Gia needed to get out of her own head. She reached for a plate in the center of the table and grabbed one of the sugar cookies shaped like crosses with light blue icing with a thin white border. They were truly a work of art. Kat insisted on a dessert buffet full of cupcakes and cookies. Kris was a health food nut but if Kat wanted it, Kat got it. Her brother-in-law adored her sister.
Both of the sisters loved junk food. Gia was a nervous snacker and found herself reaching for another cookie.
Tyler pulled her next to him.
His eyes never left her as she took another bite of cookie. He bent down, covered her mouth with his and softly tasted her lips. She tried to swallow most of her cookie quickly, before Tyler's tongue swept in her mouth. Her breath quickened and just as she began to enjoy his kiss, he pulled away.
"Mmm, cookie," he whispered in her ear.
She sat there dumbfounded. What the hell? Apparently, her advances earlier weren't lost on him. She could feel the heat of his body. Maybe she could get him to take a later flight, and they could head back to her hotel room for a goodbye roll in the hay. Her girly parts tingled with the possibility.
The wait staff started collecting the plates and pouring coffee. As they made their rounds, Tyler pulled her closer. She moved his hand under the table to her thigh. Slowly she moved it towards her–
"Gia, Kat, would you ladies like a cupcake?" Tyler asked and quickly removed his hand, letting go of her as he stood up.
"That would be very nice, Ty, thanks," Kat answered as little Ian started to whimper. She picked him up out of his carrier to cuddle him.
"Let me help–" Gia stood up. For the first time since dinner, she could feel Patrick watching her again.
"No, relax, I'll be right back," Tyler said as he smiled and walked away.
Her heart raced and her palms went sweaty. She watched Tyler from across the room, inhaling deeply as she pulled her attention back to the table. She smiled and avoided eye contact with Patrick but gently flipped her hair off of her neck in his direction. One of those don't look at me, you’re a pig, but I'm still turned on kind of flirty hair flips. Her body had taken over her common sense for the moment.
"Hey Aunt G, how about you hold your nephew until Uncle Ty brings the cupcakes back?" Kat said as she handed baby Ian to Gia.
She was thankful for the distraction. Between the kiss Ty gave her and the way Patrick looked at her, her body was on fire. She needed to get her hormones in check. She took Ian from Kat and snuggled him close. The little guy was so adorable, the way he looked up at her with his big, brown Lafleur eyes. "Hey little man, who's my favorite nephew?" Gia babbled at little Ian and gently stroked his chubby little rosy cheeks. "You are, of course. My little buddy."
Gia forgot all about her libido for those few minutes. She adored this little guy. Kat was so lucky to have the whole package: love, romance, a wonderful husband and a beautiful baby. She still caught hot glances and sexy smiles between the two of them. After a year of marriage, they were still wildly in love. The last time she was at their house, she accidentally caught them making out in the kitchen. Now that was a good relationship.
The photographer approached the table while Gia made sweet talk to baby Ian. "What a picture! Gia, look over here!" He snapped a photo of her and little Ian. "Perfect, thanks."
As the photographer turned, Patrick grabbed him and whispered something to him. The photographer nodded before walking away. Gia, busy babbling to Ian, saw it out of the corner of her eye.
Tyler returned with a plate of three cupcakes. "There, one for each of the ladies." He handed the plate to each of the girls, and then handed one to Patrick. He smirked as Patrick flipped him off.
"I know you like your sweets too, buddy," Tyler nudged Kris as he tried hard to hold in a laugh.
"Just shut up and eat your fruit salad, Krissy. But you're right. I do like sweet things." Patrick smirked.
Gia's stomach flopped; she could see his smile, how he watched her dote over baby Ian. Tyler sat next to her, seemingly oblivious. While he carried on a conversation with Kris at the moment, so she turned her attention to the vanilla cupcake sitting in front of her.
"Thanks for the cupcake, Ty." She smiled up from her play with little Ian.
"Here, Gia, I'll take my little guy," Kris said as he picked up little Ian from her arms. Gia loved seeing Kris interact with Ian. There was nothing sweeter than a big hockey player melting at the sight of a little baby. "You don't like icky junk food either, do you bud? Nope, you sure don't …" Kris babbled to Ian. "He will be a health nut just like papa, you wait."
Kat laughed. "Yeah, right."
"It's that time again, huh Tyler?" Kris asked. All the guys knew Tyler went back home every August to train before camp started up. Tyler was as superstitious as they come and never swayed from his rituals. Even if it meant leaving Gia.
"Yeah, it's that time again," Tyler said, averting his eyes from Gia. Last year they had only been together about a month when he had to leave on his annual trip.
Tyler glanced over at Patrick. "My flight is later today."
Gia turned her attention to her plate and gobbled up her cupcake. She remembered last year well. It was right after Kat and Kris's wedding. She still hoped he would take a later flight and come back to her room, but that hope was quickly fading. That little moment of heat they shared had disappeared. She refused to be one of those whiney little girls who begged him to stay. His training was important, and he was too essential to the team to jeopardize that.
With her luck, she would convince him to skip it this year, and something would go terribly wrong during the season. She didn’t want to be the cause of bad luck. Athletes were serious about good luck/bad luck charms. Nope, she was not about to have that hanging over her head.
The wait staff passed out coffee and more mimosas. Gia took two, knowing Tyler would not drink his. She needed something to take her mind off Patrick.
"Easy there, sis," Kat said as Gia gulped down both of the mimosas. "Look Ian, Aunt G is turning into a lush …" Kat babbled and flashed Gia a wide, smart-ass grin.
"Funny." Gia turned around to the waitress and swiped a third drink. "Relax, sis," she sassed as Kat stared at her.
"You know I hate leaving," Tyler whispered in her ear. "I'm really going to miss you."
"I know," she whispered. His warm breath tickled her ear, and he kissed her cheek. She wished he hated leaving enough to stay. How did he trust her enough to leave again? She fought the tears back, took a breath and cleared her throat before downing another drink to maintain control of her emotions.
Only to look up right into Patrick's icy blue eyes.
"Are you going to be okay here, by yourself?" Tyler asked, breaking her away from Patrick's stare.
"Sure," she answered. She wanted to say, “No I won't be okay here by myself. I want you to stay the night with me. Please, Tyler, stay.” But she was too proud. She just smiled and nodded.
Tyler was going straight to the airport from the luncheon so Gia had decided to pamper herself tonight. She had made reservations in the hotel and thought a massage or a trip to the spa might get her mind off of Tyler. It would help shake this uncomfortable day, too. If she could keep her distance from Patrick while Tyler was gone, things would be just fine. If she stayed here, at least she wouldn't be anywhere near him. Perfect plan. She downed a third--or fourth--mimosa.
CHAPTER 4
Gia felt Tyler's arm tighten around her. She wanted to stay in Tyler's arms as long as she could.
"Hey Pat, the photographer wants to get some shots of you with Ian. C'mon." Kris picked up Ian and dragged Patrick away from the table.
Was Kris playing interference? Did he know?
"Finally," Gia mumbled, just as Tyler tilted her chin up towards him and kissed her lips lightly.
"Mmm, cupcake and mimosa." He laughed softly. "Let me get another taste." He smirked as he kissed her lips again.
"Are you sure you don't want to take a later
flight?" she mumbled. Her eyes drifted shut at the feel of his soft full lips.
But when she opened her eyes, Kris and Patrick were back. But this time Patrick’s eyes were on little Ian as they played. The luncheon was almost over, and people started to leave.
"Gia, will you be okay while we're gone?" Kat asked. Why does everyone keep asking me that? Kat and Kris were also leaving tonight for Montreal to visit with Kris's parents, who couldn't make it for the baptism.
"Yes Kat, I'll be fine. I'm a big girl now. Don't worry about me, sis," Gia said with a smile, trying to convince herself.
"All right, baby sister." Kat laughed. "You have fun spoiling yourself, okay?" She gathered up the baby's things. "You have enough money, right?"
Gia nodded, annoyed at Kat for announcing that. She did have a job. It didn't pay much, but she never asked Kat for money.
"Have some fun, okay?" Kat added in a whisper before she hurried away.
Tyler wrapped his arm around Gia's waist and led her out of the ballroom. "Hey, watch it there, cutie," he said as she stumbled a bit. "Good thing you are treating yourself to a night’s stay." He pulled her close and tilted her head up to him. "You take care while I'm gone. I mean it, sweetie. I love you." His lips brushed against hers. "You want me to walk you to your room?"
She leaned in to taste his lips, wanting him to come back to her room more than he knew. "No, babe. If you do that, you might just miss your flight…" she winked. "Scratch that, you would definitely miss your flight."
Tyler laughed. Leaning into her, his soft lips brushed against her jaw. Chills ran through her body as his voice rumbled in her ear. "I plan to take a rain check on that." He winked.
"I love you, Ty. Please hurry home, baby." She hugged him tightly. After a long, warm kiss, she watched him walk out of the hotel. At least this day was over. For now, another drink would help shake this uncomfortable sensation after spending the better part of her day with Patrick. She felt raw; heat surged through her body. She hoped that more alcohol would help squash the need to be manhandled and ravished by Patr–uh, Tyler.
The sign for the hotel bar beckoned to her in neon. Wiping her brow, she knew she needed all the alcohol she could find.
"Mimosa please," she said as she sat down at the bar.
****
TYLER
The only way Tyler would get out of this hotel was if he didn't look back. Why wouldn't Gia just come with him? He didn't want her to stay here alone.
Knowing what happened last time he left was enough to make him sick to his stomach. As every good team captain should, he kept it professional. On the ice, Patrick was simply his teammate; off the ice, he was the guy who slept with his girlfriend. Fortunately, Patrick didn’t show up for team dinners anymore. As captain, he couldn't very well skip out on those.
He hadn’t been as attentive to Gia as he would like. He hadn't even made love to her in weeks. He'd been too busy. Too busy? Who is too busy for love? What the hell? I might blow this if I don’t quit the bullshit.
Things needed to change. Hockey had always been his life, his everything. He never needed anything else until he found Gia. When he got back from this trip, he would show her how much he loved her. He had some time to make up for and would start by convincing her to move in with him. One more second apart seemed like one second too much.
Damn, this trip would suck. I hope she knows how much I wanted to go back to the room with her. She did her best to flirt with him under the table, but that just wasn’t his style. He didn’t do things like that. The guys call him Mr. Serious. Maybe, but if he stayed and missed any of his scheduled training sessions … Well, that wasn't even an option.
Running his hand through his unruly hair, he let out a heavy sigh. Would it have really hurt to change his travel plans just a little? Should he run back inside and sweep her off her feet? Take her down to her room and … No. Not today. But she better be ready when he got back.
****
PATRICK
Patrick said his goodbyes to Kat and Kris and gave little Ian a peck on his head. Man, he loved that little guy. How could something so small be so cute? He wasn't a kid-kinda-guy; they were usually sticky or wet and whiney. But this little guy was pretty cool.
"You headed home or have a hot date waiting for you?" Kris asked. "I'm hoping for the latter."
"Funny. Nah, I–uh–I have plans ... Got to get going before I'm late." He looked at his watch.
The truth was, he didn't really have any plans. But he didn't want to announce that pathetic news.
"Well, have fun, cuz. Be good," Kris said with a pointed look. "Okay?"
Patrick nodded. Of course I'm not going to “be good”. I can find some kind of trouble to get into.
Still early, he wasn't ready to head home yet. He would just end up staring at the television thinking about Gia. Where was she anyway? How did she slip out without him noticing? Why did he care? Maybe he needed to get out of here, get her out of his head. Kris was right; he needed to stay away.
He headed next door to the local bar he had haunted of late to get a drink and watch some baseball. The other guys went to the more high profile bars. He was over that scene; it was more for the boys. This bar was nothing fancy, but it worked for him: dimly lit, a few tables, flat screens with sports channels on and a long bar with lots of booze behind it. It was a good place to disappear for a while and unwind.
He took a seat at the empty bar. "Can I get a beer please?"
"Sure. N–no problem, Mr. Dubois," The young man answered with a goofy smile.
The bartender still looked at him, star-struck.
"Mr. Dubois … " the young man started before Patrick interrupted him.
"You must be new, I come in here a lot. Call me Patrick." He shook the young bartender’s hand. "I'm no different than anyone else who wanders in here. We're all looking for a little liquid therapy. Just treat me like any other patron, okay?"
"Okay." The young man looked at him with wide eyes. His hands shook. "Patrick. Would you mind signing this?" He pulled a puck out from behind the bar. "You don't have to if you don't want to ... that's fine, too ... wait, no don't worry about it. I'm sorry Mr. – I mean, Patrick. Never mind. I shouldn't have asked ... "
He chuckled. Poor kid. "Relax, bud. You had that puck just waiting, huh?" Patrick looked at his nametag. "Bill. Sure I can sign that." He grabbed the marker, signed the puck and handed it back to him. The bartender smiled like he had just won the lottery. That was usually Patrick's favorite thing, making fans happy with a simple smile or autograph.
But this afternoon … Well, this afternoon only one thing could make him happy, and he couldn't have it. Gia.
"Thank you Mr. Du--I mean, Patrick." Bill grinned ear to ear and then handed Patrick a beer. "They told me sometimes Renegades come in here. I didn't know if I should ask, I didn't want to bother you ... but thank you." Bill smiled. "If you need anything else just holler. I'll give you some space," he said before greeting the customers that had just walked in.
Patrick took a long drink; the cold liquid slid down his throat. Taking a cleansing breath, he turned his attention to the baseball game on the television above the bar. But he couldn't get Gia out of his mind. That girl had him in a fog. His hands itched to touch her and wrap themselves around that tiny waist. His mind wandered as his body warmed at the thought of pinning her little frame up against a wall. She had protested a lot but always seemed to end her rant with a flirty hair flip or one last covert look in his direction. She wants me, so why waste time with Tyler? He would never understand that.
He couldn't wait to get that picture of her with little Ian. He had asked the photographer to send him a copy. It was precious, her sitting with that little guy. He sighed. The things I would give up to be with her. Kris was damn lucky to have Kat and now a beautiful family.
He thought about this time last year, after Kris and Kat's wedding. He had drank way too much alcohol. He never expected Gia to drive him back to Kris's hou
se but was so glad she did.
That night had been in his mind since. She changed out of her dress before coming to check on him. He had wanted her to stay, once he saw her in those tiny shorts and tight shirt. He couldn't think of anything else. His decision-making had been clouded with her standing in front of him in that teeny outfit; he just wasn't able to control himself. If she had said "no", he would've backed off, but her lips never uttered such words.
He still remembered touching her silky skin and kissing those soft, warm lips. She tasted sweet like vanilla. His hands wrapped around her waist. Goddamn, how he loved her tiny waist. He sighed, thinking how her body molded to his as if they were made to be together. Passion burned in her eyes; her sculpted body welcomed him inside.
The next morning had been a different story. She bolted before he woke. She had done her best to avoid him this last year, but today she had no choice. Thank god for that.
He still had a hard on from the luncheon. Her blouse hugged her body and showed off enough cleavage to make his mind wander. Her breasts weren't as large as he preferred but big enough. A groan formed in the back of his throat as visions of her luscious breasts in his hands invaded is mind. Re-adjusting himself on the bar stool, he tugged at his slacks.
It had been a whole year, and he still wanted her just as bad. He wanted to repeat the night they shared over and over. He wanted her and only her. It had been a lonely year with one major obstacle.
She was Tyler's.
Those words just didn’t hold a lot of leverage for this argument. He wanted her, period. End of conversation—but would it ruin his career with the Renegades?
He wanted to stay in Pittsburgh. He loved this city and his teammates. He had waited years to play with Kris. Would Tyler be so vindictive?
Ty was a great hockey player but just a pup. I could give her so much more.
Unsportsmanlike Conduct Page 3