Hero {Brendan Gallagher}

2 - Lucky Charm

When I woke up, I felt like a baby being swaddled. I was still wrapped in a warm fuzzy blanket, and Brendan's arms were tied around me. I turned my head and saw that Brendan was awake, his eyes focused on the TV.

"Well, good morning, sunshine," he teased as he looked down at me.

"What time is it?" I asked, trying to keep my eyes open. I had never been a morning person.

"8:06," he replied, stretching his arms over his head. Damn. "I've got morning skate at 10:00."

"I've got work at 9:00," I told him. He yawned and finally let me get out of his grasp. "I need to head home and change."

"I can take you," he offered. I looked over at him.

"Then what am I supposed to do when I get off and my car is here?" I questioned, raising my eyebrows at him. He shrugged it off.

"I'll pick you up, you can come to the game tonight, watch me score a goal for you, and then I'll bring you back here to score again," he answered, that cocky smirk of his appearing.

"Fine, but trust me, you're not scoring anywhere tonight," I told him with a wink. He rolled his eyes at me and got up to go find a shirt and his keys.

Once I was inside my apartment, I went on a mad dash to find clothes and to fix my hair. After I found an acceptable outfit of my high wasted acid wash jeans and a tight black three-quarter sleeve shirt, I threw it on. I was thankful that my hair's naturally wavy, but I took fifteen minutes to quickly curl a few strands.

Sarah's stuff was gone, and I suddenly remembered that she was out of town for the week. That meant that I didn't have to come up with stupid lies about where I'd been and what I'd been doing.

I had to admit, Brendan taking me to work, picking me up, and then taking me to the game was a little much for a "no strings attached" type relationship, but it was a nice gesture. I might as well go with it.

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The work day seemed to drag on forever, and I actually found myself feeling excited for the game. I had never been to an NHL game before, and that was all I talked about to my clients throughout the day.

Brendan G.
I'm waiting outside!

Stella D.
I'm finishing up styling someone. I'll be out in 20 minutes.

I was halfway through curling this lady's hair when my name was called over the intercom.

"Stella, you have someone here for you."

"I will be right back," I told the lady before setting down the curling iron and going out into the lobby area. Brendan was standing there in a suit, hands stuffed in his pockets.

"There she is," he teased.

"What're you doing?" I asked him, leaning against the arch that led into the salon itself.

"I wanted to come see," he replied, gesturing to the lobby and salon. "The receptionist said it would be alright." I rolled my eyes at him, but I lead him back to my station anyways.

"I thought we were keeping this on the low," I commented as we walk back towards my station. I looked over to see him shrugging.

"Sure, because me showing up here immediately gives the fact that we're sleeping together up," he said sarcastically.

"Yes, it kind of does," I shot back. "Why else would you be here?"

"Gee, I don't know, maybe I know your client," he suggested with a shrug. I shot him a fake glare.