From Chapter One...

©Mira Lyn Kelly

Chapter One

Winter Break - Christmas Eve

  Noel

As car-jackings go, I know I lucked out. But still.

I shoot a killing glare at my teammate as he grips the wheel in my car and swears before cutting around a mattress delivery truck going eighty-five. Diesel doesn’t even blink.

Dick.

The problem isn’t the speeding. Even headed out of the western burbs at Mach 5, this is Chicagoland and he’s mostly keeping up with the midmorning traffic. Something I still can’t seem to manage.

The problem isn’t even that he shook me down for my keys in the O’Hare parking lot and forced his way into the driver’s seat of my new Yukon, or that he’s broken so many traffic laws, I’ve lost count.

The problem is that this fucker promised to spend our three-day break over Christmas with me and then had the nerve to tell me to get on the plane alone with some half-assed assurance he’d meet me in Vegas… when he finished stealing my car, I guess.

“Bullshit,” I grumble, turning the heat for my side of the car up another degree and then turning his down by ten.

Diesel’s knuckles go white, and for the first time since we peeled out of the parking garage, he spares me an apologetic glance.

“Sorry.”

I cross my arms higher. Raise a brow. And wait like some pissed-off chick from one of the soap operas I don’t really watch that often.

He blows out a tight breath. “You should’ve gotten on the plane, man.”

Oh, that’s what I should have done? “Yeah, that would have been awesome. Hop on the plane by myself. Kick it in Vegas. Over Christmas. Alone.”

“Yeah, right, alone,” he snorts. “You can’t go to the grocery store without the checkout girl, bagger, and guy behind the deli counter sliding into your DMs before you leave. You would have had some babe sitting on your lap in the airport bar before the first drink even arrived.”

“So?” You think I want to hang for the holiday with a bunch of strangers?”

He does a kind of double-take and then grits his teeth. After another high-speed half-mile and a blaring horn that has me twitching, eyes flashing to every possible point of collision around me, he shakes his head.

Jesus, what the hell is happening here? Twenty minutes ago, we were unloading our bags in the O’Hare airport parking garage, shooting the shit about what we were going to do in Sin City.

I was thinking we’d hit a Cirque show. I’m not really a gambler, but I’d be willing to blow some bank on roulette if that’s what it took. Anything to pass the time until we’d clink our glasses for a single, “Merry Christmas,” and then be done with the holiday until next year.

Diesel would have been perfect. Dude’s not much for bunnies, or anyone else I’ve seen in the year since I got picked up as a defenseman for the Chicago Slayers, and he sounds about as enthusiastic about the holidays as I am.

Anyway, one minute I was locking the car, talking about getting a picture with the showgirls walking the strip, and the next, my generally chill teammate went bat shit.

Something crazy flickered in his eyes, and he demanded my keys, looking like he was about to take my head off when I gave him the keep-away treatment for less than two seconds. And then he was tossing his bag in the back, shoving me out of the way to climb in the front, and telling me to get on the plane without him.

Hard pass.

I’ve spent enough Christmases on my own, thank you.

The fucker nearly ran over my foot. Wouldn’t wait for me to come round front, forcing me to dive into the second row as he peeled out.

FYI, getting this six-foot-one frame into the front seat while he took the down parking ramp way too fast… not awesome. But I’m badass. Flexible as fuck. And Diesel deserved the slow-motion roundhouse he took to the head while I got situated anyway.

Twenty minutes later, I still don’t have an explanation for Diesel’s GTA cosplay beyond the grunts and half-started sentences that never complete, so I ask again, “What the hell’s going on? And who’s in the blue Taurus we’re following?”

No answer.

Then, without warning, we cut across two lanes of speeding traffic and take the exit fast enough that I’m pretty sure the Oh Shit handle’s about to come off in my grip.

By the time I choke my heart back down into my chest and pry my eyes open, we’re in some small town near the highway, parked with one tire on the curb of what I’m guessing is Main Street. And Diesel’s sprinting through a doorway tucked between a couple shops with twinkle lights framing the windows.

Shit.

I climb out and follow, ending up in a small entry/mailroom.

Empty. And the security door to the apartments upstairs locked.

I dick around for a second, contemplating pushing all three call buttons when the door to the street opens behind me, and a redhead with her hair up in one of those sexy-as-fuck messy knots blows in with half a dozen shopping bags in hand. She stops short and, cheeks rosy from the cold, stares at me with the widest, greenest eyes I’ve ever seen.

Damn. She’s gorgeous, and with a chunky scarf in the same evergreen as her eyes, red coat, and ginger hair, this girl looks like Christmas incarnate. I bet she bakes cookies and sings Christmas classics in the shower.

And the way she’s loaded down with gifts, I’m guessing there’s a big family holiday ahead. Boyfriend planning the big ask, maybe. Who the hell knows, but I like it for her.

“Oh, hey,” she says, taking a hasty step back. “Can I help you?”

“I don’t know. Think you can wrestle a pro-hockey player into my car and keep him there long enough to get him on a flight to Vegas?”

A smooth brow a shade darker than her hair wings up in a wry arch— my kryptonite —and I’ve changed my mind. No boyfriend. For the thoughts that raised brow stirs, I’m sincerely hoping this girl is single.

I grin. “Say yes, and there’s a ticket for you in it too.”

Her mouth drops open, but whatever shutdown she’s about to deliver gets cut off by the muffled sound of arguing coming from upstairs.

We both move for the security door, which is stupid since only one of us has a key. I wave her ahead, and she inches past with her bags.

She gives me the side-eye.

“Who are you?”

“Noel. I’m with Diesel,” I say, pointing up.

She stills, door halfway open, and turns to me with an unreadable look. “Diesel? Here?”

Barreling through the doorway, she takes the stairs two at a time, and yeah, with a response like that, I have to follow.

****

Misty

No freaking way is Diesel, the Diesel of my sister’s Do-Not-Mention-Vegas misadventures actually here, in our apartment.

Did they somehow reconnect in Seattle while she was interviewing? But then why would he be here? Fighting with her. Ugh.

I reach the second floor with this Noel in tow. He’s big, like really big, and I half expect him to steamroll right over me, but he hangs back. The door to our place is open, the voices inside quieter now but still coming with some urgency. Not the alarming kind where I need to barge in there. I’ve been accidentally overhearing my big sister’s conversations since she was old enough to have anything good to listen to, and this is not an intervention-level engagement.

But I’ve waited a year to find out what happened on that trip, and no way am I walking in and risking Stormy’s already tight lips clamping shut even tighter when she sees me. So, I inch closer to the door on tiptoes, straining to catch a bit of the tea she won’t willingly share with me.

Rude. I know. But we’re only a year apart, and this is how I roll. She wouldn’t expect anything less.

“Get anything good?” I startle at the too-close, too-gruff whisper and turn to find Noel beside me, one heavy shoulder propped against the wall, bulging arms folded over his chest, and his powerful legs casually crossed.

I blink. This guy is seriously hot and built like whoa. Even beneath the bomber jacket and jeans, there’s no missing that muscular frame.

He’s got dark hair that’s falling in loose, overlong curls around his face, a crooked nose, and a lopsided grin that’s so contagious, I find myself smiling in return and revising my assessment. He’s a seriously hot goof.

Unraveling those big arms, he signals for my bags and then sets them carefully at our feet.

Our eyes meet, and we lean in to listen.

“She’s saying something about them having an agreement, and he said he just wants to talk,” I whisper.

Noel nods, not looking away. His eyes are the color of dark roast coffee, and the way he’s watching me has a warming effect to match.

I clear my throat. “Were you in Seattle with her?”

Noel shakes his head, and a tousled curl falls over his brow. “My buddy saw her in the parking garage at O’Hare. Lost his shit. Stole my car. Ditched our flight. Blew my plan to escape. And followed her to wherever we are.”

“Wow. Lots to unpack there.”

“Right?” Then, “Who is she?”

“Stormy? My sister and roommate.” At least until she moves. “And we’re in Chestnut Hill. Who’s Diesel?”

A little dent forms between his brows, like maybe he’s not so sure he wants to tell me.

The look I give him has him quickly reconsidering.

Thought so.

“Whoa, easy there,” he says, hands coming up with his smile. “He’s my buddy and teammate. And I have no idea how he knows your sister.”

“Vegas.”

He looks past me to the open door. “She’s coming to Vegas with us?”

“No, she met him there last year. But aside from his name, that’s all I know.” Though the way she’d said it and the weird mood she’d been in for the month after the trip had been enough to figure out that whatever went down had been good.

“We don’t know much.”

I shrug. “It’s driving me nuts.”

He cocks his head and gives me a grin. “So enough about them. Who are you?”

I laugh. “Um, not interested.”

This guy has player written all over him. Not my thing, hot or not.

“Cool, me neither. I’m heading to Vegas when my boy wraps it up with your girl. But I figure, while we’re waiting, why not make a new friend.” He leans forward. “What’s your favorite snack?”

“What are you, five?” I laugh, turning to face him.

“Twenty-five. And a half. You?”

This is ridiculous. But I can’t even hear Diesel and Stormy anymore, and well, even if I’m not interested, which I’m definitely not, there’s something about this guy that puts me at ease. He’s got a friendly vibe to him, so I throw him a bone. “Twenty-four. And a quarter.”

His grin spreads, showing off a criminally cute dimple, and I figure what the hell. “And my favorite snack is white cheddar popcorn. Why do you ask?”

“There’s this challenge going around social, where you go to the store with a date and buy each other stuff from this list. I haven’t done it, but I like the questions. Favorite drink?”

“Hot cocoa.”

His head tips back as he lets out an appreciative moan, giving me a peek at the thick column of his neck. Nice.

When his eyes meet mine again, there’s an intensity to them… I think.

“This is important. Whipped cream or marshmallows?”

Okay, maybe not so intense. But even so, I try to firm up my stare to mirror his. “Marshmallows. Mini.”

He nods. “Marry me.”

“Wow, not too choosy, are you?” I laugh, feeling the tension of the last few weeks ease the littlest bit. And sort of wishing this guy wasn’t heading off to Vegas quite so fast. Because it’s nice to laugh, and with all the weighty decisions about whether I should move too, it’s been a while.

Suddenly, Stormy and Diesel are in the doorway, both still wearing their jackets and looking as shocked to see us as I am to realize I’d completely forgotten about listening to them.

I straighten and force a wide, hopefully innocent smile. “Hey, guys, we were just—”

“Trying to listen in,” Noel says unapologetically. “We didn’t hear anything good, though. Too busy falling in love ourselves.” He steps up to my side and slings an arm around me with a wink. “Dude, I’m taking Stormy’s sister here—”

“Misty,” I offer, half bracing for the usual crack about my parents watching the weather channel too much, but it doesn’t come.

“—Misty, to Vegas with me. We’re getting married, celebrating with a hot chocolate-mini marshmallow fountain, and doing all the shit you said no to. You’re off the island.”

The silence holds for a beat, and then, without responding, Diesel turns to Stormy. “All I’m asking for is an hour.”

Blowing out a tight breath, she nods. “Fine. But not here.”

I did not hear that right. “You’re leaving?”

Giving my hand a squeeze, she meets my eyes. “I’ll explain when we go over to Mom and Dad’s this afternoon.”

Diesel looks at Noel. “Can you push the flight?”

“Yeah, man. Whatever you need.”

We watch them leave in awkward silence. And then Noel turns to me.

“Sure you don’t want to take me up on the Vegas wedding? You’ll have to drive to the airport. Pretty sure Diesel just stole my car again.”

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