2. That Kiss

Chapter Two

THAT KISS

~~Nolan~~

M uri doesn't waste time. Within twelve hours, she's set up my first interview with Captain Dash, no surprise there. Dash is the ultimate team player, selfless and generous with his time. He's everything a team captain should be and more. I admire the guy as does everyone else on our team.

I walk into the Portland Puck the next evening to film the first installment of The Scoop with Nolan . Sucky title, I know, but Muri loves it. I have to pick my hills to die for. That's not one of them. I note the lone camera guy near the bar and disappointment surges through me. I don't see Muri anywhere.

I've been looking forward to another sparring session since last night. I catch a flash of dark, almost black, hair and swivel my head in that direction. A slow, satisfied smile spreads across my face, as Muri emerges from the back hallway.

I approach her, and she points toward one of the barstools.

Nodding, I turn toward the seat nearest the camera. "Ready and willing to do your bidding." I bow low which elicits a giggle from Muri. I meet her gaze as I sit my ass on a barstool. She smiles this sassy, challenging smile that I've come to love in a very short time.

"I can't see you doing anyone's bidding." Her deep blue eyes remind me of someone, but damned if I can figure out who.

She has me pegged. Being a follower has never been one of my vices. I like to be in charge, and I want things my way. I'm my father's son when it comes to stuff like that. He's a legend in the league, and I aim to be as good or better. He was a center, and I'm a defenseman, which makes comparing us difficult, but the media still manages to do it anyway. I have a good relationship with my parents, and they've always let me be my own person. I've been lucky like that.

"I'm not good at taking orders," I admit and draw a smile from her. Damn, but she's gorgeous. Her beautiful face and rocking body invaded my dreams last night, and I woke up with a purpose. I plan on making those dreams a reality. My first step is to ask her out after we're done filming tonight.

"Why am I not surprised?"

I hold her gaze and let her know with my eyes that I'm interested. Very, very interested. She glances away first, and I smirk with triumph. I'm getting to her just like she's getting to me.

Muri is spared for now when Dash enters the bar. I shake his hand, and he gives Muri a little hug. Envy curls within my stomach, and I don't like it. Jealousy is so not a good look on me. She's smiling up at my captain as if she's fond of him. Now this is freaking irritating. I'll be sure to tell her afterward that he's taken.

After some fussing with lighting, we're ready to go. Muri hands me a small stack of cards with questions on them.

"I won't need this."

She grimaces, and I grin. This woman is adorable when she smiles and frowns. Lots of women have resting bitch faces when they're unhappy, but somehow Muri manages to look sweet even when scowling. Now that's an art, and it's hot as hell.

"I insist you use these questions." She's digging in, but I always get my way.

"Sure, whatever." I take them from her and scan the cards. Same lame questions along with a few more that are even lamer. I shake my head in disappointment.

"What's wrong?"

"Still lame, sweetheart."

Dash, who's usually an even-keeled nice guy, levels me with an undeserved glower. Confused, I turn my head in his direction.

"Don't call her sweetheart," he growls, as if I'd intentionally insulted her.

I held up my hands, palms toward Dash before directing my attention to Muri. "Hey, no offense intended."

She shrugs and chooses not to comment. "Everyone ready?" Ross, the cameraman, is a tall, thin guy with thick glasses who looks like he's been spending his spare time in his mom's basement playing video games. Definitely a stereotypical nerd.

"Let's start." Muri stands back, and the camera starts rolling.

I state directly into the lens—the camera loves me—and start my spiel.

"Hey, Hawkers, this is defenseman Nolan Bellanger coming to you from one of our Gold Partners, The Portland Puck." I read the spiel Muri has given me on the Puck and Gold Partners. I don't mind using her intro, but the questions are going to be all mine. I flash a smile at Dash as I introduce him. He smiles back. Not one to hold a grudge, he's forgiven my earlier misstep.

Muri beamed, pleased with my introduction. Score one point for me. I bask in the glow of her radiant smile like a fat and lazy cat in the afternoon sun. I aim to impress her with my charm and wit as I shoot questions at my captain. I'll start out bold and adventurous to set the tone.

"So, cap, what's your favorite sexual position?"

Dash opens his mouth but nothing comes out.

"Stop!" Muri sputters and waves frantically at Ross, who's trying not to snicker and failing miserably. Dash's eyes light up with amusement. She whips around and directs her fury toward me.

Whoa .

Muri is scorching hot when she's pissed like that, and I'm more than happy to be burned by her passion.

"This…this…this has to be kept family-friendly. No questions on sex, drugs, or rock and roll."

"Well, darn, my next question was Dash's drug of choice."

"Stick with the questions on the cards. You can pick from those." She jabs her index finger at the stack in my lap, but personally, I like to think she's pointing at my impressive boner because her outrage is making me hard.

Dash is quiet, but he's showing too much interest in our bantering, and it's making me nervous for reasons I don't understand.

"Okay, fine." I flip through the cards and find a question I can put my own spin on. "Dash, which of our coaches is the biggest hardass?"

"Stop!" shouted Muri. "That's not the question."

"I spiced it up a little."

Exasperated, she blows out a long breath. Dash chuckles but immediately sobers when Muri shoots him a death glare.

"Just ask me the questions the way she wants them, or we'll be here all night." Dash tries hard to keep the smile off his face. He's having as much fun as I am.

"They're boring, but if that's what you want…" I flip through a few more. "Do you have a sister, Dash?"

Dash's puzzled expression is a clue something isn't right, but I'm too dense to see the forest for the trees. "Well, yeah."

"Okay, what guy on the team would you allow to date your sister?"

Dash gives Muri the side eye. She surprises me by not interrupting.

"Not one of them," Dash says.

"Really? No one. What about me?"

"You'd be at the bottom of my list."

I clasp my hands and hold them to my heart. "You wound me, Dash, right here." I point at my chest to punctuate my words. Dash rolls his eyes.

"Why? You wanna date my sister?" He glances at Muri. Two pairs of identical deep blue eyes regard me with interest. Then the truth slams into me like an opposing player seeking retribution.

"You're not…you can't be…"

"Oh, but I am. Muri Bates. You didn't know that?" Muri's smirk is triumphant, as if she's gotten even with me for coming up with my own questions.

"Uh, no."

"This is great stuff. Keep going." Ross is filming every word, and Muri doesn't stop him.

"You're not dating my sister." Dash literally growls, and I'm hurt, but I don't show it. I'm a good guy, maybe a little wild at times, but basically I'm a good guy.

"For the record, dear brother, you don't get to tell me who to date. Now, let's get back to the questions," Muri encourages, and I do my best to mind my manners for the remainder of the interview, even though I still think her questions are dull. I interject a few tamer ones of my own creation, and she doesn't object.

Dash doesn't linger after the interview, anxious to get home to Everly. Ross trundles away, probably back to his basement and video games. Muri hesitates as if she can't decide whether to leave or stay.

"You're good at this," she says.

"I'm a ham," I admit because it's the truth. I love being in the limelight and have all my life. The expectations set for me are high, and I keep meeting them. My dad's proud of me, and that means everything.

"No shit."

"No shit," I repeat with a wink. "You have to admit some of my questions are pretty damn good."

"We'll keep a few of them." She smiles at me, and my insides melt like ice cream on hot pavement. I love women, but there's something special about this particular female. Her deep blue eyes are warm, and her angelic face hides a quick, ruthless wit. She's the full package.

And I want to ask her out despite Dash's warning.

Muri reaches for her coat, and I put a hand on her arm. She shoots me a questioning smile. "What?"

"Stay and have a drink with me." I sound like I'm pleading because I am. I'm not above begging when I need to.

Muri's face reflects her inner conflict, then she shrugs and sits back down. "You're buying."

"The first round." I grin, and she laughs, music to my ears and my soul.

"You're a cheap bastard." She tosses a sassy smirk in my direction, and my heart falls at her feet. I'm smitten. Like seriously smitten.

"I can be." I'm actually frugal at times and a big spender at others. I'm a good combo of high-roller and cheap bastard.

"I'm hungry. How about some nachos?" she suggests.

"Whatever you want, I aim to please."

Muri frowns and looks to the sky before returning her gaze to me. "You didn't aim to please earlier."

"Just helping you out. Your questions need spicing up."

She wants to argue. I can see it in her eyes, but she doesn't for once. We chat for the next couple hours until the bartender points out that it's closing time. I glance around the large room and realize everyone has left but us. We've been so into each other, we haven't noticed the bar's emptied out.

I walk Muri to her car, and we both linger. She leans against the car door, and I face her. For a brief moment, the easiness of earlier fades, and awkwardness invades. Neither of us speak for several agonizing seconds. She breaks the ice first.

"Thank you. You're going to be a star. These episodes will be popular with our fans." Her eyes light up as she talks. Warmth spreads through me with the knowledge that I've put that smile on her face, and the awkwardness fades as quickly as it came. I can't recall ever being this comfortable around a woman I'm attracted to. Usually I'm too busy trying to impress to be myself, but with Muri, I'm me, and all the pretenses and bluster fade to background noise.

"I couldn't have done it without your planning and tutelage, even if I did give you shit."

"So you admit I'm the brains, and you're the brawn?"

A smart remark sits on the edge of my tongue, but I make the mistake of gazing into those deep blue eyes, and I forget how to speak English. Her lips part, and her pink tongue slips out and makes a circuit around her mouth. My breath hitches, and I almost have to jump-start my heart. I want to kiss that mouth. I need to kiss that mouth. I'm not strong enough to resist, and I don't want to. I'd rather give in and taste heaven for one minute than live the rest of my life without ever knowing what she feels like.

I lean in.

She leans closer.

Our faces are inches apart. The world fades and leaves the two of us surrounded by a protective cocoon, like we're the only two beings left on earth. And nothing else matters.

I feel her breath on my face. I inhale the sweet scent of her. I have to taste what she's so willingly offered despite my captain's warning.

Our lips connect, and powerful emotions almost drive me to my knees. Somehow I prevent myself from collapsing, and I step into her. Our bodies touch, and our mouths are gentle, seeking and exploring. My arms go around her, and she threads her fingers through my hair.

My slow burn flames and ignites a raging fire in my body. She matches my passion with her own blend of desire and need. We're two people on a mission to give each other pleasure, and neither of us want to stop.

I forget we're on a sidewalk in a relatively busy area of town. I don't care. All I care about is getting more of her. Somewhere in the back of my brain, I hear a car pull next to us, and a door slams, but I'm not cognizant enough to pay attention to anything but her.

"Okay, kids, move along." The gruff voice invades our cocoon, and Muri pushes on my chest. It takes me a few moments to gather my wits and back away. Without her touch, I feel lost and alone, like a child abandoned on a street corner.

We turn as one. A smirking policeman regards us with amusement. I'm annoyed, and Muri is embarrassed.

"Sorry, officer. We got carried away." Muri slips away and hops into her car. The next thing I know, I'm standing alone on the sidewalk watching Muri's taillights fade into the distance.