She pushes her hands to her hips, drawing my attention to her toned body. For how much time she spends in the kitchen, she sure as hell looks like she spends equal time in the gym. “I’m a chef, River. I can’t be your house manager forever. This is only temporary.”
I nod. “Yeah, temporary.”
But I will do anything to make her stay.
“So,” she says, puffing out her chest. “That ride? I need to get food for dinner… and to restock this place.”
I drop my gym bag on the floor in front of the island and grab the keys from my pocket, dangling them for her to see. She smiles, a real one that touches her pretty blue irises. I love it when she aims those smiles at me.
Beautiful.
I could see myself settling down with a woman like Emma. For her, I would stop being a player.
Emma pulls her long hair into a ponytail on top of her head, then walks past me without a word. I can’t stop staring at her ass as she heads into the living room to grab her purse. She’s too tempting, too fucking perfect for me. If only she could look past her recent failed relationship and see not all men are like her ex.
Not all men are like me.
Emma glances over at me. “Ready whenever you are.”
I tip my head toward the door. “Let’s go.”
We leave the apartment, letting the silence and the tension build between us. I think she wants me. She’s always looked at me with lust in her eyes. Most women do. But with Emma, it’s different. A woman like Em wants more than mind blowing sex.
At the end of the hall, we step into the elevator. Another couple is already inside, and they move over for us. The man nods to acknowledge me. I never know when people recognize me because I’m famous, or if they’re just being nice. I return his nod, then hit the button on the wall for the ground floor.
No one speaks a word as we stop on multiple floors, picking up new passengers on the way. This building has over a thousand luxury apartments. Ollie insisted we rent on one of the floors because of the view. Brady and I agreed with him and let him handle the deal. But getting to and from our apartment is a real bitch, especially in the morning and after work hours.
Once we’re in the parking lot and alone, Emma says, “Thanks for taking me. I’m sure you have more important things to do.”
“I’m exactly where I want to be.” The corners of my mouth lift as our eyes meet. “Happy to help a beautiful woman.”
She groans, rolling her eyes. “Don’t go trying to charm me, River. I’m immune to hockey players.”
“Not this one,” I quip.
I grab her shoulder and lead her to my assigned parking space and click the button to open the doors.
“You’re not the first player to hit on me,” she says as I open the car door for her. “My brother has played hockey for most of his life. Throughout high school, college, and now the NHL, I have had men like you try to charm their way into my panties.”
“I’m sure I won’t be the last,” I say as I close her door.
I start the engine, and loud classic rock music blares through the speakers. Emma reaches over to turn it down and shoots me an annoyed look.
“Jeez, River. Are you trying to blow out your eardrums?”
I just laugh and slide my arm behind the back of her chair, reversing from the parking space. Her body stiffens with my arm this close. It’s a force of habit, something I have always done when backing up. But seeing how uncomfortable this makes her only tells me she feels something for me. And when she glances over at me, lips pressed together, I know I’m right.
Emma likes me.
I just need to step up my game, prove to her I’m not a player. That I can be more than the puck bunny magnet she thinks I am.
We spend an hour at the grocery store, which is boring as all hell, but I don’t mind. Because it gives me some alone time with Emma. I enjoy watching her think, how her mind operates as she goes over the ingredients in her head.
Our cart is jam packed with everything from fresh chicken to brown rice and ice cream. She has so much shit on her list. I wonder where we’re going to put all of it.
But I just let her do her thing.
She reads all the labels carefully, checking for milk ingredients. Ollie is lactose intolerant. Even the slightest bit of milk and he’s sick for days. I’m the same way with fish. My skin breaks out into hives at the smell, and god forbid I accidentally ate it.