Roughing (Ottawa Titans Book 1)

by Sarah Hegger

  “Ye-e-s?”

  “And it’s drama night.” She got out of the car and shut the door with her butt. “And we’re doing South Pacific.”

  “Does this mean I’ll get to see you in a bikini top and grass skirt?”

  “That is so politically incorrect.” She trotted across the parking lot, nodding to a group of older men arguing over a backgammon board.

  “You’re right,” Sam said. “Skip the grass skirt and stay with the bikini.”

  “Not me but Gladys O’Leary, and she is making a strong case for her wearing one.”

  “Wasn’t Gladys ninety when she ran the school library?”

  “Ageist as well.” She tutted. “She was in her seventies. But she makes a remarkably good Liat.”

  Sam chuckled. “How long will you be?”

  “I’ll be here until nine.”

  “Have you had dinner?”

  Elizabeth pushed into the lobby and mouthed a hello to Carol standing beside the reception desk. “No time. I came straight from the office.”

  “Good, then you can come by here and I’ll feed you,” Sam said. “Besides I have something to show you.”

  “What?” She hip-bumped open the door to the dining room, now rehearsal space.

  Leonard rose and held out his arms. “Elizabeth. My angel!” He took the juice with a misty-eyed smile. “My savior.”

  “Mixing food with business gives me indigestion,” Sam said. “I’ll see you later.”

  “But…”

  He’d already hung up and Leonard was clapping his hands. “Elizabeth! We simply must prepare the creative space for the artistes.”

  * * * *

  Elizabeth must have dropped through a hole in the space-time continuum because Sam opened the front door wearing Danica’s blue satin bathrobe.

  One arm raised, he jerked his chin at her. “How you doin’?”

  “I thought we’d retired the robe.” She brushed past him into the house. Rehearsal had almost finished the job her father started at work. She was tired, grumpy and hungry. And a drink wouldn’t hurt. “Do you have a glass of wine or something?”

  “I have a glass of wine.” Sam strolled into the kitchen, still managing to look masculine in pale blue satin with ecru lace edging. “How was South Pacific?”

  “Trying.” Elizabeth kept her eye on the prize being poured into one of Danica’s “best” wineglasses, the deep-ruby prize Sam handed to her. She took a big sip and sighed. “Leonard is concerned about compromising his artistic vision.”

  “How terrible.” Sam got himself a beer and popped the cap. “No grass skirts then?”

  “You and the grass skirts.” Elizabeth took another sip of wine. Say what you would about Sam, he had great taste in wine, even if he only stuck to the occasional beer for himself. And Baileys, she smirked to herself, lest she forget the Baileys.

  He cocked his head. “What’s so funny?”

  “Baileys.” It drew the first small laugh out of her since…she’d last spoken to Sam. He made her laugh, a lot.

  “It was my gateway drug.” He gave a theatrical grimace. “I’m moving on to Cointreau.”

  “Easy there, tiger.” The wine helped bring her down but being with Sam helped more. “What’s this thing I need to see?”

  “We’ll get to that.” Sam leaned his hips against the counter. The robe opened over his bare thighs.

  God, those thighs made her want to dig her nails into them. She’d bet it would be like clawing rock.

  “Lizzie.” Sam’s voice grew smoky. “My face is up here.”

  She didn’t even bother to be embarrassed. She’d been leering and gotten caught and she didn’t care. Sam’s thighs deserved all the ogling she could manage. “What’s with the robe anyway?”

  “We’ll get to that.” He gestured with his beer bottle. “I need to hear Leonard’s artistic vision.”

  “Right.” Elizabeth would much rather stare at his thighs and the rigid definition skating had made of his calf muscles. “Leonard feels we are missing the opportunity to highlight the Marxist leanings of South Pacific.”

  Sam nodded and gave that his thinking face. “Right. Right.”

  “And therefore, he wants to do the whole production on a stripped stage, no props and no set and have the entire cast wear black leggings and T-shirts.”

  “The man is a visionary.” Sam grinned around his beer.

  Elizabeth allowed herself the laughter she’d held in throughout rehearsal. “Unfortunately the entire cast went into revolt at the notion.”

  “How Marxist of them.”

  “Ha ha.” She made a face at him. “The only reason most of them are doing the production in the first place is to wear pretty costumes with flowers in their hair. A direct quote from Gladys.”

  Sam winked at her. “I said the same thing when I joined the Titans. Nice jerseys, but where are the flowers for our hair?”

  “Shuddup.” The wine, the laughter, the wink and a whole lot of Sam made her insides warm and happy. “Now show me the thing and then feed me because I’m starving.”

  “All right then, but only because you’re really scary right now.” Sam went for the robe ties. “You got it.”

  “Whoa! Our moms used to make us bathe together.” Elizabeth went hot and then cold and then really hot. “I’ve seen that already.”

  Shaking his head, Sam tutted. “You have such a dirty mind.” He dropped the robe. “I went shopping.”

  Elizabeth nearly dropped the wineglass. On a scale of holy shitballs to squirrel, mark her off the charts distracted.

  Clad only in the pink undies for the breast cancer campaign, Sam took her breath away. His body was beautiful, a finely crafted machine. Not overly buff but packed with corded sinew and strongly defined muscle. As for the part covered in hot pink spandex…

  The words got away from her. “Holy crap.”

  Fortunately Sam was too busy looking at his purchase. “I got the right ones, didn’t I, Lizzie?”

  “Uh-huh.” That’s all she had. She took a slug of wine to save her dry mouth. Right then she’d give up the wine to touch, which, given her day, was saying a whole heckuva lot.

  Sam looked up. “Lizzie?”

  “Er…” Her speech ability was still missing. “S…sure.”

  “Lizzie.” His expression changed to quizzical, and then grew sensual. “Are you checking me out?”

  She went for a head shake, but her heart and her girl parts weren’t in it and her gaze roamed all over his beautiful flesh. Her breathing shortened and her pulse double-timed it. A flush spread everywhere. Every. Where.

  “I feel so cheap.” Sam sauntered toward her, his entire focus locked on her. He placed his hands on either side of her hips. “The way you’re looking at me right now, Lizzie. Tell me I’m reading it right.”

  He was so close that heat radiated off his body and she could smell the musky scent of his skin.

  “You’re reading it right.” She said, “This is getting very complicated.”

  “No, it’s not.” He brushed her ear with his lips. “It’s about to get a whole lot simpler.”

  Sensation shot through her core, and she couldn’t stop the soft moan. “You would say that.”

  He skimmed his lips down her throat. “You want me, Elizabeth, and God knows, I want you.”

  Elizabeth couldn’t not touch him, and she put her hands on his broad shoulders. Needing more, she ran them down his defined biceps and over the heavy veining of his forearms. “You know it’s not that simple.”

  “This feels pretty simple to me.” Sam pressed his hips into hers.

  “Sam.” It came out on another breathy moan. His hot mouth on the curve of her shoulder, nudging aside her shirt to find the skin beneath was killing her. Her knees weakened, and she leaned into the counter.

  She did want him, bad enough to forget their past, the way their families intertwined. All of it. To say to hell with it and let this man do all the things her body craved.

/>   As if she had no control over them, her hands found the trim line of his waist. “I want to touch you.”

  “Then touch me.” Sam’s voice matched all the throbbing desire coursing through Elizabeth, and it almost drove her over the edge. “But Lizzie, don’t rub the lamp if you don’t want the genie to come out.”

  It was such a Sam thing to say that it made her want to laugh. It added to her dizzying vortex of lust and apprehension. This was Sam.

  Sam!

  “Do you?” He toyed with the top button of her shirt. “Do you want the genie to come out?”

  “Stoner!” Guy bellowed from the front door. It shut with a bang behind him.

  Sam leaped away from her and snatched up the robe. “Fuck!”

  Thank God one of them was thinking, because Elizabeth stood there against the counter with disappointment and relief raging an almighty battle inside her.

  Guy rounded the corner and grinned when he caught sight of her. “Hey, Elizabeth.”

  “Hi,” she forced out.

  Stopping suddenly, Guy looked at her and then at Sam. “Nice robe, Stoner.” Shoving his hands in his pockets, he broke into a huge shit-eating grin. “I came to talk to you about that photo thing.” He motioned Sam’s underpants. “The cock blocking you was a bonus.”

  Elizabeth’s face nearly exploded with heat.

  After a scowl, Sam shook his head and laughed. “You’re an asshole. Want a beer?”

  “Sure.” Guy sniffed and grinned. “And dinner. Something in here smells great.”

  Chapter 23

  Elizabeth woke on Sunday to a crisp, clear day with the temperature hovering around freezing. The weather would help make the annual walkathon for education a success. Of course, the fact that Sam and now Guy would be taking part had definitely raised interest and Chris said the OPP had been called in to manage the flow of people and traffic.

  A rumor that CBC would be there had brought an even larger turnout.

  Driving to pick up Sam, she had nervous marbles rolling through her gut. She hadn’t seen him since that night.

  If Guy hadn’t walked in and then insisted on staying for dinner, things would have progressed between her and Sam. Progressed to a point that made her marbles roll faster and her breath catch.

  The reason behind those disturbing symptoms evaded her. Did she want this to happen between her and Sam or didn’t she?

  Then, what might happen afterward between them got more confusing. It wasn’t like they could be intimate and then return to being enemies.

  God help them if their mothers ever found out.

  She pulled into Danica’s driveway.

  The door opened, and Sam and Guy tumbled out, shoving and pushing each other like ten-year-olds. It was still a fine sight.

  At six-six, Guy was taller and built like a grizzly, but with a classically handsome face and a beautiful smile.

  And Sam was Sam. The same sexy, tousled, just-out-of-bed good looks that used to annoy her.

  Sam met her gaze through the windshield and his smile broadened. His eyes warmed as if she was the best thing he’d seen that day.

  Both men wore hoodies, sweatpants and Titan’s toques.

  Sam opened the car door and let in a waft of clear, cold air. “Morning, Lizzie.”

  “Elizabeth.” Guy climbed into the back and rocked the entire car with his bulk. “You are looking particularly pretty this morning.”

  He’d sounded like he meant it, and Elizabeth wanted to giggle like a teen with a crush.

  “Hey.” Sam leaned over and punched his shoulder. “Stop flirting with my Lizzie.”

  His Lizzie. The marbles grew into tennis balls and bounced off major organs as they went.

  Sam leaned over and kissed her cheek. “He’s right though. You do look beautiful this morning.”

  She snuck in a sniff of his light, citrus soap. The warm imprint of his lips lingered on her cheek as he moved back.

  “Aww, look at you two.” Guy leaned forward and put his elbows on the back of their seats. “So, what is this thing we’re doing today anyway?”

  “You didn’t tell him?” Elizabeth backed into the road and got them underway.

  “Nah.” Sam sat at an angle that enabled him to watch her. “I told him the important part. That I’d do it better than him.”

  “He did tell me that.” Guy nodded gravely. “And I couldn’t let such a blatant challenge to my masculinity go unanswered.”

  It would take a lot more than that to challenge Guy’s masculinity. Every inch of his huge frame threw out testosterone waves.

  Before Sam could start ragging on Guy, she jumped in. “This is a walkathon that takes place every year to raise money for families who are struggling with school expenses.”

  “That’s nice,” Guy said, sitting back. “Education is important.”

  They arrived at the event and sat in the long row of cars waiting for space in the parking lot.

  Chris approached them and tapped on her window. “Hey.” Her smile included Sam and Guy. “You can go ahead and park in the VIP section.”

  “Really?” Even feeling a bit guilty about the other people having to wait in line didn’t stop her from being glad.

  “Yup.” Chris nodded and pointed. “Skip the queue and go straight in where that red sign is. Maddy said she would meet you there.”

  Elizabeth couldn’t resist teasing Chris. “Did she now? And when did Maddy tell you this?”

  “You’re impeding a police officer in her duties.” Chris went all kinds of red and strode away.

  “I like her,” Guy said. “And I like her for Maddy. They make a cute couple.”

  Elizabeth thought so too, and she smiled at him through the rearview mirror.

  “Tell me something?” Sam turned in his seat to speak to Guy. “Did you always know Maddy was gay?”

  “D’uh.” Guy rolled his eyes. “And also she told me.”

  “When?”

  Guy shrugged. “I don’t remember when. At some point, maybe a party or something.” He gave Sam a smug grin. “What can I say? Women like me and they tell me stuff.”

  “Women friend zone you.” Sam snorted.

  Guy heaved a massive sigh. “Yeah! That too.”

  Taking the path Chris had indicated, Elizabeth drove them into the VIP parking lot—filled with only them and the mayor’s car—and found Maddy waiting.

  “Good morning.” Maddy looked incredible in yoga pants and a big puffy jacket. Her cheeks were pink from the cold, and her eyes sparkled. She kissed Sam and then Guy before hugging Elizabeth. “Today is going to be so much fun.”

  Maddy’s mood was infectious and buoyed them as they found their way to the group of walkers waiting for the start.

  “Up here, Sam!” Dad waved a dapper red flag about. “You and Guy need to start at the front.”

  Sam took Elizabeth’s hand and tugged her with him. “On our way, Paul.”

  Her father caught sight of her and frowned. “Just the VIPs, Sam, meaning you and Guy.”

  “But who will kick my butt if I get tired if Lizzie isn’t with me?” Sam threw down the charm.

  A few chuckles sounded in their wake as they wove through the crowd. Dad looked like he might argue and then shut his mouth.

  “So, how’s the studying going?” Guy asked Maddy from behind them.

  Of course, Maddy had to be smart as well. She couldn’t only be a sweetheart in a gorgeous package. “What’s she studying?”

  Sam shrugged and pulled a face. “You’ll have to ask her. Or Guy.” He raised a brow at Guy. “He seems to know everything.”

  “It’s because I listen.” Guy tapped the side of Sam’s head with one hammer-sized finger. “You should try is some time.”

  “Haven’t you heard?” A note of bitterness crept into Sam’s voice. “I don’t know how to listen.”

  “I heard that,” Guy said and clapped Sam on the shoulder. “But I know you better.”

  “Hello, Sam.” A boy from Chris
’s team sidled up to them. “I don’t know…I mean, I’m sure you don’t remember me.”

  Elizabeth leaned in to remind Sam of the boy’s name. Mathew had a hard time at school because he was painfully shy.

  “Mathew, right?” Sam got there before she did. “You play defense.”

  Mathew flushed and his eyes gleamed. He puffed out his chest and looked at the group of boys now gaping at him. “That’s right, Sam. Are you going to come and watch our game this Saturday?”

  “Yeah.” Sam rolled his eyes. “Of course I am. I’m the assistant coach, remember.”

  “Okay.” Mathew let out a huge, quivering sigh of delight. “Then maybe you should come to more practices.” He looked horrified at his own daring. “I mean…only if you want and you really are…never mind.”

  Sam put an arm around his shoulders. “You’re absolutely right, Mathew my man. I will be at your next practice, if Coach Chris says I can, and I will be at your game.”

  “You coach these losers.” A larger boy shouldered Mathew aside. “You should come and coach our team. We’re top of our—”

  “Dude.” Sam kept his tone gentle, but he frowned. “I’m already coaching the team I want to coach.”

  “But—”

  Sam raised an eyebrow.

  The boy backed off and melted into the crowd.

  “Wow.” Guy draped an arm around Elizabeth’s neck, dragged her closer and whispered, “Whatever you’re doing to our boy, keep doing it.”

  “I’m not doing anything,” she said.

  Guy gave her a skeptical look, but it was the truth. This was all Sam.

  “Seriously?” Sam gave Guy’s arm around her a pointed look. “Every time I turn around, you’re there.”

  Sam tugged her away from Guy and tucked her close to his side. His hard, muscular side. Guy was as muscular, if not more so, but he didn’t have the collapsing effect on her knees that Sam did.

  “Did I mention you look beautiful today?” Sam whispered in her ear.

  Elizabeth called his bullshit. “Yup.”

  “And how good you smell?” He nuzzled her neck. “Or how much your ass in those pants makes me want to touch?”

  The knee weakening thing was happening again, and her protest was half-hearted at best. “Sam.”