Kassie: I’ll see you in fifteen.
She wasn’t angry at Luc for the scuffle. Kaden had started it and got in Luc’s face. Her biggest issue was trying to control the jealousy she felt when he was smiling at the fans. It was probably normal, but feeling that way wasn’t okay in her mind.
After leaving the rink, she paused at the café counter, because her conscience wouldn’t let her leave a mess behind. “Hi. I accidently spilled a smoothie on one of the bleachers in there. Up top.” She pointed to the rink area where she’d been sitting. “I tried to clean it up, but did a pretty poor job, and I really need to leave. I-I’m sorry.”
The lady behind the counter waved her off, with little concern. “No problem, I’ll get it. Thanks for letting me know.”
She’d get things with Luc all straightened out with a simple conversation. She knew he was just doing what he always did, but her stomach wrenched with uncertainty the more she thought about it. Her anxiety was less about what Luc had done and more about Kaden’s outburst. If her brother reacted that way to Luc’s playing up to his fans, what would he do if she and Luc had a disagreement?
She drove her car to the gate where the players always came out. There were a group of people already waiting there for autographs. She parked in a space and waited until Luc’s white Porsche appeared. He waved at her, and she followed him down the highway to a shopping center.
They chose an Italian restaurant and sat in the back. When Luc pulled off his jacket, she couldn’t help but laugh at his t-shirt.
“Wait, so you own a t-shirt that says ‘Puck-Star’?” Kassie chuckled at the soft cotton shirt that molded to the muscles in his chest and upper arms.
“Sure do. I had it made.” Luc proudly puffed out his chest, putting the t-shirt on display. Pointing to the upper shoulder, he added, “It even has my number on it. To make sure there’s no mistake who the Puck-Star is.”
Kassie shook her head in what should be disbelief, but not much surprised her about him anymore.
The waitress interrupted their conversation, and Kassie was so hungry that she ordered quickly, already knowing what she wanted. After the waitress left, they dove right into the issue that gnawed at her gut.
“I guess you caught all the fun that went down at the rink today?” Luc asked, keeping his gaze on her.
“Yeah. I know my brother means well, but I wish he would just stop. I’m not a little kid anymore. I can fight my own battles. And I can decide when to do that.”
“It was my fault, I guess. I can’t be doing that stuff anymore. I’m sorry I was showing off for the fangirls. I’m so used to playing to the fans, because my agent has always instructed me to give them what they want. But it’s disrespectful to you, and it shouldn’t have taken Kaden trying to kick my ass for me to realize that,” Luc said. His face no longer had a joking grin to it. He was serious.
“No, I don’t want you to be sorry for that. Your agent is right; you can’t just blow off your fans. I mean, I don’t want you flirting with bunnies or fangirls. Obviously. But, let’s be real. I know how you flirt. I like how you flirt. And that wasn’t you flirting.” That was exactly why it shouldn’t bother her.
Luc grinned at her from across the table, the delicious curl of his lips causing her arms to break out in goosebumps as he spoke low and playfully. “You’re right. There’s only one girl I want to flirt with, and she’s no bunny.”
Kassie’s face burned at his comment. As silence filled the next few moments, the waitress delivered their food to the table. Kassie carefully considered what she was going to say next, waiting until the waitress left. She picked up her fork and pushed the chicken parmesan around her plate. “I will admit that I got a twinge of jealousy. And it sucked.”
Luc’s voice lowered as he spoke. “Sweets, I’m so sorry. You don’t need to be—”
“Luc, I know that. I didn’t want to be. I don’t know why I felt it, but I hated it.” She picked at her chicken and took a bite.
“I apologize.” Luc put his fork down after taking a bite of lasagna. He reached over the table and took her hand.
She laced her fingers in his. “No. I don’t want you to apologize. I’ve seen other guys show off to the fans; it’s what you do sometimes. I get that. Who am I to say that you can’t? That wouldn’t make me a very good… friend.” She didn’t know what to call herself. Was she his girlfriend? She felt like she was, but hated to say the word unless she was sure.
“I don’t have to do that. I don’t have to do any of that if you don’t want me to. Just say the word. And I like to think that we are more than just friends.”
“Yeah, I mean, I do too. But Luc, we haven’t known each other that long. I would never ask you to change, so please don’t do it for me. The girls love you. Let them love you, as long as it’s from afar.” She didn’t mean to add that last part, and regret immediately filled her.
“Sweets, the girls might love me, but…” Luc paused and stared into her eyes. “I have no interest in the bunnies. I hope you trust me.”
It wasn’t the words she had hoped to hear, but it was enough. Kassie wasn’t sure she was ready to hear those three little words, anyway. Or was she?
Kassie unlocked the door to her apartment. She carried iced coffees, and Luc followed close behind her, his hand glued to her hip. Rushing her from behind, he kept nudging his pelvis into her ass. She obviously wasn’t moving fast enough for him, and she wasn’t hating his impatience either.
Dinner was weird. She still had a bit of jealousy niggling at her from seeing how he reacted to the girls in practice. But she was going to have to get used to it if she was going to be with him. He seemed sincere that he’d stop if she wanted him to, and that he didn’t need the attention from the girls.
In her heart, she knew he only wanted her. Getting her head to understand it was the issue.
As soon as she shut the door, Luc kept himself molded to her and assisted her with the locks, pushing her fumbling fingers away. Taking the iced coffees from her, he hurriedly set them on the closest table, right next to the couch.
“You don’t really seem like you need any caffeine.” She looked him in the eye, poking fun at his frenzied movements.
But the joke was on her when he grabbed her around the waist and sat down on the couch, pulling her down with him. Straddling him now, the bulge in his blue jeans throbbed between her legs.
“Sweets, you can be sure it has nothing to do with caffeine,” Luc said with a smirk. Gripping her hips in his strong hands, he pressed Kassie against his hardness. “You need to know you’re the only girl I want to be with. I don’t want you to worry about that.”
“I’m trying not to.” Kassie wound her arms around his broad shoulders. Lowering her lips to his, she kissed him softly.