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Elle was initially overjoyed at seeing Jamie’s face pop up on her computer screen. It really had been too long since she’d seen him in real time. Too long, yet only a week ago she was hugging him good bye. She took in the view, his tank top pulled tight across his chest and his hair mussed. He looked like he’d just spent an afternoon messing around in the back yard. She wasn’t at all surprised to find out that he had been.

He was going to ruin her.

Or she was going to ruin herself. All morning and afternoon she’d been thinking about this trip. The logistics were easy enough. Her time was flexible if the Canucks weren’t going anywhere and she did get next to nothing flights, even last minute as this one was. It was weird to take a mini-vacation in the middle of the season but the weather in BC made that a non-issue as well.

Her weather app told her it was a beautiful 28 degrees in NOLA when she’d checked this morning. It was hovering around zero at home.

There was no reason not to go.

Except for that pesky problem of falling in love with a man who lived in another country eight months out of the year. Except for that. Elle leaned her head back and cleared her thoughts, giving Jamie a comment about the weather. She needed to stop overthinking this whole situation. They might be completely incompatible. He could have terrible manners or some obnoxious laugh or something. Anything could go wrong. Elle couldn’t count her chickens before they hatched.

She liked Jamie’s plan for renting a house and she found his reluctance to admit the real reason they were flying to Louisiana adorable. When she came out and voiced what they’d both been thinking, that this really was a bit of an international booty call, his eyes widened. He looked so stricken, as though all of his careful planning and wording had been for naught.

He was fucking precious.

Their conversation wandered towards things to do in NOLA after establishing their evening, naked time plans. Right as they were debating between a cemetery tour and a haunted city tour, a foreign face appeared over Jamie’s shoulder. It was late enough in the evening that the sun was dipping below the horizon. She’d watched Jamie’s living room grow dark and shadowed.

The seemingly disembodied head, illuminated by the light from Jamie’s computer, came out of nowhere.

“Oh shit! Who the fuck-“ She waved and tried to point, hoping beyond hope that she wasn’t about to see Jamie get murdered over Skype. The head laughed and she leaned back, relieved. Just Tyler.

“Oh my god, Elle. You’re ridiculous. Did you think I was an ax murderer?” Elle refused to dignify that with a response. Jamie twisted in his chair and glared back at his friend. “What are you guys talking about?” Tyler settled in next to Jamie, giving Elle a little wave. She returned it, her heartbeat finally settling down.

Jamie spoke first, “None of your business Segs. Why don’t you go home?” Tyler gave him a mildly irritated look and turned back to the computer, eyebrows raised. Like he knew Elle would dish the dirt. Which she absolutely was not about to do.

“We were talking about the inevitable heat death of the universe. How was your nap?”

Both Jamie and Tyler stared, mouths open. When Tyler finally got the reference, he bust out laughing. “Cards Against Humanity, right? That’s a great fucking game.” He nudged Jamie, sending them both swaying gently. “We should play that sometime. I’ve got the full set.”

Elle was not at all surprised that Tyler was a Cards fan. It was the perfect game for a hockey player.

The blond leaned forward, a wicked grin on his face. “So you guys are going to NOLA while I get to go to Columbus? Doesn’t seem like a fair trade off to me. Of course, I will also be getting laid- Ow! Fucking- ow Jamie.” Elle hid her giggles behind her hands as Jamie manhandled Tyler off the couch and onto the floor. There was a scuffle, just elbows and knees popping on to screen, and a whole lot of yelping.

When the dust settled, Jamie crawled back into his lounge chair while Tyler slinked away off-screen. Elle heard her name shouted along with a good bye before a door slammed. Jamie rolled his eyes in exasperation. “He’s such a menace sometimes.”

“Yeah, but you love him.” Jamie’s fond smile gave him away and he actually nodded at her statement. “And he loves you and it’s adorable. Don’t people always say that team mates are like brothers after a while?”

“Yeah, I would agree with that. And just like my biological brother my team tends to be nosy. Sorry about him, I didn’t even hear him come downstairs.”

Elle waved a hand dismissively. “It’s all good, Mr. Benn.”

“Good, Miss Merchant. Happy to hear.” They smirked for a moment before they both laughed. There was just something about talking with Jamie that still felt so easy. No matter the media or the platform, Jamie felt like an old soul from her childhood, that laid-back feeling of rightness underlain with a wholly adult sense of sexual tension.

She really liked that combo. Sex and Soul. She was going to like it a hell of a lot more when they were actually together. Even if she’d have to sell one to keep the other. Elle was snapped out of her musing, most distracted thoughts inspired by the sight of Jamie laughing, by a huge yawn. She covered her mouth and looked away, warming from embarrassment. “I’m so sorry. I’ve been up since six.”

“It’s always on the go with you, isn’t it?”

She smiled brightly. “Certainly feels that way during the season. I’m sure you can understand.”

“For sure. Should I let you go?”

Elle looked left, truly thinking. It was only nine. They’d been talking for forever, but it was still early. Another yawn cracked her jaw. Jamie chuckled under his breath. “I guess your body is deciding for you. And, there’s always texting if can’t sleep once you lay down. I like to imagine you think about me in bed at night.”

“Well, you’re not wrong.” She’d finally given in to self-satisfaction that morning, weeks of innuendos and the promise of a trip more than her libido could handle.

“Oh, man. With that expression you must be having some good thoughts now.”

She nodded and leaned in. She’d put on a low cut tank top for this specific purpose. It was almost impossible to tell where Jamie was looking but if she had to make a guess it’d be deep V of her chest she had on display. “The best of thoughts, to be honest. I took care of some personal needs this morning; just remembering that.”

He groaned and leaned back. She watched the strong column of his throat and then his forearms as he covered his face. “You seriously can’t just say that. Seriously.” He peeked out between his hands. “Assisted or fingers only?”

What a hell of a question, she thought. At least he wasn’t some sort of shy prude. That wasn’t her, had never been her, and she’d never been with a man who was. Total turnoff. Gladly, she wiggled her fingers. “What do you think?”

He groaned once more, comically pathetic. “Jesus. I have to go. Right now. For reasons.”

Elle laugh hard. He was delightful. Jamie chuckled along with her, the corners of his eyes crinkling. She could look at him smiling for days. It was still weird to see him smiling in real time.

“So, yeah. This Skype thing has been strange. To see you. Your humor comes through a lot better.” There. Now the crinkles were going away a little as his face softened with her compliment. She could almost swear he was blushing some.

“It has been really nice to see your gestures. I never would have expected them to be so wild. You’re so buttoned up at work.”

She shrugged a shoulder. “It’s my job, you know. And we should do this again. You’ve got a game tomorrow and I’ve got two flights. Maybe day after? And we should start getting specifics for NOLA. Flights, rides, that sort of stuff.”

Jamie’s head bobbed along with her suggestion. “For sure. Next time we’ll get all the details sorted.”

Elle took a nice long minute to just watch Jamie through the screen. At first he was a little nervous, brushing his hair back and ducking his head a little. Then, when he realized she was just basking, he joined and basked along with her. It was surreal. She had known, oobjectively, that she’d been chatting up Jamie Benn for a week. It was a whole other experience to hear his voice, still tinny with technology but the same voice she’d heard on the phone, while watching his lips move. Her eyes strayed on that facial feature.

She should have kissed him, when she’d hugged him goodbye.

She watched as him lips parted and he let out a low groan. “Alright, seriously. Have to go now. You’re expression is killing me.” He probably thought she was giving him her bedroom eyes. Because she was giving him her bedroom eyes.

“All right. I guess good night.”

“Night.”

They stared for a second longer and then Jamie did the most unexpected thing. He raised an hand and reached out for his laptop screen. She’d be willing to bet that his fingertips were tracing the curve of her cheek through his computer. Her own hand cupped that very cheek and she gave him the sappiest smile she could muster. “That’s enough. Don’t go breaking my heart.”

A chuckle was his only response before he disconnected. Elle spent a long time just looking at the blue Skype screen. He was, in practically every way, just as sweet and adorable as she’d hoped he’d be. Added in his willingness to put up with her straightforward attitude and the distance, Jamie Benn was a fucking saint. A saint with devilish eyes and a dangerous smile.

She was so fucked.

Her phone buzzed as she finally rose to go lay down.

Jamie: Ok. So, I should have said this on Skype but it sounded creepier in my head to say it out loud.

Jamie: You were rocking that tank top but it looked like it would have matched your floor real well. Just saying.

Me: We’ll have to work on the face-to-face dirty talk or we might as well head straight to the nunnery when we get to NOLA.

Jamie: I’m an excellent student if you’re a willing teacher.

Me: ;) Guess there’s only one way to find out.

Notes

Sorry this one is so short! It should have properly gone at the end of chapter six but wasn't ready in time! Thank you, again, for all the subscriptions and comments! They feed an author's soul, just so you know.

Next up: Elle and Jamie make serious plans and Tyler conspires with Nicole.