Shutout | Complete

Chapter 14

The art of breathing was becoming difficult with Ella this close to me. The peach scent of her perfume was intoxicating. It overwhelmed my senses, causing my mouth to water like I hadn't eaten in days. Nothing but air would be able to pass through the space between our bodies. The length of her long, smooth leg was pressed into mine as we sat side by side on the living room couch. One crossed over the other, dangling over my knee. Her dangerously thin stiletto bounced with the beat of the rap song that pulsed through my chest.

I tugged on the thin material of my t-shirt. The temperature of the Hockey House had already been rising with all the bodies cramped into it. But I swear, the space grew exponentially hotter when Ella made her way through the door. The way her body swayed in that sinful, red dress was hypnotizing. When she had first appeared in the kitchen, it was if someone had slipped something into my drink. The world moved in slow motion. Even now, the memory of her strutting towards me, with a coy smile on her face, caused the front of my pants to grow tight.

I'd never been so out of my element when it came to a woman.

I attempted to appear more at ease. Leaning into the soft pleather seat, I draped my arm across the back of the couch. If Ella and I were meant to be a couple, I couldn't look so uncomfortable around her. She swirled the amber coloured liquor around in her solo cup. Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she took a long sip.

A sly smile crept across her face. "It appears we have quite the audience."

Ella's gaze drifted to the entryway of the living room. Liam stood there with a couple of the Falcons. But while the other two teammates were lost in a shoulder-slapping conversation, Liam was fuming. He leaned against the door frame, drinking his beer with his arms crossed. If we were somehow teleported into a cartoon at that moment, I was sure steam would be bellowing from his ears.

By the time I turned my attention back to Ella, she was exchanging catty looks with a couple of girls in the corner. "Good thing I'm not in the mood to make any friends tonight," she said, bringing her cup to her lips again.

I leaned back in my seat, trying to make myself seem oblivious to the tension that was choking us all out. "What are you in the mood to do?"

Her palm slid onto my thigh. "Have some fun."

If it wasn't for the way her nails drew trails of heat into the denim of my jeans, I might have thought the comment was innocent. We were at a house party after all. Everyone was here to have a good time. But by the way Ella peered up at me through her thick lashes, I knew that the meaning wasn't as innocent as I was hoping it was. The worst thing about it? Whatever spell she was putting me under was working. The desire for space clawed at me. I needed to clear my head.

"Well, we're both going to need another drink then," I stated as I took the half empty cup from her hands. "I'll get you a refill."

Ella's glossed lips parted, as if to stop me. Then she smiled. "Okay."

And with that, I exited the living room, shuffling through the swarms of people on my way to the kitchen.

Before the alcohol really hit me, I was standing by the open sliding glass door that led to the back porch. The smell of whatever Easton was burning on the barbeque fluttered into the kitchen along with the chill of early February. The cold was a welcome wake up call that brought me back to my senses. Even with the loud music, I felt like I could finally think clearly again.

I placed our cups down on the sticky countertop with a little more force than necessary. I needed to get a grip. Ella getting extra cozy with me on the couch was the whole reason why she was here. We had appearances to maintain. She wasn't actually making moves on me.