Page 11 of Hot Shot Rock Star
Chapter 5
Ben
“Where are we going?” Jazzy slows her steps, holding back as we head for the pedestrian exit from the garage.
“The place is nearby. There’s no sense in driving.” She stops walking and I know she doesn’t want to go. Wrapping my arms around her, I back her into the wall and lower my lips close to hers.
“Do we really have to go?” She doesn’t meet my eyes. I nod and rest my forehead on hers. I shouldn’t enjoy cajoling her so much, but I do. It’s like a mini-challenge each time, and each time I succeed it’s a kick to my adrenaline like I’ve scored a goal. Maybe that makes me sick, or it would if I weren’t so in love with her, so ready to do anything in the world for her. Including ditching my teammates if push comes to shove. But no need to let her know she has the upper hand. Not now, because it is important to me to build rapport with my teammates. The locker room camaraderie is a big part of why I love playing hockey.
“Yes.” My mouth is so close to hers when I speak, she swallows my words. “It’s a good chance for you to meet some of the guys.” She looks up at me and I lift my face to see her eyes.
“This better be fucking important, Bennie.” I grin.
“Don’t act like you won’t end up being the life of the party, Jaz.” She swats at me, and I capture her mouth with mine before she says another word, before she changes her mind. She’s that skittish. Still.
I haven’t been to Mustang Harry’s before, or out with the team after a game. If I thought we got a lot of attention in college, I was fucking clueless. Compared to going out in New York City with an NHL team the attention in college was like a fly buzzing. There was an unruly line outside the door manned by a lone, frantic bouncer, with lots of phones aimed at us and too many autograph-seekers to handle. The bouncer recognizes me and nods, waving us in ahead of the crowd, which gives me an uneasy feeling. Even in college I never liked skipping the lines, but it was part of the hoopla of being on the team. Most guys thought it was part of the fun, but I could do without it most of the time.
Fans shout, mostly congratulating me on a good game, more or less, but a few of the women have some suggestions for my night that make Jazzy tense up at my side. I wrap my arm tighter around her. She leans in as I wave at the crowd, and we go through the door. She shout-whispers in my ear, “I thought you’d be a small fish in the big pond of this city. I didn’t realize it would be like SPU all over again, only worse.”
As we slip inside, a dude who looks and acts like the manager escorts us through the boisterous and close crowd.
“We put the team in back as out of the way as we could. Sorry for the craziness, but one of the guys bought the place a round of drinks and all hell broke loose. It hasn’t calmed down since.” He shakes his head. Fucking Kodi has the crowd riled up. It figures.
The team introductions go okay. The guys are naturally impressed with Jazzy because what’s not to like? Her lush, dark hair, luscious lips and dick-jerker body give her license to get away with whatever snarky remarks might come from her mouth to hide her vulnerability, to convince everyone, including herself, that she’s not vulnerable at all.
“What’ll you have to drink?” Kodi asks.
“I’ll get it,” I say, slapping his back. “What are you drinking?”
“My usual. Oh—that’s right. You’d have no idea what that is since this is your first time out with us.” He slaps my back and announces to the guys. “This is Ben’s first time out with us. Don’t you think he owes us all a round?” The guys cheer and down their drinks, some beers, some shots, and some glasses filled with unknown, no doubt deadly concoctions. But I grin and raise a hand.
“A round for the team is on me.” A server dressed in tight black pants and a red top, with a plunging neckline and a black mustang emblazoned loud and proud on her right breast, appears at my side.
“What’ll you have, hot stuff? Let me guess, you’re a rookie, right?” Before I have a chance to answer, Jazzy speaks for me.
“So what if he is?” Fuck. I can feel the hostility steaming off her as she stands not-so-subtly between me and the unsuspecting server.
“And you are?” the server is undaunted, and I’m impressed. Luckily, Jazzy is also impressed and backs off on her attitude as I haul her into my side for reassurance.
“This is my—”
“I’m with Ben, the rookie,” she cuts me off. I would have said fiancée and she knows it. It’s an exaggeration, but only a slight one. And I was mistaken thinking she’d appreciate that ownership, that status right now as she’s defending her territory like a rabid dog, and I can’t pretend that doesn’t fucking disappoint me.
“Lucky you. What’ll you have to drink?” The server, Tasha, according to her name tag, smiles and waits while Jazzy processes the fact that there’s clearly no need for confrontation. I take her hand and squeeze it.
“I’ll have whatever he’s having.” Jazzy tilts her head in my direction and my reaction is automatic, the same as it always is when she sinks into our relationship, owning it thoroughly. My entire body heats up like she’s turned on the atomic fire switch. I immediately regret that we need to stay for at least two drinks or risk alienating my team.
“I’m Jazzy.” She puts out her hand and Tasha raises her eyebrows. She waves the hand aside and leans in to give Jazzy a hug. I cover my laugh with a cough, bringing my hand up, because Jazzy doesn’t get flustered by much, but this is the one thing that’ll do it. She’s not a hugger, at least not when it’s not me she’s hugging, and even that took her getting used to. Tasha lets her go and gets back to work on the drink order.
“Well, that was . . . unexpected,” Jazzy whispers to me, taking a seat on a high stool while I stand behind her. The crowd around the group of tables outnumbers the seating and reminds me of the days at Wildbeasts Pizza.
“You mean awkward, don’t you?” I say. She squints a glare at me.
“What’s awkward?” Kodi says coming around to make a conversational triangle with us.
“Tasha,” Jazzy says before I can answer. “She’s very awkward with team girlfriends, don’t you think?” Jazzy flashes a brilliant smile, giving Kodi her full, mesmerizing attention. He pauses a beat.
“Hell, Jaz, I think maybe it’s you that made her awkward. You’re too sexy for her bar.” She laughs and I punch his arm. “What?” He grins at me. “It’s true and you know it.” He turns back to Jaz.“So, I hear you sing.”
