Tread This Fantasy

Sid was nervous. He performed three to four times a week in front of thousands of people and the idea of spending time with one was making him nervous. The lights were off in most of the large room, but the ice was still illuminated. Sid had bribed the maintenance man to let him use the rink this evening and not broadcast the fact to everyone and their mother.

Mel was skating with more ease than last time. She kicked both feet out and gained speed as she skated toward the opposite end of the rink. He watched her go and smiled when she squealed as she almost didn’t make the turn around the net fast enough. Thankfully, she managed to regain her balance and not hit the boards. She skated toward him with a grin.

“You better watch out or I’ll be better than you soon,” Mel said as she approached.

He put his arms out and caught her as she got closer. She was a fast learner, but she still had trouble stopping. And he certainly didn’t mind an excuse to touch her. Gently, he whirled her around and absorbed her momentum. “You learn how to shoot a puck and you can go out in my place during games.”

Mel laughed. “Yeah, right.”

They’d been skating for almost an hour, and Sid was trying to figure out how he could be smooth about asking her if she wanted to have dinner with him.

She pulled away and skated up to the middle of the rink, her arms out for balance as she tried to stop herself in the middle of the face off circle. “Stopping is the hardest part,” she said, her back to him.

Sid was looking at the curve of her ass. He adjusted himself in his jeans while she was still facing away from him. He wanted her so bad, but he had no game and she was worth more than a roll in the hay.

She turned around to face him and he said, “You’re doing much better. It’s, uh, about seven o’clock. Are you hungry?” Sid cringed when he heard the awkward words tumble from his mouth.

Mel’s eyes widened. “Oh, wow. It *is* late. I’m sorry I’m keeping you. You must be starved. Thanks for the lesson.” She skated over to the door and swung it open to step off the ice.

He took a deep breath and followed her, saying, “Actually, I was thinking you might want to get something to eat with me. If you’re not doing anything, I mean.”

She turned, her hand still on the door. “Dinner?” she asked.

Sid nodded and followed her off the ice. He could see a slight flush to her cheeks, but wasn’t sure if it was just the coolness of the large room or something else entirely. “I love Italian food.”

Mel sat down on the bench and raised an eyebrow at him. “Italian? I pegged you for a steamed broccoli and chicken breast kind of guy.”

He sat down beside her and chuckled. “I eat that, too. But sometimes I just want a big plate of lasagna.”

“With crusty Italian bread and a pot of butter,” she continued.

“Maybe not the butter.”

She was the one chuckling at him now. “Oh, I’ve gone too far with the butter, have I?”

“A man has his limits.” He watched her lean down to unlace her skates and did the same with his. “Does this mean you’ll grab some dinner with me?”

“I, uh, I... Umm, sure. Dinner it is,” she said, her hair falling like a curtain to block his view of her face. She sounded unsure or embarrassed.

After they had tied their skate laces together, Sid escorted her out of the practice facility. He made sure to flip the lights off and lock the door while she was waiting on the sidewalk next to the parking lot. The days were still got darker too quickly and the sun had set some time ago. He could see her silhouette by the lights along the side of the building. She was in jeans and a olive green sweater with a puffy black jacket thrown over it for the warmth.

“We can take my car if you’re okay with that,” he said, walking toward her. Mel had her arms crossed over her chest, trying to stay warm. He breath came out in puffs of moisture, quickly dissipating into the freezing air.

She nodded and followed him to his Range Rover, parked a handful of spots from the side entrance they had used to leave the building.

Sid felt awkward and nervous. Skating was something he knew well and being confident with her on the ice was easy. Going to dinner with a pretty girl was, to some extent, uncharted waters. Sure, he’d been on dates before, but none seemed to carry the weight this did. If it even *is* a date, he reminded himself. She was quiet and withdrawn as she slid into the passenger seat and let him shut the door behind her. He walked around the back of the vehicle and then moved to sit behind the wheel.

“It’s cold tonight,” he said softly, wanting to break the heavy silence.

She looked over and smiled at him. “Yes, it is. But I bet you’re used to it. I bet all you Canadians think we’re wimps down here, complaining about lows in the teens during the winter.”

Sid started the vehicle and slipped his arm behind her seat so he could turn around and back out of the parking lot. “It’s not that much different here than where I grew up. Maybe five or ten degrees colder in the winter. You’ve got to go farther north to get sub zero temperatures on the regular.”

She shivered. “I don’t know about that. I’d never get out of bed.”

He swallowed. Melanie Kay in a big bed with satin sheets. Or, better yet, in his bed. He didn’t have satin sheets, but he could probably find some. Talbo probably knew where to buy that kind of shit. He could call him up and ask him what store in Pittsburgh had sheets that would look good against her skin. “Yeah, me neither. Good thing I grew up in Cole Harbour.”

Mel shifted in the seat to more fully face him. “So, where are we getting this delicious Italian food that will destroy your perfect hockey player diet?”

Sid laughed, glancing over at her before moving his eyes back to the road. This was new. Seven o’clock on a Friday night and he was taking a girl to dinner. And he didn’t have any intention of persuading her to sleep with him tonight. Not that he’d balk if she made a move on him. He’d be happy to help her slide those jeans down her legs. Sid’s eyes darted to her thighs and then back to the road, hoping she didn’t notice.

“Tambellini’s. Have you been there before?”

She shook her head.

“It’s good,” he assured her. “The lasagna is orgasmic.” Sid winced as he heard the word come out of his mouth. Her laughter ringing through the quiet vehicle a moment later made his lips turn up into a smile, though.

“Orgasmic lasagna? I might have to try that.”

Less than a minute later, he pulled into the parking lot and hurried over to the passenger door. Mel had already opened it, but he got there in time to catch the door as it swung out and help her open it the rest of the way. She seemed surprised that he was helping her out of the SUV, tentatively taking his outstretched hand as she slide down out of the vehicle. “Thanks,” she said, pulling her purse up onto her shoulder while he turned to shut the door.

“Let’s go in the side door here,” Sid said, placing a hand on the small of her back. Her puffy jacket prevented him from feeling her body, but he couldn’t stop himself from trying to get closer to her. “I know the manager,” he explained when he opened the door for her to reveal the back of the kitchen.

A cook turned away from the stovetop and gave a nod to Sid before yelling out, “Hey, Eddie!”

Sid had been to the restaurant several times before. It was convenient to the Southpointe practice facility and they had a small private room that they let him and the other guys use if they wanted dinner, but not to be interrupted by fans. Eddie, a man in his mid-40’s with a receding hairline came around the corner with a hand towel over his shoulder and a plate of salad in his hand. “Hey, Sid,” he said, clapping him on the back with a free hand. Sid smiled back and gave the man a nod.

“The usual?” Eddie asked.

“That’d be great,” he replied.

Just then Eddie noticed Mel. Sid could see the man’s eyes widen slightly. “You have a guest tonight, huh?”

Sid shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “Yeah, this is my friend Melanie. She’s never been here before.”

Eddie grinned at her. Sid’s eyes narrowed at the man. Eddie was harmless, but he didn’t like men looking at Mel that way. As soon as the thought crossed his mind, he shook his head. What did that mean? He didn’t have sort of claim over Mel. “You’ll love it,” Eddie told her as he led them through the kitchen and into the main dining room. As soon as they were under the softer lights, Sid turned his head away from the other patrons of the restaurant, hunching his shoulders up. They were only in the main area briefly before Eddie opened the door to a small private room. There were three tables, four chairs at each. They were seated at the table furthest from the door. After providing them with napkins, silverware, and a menu, Eddie left them alone, shutting the door behind himself.

Sid slid the menu across the table to her. “I’ve been here enough that I know what I want,” he explained.

“Well, I think I know what I want, too. Apparently their lasagna is amazing.” She looked up at him through her lashes, a sly smile playing at her lips. He wanted to lean across the table and kiss her right then, fuck the consequences and the rules.

“You could say that,” he replied. “But it’s even better with wine. Maybe some Chianti.”

Her eyes were playful, still watching him without really looking at him directly. She was either being shy or playing hard to get or trying to drive him crazy. “That sounds delicious.”

Sid swallowed and ran a hand through his hair. She made him feel fidgety. The moment was surreal. The girl he had been thinking about for weeks without knowing her name had somehow reappeared and was having dinner with him. And maybe flirting with him a little. The thought made his heart beat faster.

Eddie opened the door and placed two glasses of water in front of them. “Ready to order?”

“A bottle of Chianti and two plates of lasagna,” Sid replied, not taking his eyes off Mel. She was fiddling with the menu. When he finished placing the order, she looked up and handed the leather folio that held the menu to Eddie.

“Coming right up,” the man replied, raising a brow in Sid’s direction.

“Thanks for, uh, having dinner with me. Most of the time I come here by myself.”

Mel looked up at him, the question already in her eyes.

“I like the quiet time. And the food really is amazing. I don’t get to eat out much because people recognize me. Here I can slip in the back door and get a good meal without the hassle.”

“It’s... nice.” She looked around the room before settling her gaze back on him. “Very cozy and the kitchen smelled like heaven. I haven’t had good Italian food in forever.”

The door clicked open and Eddie carried in a bottle of wine with two glasses. They waited quietly while he uncorked it.

“Thanks, I got it,” Sid said, gesturing for Eddie to sit the bottle down on their table. He wanted to be alone with Mel and the interruptions were getting frustrating. Understanding, Eddie sat the bottle down and exited the room.

Sid poured generous portions into each glass before sliding hers over to her. Mel wrapped her fingers around the base of the glass and smiled at him. Sid couldn’t stop himself from returning the smile.

He clinked his glass against hers and took a sip. The wine was dry with a faint taste of cherries. Mel’s eyes dropped as she placed her lips on the rim of the glass, and Sid couldn’t tear his eyes away. He gulped down a hefty portion of his glass while he watched her take two delicate sips. Jesus, he thought, I need to kiss her.

“It’s delicious,” she said, lifting her gaze up to his again.

“Mmm, hmm,” he agreed, not trusting his voice. He took another drink and noticed his glass was almost empty. She noticed as well because she giggled and lifted her glass again.

“i better hurry and catch up with you.”

“I’ll order another bottle,” he said.

She grinned and took a long draw off the glass. “Are you trying to get me tipsy?”

“Tipsy?” he asked, feeling the wine work its way through his bloodstream already. Lunch had been ages ago and without any food in his stomach alcohol had almost an immediate affect on him.

“I’m a lady; I get tipsy, not drunk,” she replied with a wink.

“I’m definitely trying to get you tipsy,” Sid answered. And I’m not even lying about that, he thought.

Notes