought as she twisted the taps on. Baths in the middle of the day were a luxury she hadn't let herself enjoy for longer than she could remember. So she got the water good and hot, poured in an inordinate amount of scented bubble bath and stripped down. The water soothed her nerves and she relaxed against her bath pillow with a contented sigh.

All too soon, the water cooled and she got out, smiling at her wrinkled reflection in the mirror. Then she wandered into her bedroom to find something to wear. She was standing before her closet in her bra and panties, finger stressfully tracing her bottom lip, when the phone rang. She hurried across the room to scoop it up from her nightstand.

"Hello?"

"Kait, what are you doing?" Joel asked, sounding almost panicked.

She laughed. "I'm at home getting dressed. Why?"

"You're at home?" Now he sounded confused.

"Yeah, I worked early today. What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just can't believe... you worked the early shift? And you didn't stay late?"

Rolling her eyes, Kaitlyn carried her phone back over to her closet. As she spoke to her cousin, she yanked out a pair of dark jeans that she'd always thought made her butt look good. "No, I didn't work late, which is why I didn't come to the restaurant for dinner."

"You should have called me. I was worried."

"I'm sorry, dad, but I was under the impression I was an adult and didn't need to check in."

"Don't give me any attitude, missy. I'll start charging you for your dinners."

"Pfft," Kaitlyn scoffed as she yanked the jeans over her hips and fastened the button at her waist. "Idle threats."

A pause. Kaitlyn looked down at the phone, thinking Joel had hung up on her. "Joel?"

"I'm here. You sound different."

"Do I? Maybe it's because I had a bath this afternoon."

Joel laughed. "Oh my. One early shift and you turn into a lady of leisure?"

"Hardly. I just had some time to kill before I go-" Kaitlyn stopped herself short. She hadn't told Joel about her date with Alex and still wasn't sure if she wanted to share. She should have known better to even mention it; Joel latched onto her cut-off sentence and starting grilling her.

"Where are you going?" he demanded, cackling like he'd just discovered a pot of gold. "Is he someone I know? What are you wearing?"

Kaitlyn couldn't help but laugh as she turned to face her closet again. She had the bottoms done, but needed a top now. "I don't know what to wear," was all she said in response to Joel.

"Hmm, if you give me some details, I could help."​