Intrigue

I was at Sharpy's house hanging out when I got a text from her thanking me for the flowers. I guess the smile gave it away because Kane promptly snatched the phone and read the last few texts aloud.

"So you took her out to lunch? Abby asked, desperate for details. She was dying for a female companion that wasn't a puck slut.

"Umm yea, lunch, that's it Abbs." I answered her.

"So can you at least invite her to our Halloween party?" she asked.

"I'll see Abbs, she may not want to hang out with the team, she is kind of a Flyers fan." Abby left me alone after that and I ended up leaving finally.

When I got home, I noticed her Infiniti was parked. I knocked on her door when I got to the fourth floor and she answered, eyes blurry and make-up smeared.

She gave me a small smile. "Hey, thanks for the flowers. They made my disastrous day better." I didn't even bother to ask for the invitation in. I slung my arm around her waist and walked her over to the couch.

"Now why are you upset" I asked, wiping the make-up away with my thumb.

"Umm, bad day you could say. I haven't even been there a full week and I hate it. Every minute I wonder why I got myself into this. I moved to a city I didn't know, leaving good friends and put myself into a job where they see me as nothing but sex. Twenty-six year old bimbo, fuck my qualifications." I pulled her closer.

"If you don't like it, quit. I'm sure you will be able to find something else. I'll help you. And for the record, I don't think you are a bimbo." She smiled in response.

"Sorry, I just had a really bad day and then I come home and the fucking flyers are playing, which just breaks my damn heart sometimes" she mumbled, leaving me curious.

I headed for the kitchen and grabbed two beers, cracking one open and giving it to her. "So if you don't mind me asking, why is the game bothering you?" I asked, not knowing what she would say.

"It's a long story Brent." she responded biting her lower lip and fighting the tears back.

"Ok, well I don't have anything to do until tomorrow morning so get it off your chest." I said, grabbing her hand.

"Ok, well I never met my dad. From what I hear he was an ass who didn't even acknowledge that he impregnated my mother. I lived with my mom until I was about two. My grandparents ended up taking custody of me then, claiming her as unfit. She hasn't seen me since I was a baby. I never bothered to try and find her. To me, she was never my mom. My grandmother died while I was in sixth grade, it was sudden and all but broke my grandfather. He was depressed for a long time, but took care of me the best he could. We watched sports together for hours. He got Flyers season tickets when I was eight. We went to every home game, even planned vacations to see them on the road. I ended up even staying home for college, going to Villanova in Philly so I could stay closer to him. He died a week after my law school graduation."

I listened to her pour her heart out to me. It killed me that she had no family. I mean hardly any people have to deal with that. "Was he happy at your graduation?" She smiled and reached for a picture behind her on the mantel.

"He was thrilled, cried and all." She broke down in tears and I held her close.

"Maybe he stuck around just for that Alex. We can't change the past but I am sure he is looking down on you and proud of what you become. Well, he may not like me, but hey, you can't be perfect." She laughed and hugged me.

"Thanks, he probably is cursing me right now." I stood up. "Listen, why don't you put the work away, I'll take you out for some fun. Let's go bowling or something. Make complete asses of ourselves ok."

She nodded. "Give me a few to get dressed."

She came out ten minutes later wearing tights and a long grey sweater. She had her hair thrown up and had even smeared lip gloss on her pouty lips. I could smell the perfume as she entered the room and I vowed to find out what it was. It was like an aphrodisiac. I led her out of the apartment and down the steps outside. It was early still, barely seven o'clock. I drove to the nearest bowling alley and we went inside.

After a few quick autographs, we were settled at an alley. "So, are you any good at this?" I asked as she put her shoes on.

"Nah, but I'll win." she smirked, grabbing an orange ball from the rack.

"Care to bet on it?" I asked knowing she would.

"Ok, sure, if I win I get an entire day at the spa, courtesy of you." she smiled throwing the ball down the alley and hitting eight pins. "What do you want if you win" she asked.

Kaner would have applauded the images running through my mind. "I want a kiss" I said and lined up for my first attempt at getting a strike. "That's all, you are on." she said, nailing her spare attempt. Thirty minutes later, I had beaten her by four points.

She sat on the chair pouting. "Alex, you are the biggest sore loser" I laughed, putting the balls back on the rack. I went and stood between her legs and pulled her face up to mine. I kissed her softly, not trying to rush anything. She responded and put her arms around my waist, sliding her tongue into my mouth. I pulled away and she looked at me curiously. "Now I have been waiting for that for days." I said, pulling her towards the exit.

Notes

Finally he got his kiss......