Page 21 of He Has Charm (Boston Brawlers Hockey)
Six
Maddox
After the practice we walk back to the hotel in spite of the cold. I found a North Face jacket waiting in my locker after the skate, courtesy of Harper, or I should say the agency. When I put it on I feel warm for reasons having nothing to do with the material and everything to do with how Harper is taking care of me, job or not.
“Nice jacket,” Finn says as he passes by me on his way out. “You finally got smart. I was worried about you freezing your ass off.” He looks at my gym shorts.
“I’m sure you were losing sleep at night. Don’t worry about me. My legs never get cold. I’m a hockey player.” I arch a brow in a mock macho challenge and he chuckles and punches my arm before walking away.
“Glad to see you’re making an effort to fit in here in Boston,” he shouts over his shoulder, and I realize my attire is just one more thing that screamsnot from around hereandmaybe not staying longand decide I need to go shopping. Even when all my things arrive I won’t have the winter wardrobe I know I’ll need to stay—and I’m determined to stay here. That much I know.
I find Harper busy with her phone, leaning against a wall near the locker room, the curtain of her hair hiding half her face, but I can see her lips. They’re lush and the color perfectly matches her hair down to the shine. As I drift toward her, heat simmers in my belly and I take some breaths to calm down that damn natural—or I should say unnatural—attraction I have for her. It works until her tongue darts out to lick her bottom lip.Fuuuck.
Does she know I’m watching her? I stop short a few feet away. O’Rourke passes by, thumping me on the back, and says hello to Harper. That’s when she looks up, skates her glance past me and smiles at O’Rourke, a smile unmarred by business distractions or concerns about propriety. I move closer, blocking her field of vision.
“Nice jacket,” she says, trying not to look pleased. “Let’s go. I have news.”
“Thank you for the jacket. It was thoughtful—”
“Just doing my job, Knight. Don’t make a deal out of it.” We walk side by side to the exit, and a blast of frigid air hits me. I automatically put an arm around her and pull her to my side. I shove my other hand into my pocket.
“Looks like you saved my life. If I didn’t have this jacket today I would have frozen to death.” She snorts, slips from my hold, and looks away, clutching her oversized bag filled with work-related shit to her chest. I keep my smile to myself. At the end of Causeway Street, we stop and wait at the lights. There aren’t many people walking around but the car traffic is insane.
“Jett talked to the Brawlers’ front office and they want you to stay in the team’s townhouse on Beacon Hill. For a fee of course, to be deducted from your compensation. And we’ll practically be neighbors with Mary Delaney.”
“The ballbuster,” I say. Shit. “What if I want to look for a different place?”
“Nope. Nonnegotiable. Brawlers have to approve of your accommodations. It was in that addendum you signed—”
“Damn addendum.” I half-laugh. “The Brawlers’ townhouse it is. Like I said, I can handle anything for a few months. Time I proved it.”
“That’s the spirit.” Her voice drips with sarcasm and doubt. “But don’t worry, I’ll be right there suffering with you if it’s any consolation.”
“That’s the way to encourage a guy.” She looks up at me and I grin at her wary gaze.
“You’re right. We’ll make the best of it. We’re both on the same mission so it’ll be a lot easier if we’re….”
“Friends?”
“Civil. Professional.”
I nod. I thought she might be warming up, but no. She goes on about how she’s arranging for my furniture to be put in storage since the townhouse is furnished and how there are three bedrooms but one is set up as a nursery.
She clears her throat and says, “I’ll stay in the guest room and maybe use the nursery as my office, if that works.”
“Sounds like the perfect setup, like we’re playing house as the perfect working couple.” I give her a pointed smirk. “Except for the most important part of being a couple.”
“Sex isn’t the most important part of being a couple,” she blurts, and my grin pops in triumph.
“I never said I was talking about sex.” The delicious look of embarrassed realization on her face makes me want to kiss her silly. She ignores my comment, or tries to, even as her face pinks up. She looks straight ahead.
“I arranged to have your personal things and your car shipped from New Orleans and delivered to the townhouse. Everything will arrive in two days.”
“In the nick of time because I’m about to run out of clothes,” I say as the hotel comes into sight along with a cold harbor breeze. “What about you and your clothes?” I have a hard time keeping the innuendo from my voice, but she has no problem ignoring me.
“I had my things sent up to my friend Shelly’s place. She lives in the North End not far from Beacon Hill where the townhouse is. She’ll be dropping them off for me later today.” She turns and looks at me. “Not that it’s any of your business.”
I grin at the spark in her eyes and the slight resentment in her words and tone. I love setting her off and it shouldn’t be so enjoyable, but I can’t help myself. She shakes her head.
