"Finally."

Ali pulled up to her condo around noon the next day, literally needing to sleep the rest of the day away. The plane ride had seemed twice as long because of how tired she was, and lugging her skiing gear from baggage claim to her car parked in the long term lot had drained the last of her limited energy.

Slamming the door to her SUV, she left everything in her car except for her carry-on and suitcase. The ski gear could wait until she had the oomph to actually lug it up the small flight of red brick steps and into her condo. The luggage seemed heavy enough, and Ali could've cared less as she bounced her roller bag against each step as she climbed up to the black front door, keys jingling as she one-handedly opened her home.

The two story condo was silent and dark. With the low hanging stratus deck that seemed to suffocate the city of Pittsburgh, the lack of light inside the condo made Ali immediately flick on every light she could. She left her stuff by the door and wound through the short hallway into the kitchen, flicking on even more lights.

She reached into her refrigerator and grabbed a can of diet Coke, snapping the top as her eyes lingered on her work schedule hanging on the door by two magnets, one University of Pitt, the other….a Pittsburgh Penguins magnet.

Ali chugged the entire diet Coke, her eyes never leaving the magnet.

That really did happen. I didn't imagine it whatsoever. One of them was on my bed. It wasn't my imagination.

She glanced over at the microwave shoved into the corner of her L-shaped counter. The green digital numbers glowed back at her: 12:06 PM.

So it happened literally twelve hours ago. Not even a whole day. Just twelve hours.

He hadn't called yet, not that Ali really expected him to…but she'd checked her phone the second her plane touched the tarmac and she was able to take it out of Airplane Mode. When there hadn't been a message or voicemail, her heart sunk a little.

Ali thought back to when they talked, remembering James mentioning they had to fly back to Pittsburgh as well that morning, but after that - he'd left no information on what his days were like.

I guess all I really need to do is look at their game schedule she thought with a roll of her eyes. But don't do it, Allison. He isn't calling. Don't even go there.

Except she'd gone there the entire flight back. She tried to convince herself James actually wanted to see her again, that maybe it wasn't so far fetched they might go to dinner, that maybe she would have a second chance to do this right…whatever 'right' was.

Ali played with the ends of the long braid she wore over one shoulder as her mind wound itself into a tangled mess.

And then she smiled.

She smiled, because James had made her laugh. He waited for her by her door for her to come back. In doing this, he took a huge chance at looking like a fool, and he did it for her.

Me.

With her face in her hands, Ali squealed.

What is this life I am living all of a sudden?!

Exhaling hard to get herself back to reality, Ali took a look around at her kitchen and realized something.

What if we actually start…….dating? What if this becomes serious?

"Well then, I'm going to need to do some serious cleaning" she said aloud.

Her place wasn't NHL-player worthy. A two story condo on the east side of the city with plenty of windows to catch the view of the rolling green hills around her, as well as the freeway, wasn't exactly the best way to welcome a superstar hockey player….but it would have to do. Ali had lived in this condo since she graduated college, still paying for her rent with her job working at the Hyatt Regency at the Pittsburgh Airport as a front desk clerk. And while she graduated with a degree in Aviation and Airport Management, the only thing she could land was a part time job working at the hotel adjacent to the airport.

All this aside - Ali wanted to at least make sure her place was ready.

…just in case.

The idea of cleaning made her head hurt, so she decided the one and only thing she should focus on for the time being was getting a much-needed nap. She took herself and her luggage upstairs to her humble bedroom, done in a mix of lavendar and gray and a hint of pink. She kept it simple with touches of color here and there, but overall she liked the simple sexiness of her plush linens, streamlined color palette, and her view of the city from the large wall-length windows near her bed. It was the reason she'd chosen the condo in the first place, so she let the city view do the talking.

Snuggling under her ruffled comforter in her sleigh style bed, it took no time at all for her body to relax and for sleep to take her.

…Only to be woken up 30 minutes later by her cell phone ringing.

Groaning because she'd forgotten to turn her phone on silent, Ali reached over to the white bedside table. Of all the names that could have appeared on the screen, the name that did appear was James. The jump of Ali's heartbeat was an instant wake-up call, and her blood seemed to catch up with her anxious heartbeat. She hit answer and lifted the phone to her ear. "Hello?"

"Thank God - I thought you'd never pick up."

Ali laughed in stunned relief. "Back at you - I thought you'd never call."

"Were you waiting for me?"

James' confident grin was evident even over the phone. Ali wouldn't forget, couldn't forget, a grin like his. "So what if I was?" she teased.

"Then you just made my day."

Closing her eyes, Ali said a silent thank you and felt butterflies tickle her stomach.

"So are you back in the Burgh?" James asked.

"Yeah…got in this morning…was actually napping when you called." Ali giggled again when she heard James swear.

"Oh, shit, I'm sorry - look, we can talk--"

"--No, stop, stop…I'd rather talk to you than nap, silly" she said happily. "Besides - why do you think I need a nap in the first place? Huh? Huh, Nealer?"

James' laughter filled her ear, and the nervousness that had been present previously now seemed to all but disappear in that instant. "Ahhh…yes, probably the same reason I slept the whole way back on the plane. The guys were chirping me, ya know."

Ali crawled out from under her comforter to sit cross-legged, her body alert now and warming quickly. James had her full attention, and she was hardly able to do much else but smile and listen to the accented voice on the line. "Is that so?" He couldn't see her raise one of her sharply curved eyebrows, but she did. "Do tell."

"They were wondering where I'd been all night, especially when Nisky -- I mean, Matt Niskanen -- saw me come in at 3 in the morning."

"I know who Matt Niskanen is" Ali corrected him playfully. "Or have you forgotten all we chatted about before your roommate caught you sneaking in so late?"

James' laugh this time was more subtle, softer somehow, as it rumbled over the line. "I haven't forgotten a single word, babe."

Ali's heartbeat froze. "Babe?"

There was a pause. "Fuck, I'm sorry--"

She was smiling as James desperately tried to apologize for his little slip. "Hey, slow down" she said happily. "I kinda like it. It sounds…..right."

There was another, longer pause. "Yeah?"

"Yes." Ali placed a hand over her mouth and looked up at the ceiling, doing whatever she could to prevent the squeal of delight from leaving her mouth. "Yes - and make sure you call me that on Saturday when we're out, too."

"Are you this confident in everything you do?"

The flirtation in his voice was so heavy that even Ali felt the weight of it. "Well…the simple answer is yes" she replied, trying to match him flirt for flirt.

"What's the not-so-simple answer?" His voice taunted her; the smirk still so boldly audible.

Ali bit her bottom lip, wondering if she should answer….or leave it for his imagination. "I think maybe you need to earn the right to that answer."

"Ahhhhhh…" He chuckled. "I like that, Diserelli. I like you."

I like you too she wanted to say - but she didn't know if she liked him, or if she liked this whole situation: the newness of a hot guy showing interest, not to mention that said guy was a hot professional athlete for the team she grew up watching on tv.

On the other line, across town, James had been pacing the entire phone call. He called her the second he got home and grew the balls to actually pick up the phone and dial her number. He'd already put her in his phone as Diserelli, so when he finally hit her name and heard the first in a series of rings, he grabbed at his hair and started to pace. Only now did he start to slow the pacing to a casual walk around his bedroom. He felt his heart rate come down because Ali had actually picked up his call. She picked up was the first thing he thought when he heard her voice on the other line.

"So Saturday's still on?" she asked him.

James felt his heart double in pace all over again. "Yeah, you think I was playing?"

"No….Well, I mean…." Ali sighed. "I didn't think you were going to call." She winced when she heard herself blurt it out.

"Whyyyyyy?"

"Because I'm…" too normal was what she almost said, but stopped just in time. Quickly, Ali thought of something else. "I'm too short. You know. You being all tall, dark, and handsome…" She knew she'd been successful at covering when she heard his comical laugh spill over the line.

"You're something, ya know that?"

"Whyyyyyy?" she asked, mocking his earlier question.

"You gotta earn the right to get that answer" he mocked back. "Two can play at this game."

And how, she thought with a smile. "Hopefully I hear from you before Saturday" she said, taking a chance. "I have a feeling I'm not going to be all that patient over the next day and a half."

You and me both James thought silently. "Of course you'll hear from me. Unless you think I'm not going to call again."

"I believe you this time" Ali replied. "Talk to you soon, James."

"Later, Ali."

James hung up and looked at his phone with a smirk. Waiting a few seconds, he hit Ali's name again and placed the phone to his ear. When Ali picked up laughing, he knew he scored. "Told you I'd call."

"Indeed you did!"

"Believe me now?"

"I do!"

"Good." A feeling of pride filled him, knowing he'd have to really prove himself to this girl and he was more than willing to do it. "Talk to ya later."

"Byeeeee."

James hung up feeling better than he had in months.

* * *

The Pens had another away game the next night, although it was only over to New Jersey to do battle against the Devils. It was a quick there-and-back trip, but the following morning, Saturday morning, the team was right back on the ice for practice at 7 o'clock sharp.

The bounce in James' step was visible to everyone in the locker room, and was even more obvious on the ice. He felt the excitement of that night brewing; questions bubbling up in his mind: what would Ali wear? Would her hair look as soft? Would she look up at me with those large doe eyes the way she did in Colorado? Would she like me when it's all said and done?

"Nealer."

James blinked, coming out of his daze. "Yeah Duper?"

Pascal skated over. "You in there somewhere?" He lifted the end of his stick, tapping it on his white helmet. "Earth to Nealer."

James batted his stick away. "I'm here, man. Just…tired."

"Tired." Pascal took his Gatorade bottle and squirted water into his smiling mouth. "She must be good, whoever she is."

James kept his eyes on the ice. "We'll see."

"Uh huh." Pascal slapped him on his padded shoulder. "Good luck with....whoever she is."

"You're not getting any more out of me, so don't bother" he taunted his teammate.

His teammate shrugged. "Worth a try, eh?"

"I give you an A for effort" James said with a smile.

A distance away, Dan Bylsma hollered at the team, calling them to center ice for their usual end-of-practice announcements. James skated slowly over, taking a spot next to Sid and Geno as they listened to Dan discuss injury reports and their upcoming home game on Sunday.

Duper hadn't been the only one to notice the happy-go-lucky state that James had been the past two days, and Sid was one of them. He scored twice during the game in New Jersey, which wasn't unusual…but when Sid watched James make a point to use his phone not long after leaving the locker room - he knew something was up. That morning's practice had just confirmed it. While James was usually pretty fun and easy going, this was different somehow. There was a sparkle in his eyes that Sidney didn't miss.

When they were back in the locker room and changing, some of the guys were making plans for later that night. Jordan Staal was organizing drinks at a local joint they frequented as a team at times; a place with low lights, good beer, and was an easy location where they could lie low so they weren't constantly bombarded by fans.

As Staal went shouting at some of the guys to get their asses out of the house later and come out, James joined in the chirping. But when it came time for Staal to ask James, it struck everyone in the room as extremely odd when James turned him down.

"I don't think so, man" he said, shrugging one shoulder. He fiddled absentmindedly with his jersey and pads as he pulled them off, ignoring the wide eyes and furrowed brows around the room.

"And just why the hell not?" Jordan joked, half-laughing. "You got plans already or something?"

James glanced up, the look in his eyes saying it all. Staal shifted his eyes sideways at Dupuis, who came walking forward from the showers, towel around his waist.

"He's got a girl he's meeting up with."

"Well no shit he does" Staal replied.

James rolled his eyes. "Come on, it's just one night."

"You have girl, Lazy?" Geno looked at his winger like he'd been hurt somehow by the lack of knowledge.

Sid gave a nod. "Who is she?"

"No one any of you know, so chill out." James yanked his spandex over his head, causing his damp hair to stand on end. The half-finished sleeve tattoo came into view, reminding him he needed to schedule to get another section of it done before playoffs. "Just some chick, you know. They come. They go." He tried to sound as if he hadn't been dying for tonight to come for the past few days.

"Important part is that they come, eh Nealer?" Fleury whacked him with one of his leg pads as he walked by.

James laughed because he knew he had to. He laughed because the others expected him to, except something about Ali made him want to defend her against all their joking around. It took some effort, but he played it cool; the one thing the guys knew about him was that chicks did come, and chicks did go…but he didn't want Ali going anywhere anytime soon, and they didn't need to know about that at all. If this date worked out, and he desperately wanted it to, he'd have to play it even cooler around the guys.

This was on James' mind the rest of the afternoon. He took a nap following practice with the idea that maybe he needed to rest up incase he had a long night ahead of him. He wondered, as he showered and got himself ready, if Ali would invite him to her place? Or should he invite her to his place?

He put his cologne on in all the right places, did his hair eight times…and a ninth for good measure…and grabbed the caramel colored v-neck sweater he planned to wear over his dark plaid shirt. Combined with dark brown pants and a matching belt: he looked the part for the place he would be taking her. Typically, James had a spot in Pittsburgh where he took all the girls he bothered to take on dates, but he wasn't taking Ali there. He had a different place in mind, a place he always wanted to take someone special to, but he just never had the right girl. Tonight, he did.

* * *

Ali stood in front of the mirror in her bedroom, a cream colored stiletto on one foot, a patent black stiletto on the other. Turning left and posing, then turning right and posing, Ali kicked off the black heel and opted for the cream pair. The color of the heels complimented her skin tone, which she was showing plenty of. She decided to pair a light gray, form-hugging tunic sweater with a short lace skirt that matched the color of her heels, hoping to draw James' gorgeous eyes down the length of her toned legs and make him uncomfortable…in a good way.

A pair of dangling silver earrings and a fluff her of her long hair, and she was ready. All she had to do now was wait.

Not long before, James had texted her….it's what they did now that the first few phone calls had taken place….saying he was leaving his house and heading for hers and that if he was late, he was blaming her for bad directions. Ali had laughed and teased him that she'd be blaming him for a terrible sense of direction.

Luckily for the both of them, James arrived right on time and with zero trouble finding her condo. When he took a glance for the first time at where she lived, he instantly liked what he saw. It was a cute place in a well-kept part of town in a neighborhood that was easy to get to. He took the brick steps to her front door two at a time and knocked, wiping his hands nervously on his dark pants. The second time I've knocked on this girl's door and still just as nervous.

When the door opened and James laid eyes on Ali for the first time since Denver, he felt the wind knocked out of him. Her bright smile, the dark eyes, her shiny, soft hair….and her body. His eyes traveled down the form fitting sweater to the lacy skirt sticking out from beneath, which fell halfway down thighs he'd like to see himself between sooner than later. Two killer matching heels had made her appear a few inches taller than he remembered…which only helped to place her lips much closer to his.

Fuck ME he thought, trying to control his breath.

"Finally." Ali mocked him with a playful smile. Crossing one ankle over the other, she stood holding the door with one hand, her head cocked to one side.

James swallowed, but found his mouth somewhat dry suddenly. "Huh?"

I can see the skirt already worked Ali thought, smiling. "It's what you said to me when I got back to my hotel room."

"That's right, yeah - that's what I said, wasn't it?" He silently cursed himself.

"Kind of dorky, but I loved it all the same" Ali teased. His blue eyes, now appearing slightly more green than they had the last time Ali had seen him, danced cheerfully in the low light of the evening.

James licked his lips, a subconscious move he'd repeat throughout the night. "Shall we?" He held out his hand and gave Ali his best grin. "Because I don't know about you, but I've been waiting all week for this, and I'm kind of impatient now."

Ali slid her hand into his, feeling the immediate strength in them. Besides being twice the size of hers, they were rough from years of holding a stick; the source of all his talent. Despite this, his hand cradled hers gently enough to make her mind curious as to what other parts of him could also be both gentle and hard with her.

As Ali turned to follow James down the steps, she stopped dead in her tracks and laughed. "What the hell is that!?"

"Oh this old thing?" James gave a nod at his white Ferrari. "Just an old beater-upper I got for a deal."

"You're kidding me - you own one of these?" She looked at him and laughed. "Holy shit."

He felt his feathers fluff a little by Ali's surprised expression; her eyes appearing even rounder. "You like it?"

"I, uhh…." She tilted her head. "Just answer me this - the doors don't open…you know…up instead of out, do they?"

James gave her hand a squeeze. "You think I'd buy a piece of shit like that?" He pulled gently, getting her to walk again. "Come on, Diserelli. Let me take you for a ride."

*

As if the scent of cologne and the way he shifted the massive car wasn't enough to make Ali want to fuck him then and there, she had to endure an entire meal of staring at him. It was a tough job, but she could think of no one else lucky enough to do it but her.

James was thinking the same thing. It was a challenging night from the start. The way Ali slid into the passenger seat smelling of flowers and vanilla and something just a bit sensual and dark, her skirt riding up her tan legs enough to make James almost lose control of the wheel anytime he glanced over at her…it was all very difficult. His dick wasn't appreciating being kept waiting beneath his pants, and James knew it. He felt it the entire dinner.

The reservation he made for them was at a contemporary, elegant lounge and restaurant; a place he passed frequently and even once went inside just to check out for no reason. He banked it in his memory as the perfect place for a first date, with its romantic but edgy feel, low amber lighting, a separate, open balcony seating and its not-afraid-to-spend-money patrons.

In hopes of surprising Ali further, James had specifically requested a corner table on the second floor loft area, overlooking the main floor and the handsome bar below. He didn't miss the subtle smile she had when the maitre' d led them upstairs and over to the private table. In fact, James never forgot that smile…it was the smile he would strive to cause each time they were together.

As he took Ali's coat for her, he caught a glance of the curve of her neck as he lifted the coat from her shoulders. He would taste this area later. He wanted to taste every inch of her. Not a single angle would go to waste, not by his mouth. He watched her closely as she took a seat across from him. Her eyes were illuminated by the muted light in their little romantic corner, the next table of patrons four or five tables away. She seemed impressed, but to James, he still had a long way to go.

"Really gorgeous." She slowly drew her gaze back to him. "Restaurant's not bad either."

James grinned. "Nice one."

"I can be smooth too" she said, tossing her hair casually over one of her shoulders. James' couldn't help but stare. He wanted to run his hands through that hair, touch her face, make her smile, make her moan, give her every part of him. When Ali crossed her legs, he wanted to run his tongue along their length. When she adjusted the neckline of her sweater and a hint of her ample cleavage appeared for just a moment, James wanted to feel the softness of them in his greedy hands.

But as badly as James wanted to do all the things his body was aching for him to do, he found a completely different struggle occurring as the evening went on. He was finding himself laughing a lot more, telling more about himself than he'd ever told anyone else, and listening…truly listening…to everything Ali had to say. It was a struggle because while all Ali had to do was look at him and he was instantly hard...he found himself caring for her, in a much different way than he was used to. This clearly wasn't just another girl he was sitting across from.

He realized this more as they talked, and they talked the entire time. Ali told him about her love of airplanes and all things aviation, he told her about his love of hockey and Thai food, sometimes not in that order. Ali told him her weakness for classic rock music and a long run somewhere quiet; James told her about his guilty pleasure of watching documentaries. She made fun of him, and he made fun of her right back. It was if they'd known each other for years.

Ali was impressed at the way James seemed to relax enough to open up to her, more so than he did in the hotel room. She was flattered on so many levels - one, just being in the same room as him, two - being at the same table as him. But most of all, she was flattered to just be sitting here watching him enjoy his time with her.

One thing was in the back of Ali's mind all night, though. What do I do at the end of this? Do I invite him over? What if he just takes me back to his place? What if--

"Hey you."

Ali refocused her eyes on his. "Sorry."

James didn't like hearing her apologize, although he was curious as to what had caused her mind to drift. "You okay?" He took a drink of his wine, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Haven't been better" she answered with a smile. "See? This is my honest face." She batted her eyes, hoping to smooth the blunder over with humor.

It worked. Between the two of them and how well they matched one another, they'd laughed the entire evening away. Even as their food came and went, they managed to keep the conversation flowing, along with the wine. At one point, after two glasses and enough anxiety over the entire date to last her a lifetime, Ali excused herself and went to the ladies room.

James had never been more thankful. He took the opportunity to take a good long look at her ass as she walked away. The ends of her lacy skirt swished, showing more of the thighs he wanted wrapped around his neck later. As if reading his mind, Ali glanced over her shoulder at him and gave him a wink. Her hair swept to the side as her eyes met his, and all James could do was laugh. He raised his wine glass, not bothering to hide the fact he'd been staring, which made her giggle as she continued down the length of the loft.

This girl James thought, taking a healthy drink of the wine. This girl will kill me before it's said and done.

*

Ali exhaled hard once she got into the restroom, like she'd been holding her breath for the past hour at the table.

That smile is going to kill me, she thought, holding out a hand in front of her. She watched it to make sure it wasn't shaking, and to her surprise - it wasn't.

Finally.

Because she really did have to pee and wasn't just using this as an excuse to leave, Ali took care of that small matter and found herself back at the sink, staring at herself again. She decided that things were going so well….so, so, SO surprisingly well….that she was past caring if she looked 'worthy' or not. And that had been her worry all along. Am I good enough for him? Am I a hockey player's 'type'? A small town girl living in Pittsburgh with a ho-hum job didn't seem like the type hockey guys dated, if they dated at all, but the past hour had been one of the funnest hours Ali had ever shared with a guy before. James was funny - beyond funny - in an effortless way; his boyish charm hard to resist and magnified by his unfairly handsome looks. It made Ali weak all evening, both below and above the waist.

After a tiny dab of sheer pink lip gloss, Ali inhaled...exhaled...flattened her sweater enough so a little more of her cleavage showed, and headed back out to the boyishly charming man waiting for her. The entire way back to the table, she kept her eyes on James, because James kept his eyes on her. His face was serious, but his eyes gave him away, as they had the entire night. The way they honed in on her like they did, she might have been the only one in the restaurant.

She smiled and took a seat as James' eyes lowered when she did. "Miss me?"

A small smirk appeared on his face, edged by the short beard framing his full mouth. "Yes."

"Same here. I never peed so fast in my life." Ali took her glass of wine and drained it.

James chuckled. "I got a question for you."

"Shoot."

"Are you a fan of dessert?"

Ali studied his gaze, the sharpness of it piercing her with its shade of blue. "Yes.....but not tonight."

James' eyebrow rose, indicating he liked her answer. "No?"

"No." She was feeling bold now, and James was playing into her hands.

"What else do you have in mind?"

"Let's talk about that in the car."

James smiled at the same time Ali did, and they both stood up from the table in unison. James was ready with her coat, using the gesture as an excuse to touch her hair. He pulled its silky length to the side, then slipped the coat over her shoulders, deciding then that it was hair his fingers belonged in.

With her hands in his, James led them down the steps and to the exit where he stopped, his hands going to her shoulders. With a squeeze, he bent his head and whispered, "Meet you out in the car." As he pulled away, his smile spoke of trust, especially when he handed her the keys.

Ali didn't have time to process the gesture, as James had already turned to speak to an attendant standing near the entrance. Surprise was replaced by excitement and curiosity, an overwhelming rush of all three filling Ali as she took herself out to the parking lot and to the white Ferrari. She stood there looking at it; its flashy exterior, its in-your-face construction made specifically to turn heads. The inside had surprised her, as it had been far more comfortable than she expected, with a sleek finish and plenty of charm not immediately seen by the outside eye.

....it's kind of like him... Ali thought with wonder. Flashy exterior, comfortable and warm interior. Charming. Perfect.

"You just going to stand there looking at it, or are you going to fire it up?"

Ali turned to see James walked forward. "Like I'm going to start this thing."

"Why not?" He came closer, stepping into her, passing that line of personal space that any other man would have been at risk doing. He knew what he was doing, and Ali felt the jolt of electricity shoot through her body when his hand touched her face. "Afraid to handle something that big?"

Jesus christ, help me. Ali shook her head at him slowly, trying not to smirk but failing hard. "I've handled bigger."

"Oh you have?"

Ali nodded.

"That sounds like a challenge, Diserelli."

"I like challenges" she said, unable to move or think or even breathe as his hand ran along her neck softly and slowly.

James liked the way Ali looked then. With his fingers gently playing through her hair, her eyes focused on him, her breath suspended somewhere in her chest.....it was the reaction he wanted from her. It was the reaction he'd craved all night.

He gave a sideways nod, the seriousness in his face giving way to a more easy expression. "Let's get out of here."

Ali felt a whole new rush of emotions inside her, making her feel light headed. She slipped into the passenger seat, feeling the cold leather against her bare legs. James flicked the seat warmer on for her, turning the key over so the powerful engine came alive, and with a single sideways grin, put the car in reverse.

Do I ask him now? Ali chewed her lip and looked out the window. Or do I wait to see where he takes me first? I should just tell him to take me home.

She turned and looked at James, waiting for him to glance over. "So....are we going back to my place?"

The question hit James right in the blue balls he'd been carrying around with him all night. He shifted and left his hand resting casually on the stick, trying not to let her in on the thrill he felt by her question. "Sure, if that's what you want."

"I can give you the tour of my amazingly huge apartment" she said humorously, concealing the nerves in her voice once again with humor.

James glanced over, keeping his gaze up instead of down at her thighs begging for him to look. "I'd like that. Whatever you want."

I don't know what the fuck I want Ali's inner voice screamed. And it was screaming. Her body wanted him. Her heart said 'do it', but her brain told her what she tried to tell herself before: you know what will happen if you sleep with him on the first date.

In the driver's side, James heard Ali exhale. "Do you do that a lot?" She was quick with the smile that came next.

"Do what?"

"Disappear into your head like that."

The light of Pittsburgh's downtown whipped by behind him outside the window, but the light in his eyes showed Ali how genuine a question it really was.

"I guess I do..."

"I can tell." James slowed to a stop at a red light. "You wear your emotions well."

Ali smirked. "And that meaaannss....?"

He shrugged. "That you're real."

They sat in the silence of the car, both wondering the same thing: Are you real? Is this all really happening? James wondered if it was possible for him to find a girl who held his interest in more than just one area. Ali was wondering if it was possible to fall this hard this fast for someone as impossible as him.

This was the heavy feeling that lingered the remainder of the ride back to Ali's place. As they exited and climbed the stairway to her front door, James began to feel that familiar sensation in his body, the sensation he always got when he was moments away from sealing the deal. It was the anticipation of his body on hers, her mouth on his, his hips rocking in time with hers, hard and fast and needful. But as Ali opened the door, he hesitated. His dick was telling him go, go, go, but his heart said Ali was too good to be treated that way....the way he may have treated another chick who wasn't half as good as her.

"Hey, Ali?"

She turned, her brown eyes friendly as they looked up at him. "Yes?"

James rubbed his mouth uneasily. "Why don't we, uh...save the tour for another time." His head nearly exploded from the sound of the words coming from his own mouth.

Ali turned slowly to face him, the hand holding her keys falling limp. "Oh. Okay....Yeah, you mentioned practice tomorrow..."

"No, it's...it's not so much practice" he said, looking down at the cement stoop where they stood. "I just...."

He isn't feeling me Ali thought sadly. Tears threatened to burn in her eyes, but she held it together until he finished.

James glanced up bashfully and rolled his eyes. "I just don't want to, um....you know...fuck this up by doing anything too fast."

Two things occurred at that very moment: James felt sick at what he just said, and Ali fell in love.

"Really?" She didn't know what else to say. "You really are unlike anyone I've ever met."

It was James' turn to look surprised. "What?" The line between his brows pinched slightly. "You mean that?"

"I've been thinking it all night."

James' confidence was restored, and the fear that twisted his stomach into a knot just a minute earlier completely disappeared. He laughed out of the relief. "Wow...and here I thought you were going to wonder if I didn't enjoy tonight."

Ali let out a small laugh. "Too late."

"What?!? No, no - that's not allowed." James closed the distance between them, his gaze narrowed on her, the lines of his face softening. "Because I did enjoy tonight. A lot."

The spark Ali felt between them all night was now a full fledged blaze. "I enjoyed it too." Her body warmed the closer he leaned towards her; the same cologne he'd worn that night in Denver now a familiar scent as it warmed other parts of her as she inhaled.

James let his fingers roam through the section of hair draped over her one shoulders. "Can there be another tonight?"

"I hope so" she answered in a whisper.

Their eyes met, and James smiled. "Is that a yes?"

She nodded, suddenly unable to speak. She felt his hand slid from her hair to her neck, the warmth of his skin spreading over her in the chill of the late night.

"Because I want more than one night with you."

"Greedy" Ali murmured, her voice barely a whisper as James bent his head.

"Very greedy..." He leaned the rest of the way forward and kissed her, slowly, reverently, no longer surprised that this was actually happening. Pressing her against the door, James' body molded to hers, his hands holding her head gently as their mouths settled into a new and exciting rhythm. Their lips knew how to measure each other, moving in perfect harmony from the second they touched. James deepened the kiss, his hands holding her firmer now, begging her silently to open for him.

Ali was powerless. She melted into him, her mouth a willing prisoner to the strength in his kiss. Whatever it was that she felt from the start with James was officially cast in stone. There was something very different about him; it made her forget his superstar status, his NHL title, his Penguins affiliation, his long life of discipline and training. It was just her and a guy she had been waiting for far too long to come and kiss her like he was. She gave into him, giving all to him, as their tongues unhurriedly touched, their bodies fully connected in that instant.

When James pulled back, his half lidded eyes were heavy with lust and his smile just a hint bashful. "Damn." He licked his lower lip, tasting her sweetness for a second time.

"Speak for yourself" Ali said breathlessly. She pulled on the lapel of his peacoat so their mouths could connect once more.

This time, when they parted, James rested his forehead on Ali's, their eyes and mouths closer than ever. "Thanks for the amazing night, babe."

When Ali heard what she'd been waiting to hear all night, she couldn't help but smile. "Back at you, babe."

James laughed softly. "Sounds right." He kissed her again, knowing damn well that everything about Ali felt right.

* * *

Notes

1-15-15: So the next update won't be for a few days (aaahhhh, please don't hate me! lol) -- but I have a jam-packed weekend coming up and will be busy. So bear with me, but I'll bring the next chapter next week. Thank yooooouuuuu! <3