Chapter 5

Austin

"Did I say I'm not a hockey fan?" Norah says as she walks out of the bedroom with her adorable cheeks burning a crimson red. "I love hockey."

I give her a look and she starts laughing. I do too.

"Oh really? Since when?"

"Since I found out my best client is the star player of the San Antonio Hyenas."

"I'm hardly the star player."

"You're good enough to be on a poster in some random kid's room," she says. "I'd say that's pretty good."

I smile. "Thank you."

"It's pretty cool," she says. "A professional hockey player. Congratulations."

"For what?"

"For making your dreams come true. Not many people can do that."

I have a new dream to make come true. I want her.

She's perfect. This house is perfect.

I want to lock the doors and live in here with her forever.

"How about we check out that master bedroom?" she says as she walks down the hallway, wobbling on those high heels. She's fucking adorable.

I can't take my eyes off her.

She turns into the room and my eyes drop to her ass. I fight back a groan when I see her round cheeks swaying under those gray pants.

I've never reacted to a girl like this before.

This is a first for me.

I've had beautiful girls throwing themselves at me for years all throughout high school and college, but I was too focused on hockey to do anything about it.

Getting to the NHL was all that mattered to me. It was the only thing I focused on. It was the only thing I cared about.

I think the girls treated it as a game—who could get me in their bed first—but I never gave any of them the satisfaction.

I went to bed early, I got up early, and I trained. Over and over, I trained.

Hockey was the only thing on my mind.

Until now.

When Norah opened the door and I saw her scream and duck away from that parrot, I knew she was the one. I knew she was different.

She's hilarious and beautiful and sexy and smart.

Once in a lifetime—if you're lucky—you'll meet someone that you instantly connect with. That you feel like you've known forever. That you know you can't let get away.

Norah is that kind of girl.

Norah is that girl.

I can see her back home in my parents' kitchen, laughing with my mom and two sisters, and teasing my dad. She'd fit right in. I already know my family would love her.

"Check this out," she says as I follow her into the huge master bedroom. "Relaxing in front of this fireplace after a game, huh? Doesn't that sound nice? And look at this bed."

I swallow hard as we both stare at it. Her back stiffens.

The sexual tension in the air is so thick you can taste it.

We're the only two people in the house. We could test out that bed and no one would know.

An image of her dropping onto the mattress while staring up at me with those sexy blue eyes pops into my head.

Fuuccckkk.

I have to be careful or something is going to pop out of my pants.

Her eyes dart to mine and there's something in them. A sensuality? A need? A hunger? Whatever it is, it's got my heart thumping.

"And this bathroom," she says darting away with her cheeks blushing. "Look at this gorgeous en suite."

I'm breathing heavily as I follow her.

"Are you a shower or a tub kind of guy?" she asks. "I love soaking in a big hot bath."

I swallow hard, trying not to think of the tempting image of this woman getting naked and slipping into the bath.

"I'm a bath guy," I say. I hardly ever take baths, but I'm a bath guy now. I bet that one bath with her will have me converted forever.

"Let's go check out the other rooms." She smiles as she walks by me and I get a whiff of her perfume. It nearly brings me to my knees.

We check out the rest of the bedrooms on this floor and every bed we come across tests my restraint a little more.

She brings me into the basement, which is hardly a basement since it's also ground level. The house is built on a slope, which is perfect.

We check out the theatre room, the gym, and the bar area. This house is amazing. I'm buying it.

But I'm not going to tell her just yet. She'll get the papers ready, I'll sign them, and then I'll never see her again.

No, I have to make this last. I need to spend as much time with her as I can before I close the deal.

Getting her is more important than getting this house.

It's all that matters.

"Let's go outside," she says as she opens the giant double glass doors. "Wait, is that crazy parrot around?"

She yanks the doors closed and whips her head around, looking for it.

"I think you're good," I say with a laugh.

"That damn parrot is probably stalking us from the shadows," she says, narrowing her eyes as she looks around.

When she's satisfied that we're alone, she opens the doors and continues her tour. "Isn't that pool amazing?"

It's a pretty amazing pool, but it would be even more amazing if she was in a bikini slipping into it.

"And what about this hot tub? Wouldn't it feel good to sink in there and soothe those sore muscles after a game?"

Only if you're in there with me.

"So, what do you think?" she asks when we're finished the tour.

"Does the parrot come with the house?" I ask with a grin.

She laughs. "I don't think that parrot is safe around us. He won't last the week before he escapes for real."

She's so adorable. I just want to hold her. I want to tuck that lock of silky hair behind her ear. I want to taste those soft pink lips. This woman is killing me.

"I like it," I say as I look back at the house.

"But you don't love it."

I sigh. I do, but I can't let this end so soon.

"That's okay!" she says in a high-pitched voice. "We still have two more houses to see! One today and one tomorrow. Ready to go now?"

I grin as I look at the eagerness on her face. She's so cute.

"Absolutely."

We say goodbye to the parrot and head over to the next house in separate cars.

I get anxious as I follow behind her. Her car looks so old. It looks so unsafe. The back bumper is practically falling off and there's a coating of rust along the bottom of the doors. I want to drive her to a fancy car dealership and buy her the safest car they have.

My protective instincts are coming alive like never before. They're out of control with this woman.

I want to shelter her from the world and keep her safe from everything.

The next mansion we pull into has cars parked everywhere. At first, I think it's an open house, but then I see all of the teenagers walking around the property with beers in their hands.

Loud bassy music greets us as we walk up the driveway.

"Are you sure you have the right house?" I ask as a tipsy girl in a bikini top and jean shorts stumbles past us.

Norah double-checks her notes with the address. "This is it," she says. "Look, there's a for sale sign over there. I'll call the realtor."

I watch her face as she dials and puts the phone to her ear. The light breeze is blowing through her brown hair and it's making my pulse race. I just want to sink my hands into it. I want to take that phone away from her mouth and kiss her.

I love how her forehead is all scrunched up in concentration. I could stare at her all day.

"Hi, Wendy," she says when the other end answers. "This is Norah Ellison here to see the house. I'm not sure if we're in the right place."

I catch a glimpse of her white teeth and pink tongue and I have to look away. I'm quickly becoming obsessed with this girl. I can feel it rooting in my core and strengthening with every second I'm around her.

How am I even going to play tonight? I won't be able to focus on hockey. My mind will be consumed with thoughts of her.

The front door swings open and a flustered middle-aged lady in a black pantsuit hurries out.

"I'm so sorry," Wendy says, looking mortified. "The owner is in Florida and his teenage niece thought it would be a good idea to throw a party."

A guy wearing a beer box as a hat comes stumbling out of the door and pukes in the garden.

"Oh, my god," the woman says as she turns away with a look of disgust. "I'm so sorry about this. We can reschedule for another time if you prefer."

Both women look at me. I shrug. "I don't mind. We're here, let's go see the house."

Norah smiles at me. I can tell she's trying not to laugh from all this—the keg party, the vomit, the horrified agent. I like a girl who can roll with the punches and laugh at any scenario.

"After you," she says with a grin. "Don't step in any puke."

I laugh. "I'll try not to."

We walk into the house and there are teenagers everywhere. Where did they even come from? It's a Wednesday. Aren't they supposed to be at school?

"This is the grand entrance," Wendy shouts over the music as two guys go running past her, shouting at the top of their lungs. "Notice the Italian marble staircase and the stunning chandelier imported from Paris."

I look up and laugh when I see a bra hanging from it.

"We'll have that removed by the time you move in," Wendy says, swallowing hard.

"I kind of like it," Norah says. "It adds a level of class and sophistication to the house."

I laugh.

Someone turns the music up. It's gangsta rap and it's loud.

"I'll go turn that down," Wendy says as she storms out of the room. "This is ridiculous!"

"What do you think so far?" Norah asks as she turns those radiant blue eyes on me.

"Of the house or the song?"

"The song, obviously. Who wants a big bootie ho who grinds down on the floo?" she sings to the song while twerking her ass.

I shake my head, laughing as I watch her.

"You should put that on your business card," I tell her. "The twerking agent."

She raises her eyebrows and points at me. "I like the way you think, Mr. Gambill."

Wendy doesn't come back, so we wander around the house, peeking into rooms and getting lost.

I like the other house way better. This one is not for me.

We step into the kitchen and there are about thirty or forty kids crammed in there. Wendy is in the attached living room by the stereo arguing with a teenage girl.

"Holy shit!" a guy says when he sees us walking in. "That's Austin Gambill!"

"Whoa!" another guy says when he spots me. He hops off the counter and comes rushing over. "What are you doing here, man?"

We start to get swarmed as my name quickly moves around the house.

I grab onto Norah's hand and step beside her, shielding her with my body. I don't like these drunk boys so close to her, but for now, they're only focused on me.

I turn to see if she's okay only to find her smiling up at me. She's enjoying this.

"Dude, that goal last week was nuts!" a large guy with a chipped tooth says. "That deke was pure fire."

"Do you guys want a drink?" the first guy who spotted us asks. "Dude, pass me two beers!"

Two beer bottles are thrust at us out of nowhere.

Norah grabs them both in one hand and in one smooth motion, she kicks the bottom of one which pops the cap off the other. The cap sails into the air and before it even lands, she pops off the second one using a ring on her finger.

She hands me a smoking beer bottle with a grin as both caps land on the tiled floor.

"What are you some kind of bartender Batman?" I ask, staring at her in awe.

She laughs and in that beautiful moment, I know I'm in love.

"How did you do that?" one of the guys asks.

All of the attention is now on her.

"I'll show you if you promise to only practice on soda bottles until you turn twenty-one," she says.

"We do," they lie.

She shows them how to open a bottle with a kick and a few of them start grabbing new bottles out of the fridge. There are definitely a few beer bottles among them.

We have a few sips of beer and then sneak away while they all start trying the cool move.

"I don't know who's more famous at this party," I say with a grin as we sneak upstairs with our bottles. "You or me."

"Definitely me," Norah says as she turns around with a grin. "Anyone can push a puck into a net but how many people can open two beer bottles in less than three seconds?"

"You're full of surprises," I say as I try to keep my eyes on hers and not on her ass. It's so hard not to look when she's walking up the stairs in front of me. She's irresistible. "Are you a big party girl or something?"

She laughs. "Nah. I'm a good girl. I just work in a bar."

I love that she's a good girl—that's what I was hoping—but I don't love that she's working in a bar surrounded by drunks and creeps all night. Just the thought of that makes me squeeze my hands into fists.

"So, you're not just a realtor?" I ask.

She shrugs. "Realtor by day, bartender by night."

And dream girl all the time.

My body is tingling as we walk onto the second floor and start checking out rooms.

"Ew," she says when we look into the master bedroom.

I laugh. "Way to sell me on the house."

"You don't want this house," she says with her nose scrunched up. "Look at that green carpet. The owners should be ashamed of themselves."

She's leaning against one side of the doorframe and I'm leaning against the other. There's no one around.

Our eyes meet for a long moment and I suddenly want to kiss her so bad I can't breathe.

She takes a sip of her beer and my eyes drop down to her mouth.

Goddamn…

She's letting her eyes slowly roam up and down my body. She looks flushed. Her eyes get a sexy sheen of gloss as our eyes meet.

I wonder if the pull is as strong for her. I wonder if she can feel how obsessed I am. Can she feel the hunger and need radiating off me?

"So, Mr. Gambill," she says with a flirty grin. "Can you see yourself in here?"

I can see myself in her.

"What are you thinking?"

I swallow hard as I stare at her, blood boiling, eyes on fire. I'm desperate for this woman.

"I'm wondering how you'd react if I kissed you."

Her luscious lips curl up into a grin. "Only one way to find out."

I stand up straight and go to her.

"Oh," she moans as I slide my arms around her scrumptious body. Her delicious perfume fills my lungs, making me all lightheaded and woozy.

My eyes are locked on her mouth as I lean down and kiss her.

Fuck.Her lips are so soft. She tastes so good. She feels incredible. I never want to stop kissing this girl.

She moans as she opens her lips a little more, letting me explore her mouth with my tongue. My heart is pounding in my chest. My knees go weak as I taste her.

I cup her cheeks and hold her in place as I kiss her long and hard.

If we were in the other house, alone and uninterrupted, I'd be carrying her to the bed right now. But there are too many drunk noisy teenagers around. One approaches us in the hall and I pull away from her perfect mouth.

"Holy shit, are you Austin Gambill?" the kid asks, stopping when he sees me.

"No," I grunt, never taking my eyes off my girl.

She's staring back at me like everything's changed.

Everything has changed. She's mine now.

"Can I get a photo?" the fucker asks as he pulls out his phone.

He comes butting over and I push him away.

I grab Norah's arm, pull her into the bedroom, and close the door.

"I have to see you tonight."

"Okay," she says as breathless as I am.

"I have a game," I say with my pulse racing. "I'll get you a ticket. Front row."

Her face drops. "I have to work at the bar tonight."

Thoughts of calling the owner and purchasing the bar enter my mind. She won't have to work tonight if I own the place.

"Maybe," she says as she runs her hand down my chest. "Maybe I have one more ace up my sleeve."

I grin and then kiss her again, hoping she does because I won't be able to go one more night without seeing this girl.

My obsession is complete.