Chapter 6

Norah

"Go, Austin!" I shout as he steals the puck and goes flying down the ice toward the opposing team's net. I'm jumping up and down as he moves past one defender and then passes the puck back to Kemp.

Kemp shoots, but the goalie blocks it. The loose puck bounces on the ice as I clutch onto the stranger's arm sitting beside me.

Austin is going for it. He grabs the puck with his hockey stick while a player from the other team hooks his other arm. Austin pulls it back and as quick as a strike from a snake, he flicks it between the goalie's legs. It slides into the net.

The whole arena explodes into cheers as the buzzer goes off and the boys celebrate on the ice. I'm jumping up and down and screaming way too enthusiastically for someone who supposedly doesn't like hockey.

Austin pops out of the group of hockey players and his eyes immediately find mine. I can feel my heart racing as I smile at him.

He smiles back and then watches me as he skates to the bench.

This is wild. I'm in the front row getting smiles from the hot available superstar rookie of the team.

I really should be trying to keep this relationship professional since he's my first and only client, but right now, I don't care.

That sexy smile is lighting up something inside of me and I don't want to extinguish it just yet.

I have a big crush on this man and it's only growing the more I see him.

My phone vibrates against my thigh and I pull it out while the coach is speaking to the team.

LAUREN: He just scored!

NORAH: I know! Thx again for taking my shift 3

I feel horrible. Lauren's final shift was supposed to be last night, and we made a big thing about it, but she was the only one I could turn to. I had to ask.

Lauren is so amazing that she said yes without hesitation. I had taken a bunch of her shifts last year when her dog needed surgery so she was happy to repay me.

Good friends want you to succeed and she was thrilled that things were finally looking up in both my love life and my work life.

NORAH: I'll be there as soon as I can!

LAUREN: No rush! I'm deep into a crossword puzzle lol

I only asked her to cover the first couple of hours of my shift so I could go to the game. I couldn't ask her to stay longer than that, so I'll be rushing to the pub after the final whistle to work until closing.

The game resumes and Austin is sitting on the bench, taking a break. There's action happening all around me, but I can't stop watching him.

He's so hot.

I never thought I'd be into an athlete, especially a professional one, but I'm so into him it's crazy. I'm shocked by the intensity of it.

It was so fun hanging out with him today. I couldn't believe I was at work. He's cute and funny, and he thinks I'm funny, which is crazy to me. He kept watching me like he couldn't get enough of the Norah show.

One of the Hyenas players skates to the bench clutching his hand. The coach waves Austin on and he leaps over the boards.

"Yes!!!" I shout so loud the poor guy next to me flinches. I've been clinging to him and yelling in his ear all game long. The poor man. I can't imagine paying top dollar to sit in the front row and then getting stuck beside me.

My eyes never leave number nine as he moves around the rink.

Could he actually become my boyfriend? Could that actually be a thing that happens?

It all seems so unbelievable, but then… That kiss… It was magical.

The Hyenas are in the other team's zone. Svensson passes the puck to Austin and he lets a hard slap shot loose. It's a wild shot and bangs into the glass behind the goalie.

"It's okay!" I shout as I clap my hands together loudly. "You'll get it next time!"

My neighbor glances at me with a frown.

"That's my boyfriend," I tell him. "We kissed this afternoon."

He looks at me like I'm even crazier than he thought and turns away, giving me his shoulder.

"Yes!!" I shout as Austin bodychecks someone into the boards. I tap my neighbor's shoulder with a big smile on my face. "That's my man!!"

I wish I could have stayed to meet Austin after the game, but he had to shower, get dressed, and talk to the media before I could see him.

I couldn't make Lauren wait that long. She was nice enough to let me go to the game in the first place, I didn't want to keep her waiting all night.

Besides, I'll see Austin at the showing tomorrow. No big deal.

But there's a heaviness in my body as I walk into the pub. I really wanted to stay.

"Thank you so much," I say to Lauren as I rush over to her. "You have no idea how much that meant to me."

"No worries," Lauren says, waving her hand. "How was the game? He looked good out there. A goal and an assist!"

The game was amazing! The Hyenas won three to one. I know I'm going to be waking up with a hoarse voice tomorrow from yelling so loudly.

"And the house?" she asks as she pours a draft beer into a frosted mug. "Do you think he's going to buy something?"

"Oh. Yeah. Totally." I had forgotten all about the house.

She knows me too well. Her eyes narrow on me. "You like him."

"What?!" I say with a shocked laugh. "No."

She stops the tap and takes another empty mug while shaking her head at me. "Is he cute?"

"Sooo cute," I say, collapsing onto the bar. "I love him."

"Do you really want to mix business and pleasure?" she asks as she grabs the two full beers. "This can be a big opportunity for you."

She walks away and heads toward the tables with the beers. That's the way conversations go when you work in bars and restaurants. They're always in fragments. You start talking about something and mid-sentence, the person just walks away to bring a plate, refill a drink, or check on a customer. I know as soon as she returns, I'm going to have to answer.

I sigh as I head behind the bar and take off my coat. I put my apron on and wash my hands. It's not very busy tonight, which means I'll be obsessing about my meeting with Austin tomorrow. I already miss him. I'm so pathetic.

Lauren returns with a couple of empty mugs.

"I hear what you're saying," I say before she can get started again. "But if I meet the man of my dreams, isn't that more important than selling one measly house?"

"A four million dollar house? Your first house in a budding new career? For a professional athlete who probably has two phones filled with girls on speed dial?"

My stomach drops. My heart feels like it's ripping in two.

"I'm sorry," she says, taking a deep breath. "That was harsh. I'm just looking out for you. I want this to work out. I know you're going to make an amazing real estate agent."

I'm having my doubts about that. I showed two houses so far in my illustrious career. One, I almost let a rare parrot escape and the second, I was practically chugging beers at a keg party for teenagers.

What's going to happen tomorrow? Sex in the master bedroom?

"What are you smiling about?" Lauren suddenly asks accusingly. "You're grinning from ear to ear! What are you thinking?"

"Nothing," I say as I get to work. I hurry along the bar to a guy sitting with an almost empty beer. "Can I get ya a refill?"

Lauren stays and hangs out while I continue my shift. At midnight, it gets really quiet. There's only a handful of people hanging out.

She's nursing a martini and we're talking about what kind of plants she should get for her new office when the door opens and Austin walks in.

I almost don't recognize him. He's wearing dark jeans, a white T-shirt, and an old black leather bomber jacket. His hair is all messy in a stylish kind of way.

He looks gorgeous.

"Hellooo," Norah whispers under her breath when she sees him. "Wait, is that?"

"Yup!"

I have a big grin on my face as he comes over, smiling that sexy smile. "Hey, Austin! Great game!"

"Thanks," he says as I walk around the bar to greet him.

I step on my toes and his hand slides onto my hip as I kiss his cheek. I can still feel his fingertips burning my flesh as I head back around the bar.

"Sit. Please."

He pulls out a stool, leaving one empty one between him and Lauren. I laugh when I see Lauren's face.

I grab a rag and wipe the bar, leaning in close to Lauren as I wipe. "Still think selling a house is more important?" I whisper.

She just shakes her head, her eyes practically popping out of her face as she stares at him. "No, I don't."

"What can I get you, superstar?" I ask as I throw down a coaster in front of him.

"A beer would be great. Something red if you got it."

"Coming right up."

I open the mug fridge and lean all the way down even though it's full. I want to treat this sexy man to a nice long look at my cleavage.

"Austin, this is Lauren," I say, introducing her as I fill up the mug. "Lauren, Austin."

"You're the one who took Norah's shift," he says. She's nodding like a woodpecker. "Thank you."

"Well," she says, knowing when to leave. "I should get going. I got an early morning. It was nice meeting you, Austin. Norah, text me tomorrow."

"Thanks again, hon," I say as I lean over the bar and kiss her cheeks.

"Be good," she whispers before waving to Austin and then to the bus boy and other bartender, Samuel.

I lean on the bar and meet Austin's eyes. We both smile.

"You're pretty good at handling a stick," I say, immediately realizing how dirty it sounds. "A hockey stick."

"I saw you jumping up and down," he says with a grin. "You make it very hard to concentrate on the game."

I smile shyly, feeling my cheeks blushing. He was in a game and he was distracted by me? Wow.

"Stick with me and you'll be unemployed in no time," I tell him with a flirty bat of my eyes.

He laughs. "If I get to spend more time with you, it will be worth it."

"Oh, you're too much," I say as I stand up. "Do you think that keg party is still raging?"

"Do you think that poor realtor is still there trying to get them to turn the stereo down?"

We both laugh. "That's a battle she's not going to win."

More people leave until there are only about five college students in the back nursing a pitcher of beer. They have textbooks and laptops laid out all over their table.

I'm glad it's a quiet night. I get this man all to myself.

We talk and flirt for two hours. The time just flies by.

He tells me about his family in Michigan and I tell him about mine in San Antonio. It sounds like they would get along great. I bet it'd be a fun wedding.

Slow down, cowgirl. Wedding already?

But I can't help it. It feels like I met my soulmate.

Eventually, the students leave and I send the busboy and Samuel home. I can close up by myself. Normally, I'd like someone else to be around for security reasons, but I have a pro athlete looking out for me.

"Are we alone?" Austin asks as he looks around the empty pub. There's about twenty minutes left until closing.

"We are," I say with a raised eyebrow.

He licks his lips and lets his eyes roam up and down my body. My nipples harden under my bra and I start to feel a heated throbbing down there.

Having this man's full attention on me is the ultimate aphrodisiac.

"Dogs or cats?" he asks as I wipe down the taps.

"Definitely dogs," I say, although I love cats too. "We have an adorable family dog. She's an amazing golden retriever. Sometimes, I bring her kayaking with me. She's so good."

"What's her name?"

"Molly."

"I can't wait to meet her."

My eyes dart over to his. He's grinning at me. God, that grin is so fucking kissable.

"You want to meet her?"

"I want to meet all of your family."

I take a long deep breath, not knowing what to say. I'm twenty-four, but I've never had a long-term boyfriend. I've never had a boyfriend at all, really.

I'm not very experienced in the love department.

And I'm totally inexperienced in the sex department.

I'm still a virgin.

Working at this bar, I've seen drunk people hooking up and I'm sure they regretted it the next day. It opened my eyes and made me realize that casual hookups weren't what I wanted.

I wanted my first time to mean more. I wanted to be in love. I wanted to experience it with my soul mate in a moment I'd never forget.

"I'll save you a seat at Christmas dinner," I say, giving him a wink before heading to the back.

"I'll bring the gingerbread cookies," he calls out.

I laugh as I grab a rack of clean mugs. There are eight racks that the bus boy ‘forgot' to bring out before he left. I have to fill up the fridges before I leave and these things are damn heavy.

I'm trying not to grunt as I lug one back into the bar.

Austin springs off his bar stool. "Let me help you with that!"

"Will you?"

He takes off his jacket and goes into the back. He returns a few seconds later with four racks.

"Whoa, Superman," I say as I admire his hard flexed arms. "Would you like a job?"

"Will I get to work with you?" he asks as he places the racks on the bar and turns to me. His arms and chest are all jacked and looking so fine. My fingertips tingle as I picture running my hands up those thick muscular forearms.

"We can arrange that," I say, feeling my voice going breathless. My breaths are coming out heavy as he slowly approaches like a hungry wolf wanting to devour me.

"I like to work close," he whispers as he comes in nice and close. He grazes my neck with his lips and I drop my head back with a moan.

My body is on fire for this man. I want him so badly.

"How close?" I whisper as I grab onto the freezer and lean back, pushing my tingling breasts into the air. He comes over to me, his heated eyes on my mouth, his hard chest pressing onto mine.

"This close," he whispers as his mouth hovers over mine. I can feel his hot breath on my lips and it makes me moan. My body aches. My pussy throbs.

I can't take it anymore. I grab the back of his neck and kiss him hard.

I thrust my tongue into his mouth and pull his body onto mine.

I want him on me. I want him in me. I want to be consumed by him.

When we finally pull our mouths away, I grab onto his hair and gasp. "The door," I say breathlessly. "Lock the door."

It's like my body groans in frustration as he quickly leaves and locks the door. The throbbing between my legs gets more fierce and needy as I watch that sexy man hurrying back.

He leaps up and slides over the bar, landing right in front of me with a grin.

"Show off," I say with a smile.

He kisses me and everything feels right with the world.

I run my hands over his hard muscular arms and shoulders. Up his chest and onto his wide back. I can't get enough of him.

"This pub has excellent service," he says between kisses.

"Well, you are getting the VIP treatment."

"Lucky me."

I'm thinking the same thing.

He cups my breasts and kisses them over my shirt. My nipples are aching in my bra.

I feel his long hard cock press into my thigh and I drop my head back with a moan.

His big strong hands slide onto my ass and he picks me up and puts me onto the bar.

"It's time for the bartender to get treated," he says as he kisses my neck.

I wrap my legs around him and pull him closer, feeling his hard dick pressing against my wet pussy. If it feels this good with clothes on, I can't imagine how it's going to feel when we're finally naked.

"Am I going to get a big tip?" I ask.

"What kind of tip do you want?"

I grab a fistful of his shirt and pull him to my mouth. "The kind that fills me up."

He kisses me long and hard, and then drops his head down. I moan as he opens my legs and unclips my apron. He puts it aside and then reaches for the button on my jeans.

I'm breathing so heavily as he pops open the button and unzips my fly.

I've never done anything like this, especially at work, but I'm past the point of return now. I couldn't make myself stop him even if I wanted to. I'm consumed with lust.

Those strong hands start pulling down my jeans and I lift my hips off the bar to help them along. Austin's eyes are locked on my wet panties as he slips off my shoes, removes my jeans, and puts them on the freezer.

I swallow hard as those big masculine hands return for my underwear. He pulls them down my legs, slips them off my feet, stuffs them into his pocket, and then grabs my knees.

"Oh god," I whisper as he slowly opens my legs. The look on his face is pure awe as I reveal my most intimate area to a man for the first time.

"Fuck, Norah," he whispers as he stares at my aching pussy. "You're so beautiful. You're fucking perfect."

My spine stiffens as he comes forward with a ravenous look in his eyes. But then I melt like butter in July when I feel his hot mouth on me.

It's pure heaven.

His strong hands are gripping the inside of my thighs, holding them open as he slides his tongue up and down my folds.

He teases my pulsing clit and flicks it with his tongue. I'm dying here. I'm moaning and bucking against his mouth, shocked by the intensity of the sensations. How is he doing this to me? How can he make me feel so good?

My body is under his control. I'm all his now. I'm his sex slave. I'm his dirty little whore. I'm whatever he wants me to be.

He presses his hot tongue into my wet entrance and I start involuntarily grinding against his mouth. My cries come out louder as he slides his tongue back up to my clit.

It's so fucking wet and hot and messy and good. He groans hungrily as he devours me like an insatiable beast.

A new sensation comes raging forward. I'm going to cum all over his mouth, I can feel it.

I grip onto the edge of the bar as the tension seizes my core. I'm close. I'm so fucking close.

Those sexy lips latch onto my clit and it's enough to break the tightness inside. I scream as I cum hard all over his sliding tongue. Waves of heat surge through my body, crashing into me as they get stronger and hotter with each passing one.

My head is spinning and I'm seeing spots when it's finished. I wipe my eyes and take a few deep breaths when the intense orgasm has swept through me, leaving my body humming.

Austin lowers my trembling legs and stands up. My wetness is shining all over his mouth. His heated brown eyes are looking at me like I'm all his.

I am all his.

There's no doubt about it now.

He's the only one I want.

He's mine.