Romance The Ice-Breaker

Kaitlyn rolled her eyes and reached out to flip through some of her colorful blouses. "You're not gay, Joel, or even a metrosexual. What makes you think you could help me pick out an outfit?"

"Isn't that what best friends are supposed to help with?" Joel asked, not sounding wounded in the least.

"Best girlfriends," Kaitlyn replied. "It's no big deal. I'm just going to a bar downtown. I'll just wear my red sweater."

"A bar downtown? Which one?"

"Do you think my red sweater will make me look too pasty at this time of year?" Kaitlyn again ignored Joel's pointed questions. She turned to face her full length mirror, holding the wine-colored turtleneck sweater up to her chest. Then she shook her head; too dark, she thought.

In her ear, Joel groaned in frustration. "Kaitlyn, come on!" he pleaded. "Give me something to go on here."

She giggled, enjoying torturing her cousin. "Am I not allowed to have any secrets?"

"Not from me!"

"Joel, you don't tell me who you go out with every weekend. Why do I have to tell you about my dates?"

"Because you don't date," he replied. "This is a rare occasion and I'm curious."

"You're nosy," Kaitlyn countered and flipped through a few more of her shirts. Nothing I have is nice enough, she thought, chewing on the inside of her cheek.

"Only because I care," Joel said. "If you don't tell me everything, Kait, I'll just come over and hang out until he picks you up."

Kaitlyn laughed, because she knew her cousin would do exactly that. "He's not picking me up. We're meeting downtown."

"Ah-ha!" he exclaimed and Kaitlyn could picture him shooting a finger into the air in a 'eureka' gesture. "So you are going out with a guy."

Laughing, Kaitlyn conceded the point. "I'm still not going to tell you anything." Joel fell silent and Kaitlyn could practically hear the wheels in his head spinning. "You're not going to follow me, either," she said, earning a mischievous chuckle from her cousin.

"All right," he agreed. "I'll let this go this time, Kait. If you have a good time tonight, you have to come to the bar tomorrow and tell me everything. Maybe bring your date along, too."

Kaitlyn laughed at his suggestion, cutting herself off before she could say there was a good chance her date would come to the bar anyway. "Well, thanks for the fun chat, Joel, but I still have to decide on something to wear."

"Wear your new shirt," he said.

"What new shirt?" Kaitlyn asked with a frown, her eyes going over her hangers again. "That one Jules made me buy?"

"Yeah. It looked great on you."

"I don't know," Kaitlyn replied, reaching for the shirt in question. "It's got short sleeves."

"Good. Show as much skin as you can."

Kaitlyn laughed and thanked her cousin for his advice. Then they ended the call and she tossed the phone onto her bed. She held the shirt up before her. It was a soft, loose material that remarkably hid her wobbly parts, as she affectionately referred to them. It was short sleeved, just capping her shoulders, and was a dark color with bright swirling colors patterned overtop. She shrugged as she stared down at it.

One is as good as another, I suppose, she told herself and pulled it off the hanger.

A short while later, she was downstairs, munching on a light dinner, killing more time before she left. She tried to find the game on TV but it wasn't being shown on any local channels. So she gave up and watched a drama until she felt she couldn't sit still anymore. At around nine, she left, telling herself she'd need time to get downtown and find parking.

Alex couldn't believe how fast he showered and changed following their game against Dallas. The other guys raised their eyebrows at him and when he sat down by his locker to pull his socks and shoes on, one of his teammates sat down next to him. Barely glancing in Eric's direction, Alex continued to pull his shoes on.

"What's the rush, Perdy?" Eric asked nonchalantly, rubbing a towel over his shaved head. "Hot date?"

Alex couldn't stop the grin from spreading across his face and he didn't mind at all when Eric hooted with laughter at his expression.

"Oh, man. Is she hot?" Eric asked in a loud voice, drawing the attention of a few other teammates.

"Perdy's got a date?" Brian asked. "What's her name?"

"I bet she's a Newfie!" Craig added, sidling up on Alex's other side.

Alex straightened, still grinning. He met his teammates' curious stares with a shrug. "What makes you think I'll tell you guys anything?"

"Because if you don't, we'll kick your ass," Brian replied with a wicked grin. Brian was the team's resident enforcer and currently led the league in fight minutes. A dubious distinction, but something he was definitely well known for.

Alex met Brian's steady gaze but shook his head. "I'm not telling you guys anything. Wouldn't want to jinx myself."

This drew more laughter from his teammates.

"Perdy doesn't want us to jinx his chances of getting laid tonight," Eric laughed and looked around at the others standing nearby.

Alex shook his head again. He wasn't worried about jinxing his chances for that. He knew if he laid it on thick enough, he could most likely get Kaitlyn to go home with him. However, he didn't want to rush things. For whatever reason, he was more than willing to take his time getting to know her. Of course, his raging hormones might affect his decision-making abilities later, but he'd deal with that as it came.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow morning," he said and pushed his way through his teammates.

They continued to razz him until the locker room door closed behind him. He greeted a few lingering reporters with a smile but when no one asked to speak with him, he moved past them. He hurried to the player's parking lot and got into his vehicle, his blood already roaring in his ears at the thought of meeting up with Kaitlyn. As he waited for his car to warm up, he checked his cell phone for messages, just to make sure she hadn't cancelled at the last minute. There were no calls, so he headed out of the Saddledome parking lot with a grin on his face.

Finding parking near The Rose and Crown on 15th Avenue was tricky. It was a Thursday night but since the game had just ended a lot of bars in the area were busy. Alex circled the blocks near the bar for a few minutes before locating a spot. He pulled in and forced himself to keep from sprinting to the old-fashioned three-story funeral home that had been converted to a bar.

Inside, the crowd was thick, colored by many Flames jerseys. Alex ducked his head, hoping he wouldn't be recognized. He kept his eyes peeled for Kaitlyn's familiar face and when he didn't find her on the first floor, he hurried up to the second floor. It was a little quieter up there and he found her sitting in one of the big easy chairs by a fireplace.

"Kaitlyn," he breathed, hurrying over to her. When he stopped by her chair, she looked up, startled.

"Oh, Alex," she gasped and smiled. "You scared me."

"Sorry about that," he replied and leaned down to kiss her on the cheek before he lost his nerve. It was impulsive, and possibly a big mistake, because as soon as he inhaled her sweet, feminine scent, all his blood pounded through his veins to settle in his groin. She froze as his lips brushed her cheek but she didn't pull away and, as Alex sat in the chair across from her, he saw the pale blush in her cheeks.

"How was the game?" she asked.

Alex glanced around as he pulled his jacket off. He didn't know if the bar had been showing the game or not, and maybe she'd just arrived and missed the final score. "We lost, 3-1."

"I'm sorry," she replied and offered him a small smile. "You must be upset."

He was, but he tried not to let it get to him. It would be great to win on their home ice but they'd struggled with that all season. "How long have you been here?"

"About a half hour," she replied and glanced at her watch. "Oh wow, I can't remember the last time I was out this late."

Alex chuckled. It was just past ten-thirty. "I'm not keeping you up past your bedtime, am I?"

She grinned. "You are, but that's all right. Joel tells me all the time that I need to get out more, have more fun."

"Then I'm just glad I could help," he replied. Just then, the waitress stopped by their table and Alex ordered a beer. "She'll take another of what she's having, as well," he added, indicating the bottle in Kaitlyn's hand.

"Oh, I don't know..." she hesitated, glancing at her nearly empty bottle of Big Rock Traditional. "I have to drive myself home later."

Alex grinned and waved her off. "If you need to, I'll buy you a cab ride home."

Kaitlyn's eyebrows shot up and she smirked. "Well, all right then, Mr. Moneybags."

Chuckling, Alex relaxed back in the easy chair and looked around. "This is a great place," he commented. "Have you been here before?"

"Once, a while back for my friend Julia's eighteenth birthday," Kaitlyn replied, following his gaze. The building had originally been a funeral home, before being converted to a bar in the mid-eighties. The owners of the bar had maintained as much of the original structure and style as they could, wanting to keep the old-fashioned look.

"Where did you spend your eighteenth birthday?" Alex asked, smiling at Kaitlyn.

She met his smile with a grin. "Is that your subtle way of asking how old I am?"

"No one ever accused me of being subtle," Alex replied with a laugh. "If you want to share, I won't stop you."

It was her turn to laugh. "I think I've already shared too much with you, remember?"

"Of course," he agreed. "We can't go to a beach right now, and it's definitely not raining." He paused, considering and leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. "We could hit a bookstore so you can browse, if you want. Although, at this time, they must all be closed."

She didn't respond right away and Alex watched as she drew her bottom lip between her teeth to chew delicately on it. He swallowed around the sudden thickness in his throat and kept from reaching for her. Don't rush, he reminded himself. There's no need to rush.

"I can't believe you remember all that," she murmured at last, smiling shyly at him.

"Why wouldn't I?"

She shrugged, picking at the label on her beer bottle. "Guys aren't exactly the greatest listeners, and I was just some strange woman in the bar that night."

"You're not strange," he replied with a grin.

He was rewarded with her bright laugh and straightened, feeling like he'd just won the lottery. The waitress returned with their drinks and Alex paid for them, rather than starting a tab. If the urge to carry her home came over him, he didn't want to have to wait to clear the bill.

"So how was your day?" he asked.

"It was... strange."

He lifted his eyebrows as he took a long pull from his bottle. "Strange? Why do you say that?"

"Well, I'm used to running around like crazy, trying to take care of everything, and then working an extra two or three hours, too," she replied and looked up with a smile. "It's just a bookstore but I guess I'm a bit of a workaholic."

"No, you're not. You're just someone who likes to have things done right."

"That's a polite way of putting it."

"It's the truth, isn't it?"

She laughed and shook her head. "You don't even know me!"

"Well, that's why we're here, right?"

She met his eyes and nodded. They fell silent for a moment, just staring at each other as the orange glow from the fire beside them cast flickering shadows over their faces. Alex studied her, taking in the way her wavy brown hair brushed her shoulder every time she moved. Her eyes were dark inside the dim bar, but still sparkled as the fire lit her from one side. She looked comfortable and relaxed in her seat. Her arms were bare and he saw goosebumps rise on her skin.

"Are you cold?" he asked, surprised when his voice came out hoarse.

She lifted her eyes to meet his gaze and blinked. Alex swallowed as he watched her, unconsciously leaning closer. As he moved, she lifted the bottle to her lips and downed the last two-thirds of her beer in one big swallow. Alex's eyes widened and he smiled as he watched her catch her breath.

"Do you want to stay here?" she asked.

"I... what?" he stammered, caught off guard.

She flushed but didn't look away from his eyes. "I... uh, I don't... I mean, we don't... have to stay here... if you... want to go." She spoke hesitantly and Alex could hear the underlying question.

"We can leave," he replied. "Where do you want to go?"

She shrugged and put a hand to her cheek. "I don't know," she breathed and shook her head. "Do you have to be up early tomorrow?"

Another unexpected question. Alex grinned at her and downed the remainder of his beer. "Not very early."

She watched him swallow and bit her lower lip again, making Alex choke back a groan. "Are you being purposefully vague?" she asked.

"Not purposefully," he answered and stood up. He pulled his jacket on swiftly and reached a hand out to help her to her feet. "I was trying to be a gentleman and leave the choice up to you."

"What choice?" she asked as she set her little hand in his.

He closed his fingers over hers and lifted her up beside him. She didn't move back and Alex could feel her body brush against his as she shifted on her feet.

"I don't think I need to say it, do I?" he asked, his voice husky.

She shook her head, not taking her eyes from his face. Grinning down at her, Alex released her fingers and reached around her to grab her jacket from the back of her chair. As he pulled it over her arms, Kaitlyn gazed up at him.

"How about you follow me to my place?" she suggested and Alex nodded solemnly. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "You're being vague again."

He chuckled and closed his hands on her arms, leaning down so their faces were close together. "I would love to come to your place, Kaitlyn," he told her in a low voice, pleased when her eyelashes fluttered nervously. "Is that clear enough for you?"

She nodded and moved past him, leading the way downstairs and out of the pub.

Kaitlyn had plenty of time to second guess herself on the drive to her apartment. Every time she looked in her rearview mirror and saw the headlights tailing her vehicle, she got a wicked fluttering sensation in her stomach.

I'm going to pass out before he even kisses me, she thought and a nervous laugh bubbled out of her mouth.

She clamped her lips together and ordered herself to focus on the road and the other vehicles around her. In another few minutes, she pulled into the parking lot of her apartment building and stood near the main entrance, waiting for Alex to park and follow her.

"I thought I'd lost you," she said as he walked up to her.

He chuckled, the deep sound doing strange things to her body. "I didn't take my eyes off you for a second."

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "That's dangerous," she murmured, tipping her head back to look into his face when he stopped right next to her. Lord almighty, is he tall! she thought. Turning, she unlocked the door and led the way inside.

The elevator ride was quiet and Kaitlyn chewed her bottom lip nervously. She couldn't remember the last time she'd brought a guy home. The more she thought about it, the more she realized she couldn't even remember the last real date she'd had. A self-conscious blush covered her cheeks and she scowled at the murky reflection on the elevator doors before they parted.

"Your floor?" Alex asked when she made no move to walk off.

Glancing around, Kaitlyn nodded and walked down the hall to her apartment, Alex's heavy tread close behind her.

"Is everything all right?" Alex asked as she unlocked her door and brought him inside.

"Sure, why?" she replied, not looking at him. She moved into her apartment, taking her coat and shoes off, and leading the way to the living room.

Alex followed, gazing around curiously. Kaitlyn glanced at him as she sat down on her couch, glad that she kept her place so tidy. I'm not home enough to mess it up, she added silently, frowning at the floor now.

"Kaitlyn, there seems to be something bothering you," Alex said, coming to sit down next to her. He gave her a friendly smile and Kaitlyn noticed that he sat apart from her, allowing no part of their bodies to touch. For some reason, it bothered her, making her feel even more self-conscious.

Maybe he's changed his mind, she thought, looking away from his face. Maybe he doesn't want to be alone with me.

Then he leaned towards her, his long arm stretching across the back of the couch behind her head. "Kaitlyn," he murmured her name in a low voice that sent a shiver up and down her spine. "What's wrong?"

She let her breath out slowly, giving him a weak smile. "Nothing," she replied.

He cocked an eyebrow at her, his full lips curving up in a smile that made her stomach flutter with renewed strength.

"I'm fine," she insisted, her voice sounding thick even to her own ears. She cleared her throat and smiled again. "I am. I just..." she paused and laughed, shaking her head. "You know, this is the first time I've been alone with a guy in this apartment?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, except for Joel but he doesn't count," she said and waved her hand dismissively.

The couch creaked and bounced under her as Alex moved closer. She looked up to find him barely a foot away now, his muscular arm sliding further behind her. She swallowed, watching Alex's face and trying to tell herself not to freak out.

You're not some eighteen-year old virgin, for crying out loud, she told herself.

"Do you want me to go?" Alex asked.

Mutely, Kaitlyn shook her head. At his answering smile, she felt the fluttering in her stomach move lower. Still, he studied her quietly, his face relaxed, his smile easy and unassuming.

"You want to watch a movie?" he asked.

Kaitlyn let her breath out, not even aware until then that she'd been holding it in. She wrenched her gaze away from his face and looked at her TV, with the small stand full of DVD's next to it. A movie, she thought. That's good. I can do a movie. If something else happens... well... the thought trailed off and she managed to nod at Alex's question.

He rose from the couch and crouched in front of her movie collection. Kaitlyn smiled, wondering what his reaction would be to the multitude of 'chick flicks.' She was a big fan, mostly because they were excellent for taking her mind off of work. She had a few fun action movies but preferred romantic comedies. Standing up, she moved across the room to stand beside him.

"You can pick," she told him.

He glanced up at her and grinned. "Wow, thanks," he replied with a touch of sarcasm that made her grin back at him. "Looks like my options are kind of limited. It's a toss-up between The Lake House and Just Like Heaven."

"Oh, those are good ones," she said and clapped her hands. She laughed at his expression, feeling her tension ease away. I can do this, she thought and watched him run his fingers over the titles. He might not even be thinking about the same thing as me.

Yeah, right, was her mind's own sarcastic response.

"OK, this one looks the least feminine," Alex announced, straightening to his full height with a movie in hand.

Kaitlyn grinned at his choice of words as she took the movie from him. "Troy," she read aloud and nodded approvingly. "One of my favorites." She glanced at her movie collection before grinning up at Alex. "I think you found the one movie that's not a romantic comedy."

He rolled his eyes and exhaled in relief. "Thank God," he muttered and chuckled as she swatted his arm playfully.

"The only reason I have this movie is because of the rippling abs and enormous biceps on the men," Kaitlyn couldn't help adding.

Alex groaned and covered his face with one hand. "Can I change my mind?"

"Nope."

The tension in the room had decreased and Kaitlyn felt much more at ease as she popped the disc into her DVD player. "You want something to drink? Or eat? Do you eat after games?"

Alex glanced at his watch and shook his head. "It's too late for me to eat, but I'll have something to drink. What have you got?"

Kaitlyn walked into her kitchen and called out the options to Alex, who waited in the living room. He decided on an iced tea and Kaitlyn poured a glass for herself as well. Then they settled together on the couch and watched Agamemnon agree to go to war with Troy for his brother.

Kaitlyn wasn't sure at what point she felt Alex's arm descend on her shoulders. She leaned into him, forgetting her nerves from earlier. His body was warm under her cheek and against her arm and she felt her eyes growing heavy. Alex shifted against her again and his other hand came up to lightly stroke her arm. She shivered and closed her eyes when he did it again. It was such a soothing, warm touch that Kaitlyn fell asleep just as Achilles was refusing to join the Trojan War.

When she first opened her eyes, Kaitlyn didn't feel that anything was different. Quite the contrary; she rolled over and shut her alarm off, then rubbed the sleep from her eyes just like she did every morning. As she lay back against her pillows, she let the memories of her date with Alex sweep over her.

Then bolted upright as she recalled him coming home with her.

It all came rushing back then; the drinks at The Rose and Crown, the anxiousness about being alone with him in her apartment, the movie he chose...

Oh God, she thought, feeling humiliation sweep over her. I fell asleep on him! That thought was followed swiftly with, how the hell did I end up in bed?

As she pondered it, the toilet in the washroom across the hall flushed and she froze.

"Oh my God," she breathed and stared at her closed bedroom door. Is he still here?

Since there was no way to avoid the confrontation, Kaitlyn rose, grateful that she was still in her clothes, albeit slightly more wrinkled than the night before. She crept to her door and pressed her ear against it, trying to listen for Alex. It was quiet, except for what sounded like the drip of her coffee maker.

Well, he's just made himself right at home, she thought and smiled.

Drawing in a fortifying breath, she opened the door and shot across the hall to the washroom. When she stepped back out a few minutes later - hair and teeth freshly brushed, and her clothes straightened - she heard the TV on. She walked down the hall and found Alex reclining comfortably on her couch.

With no shirt on.

She stared slack-jawed at him for a moment, forgetting to say anything, let alone 'good morning,' or 'what are you doing here?'

"Morning, gorgeous," he drawled in his Newfoundland accent, smiling widely at her.

Lifting a hand to her somewhat neat hair, she smiled weakly at him. Her eyes flicked back to his broad chest before she looked into his face. He was grinning at her, a knowing glint in his eyes.

"Sleep well?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered, surprised that it was the truth. She hadn't slept so well since her Christmas break. "You?"

"Not bad," he told her and glanced ruefully at her couch. "This couch isn't long enough for me."

Kaitlyn giggled. "No, I guess not."

"I didn't think of that that when I conked out last night," he said, bringing his eyes back to hers.

"Uh, yeah, about that..." she started and stopped, gnawing on a fingernail. "I'm... a little... confused."

Alex arched an eyebrow at her in question, his eyes still glinting wickedly at her. Good Lord, she thought, looking away. He has got to put a shirt on. "How did I get to bed?" she blurted.

"I carried you in there when you fell asleep on my arm," he explained.

"Oh." That's all she could manage.

"I considered changing you into your pajamas, but I didn't know how you'd react in the morning," he added and she blushed at the thought of him doing that.

"Yeah. Thanks for that," she replied. "Why did you stay?"

His smile dimmed and she wondered if she'd sounded too sharp. "I wanted to watch the rest of the movie but I fell asleep before the end. When I woke up again, it was three in the morning or something, so I just figured I'd been here that long already, I might as well stay until morning."

Kaitlyn nodded. It sounded perfectly reasonable. She wished his answer was something more along the lines of, 'I just wanted to be near you,' but she figured that was asking for too much at this point. "You found the coffee?" she asked instead.

"Yeah. Is that all right?"

"Of course," she agreed and turned to walk into the kitchen. It was the simplest way to get her eyes off his muscular chest. "I can't do much in the mornings without my coffee."

"I never used to drink coffee," Alex replied, following her into the kitchen. Thankfully, when she turned, he was pulling a shirt over his head. "Not until I came to Calgary."

"What, they don't have coffee in Newfoundland?" she asked, feeling more comfortable now that he was dressed.

He chuckled and shook his head, moving with her around the kitchen as she pulled out a couple coffee mugs, along with the cream and sugar. "I just never had a taste for it until I moved out here, that's all."

"It's definitely an acquired taste," Kaitlyn agreed. "I didn't start drinking it until I spent a few nights with my mom in the hospital. Then there was no choice but to drink it to stay up." She laughed as she finished speaking. She turned to see Alex studying her silently. "What?"

"Your mom... was in the hospital?" he asked, looking embarrassed about his curiosity.

Kaitlyn hadn't realized she'd mentioned it until he spoke and then she was the embarrassed one for oversharing, again. She smiled and nodded. "Yeah, a few years ago. She went through treatment for ovarian cancer."

"That's..." he hesitated and blew a breath out.

Kaitlyn rescued him from having to say anything; she knew how awkward it could be for some people to talk about it. "It was rough, yes, and difficult to accept with for a long while." She smiled and reached for the fresh brewed coffee. "She's in remission now and has been feeling good ever since."

"That's great, Kaitlyn," he said, sounding relieved.

"It is," she agreed and changed the subject. "Here's yours." She handed him a mug and watched him add his cream and sugar. She moved over after he walked back out to the living room and added her own fixings.

"What time do you have to work today?" he asked as they sat down on the couch together.

"Not until ten," she said and glanced at the clock on her wall. It was just past eight, plenty of time for her to shower and get dressed before having to leave. "Don't you have practice?"

He smiled sheepishly at her. "I overslept. I already called and said I'd be missing it today."

"Alex!" she admonished with a laugh. "Are you allowed to do that?"

"No. I'm not a senior player or anything and Coach wasn't impressed." He looked away and Kaitlyn thought she saw some color fill his cheeks. "I think the guys might have told him what I was doing."

Now it was Kaitlyn who blushed and looked away. She didn't want to think about the locker room talk if Alex had told his teammates about their date. She cleared her throat and took a sip of her coffee, burning the tip of her tongue.

"I'll leave after I finish the coffee," he assured her with a smile as he faced her again. "I don't want to get in your way."

She shrugged, the wild fluttering in her stomach starting up again. "I don't mind if you hang out for a bit. Since you're not working today, apparently." This she said with an arched eyebrow at him and he laughed.

"I'll go down there later, get in some practice on my own," he told her.

"Well, since you're here, maybe you should make breakfast while I take a shower," she suggested, meeting his gaze. That was a mistake. At her words, his eyes darkened and the muscles in his jaw worked. The fluttery sensation in her gut intensified and she swallowed her next sip of coffee with some difficulty. "I mean, if you want breakfast," she added weakly.

He nodded, not taking his eyes off her face. She felt very hot all of a sudden, and extremely uncomfortable. Jumping up, she hurried to the kitchen and dumped the remainder of her coffee down the sink. Turning, she jumped again when she saw Alex closing the distance between them from the kitchen doorway.

"Alex, I-" she started to speak but Alex stopped her.

He grabbed her by the hips and lowered his mouth to hers, swallowing her gasp of surprise. His tongue was strong as it slipped between her lips but she didn't mind his enthusiasm. She put her hands against his broad chest, shivering when she felt his muscles flex beneath her palms. Then, as quickly as he'd taken hold of her, he pulled away, breathing hard as he looked into her eyes.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, though his smile told her he was anything but. "I've been thinking about doing that since I met you."

She laughed and shook her head, her thoughts swimming aimlessly. "No, you haven't."

"It's true!" he protested and kissed her again, softer this time. "I never lie. Ask my teammates."

She rolled her eyes but decided to give in on this point. "Well, I'm glad you got it out of the way then," she told him, keeping her tone playful. She smiled impishly when his eyes darkened. Carefully, she stepped out of his embrace and drew in a shaky breath. "I've got to shower. Make yourself useful." She waved her hand vaguely in the direction of the fridge and stove.

"You were serious?" he said, sounding bewildered.

Laughing, Kaitlyn nodded as she walked around him to head to the bathroom.

"You want me to stay for breakfast?"

"Why not?"

His handsome face split into a wide grin and Kaitlyn laughed again to hide her body's immediate reaction. She ducked out of the kitchen and vowed to spend as much time as it took in a cold shower to rid herself of these stomach flutters.

In spite of his excitement over being able to spend more time with Kaitlyn, Alex was less assured of his abilities to produce a decent breakfast. He stared into her fridge for a long while, chewing on his bottom lip.

"Can't go wrong with eggs and toast," he muttered to himself and scooped the egg carton out of the fridge.

He hadn't meant to invite himself to stay the night at Kaitlyn's place. He'd just been so comfortable with her relaxed against him on the couch as they watched the movie last night. Her hair had been so soft on his arm and she smelled so fantastic that he couldn't help but hold her close. Then, just as he'd reached up to cup her face and kiss her, she'd drifted off. He didn't even have the strength to be annoyed. Her breath on his face was warm and soft, and her face was so beautiful as she relaxed, that he was bewitched.

He'd let her sleep against him for a few minutes before deciding to move her to her bedroom. She hadn't moved or even blinked as he placed her in bed and drew the covers up around her body. He'd intended to watch the end of the movie, since he hadn't watched Troy in a while. Then he'd fallen asleep, her scent on that couch all around him.

He smiled as he recalled waking up in her living room. It had been disorienting at first, to say the least. He'd used the washroom and then indulged himself by peeking in on Kaitlyn. She didn't stir as he stood in the open doorway to her bedroom, watching her sleep. Her breathing was deep and even, and Alex had had to fight the urge to climb into bed with her. Somehow, he didn't think she'd appreciate the move. So he'd returned to the living room, stripped down to his boxers and slept with a knitted blanket covering him, her scent lending another dimension to his dreams.

Now, he couldn't believe she'd let him kiss her and still wanted him around for breakfast. The sound of water running reached his ears and he froze in the middle of her kitchen, eggs in one hand, butter in the other. He allowed himself to fantasize for a minute about her naked body underneath the hot spray of water. Then he swore under his breath and ordered his lower extremities to behave.

By the time Kaitlyn joined him in the kitchen again, Alex had himself back under control and was busy with scrambled eggs and hash browns.

"Smells great," Kaitlyn said as she walked into the kitchen.

Startled, Alex dropped the spatula and whirled around to face her. She laughed at his expression and moved closer, picking up the dirty spatula.

"You're lucky I have more than one," she scolded, her green eyes dancing.

Alex responded with a grin and tried to pull her close. She danced out of his reach and moved away with another laugh.

"I'll get you eventually," he growled in a mock menacing tone.

They chatted comfortably as he finished making everything and then sat together at her little kitchen table. When they finished, Alex noticed the time and felt genuinely sorry that they had to leave. It was almost nine-thirty and Kaitlyn had said she needed to work at ten.

"I'm glad you came to meet me last night," he told her as he pulled his socks and shoes on.

She straightened from doing up her own shoes and smiled at him. "Me too," she agreed.

"I have another game tomorrow night," he said as he pulled his jacket on. "But then I'm off for two weeks."

"Two weeks?" Kaitlyn exclaimed. "I didn't think you guys got holidays like that in the middle of the season."

"We don't, but the Olympics start today," he said.

"Oh, right. I forgot all about those."

"Easy enough to do if you work twelve hours every day of the week," he replied with raised eyebrows.

She blinked at him and smiled weakly. "Well, I'm trying to slow down."

Alex felt like an ass as soon as he heard her apologetic tone. He reached for her, grateful when she didn't move away from him. Bending low to meet her eyes, he kissed her, watching her green irises disappear behind widening pupils. He kissed her again, adding a teasing stroke of his tongue before pulling away.

"Tease," she grumbled when he released her.

Alex laughed, truly enjoying this playful side of her. He waited as she gathered her purse and keys and then they stepped into the hallway outside her apartment. They walked together downstairs to the parking lot, remaining silent. At the front door to the building, Alex pulled her close again, sealing his lips over hers.

Every time he touched her, it got easier. He felt her relax a little faster this time and savored her sweet sigh. He swept his tongue into her mouth, toying with her and tasting every bit of her. He hadn't intended to take the kiss so deep but she was warm against his mouth and she made a little sound that had him growing hard inside his pants.

"Oh my," she murmured, looking up at him with a dazed look on her face.

Grinning, Alex gave her another quick kiss before holding the door open for her. He walked her to her car, grinning from ear-to-ear as she allowed him to keep his arm around her shoulders. As she bent to unlock the car, Alex watched her, drinking in the sight of how she moved and brushed hair from her pale cheek. As she straightened, he couldn't help himself; he stepped close and backed her against her car to kiss her again.

She squeaked in his embrace this time and he pulled back.

"What?" he asked, worried he'd inadvertently hurt her.

Smiling, she glanced down at her car. "The car is freezing!"

Laughing, Alex turned them around and leaned his own backside against her car. She laughed with him and willingly bent into his embrace when he drew her against him. He cupped her cheek in his hand and kissed her, sliding his tongue into her mouth. She met his questing stroke with her own, her tongue sliding sensuously around his. He stifled a groan and squeezed his arms around her. Opening one hand, he stroked her side and moved lower, under the thick layer of her winter coat, until he felt the warm silk of her skin.

She jerked against him at the contact, breaking their kiss. Alex allowed her a single moment before closing his mouth on hers again. She clung to him, curling her fingers around the front of his coat and lifting herself onto her toes to kiss him back. Alex flattened his palm against her smooth back, running his thumb over her skin in circles. She moaned and licked the underside of his tongue with hers.

With a groan, Alex tore his mouth away, moving his hand lower to hold her just where her bottom curved from the small of her back. God help him, every part of her was too sexy.

"I should go," he said, his voice husky with desire.

She smiled and bit her lower lip. He stroked his thumb over her cheek, smiling when he noticed the color in her face.

"I should get to work, too," she agreed.

"So can I call you?"

She laughed and shook her head. Alex found himself holding his breath, never more afraid in his life than that moment, that she might reject him.

"You'd better," she told him and pulled his head down to her for another hot kiss. "I don't plan to stay up late tomorrow night for nothing."

Laughing, Alex kissed her again before reluctantly stepping away. He opened her car door for her and waved before walking to his own vehicle. He didn't bother turning the heat on right away. Instead, he sat in the frigid car, letting the cold air calm his body down. He hadn't reacted this way to a woman in a long time.

He liked it.​