"Are you ready to go?" Harper asked. She hoped the edge in her voice was only something she could hear because she didn't want to come off as demanding but her exhaustion was hitting her now and she wanted nothing better than to rid herself of the clothes she wore so she could crawl back into bed for some sleep.
"Already?" Katella asked, pulling away from her and looking down at her with her big, sea-green eyes. Both she and Seraphina had green eyes, but Seraphina's resembled Christmas trees while Katella's resembled the ocean. "But you just got here. Can we stay a few more minutes? Please?" She sounded like a child, which annoyed Harper but she didn't want to deal with it.
She nodded but said nothing, causing Katella to clap and find Alexander Vane once more. Harper allowed herself to finally roll her eyes. She wasn't sure what she should do now. Waiting seemed like the most logical thing but her presence was already awkward and somewhat standoffish. She didn't want to damper the atmosphere even more than she had. She was obviously a designated driver and not someone who came to dance and party and, judging by the fact that ever other moment was a yawn, she didn't particularly want to be here.
"You look nice," a voice said. The only reason Harper even knew he was talking to her was because he placed a hand on the small of her back and when she jumped at the contact, he chuckled. "Clearly you came prepared and ready to party."
Harper turned and found Zach's sky blue eyes staring at her, his lips cocked into an amused smirk. He wore a simple white v-neck and dark blue jeans. He looked really, really good. She bit her bottom lip to keep from saying something dumb or making a noise or emphasizing the awkwardness.
"Um, yeah, hi," she said. Internally, she shook her head and felt her face heat up. She sounded like such a loon.
"So," he said, sliding his hands into his pockets and rolling his shoulders back. "I never took you for a plaid girl. It suits you."
She laughed, despite herself. "Thanks?" she asked with a grin. She looked around; a slight awkwardness touched their conversation and she crossed her arms over her chest and placed her eyes back on Zach. "So, is this your thing?"
He leaned in closer so he could hear her. "My thing?" he asked, perking a brow.
"Your scene," she explained. "Is this what you like to do? Come to clubs and drink and socialize?"
He shrugged. "Going out with the guys after a game makes for good bonding," he explained. "I don't know if I would call it my thing but I like the atmosphere. I like how laid back everyone is. I like drinking socially and meeting new people. It's nice." Harper snorted before she could stop herself and he shot her a look. "Let me guess - you're one of those girls who thinks clubs are silly and a waste of time and sexist because you have scantily dressed girls grinding on guys who want nothing more than to have sex and get free drinks?" He rolled his eyes. "It's a quid pro quo relationship. Girls get to feel attractive, guys get to feel powerful. I don't think there's" -
"You really don't think, do you?" Harper asked, tilting her head to the side.
"What are you talking about?" he asked.
"I don't care if this is your scene," Harper said honestly. "I don't care what people do to bring them joy. It doesn't affect me so there's no reason for me to judge them. I was just trying to make conversation."
He pressed his lips together, his brow pushed up so high it crawled up to his hairline. "Oh."
"You're kind of defensive, aren't you?" she asked.
"I..." He reached up to cup the back of his neck with his palm, glancing away. "I'm just so used to people trying to tell me what I should and shouldn't do, what's right, what's wrong. No one is just happy with me as me, you know? So I apologize for taking that out on you."
Harper gave him an odd look. "There's no reason to apologize," she told him before narrowing her eyes. "You never answered my question."
"About?"
"Whether or not you liked this sort of place," she said.
His smirk grew into a full-fledged smile. "Dance with me," he said, taking her hand in his and tugging her to the dance floor.
Harper was surprised that she put up no resistance. She really must be tired.
Chapter 8
Harper still could not believe Zach managed to talk her into dancing with her. Yes, Katella was busy making out with Alexander Vane on the dance floor to even remember Harper had shown up - in jeans and a plaid shirt, no less - and Zachary Ryan was pulling her onto the dance floor and the crazy part about this was, she wasn't resisting. She was woken up not even an hour ago, threw on the first clothes she could find, and was out the door in less than fifteen minutes. She was exhausted, and the whole way over, all she could think about was crawling back into bed. But Zach was making her forget all that.
"I'm a terrible dancer," she made sure to tell him, shouting over the music.
"Who is actually a good dancer?" he replied with that half-smile, half-smirk. "All you need to do is pretend you're having sex." He furrowed his brow. "You have had sex before, haven't you?"
Harper felt her face heat up but even with her muddled, sleep-interrupted brain, she was quick to respond with, "My sex life is none of your business."
His smirk also turned into a full-fledged one.
"Also," she continued, once they were on the floor. "I don't particularly want to pretend to have sex with you."
"You'd rather really do it?" he teased. His blue eyes sparkled.
Harper felt herself ease, even when he placed his hands on her hips and pull her close to him so only centimeters filled space between them. She should have felt out of place with how she was dressed and the fact that her hair was thrown up into a bun and sneakers on her feet. The only reason she was able to get past the bouncers was because they recognized her from before. They didn't even care she wasn't following their strict dress code. It was nice having friends in high places. Yet being with Zach, having all of his attention focused solely on her, made her feel comfortable. Made her not even care a little bit that she looked like a slob in a sea full of masterpieces. He made her feel special and worthy and beautiful while simultaneously pushing her buttons and causing a reaction.
"You aren't dancing," he pointed out.
"Neither are you."
He smirked. Again. "Let's do it together, then," she said. "On the count of three. One... Two... Three."
And then they were moving and Harper was smiling and without even thinking about it, her hands found his shoulders - pure muscle and bone and two feet wide - and she found herself having fun. The music was a song she had never even heard of but that didn't particularly matter. Her hips found the beat and she started moving them as best as she could. It felt stiff and unnatural but she kept pushing through it until it felt easier and not as mechanical.
She looked up at him, finding his eyes on her. They weren't teasing or amused, just studious. She wasn't sure what he was looking at; her shirt was tight but there was definitely no cleavage showing, which meant he must be looking at her throat, her neck. Up until his eyes found hers and they just stared.
He looked at her like an archeologist looked at a historical artifact, like a collector looked at a first edition, like a hockey player looked at the Stanley Cup. In all honesty, she had no idea why he was looking at her but she found she liked it. Bryan had never looked at her that way and neither had previous boyfriends. To be honest, she didn't know men really looked at women this way, originally thinking it was just another phony component added to romance in television and books to cause impossible expectations in partners. Yet here Zach was, giving her a similar look, and they hadn't even kissed. They hadn't even dated.
"I like the color of your eyes," he said over the music. "I've never seen a green like yours before."
Harper hadn't expected a compliment, especially not from Zachary Ryan. He came off cocky and arrogant, potentially charming and standoffish. Not nice. Not sweet.
She wasn't quite sure how to react so she spun around, flipping her hair over her shoulder so it would cover the redness c
urrently invading her cheeks. She shouted a quick thanks, though, for a minute, she considered pretending she hadn't heard him. That wouldn't have worked, however. Not when she was looking into his eyes when he said so.
She kept moving her hips to the music. She felt less stupid now that she realized no one but Zach was looking at her. In fact, dare she say she felt comfortable? Without warning, his hands found a place on her hips. She didn't jump at the unexpected touch. She didn't even tense up. He pushed her hips back and forth, controlling her pace, and she felt her lips curl up into a grin. She liked this. This was actually fun. His head came down by her face and the tip of his chin practically grazed her shoulder. She didn't know why but she was compelled to reach up with her right arm and throw it awkwardly around his neck, pulling him even closer to her. It was a bold move but it didn't mean anything significant. They were just having fun.
A holler pierced the air and Harper realized Katella and Vane were dancing nearby. Katella, as tipsy as she was, knew how to keep in time with the music, no problem. She gave Harper an air high five and then a thumbs up. Harper couldn't help but laugh and shake her head.
"What's this?" Zach asked, his voice tickling her ear. She lost a grip on her breathing and she held what little breath she had in her throat as his low, soft voice invaded her space in the best kind of way. "Are you actually having fun?"
She laughed. "Yeah." She nodded and wasn't even ashamed or too stubborn to admit it. Because she was.
His grip tightened on her waist and he pulled her even closer to him, which she didn't mind. Which she found she liked. His hands managed to find a sliver of flesh - the in-between from her jeans and her shirt - and he placed his palms flat on that flesh and her insides jumped to attention under his touch. She liked when he touched her. She wondered if he felt anything when he touched her.
Her fingers started playing with his hair, his head turned a fraction so his lips were pressed to the column of her throat, her eyes rolled back and she pushed back against him -
"What the fuck are you doing?"
Harper's eyes sprung open and her body immediately filled with tension. She knew that voice. Somehow, her eyes found the voice immediately. She didn't even have to look for him to verify it.
There was Bryan, standing in a collared shirt and blue jeans. She had no idea why he was here. He never seemed interested in nightclubs when they were together but maybe that was because they were together. Maybe because she never seemed interested. His blond hair was spiked with gel casually, his blue eyes narrowed, his strong jaw locked in on Zach's hands on her stomach.
Harper didn't know if it was because he could feel her body completely shift but Zach stopped dancing the minute she did, and his hands stayed on her hips, holding onto her tightly, protectively.
"Do you know this guy?" Zach asked Harper, his eyes on her profile, completely ignoring Bryan.
"That's my girlfriend you have your hands all over, Ryan," Bryan said. He took a step toward the pair. "What - none of your new teammates have any girlfriends or wives for you to sleep with so you decide to go the administrative route?"
Zach immediately released Harper and went to step in front of her. "You want to repeat that?" he asked.
Harper went back to stand between them. "Ex girlfriend," she all but shouted, throwing a glare at Bryan as they did so. "For two years."
"What are you doing with Zachary Ryan?" he asked her. He was maybe an inch shorter than Zach and leaner rather than bulky but Bryan was fit and fast. "You wrote one article about the guy and now you're at a nightclub, letting him put his hands all over you. I know you're a Gulls' fan, but Jesus Christ, I didn't realize you were a puck slut."
Without warning, Zach grabbed the collar of Bryan's shirt and pulled him close to him, taking advantage of that one-inch height discrepancy by looking down at Bryan over his nose.
"Do it," Bryan said. His voice was low and the music was loud but Harper could hear him clearly. She could see his lips, could read them like a book. Bryan's eyes were on Zach and Zach alone, something Harper was thankful for. She didn't want to admit it, but she knew if he looked at her, she would flinch away. And he would love that. "Punch me. Beat the shit out of me. See what happens."
Harper held her breath. She knew Zach wanted to do it. She didn't have to know him well to see that his anger and frustration was written plain as day on his face. In fact, his crystal blue eyes were dancing with furious flames that caused the irises to sharpen. His knuckles were white as he gripped Bryan's shirt tight and even though Harper knew he had a good hold on Bryan, that Bryan wasn't too heavy for him, Zach's hands still shook with pent up rage. She wasn't sure if it was because of her or if it was because of the blatant disrespect Bryan had for him. Either way, it was enough to provoke Zach into starting something with him, which might have been exactly what Bryan wanted. She knew she had to do something lest Zach actually do something he would later regret. Sure, he might not regret the action but he would regret the consequences. There was no reason for it to turn ugly and possibly risk Zach's career. Not only that, but he needed his hands to play hockey and she couldn't let him risk his career over Bryan. Bryan was nowhere near as important as that.
"Hey." Harper placed her hand on Zach's arm - she couldn't help but notice the bulge of his bicep stretch out the sleeve of his shirt, and how rock-hard it felt underneath her touch - and gently squeezed, hoping to get his attention. People were starting to look and whisper. It would be worse if they started pulling out their phones and taking pictures. God forbid a video of Zach beating Bryan up go viral. "Hey. It's okay. Let's go."
"It is not okay," Zach said, keeping his eyes on Bryan. His grip did not loosen. "He is not allowed to talk to you like that, especially in front of me."
"What, you think you're her boyfriend now?" Bryan asked with a sneer.
Zach growled and Harper immediately squeezed his arm tighter. "Zach, let's go," she said. "He's not worth it. He's not worth it." She didn't seem to be getting through to him; she had to up her game. As such, she stood on her toes and leaned toward his ear and whispered, "Please. Take me home."
She could see the minute he broke. Without warning, he dropped Bryan to the floor. "If I ever see you around her again without her permission, I'll make you regret the day you met her," he said. He threw his eyes at Harper, still angry, still burning. "Find Katella and Lex. We're going."
Harper swallowed and nodded. She didn't even notice Bryan slink out of the club.
Chapter 9
"You really don't have to do this," Harper said as she walked out with Zach on one side and Katella and Lex on the other. For an inebriated person, she walked skillfully in her heels and managed to maintain a sense of class. Lex seemed completely enamored with her, which made the romantic in Harper scream.
"Of course we do," Lex said on the other side of Katella. "You're one of us."
His voice was raw and scratchy, both intimidating and sexy. It was clear why Katella fell for the guy, on top of the fact that he sponsored the local animal shelters and women's shelters. The genuine tone made Harper smile to herself and it felt good to be protected by someone she didn't really know. But because she was part of this team, even from an administrative side, they looked at her as though she were one of their own and she really appreciated that sense of belongingness that gave her.
"He's right," Zach said, keeping his eyes in front of him. They were hard, guarded, looking every which way to keep a look out for Bryan. "Plus, I get a bad feeling from the guy other than the fact that he's a dick. I'll take you home, Lex will take Kat home and he'll meet me at my place and take me to my car. Then, I'll drive by your place to make sure you're okay."
"I can take" -
"God, I hate when women claim they can take care of themselves," he said. They start heading to the parking structure and Harper didn't feel afraid. Somehow, even with Bryan directly interacting with her, she didn't feel afraid. Somehow, Zach made her feel capable. Secure. She liked being aro
und him, she realized. Even when he was being a jerk. "I'm not saying you can't take care of yourself. I don't know you well but you come across as a woman who is fully capable of making competent decisions and I'm assuming you possess the rare personality trait of common sense. But that doesn't mean I don't want to help you take care of yourself."
The line was still long even after one in the morning but the parking structure was somewhat empty. Katella and Lex said goodbye and it wasn't long before Harper was left with Zach alone.
"Can I ask you a question?" he asked as she led him to her car. It wasn't too far away, which was nice because they didn't have to walk far. She didn't have time to respond before he said, "Why did you go out with that guy?"
Harper felt a prickle of discomfort at the direct question. To be honest, she didn't think it was any of his business why she chose to be with someone, especially considering Zach hadn't even known her before then. It wasn't as though she started asking about the rumors that followed him from the Toronto Bangles to here.
"Look," Zach said through a sigh. Harper could feel his crystal blue eyes on her profile but she refused to look at him, not until she had something she could say to him. "I'm not trying to judge you. Hell, my choice in girlfriends - if you could even call them that - is questionable, to say the least. You just, you just don't seem like the type of girl who would even tolerate that jackass's bullshit."
Now she did have a reason to speak to him. "And what type of girl do you think I am?" she asked, glancing at him quickly before fixing her eyes back to the road.
Zach shrugged. "To tell you the truth, I don't know," he said. "I've been drinking, I tend to ramble even more than I already do, I barely know you. All I know is your attractive, you're smart, and despite your best efforts, you're a good dancer. I've never seen anyone wear plaid to a nightclub before but somehow you manage to pull it off, you're an excellent writer and you don't need the typical bullshit drama to get people to read your stuff, and you have eyes I've never seen before. Also, you challenge me in a way I've never been challenged before so, I figure, if you won't put up with my bullshit, you definitely shouldn't be putting up with his, especially since I'm so much better looking."
Exes and Goals: A Slapshot Novel (Slapshot Series Book 1) Page 5