TROUBLE MAGNET - Completed

Chapter 22 - Perfect Gentleman

Chapter 22 - Perfect Gentleman

  

After the guy's game, I follow Alex out into the lobby of the arena. We jump into a small car with a few of the girls from the team. Alex explains that we are going to the local hot spot called 'Charlie's.' She tells me that the team always goes there after their home games. She also says the guys will meet us there, after they've showered.

When we get to 'Charlie's,' I see that it is a sports bar. I follow Alex and the girls to an area that has been roped off. The sign hanging from the rope says 'Section Reserved For Tanner Hockey Players.' Wow, that's pretty cool. There is one long table with about thirty seats around it. The girls all grab seats near the middle of the table. I sit across from Alex and I see her put her sweatshirt on a chair beside her, for Chad. I am not sure if I should do the same for Trace or not. I feel awkward and decide not to. I figure he will end up sitting wherever he wants anyway.

Girls keep showing up until almost the entire Tanner girls' team has arrived. A number of players order food and drinks, and I am relieved to see that not many order alcohol - just those that legally can. Slowly the guys from the men's team trickle in, until most players from both teams and a number of their friends, are all crammed into the hockey section of the bar. There are televisions all around the bar, each of them playing different sporting events. The music is loud and current. It isn't long before I see Chad and Trace arrive. It takes them a while to make their way over to us. Everyone stops to congratulate them on playing such a great game. Trace especially gets handshakes and high fives for his awesome hatrick.

When Trace sees that there is no seat for him, he easily talks one of the waitresses into finding him a chair, which he moves right next to mine. He is not fazed at all by asking everyone to move their chairs down the table, to make room for him. Trace immediately puts his arm around the back of my chair and asks, "So what did you think of the game?"

"Which one?" I ask him jokingly.

"The one where the guy got a hatrick because he got a lucky kiss before the game," he says right into my ear.

The butterflies are back. "Oh that one.. well I thought your goalie played really well."

"Uh huh."

"And I thought the centreman on your line played really well."

"Uh huh"

"And okay already, I thought you played a great game."

"Are you kidding? That was the best game I've played in months," he continues whispering in my ear and then he gently moves my face until I am looking right into his emerald green eyes, "and it's all because of you." He is literally vibrating with excitement and before I can say holy hotness he plants his lips on mine and kisses me. It starts out slow and I'm so shocked that I just go into some sort of paralysis mode. At first all I want is to not be labeled a cold dead fish again. But then I get lost in just how warm and soft Trace's lips are and how nice his hand feels caressing the back of my neck. When I feel his tongue run along my bottom lip my mouth opens automatically to him. Suddenly he is kissing me like there is no tomorrow and I am surrounded by his wonderful sandalwood scent.

It's not until I hear everyone cheering that it dawns on me just what I am doing and where I am doing it. I quickly pull away feeling my cheeks flush in embarrassment. Trace doesn't allow me to pull away completely though. He grins at me as he places his arm around my shoulders and pulls me in close. Then he smiles at everyone else not bothered in the least by their razzing. I sip nervously on my drink as Trace responds to something Chad says. Everything feels okay until I make the mistake of wondering if Angeli's and Landon's kiss was as great as this one I just had with Trace and instantly guilt starts to accumulate in the pit of my stomach.