“It is. And now it will be more special because you’re here.”
She closed her eyes against the little sparks of joy those words ignited.
“I can’t really leave my cat. He needs medication on a certain schedule.” Usually she drove home over her lunch break to take care of him.
“Bring your cat if he doesn’t mind traveling.”
“Well, he does mind but he’s not the boss of me.”
Erik chuckled. “I’m going to guess that you’re being sarcastic and that your cat probably is the boss of you. Cats always are.” He had her there. “So what do you say?”
Be brave. “Okay. When?”
“Come over whenever you’re ready. Do you know where I live?”
She did, and not only because she was assistant to the CEO. Curious, she had driven by his place once. He had graduated to a really nice townhouse in Riverbrook, not the usual sprawling pro-athlete McMansion but definitely a lot of square footage for a single guy.
But she couldn’t say that. Instead she feigned ignorance.
“Text me your address.”
“Sure. See you soon, Coco.”
8
Erik placed the last plate on the table and grimaced.
It might be a bit much.
Usually he would have a few of the guys over for Christmas Eve lunch, though each year he’d lived in Riverbrook, just north of Chicago, the numbers had dwindled as his friends found love. This year, Theo had invited him to Saugatuck to spend the holiday with Elle, Hatch, and his grandmother, but Erik hadn’t taken him up on it. Theo was a family man now, just like Remy, Cade, Ford, Bren, and so many others. Most of the guys were hitched and happy.
It was enough to make a guy feel lonely.
He tried not to let it bother him. After all, he had a job he loved, amazing friends, a family he got along with—might have helped that they lived in Sweden, his sisters were nightmares walking—and plenty of people who told him he was a good guy. But he hadn’t connected with anyone special except for that one time seven years ago. When it came down to the wire, he wasn’t the kind of man a girl chose, not when there were other guys who made more of an impression.
Now there was this business with Casey. He had really fucked up there; no wonder she was so pissed at him. If anything, Erik deserved her censure.
Of course, technically he had a good reason for not recognizing her, but it would be pointless to share it now that he had somehow made it back into her good graces. He hadn’t expected her to say yes to lunch. She had sounded annoyed on the phone but then he had made her laugh. Ms. Prim and Proper with her tight skirts and high heels had giggled at something stupid he said. So he went in for the kill—he had to have learned something on the ice after all these years.
His phone buzzed with a text from Theo.
So you and Casey?
Best to play dumb. ??
You were spotted in a closet at Chase Manor.
By you!
Theo sent a wink emoji.
Cal: WTF, Harper’s assistant, Casey? With Jorgenson? That’s a thing?
Fuck! Theo had put this on the team chat. Not everyone was on it—Petrov had opted out, saying as captain, he wanted to give the players space to bitch about him, which was his way of saying he expected the Rebels to talk about him constantly. Most everyone else was in the group, though … and were all now weighing in on the Erik/Casey situation.
Levi: Doesn’t she hate you?
Gunnar: Heard she ran a mile from you in the Empty Net.
Kaz: Like he could catch her. Good thing his job is to stay in one place on the ice.
Cade: Is she still mad at you? Follow up question: why was she mad at you?
Shit, this was the last thing he needed. He didn’t want to embarrass Casey about how they had first met or himself about how he didn’t recognize her when they met again.
Erik: Long story. Trying to keep it on the down low.
Theo: Yeah, you were getting pretty down and low in that closet. She didn’t *sound* mad.
Erik: The next person to make a joke about this will be forced to eat Surströmming at Friday’s morning skate. Don’t make me bring out the stinky fish!
All quiet for a moment, then Kaz texted, Don’t get your meatballs in a twist, Swede. Your secret’s safe with me and the fifteen other guys on this thread. LOL.
Tate Kazminski was a notorious blabbermouth, so Erik didn’t hold out much hope of discretion.
Theo sent a private message: Sorry, Fish. My bad.
Erik had just shot off a text telling him it was okay when the doorbell rang. His entire body vibrated with excitement. He had a quick look around. There was nothing he could do now. This was it.
No more fuckups. He wanted Casey to like him.
Because there was no doubt he liked her. Back then, the last year, now.
Before he had even opened the door, he heard a scream like the wail of a Draugen. Not human, more like—ah, Casey had brought her cat in a carrier.
She murmured soothing words, but the cat wasn’t buying it. It made an unholy racket and as she calmed it, Erik took a good look at her. She wore her hair down, rich and luscious waves over her shoulders. She had that dark coat on over black pants that looked like velvet and short black boots.
“I’m sorry. I would have left him at home but he needs medication so I don’t like to leave him for too long.”
“It’s fine. Maybe he’ll be okay if you take him out of the carrier.”
“Maybe.” She blinked at him and bit down on her lip. With a sweeping gaze over him, he felt like he was being judged.
Which is when he realized he was wearing the holiday apron his sister Astrid had sent him with an image of a Christmas tree bauble and the words WELL HUNG in all caps. Exactly the kind of impression he didn’t want to make.
“Sorry, I wasn’t thinking.” He pulled at the neck tie, but stopped when her small hand landed on his chest.
“No, don’t. It’s funny.”
“Because it’s true?” There he went again! Why couldn’t he shut up?
His heart thumped under her fingertips and he decided he’d better get a good look at her now because there was a good chance this was it. Any second and she’d be out of here.
Feeling brave, he went for it. Placed his hand over hers and held it to his chest. Let her sense how she affected him.
She smirked. “Yeah. Because it’s true.”
“I’ve got such a bad mouth sometimes.”
“You’ve got that right.”
What? Oh, because of where his mouth … he swallowed. Last night she had responded like a sensitive instrument to his touch. To his hands and lips. She had come on his tongue and nothing had ever tasted so good. He should know. He was a foodie.
“I’m glad you’re here.” Sincerity dueled with excitement in his chest.
“It was nice of you to invite me and Keanu.”
Erik looked down at the carrier. “You should come in and let’s get you both settled.”
Another smile, bigger this time. Carrying her cat, she walked by him into the house.
Casey stepped inside Erik’s home and got the shock of her life.
She had entered a magical Christmas wonderland.
Slowly she bent her knees and placed her bag and Keanu’s carrier on the ground, for once ignoring his bad humor. Kitty would have to wait.