Offside Hearts (Love and Hockey Book 1)

Noah texts me in the middle of the day to confirm we’re still on for our ‘official’ first date tonight, and I tell him that I wouldn’t miss it for the world.

I spend the rest of the afternoon piecing together the video from the field trip and sending out permission requests to the parents. By the time five o’clock rolls around, I realize that I’ve worked through lunch and am completely starving. I turn off my computer and head home quickly to change before Noah picks me up in an hour.

There’s a package waiting for me, and I grin when I open it. Five pairs of La Perla panties, all an exact match to the pair Noah destroyed.

After a quick shower, I slip one of them on, then opt for a low-cut green dress to put over it. The dress is long-sleeved, and it hugs my body just the right amount before ending above the knees. I usually save this dress for holiday parties, but I’ve always loved this color on me, and I don’t know how late we’re going to be out, so I want something a little warmer. I pair the dress with a leather jacket and black boots, then dry my hair into soft waves.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I take a moment to fix the necklace from my late grandmother, running my thumb along the cool metal of the locket to help calm my nerves.

Inside, there’s a picture of my grandma Abby when she was a young woman. She gave me the locket when I was in middle school and told me I could replace the photo with one of my own, but I never did. I like having her with me all the time. The necklace not only makes me feel more connected to her, but it makes me feel more connected to my family in general. It grounds me, which is why I wear it almost every day.

Noah sends me a message at exactly six to let me know he’s outside, and I tell him I’ll be right down.

My palms are beginning to sweat a little as I hurry outside into the brisk night. It’s odd that I’m nervous about this evening, even though Noah and I have already spent the night together, twice, and had sex. On top of that, he’s admitted that he likes me and wants to be with me. So really, I shouldn’t be feeling so anxious.

And yet, I am.

As of tonight, we’re officially, exclusively dating. It’s a major step, and one that I haven’t taken with someone in a while.

I’m just hoping I still remember how to do it.

Noah gets out of the car when I approach and opens the door on my side. His eyes widen as he looks at me, and he swallows.

“You look amazing.”

“Thanks.” I clear my throat, the butterflies in my stomach going wild. “So do you.”

I’m not lying. I’ve never seen him this dressed up, and although I like the casual attire he usually wears, he cleans up really well. His suit is classy and fits him like a glove, showing off his strong body. I kiss him once on the cheek before I get into the car, just to remember what his skin feels like against my lips, and then he closes the door and gets in on the other side.

“So, are you going to tell me where we’re going?” I ask. He was a little vague on the details earlier when he told me what time he’d pick me up and what the dress code was.

“You’ll see,” he says evasively. He pulls out onto the road and then grins at me. “So, did you have a good day at work?”

“I did, actually,” I tell him, leaning back against the seat. “Those kids were so cute, and I think I managed to cut together one of the best promotional videos I’ve ever made. Assuming all the parents say yes to me using it, that is.”

“Fingers crossed.”

I glance over at him. “I saw you talking to that girl Maria.”

“She’s awesome,” he declares enthusiastically. “Did you know that she actually plays hockey? They wouldn’t let her join the boys’ team at the rec center, but she found a few girls in her class who said they’d play with her, and they’re trying to put together an official league.”

“I know.” I grin. “Callie told me, and I sat down to talk to Maria a little bit after you guys finished practice. She’s hilarious too. She had me cracking up as I was interviewing her.”

“I told her I would help her mom get the league going,” Noah adds. “I’m not sure exactly what I can do, but I figure it can’t hurt to have the captain of the Denver Aces in your corner when you’re trying to get a hockey league established.”

“That’s so sweet. I’m sure having you on board will make a huge difference.”

“I hope so.” He nods, his gaze flicking up to the rearview mirror. “I know how much hockey meant to me when I was a kid, and I’d hate for Maria to lose out on all that the sport has to offer just because she’s a girl. That’s ridiculous.”

God, this man.

If he wasn’t driving, I would lean over and plant one right on his lips. But given how distracted we both seem to get when we kiss, that would probably be a bad idea. And our date has barely started, so I can’t jump his bones just yet.

We arrive at the restaurant ten minutes later, and I realize that Noah is taking me to Le Bijou. It’s one of the most expensive and exclusive restaurants in town.

“Holy shit. You got us a table here?” My jaw drops. “I thought their waiting list was like a mile long. I read in the paper not too long ago that you had to make reservations a month in advance, at least.”

He shrugs. “I pulled a few strings. No big deal.”

I have a feeling that getting us a table on such short notice was probably a very big deal, but I don’t say anything as he gets out of the car and opens my door for me. He holds his arm out, so I loop mine through his, and we head for the doors. As we approach, I notice through the street-facing window that the place looks oddly empty.

“Wow. There aren’t a lot of people here,” I comment, frowning. Then I step back to look once more at the name on the building, to make sure that this is, in fact, the restaurant I think it is. “That’s weird. Is there something going on tonight that I don’t know about?”

“Nope,” he says, opening the door. I step inside, and that’s when I realize that the place is entirely empty.

“Where is everyone?” I ask, looking at Noah.

He smiles sheepishly and rubs the back of his neck. “I—uh—I bought out the entire restaurant for tonight.”

I choke out a laugh, half-convinced he’s joking. That this is all a prank, and the dinner guests are just hiding under their tables, about to jump out and scare me at any second. But when Noah’s flush deepens a little, I blink as reality sinks in. He’s telling the truth.

“You… you really bought out the entire restaurant?”

“Yeah.” He steps closer, looking down at me. “So that we can be alone. I didn’t want anybody taking pictures of us and posting them on social media or selling them to some gossip magazine. That would be a good way for our cover to be blown before we even have our first date.”

“Oh. God, I hadn’t even thought about that.” I glance around again, frowning. “I was so worried about someone from work seeing us, somebody who knew me, that I totally forgot about the fact that basically everyone knows you. I guess it’s going to be a little bit harder to keep this a secret than I thought. It’s not like you can buy out the whole restaurant every time we want to go out to dinner.”

He gives me a look that suggests I’ve done a mental miscalculation. “For you? I would totally do that.”

“Noah,” I say with a laugh.

“I’m serious.” He tilts my chin up, no trace of humor in his expression. “If it would make you happy, I’d absolutely do it.”

“But… the money,” I protest, barely able to wrap my head around it.

“Who cares about the money?” He shrugs. “I know that’s a privileged thing to say, but I mean it. You’re by far the most valuable thing in my life right now, Sunflower.”

My heart crashes against my sternum, pounding so hard that I’m almost sure he can see it. Every time I think I’m done being surprised by this man, he says something like that and takes my breath away. I’ve never experienced anything like this before, and it leaves me feeling a little overwhelmed.

As if he can tell I’m a bit stunned, Noah flashes me a grin and motions toward a table in the middle of the room that’s been set with fine dishware. “That said, I am paying by the hour, so maybe we should have a seat and look at the menu.”

I laugh, the tension breaking. I like that he’s not just doing this to impress me. It’s not a flex, or a way to show off his wealth. He’s just taking care of me.

“Right,” I joke. “Don’t worry, I’ll eat so fast. The sooner we get out of here, the less they’ll charge you for a bunch of empty tables.”

He pulls me close against his side as we walk across the room, his breath tickling my ear as he murmurs, “More importantly, the sooner we get out of here, the sooner I can get you back into bed.”

As he speaks, he lets his hand slide down my back just enough so that it grazes my ass. A little tingle shoots up my spine, my clit throbbing in anticipation.

He pulls the chair out for me to have a seat, and the waiter comes around once we’re settled and brings us drinks—a Manhattan for me and a whiskey for Noah—before handing us menus. I see about a dozen things that look amazing, but I’m a little worried that if I mention them all out loud, Noah will order every single one. So ultimately, I decide to go with the shrimp scampi. Noah orders a steak, and the waiter nods politely and disappears into the kitchen, leaving us alone once again.

“So, I have a question,” I say after taking a long sip from my glass.

“Ask me anything.”

“Back when you were a player, what was your go-to move?”

“Huh?”

“I mean, like, if I was one of the women you met at the bar who you thought wanted to go home with you, what would you say or do to seal the deal?”

“I wouldn’t rent out an entire restaurant, that’s for sure,” he points out with a laugh.

“Well, obviously. But you had to have a line or something that you would use to get a woman’s attention, right?”

He smirks and shakes his head. “You want the honest answer? Or should I try to save face and make something up that doesn’t make me sound like an arrogant jerk?”

“No, I want the truth,” I insist. “I asked because I’m genuinely curious. I swear, I won’t judge you.”

“Alright, then. The truth is… I didn’t really need a line or a move.” He sighs and leans back, holding his whiskey glass but not taking a drink from it. “Sometimes I would flirt a little, or buy a woman a drink, but… a lot of the time, they sought me out and made it very clear that they wanted to go home with me. That was it.”

My jaw falls open. “Oh my god.”

He groans, making a face. “I knew this would happen. You’re totally judging me right now.”

“No, I swear, I’m not!” But I start laughing as I say it, and he points a finger at me.

“You so are!”

“No, no.” I shake my head, pursing my lips to try to cover up my grin. “It’s just a little funny, that’s all. Everyone calls you a player, but you don’t even have to get in the game. You win without even having to try.”

“Now hang on a second.” He holds up a hand, his blue eyes gleaming with amusement. “Part of the reason I don’t have to try as hard to begin with is because of the work I put in after the fact. I wouldn’t have women coming up to me in bars, asking to go home with me, if I wasn’t so good… you know… in bed.”

“Oh, please,” I say, rolling my eyes.

He looks almost offended. “Are you insinuating I’m not good in bed?”

“No,” I blurt quickly. Then I have to say it again, because I need him to know just how much I appreciate what he does for me between the sheets. “Not at all. I rolled my eyes because I don’t think women throw themselves at you because of that. Or at least, not just that. I think they throw themselves at you because you’re captain of an NHL team. And you’re rich.”

He seems to consider that for a second, then shakes his head decisively.

“Nah, I’m pretty sure it’s because I’m a sex god.” I snort a laugh, and he laughs with me. Then he leans his elbows on the table and fixes me with a more intense expression. “But those days are behind me now. You know that, right?”

I nod, resting my own elbows on the table and letting my fingers tangle with his. “Yeah. I do.”

The waiter returns with our food a few minutes later, and we separate to give him space to put the plates down. It smells mouthwateringly delicious, and we both dig in the second he walks away. After that, we chat about other things, sometimes finding ourselves in the middle of flirty little arguments, laughing and teasing one another well into the night.

At a little after nine, we order dessert, and when the chocolate lava cake is brought to the table, I can already tell it’s going to be the best thing I’ve ever tasted. I take a huge bite, and it’s warm and gooey in my mouth. I can’t help but moan quietly as the sweet flavor melts all over my tongue, and Noah lets out a choked noise.

When I look up, he’s staring at me.

“Fuck. You can’t make noises like that in public, Sunflower,” he says hoarsely.

“Why not?”

“Because it makes me want to do very un-public things to you. Like lay you out on this table and see which tastes better—you or the cake.”

Heat rushes through me, making my face flush and my clit ache.

“Well, we’re not exactly in public right now,” I point out, glancing around the empty restaurant. “You paid a lot of money to make sure of that. Except for the kitchen staff and server, there’s nobody here.”

Noah’s eyebrows rise, and he glances toward the door to the kitchen. Then he smiles. “Good point.”

Before I can say anything else, he’s sliding his chair back smoothly and standing up. Then he pulls the chair around the side of the small table and settles back onto it so that he’s sitting closer to me.

My breath catches, a little surge of adrenaline rushing through me. “What are you doing?”

“Just watching my date enjoy her dessert,” he says casually, picking up my fork and handing it to me. As he does, his other hand slips under the table, finding the hem of my dress and sliding beneath it. His fingertips brush the insides of my thighs and then my clit, and my pulse jumps.

“Noah, what if—”

“No one will see. I promise.”

He teases my clit through my panties again, just the barest touch of his fingers, but it’s enough to make arousal spike in my veins. The fact that the waiter could come out at any moment adds an element of risk to what he’s doing that makes a little thrill run up my spine.

“You can finish the cake,” Noah murmurs, his finger sliding beneath the crotch of my panties. “I’ve found something else I’m a lot hungrier for.”

My breath comes out on a shuddering exhale, and I dig my fork into the lava cake and bring a bite to my mouth. Noah watches me, that cocky, sexy grin of his playing at his lips as he drags his finger through my folds.

“You’re wet for me already,” he groans, keeping his voice low. “Fuck.”

The dampness between my legs isn’t just from what he’s doing right now. It’s from the way he looked at me when he came to pick me up, from the way he touched me as he led me inside the restaurant. It’s from sitting across from him all night, flirting and talking and watching the way his face lights up when he speaks. It’s all of that, and I would tell him so, but it’s taking all of my concentration just to eat this small bite of the chocolate lava cake.

I feel like I’ve forgotten how to do basic things like chew or swallow, and I have to curl my free hand into a fist as Noah’s fingers start to move faster over my clit.

I whimper, and his eyes heat.

“Was that from me or the cake?” he asks, and if I wasn’t so busy trying to keep my shit together, I’d laugh at the fact that this man has such a competitive streak that he’s now competing with a baked good. I’m sure it’s what makes him such an incredible hockey player… and it’s also what’s about to make me come in this restaurant.

“You,” I whisper, squirming a little in my seat to get his fingertips right where I need them. “Just… oh god.”

“There you go, Sunflower. Good girl.”

He slips two fingers inside me as he says the last words, grinding the heel of his hand against me to keep putting pressure on my clit, and the warm, liquid feeling of an impending orgasm blooms through me.

“Noah,” I hiss, a plea and a warning all in one.

He rips his gaze away from me for a second to glance toward the kitchen before his focus returns to my face. “There’s no one here. They’re still in the back. Let go for me. Come on my hand.”

I’m not sure I could stop myself even if he told me a parade was marching toward us. I clutch my fork in an iron grip, my mouth falling open on a stifled little squeak as my thighs clench around his hand. He curls his fingers, stroking my inner walls as I ride out my climax, doing my best to keep my body from jerking in a way that will make it completely obvious what’s happening.

When my muscles slowly start to relax, I exhale, leaning back a bit in my chair. Noah watches me with a satisfied glint in his blue eyes before withdrawing his fingers from my pussy. I can feel the wetness of my arousal smearing over my inner thighs as he pulls his hand out from beneath my dress.

Then he rests his elbow on the table and uses the same two fingers that were just inside me to scoop up a bit of the warm, gooey cake.

He brings his fingers to my lips, and I open my mouth, my heart thudding. The intense chocolate flavor of the lava cake mixes with something more tart on my tongue, and I close my lips around his fingers before he slowly withdraws them.

“So, which is sweeter?” he asks. “You, or the cake?”

I can’t even find the words to answer. In fact, I think I might’ve just had another mini orgasm.

When I don’t say anything for a moment, he slips his fingers into his own mouth, licking off the remnants of cake and my arousal.

“You,” he pronounces with one last drag of his tongue over his fingertips. “Definitely you.”

There’s a long moment where we just stare at each other, his words hanging between us as the air seems to crackle with an electric charge. Then I open my mouth to speak at almost the exact same moment he does.

“Should we get out of here?” I blurt.

“I’ll get the check,” he says, nearly tipping his chair back as he surges to his feet.