Page 42 of Crush
Chapter 14
Shea
We ended the season on a good note, grabbing the 'W' in an overtime thriller. We left the ice in good spirits, and after our showers, we left the dressing room in our suits and ties.
“See you boys at the gala,” I said.
I drove home and left the Bentley idling in the driveway. It was time to pick up my date. I stepped into a quiet house—the kids were at their mom's for the weekend.
Come to think of it, it was the first time Brynn and I were truly 'home alone' together.
“Brynn?” I called. “You ready?”
She answered not with words, but with the sound of her heelsclickingandclackingon the hardwood hallway. I turned on my heels and, with a smile, waited to watch her entrance.
The second I laid my eyes on her, I felt my guts twist and turn.
Brynn strutted towards me, wearing a ruby red décolleté dress made of a fabric that flounced and swayed with her body, playfully exaggerating her elegant walk.
“Brynn,” I whispered under my breath.
I'd never seen her in anything but her 'work' clothes—I'd certainly never seen her look likethis.Her small but firm breasts bounced with her step. The feminine swell of her stomach showed through the slinky fabric of her dress, begging for my eyes. A knot thickened in my throat as my eyes wandered down her long, toned legs.
She's stunning. More than I even realized.
She stopped in front of me. I couldn't help but stare into her glittering eyes. “Brynn. Wow. You look gorgeous.”
“Oh, stop,” she demurred, with a Sphinx's smile on her lips that was both lovelyandhaunting at the same time.
“Ready?” I asked her.
She nodded, and I took her hand.
I walked her out to the Bentley, the engine quietly purring as it waited for us in the driveway. I went to the passenger side and opened the door for her.
“Oh Shea,” she laughed softly as she climbed in. “You didn't have to do that.”
“No, but I want to,” I said as I gently shut the door.
I walked around the back of the car with a huge smile on my face. I was thinking about the time I'd tried to give Brynn a ride home in this car after our interview, and how she'd turned me down. Never in a million years did I think we'd be doing something likethistogether.
I climbed in on the driver side and stole a glimpse of Brynn's profile. She looked like a princess in that dress, with her hair up and a sparkling sapphire pendant hanging from her golden necklace.
I was sure I'd never seen a more beautiful girl in my life. But I had to shake my head and remind myself of something.
She's only going as your friend. Don't forget that fact and make this weird.
“Thanks again for agreeing to go to this thing,” I said as I put the car in gear and drove off. “I know it's probably not the way you want to spend your Friday night.”
She smiled politely. “Oh, stop. I'm sure it'll be fun.”
“Just a word of warning, though. My teammates are immature idiots. I say that lovingly. Just don't take anything they say seriously.”
She chuckled quietly. “Noted.”
The ride was quiet. The atmosphere was nottense, but not quite comfortable, either. We came to a red light and the silence was deafening.
I looked at her. “Hey, is everything okay?”
