I glance at my phone screen to see that Mr. Carling replied.
She’s done meeting staff, gone to meet with the team. Maybe I can introduce you after the game. Hope you get unstuck soon.
I slump against the wall and cover my face with my hands for a moment, fighting to rein in all these hideous emotions. “Dixie? Tell me what I can do to help.”
He’s suddenly serious and it radiates through his tone. It’s low and rough and I feel it inside me like the bass in a song coming out of a kick-ass sound system. I drop my hands and look up into his eyes. “Your voice is so deep it’s kind of insane. It sounds like sandpaper but feels like velvet.”
He stares at me. His expression is intense, but his face is passive and calm in an unnerving way. “You feel my voice?”
Somehow he said that with even more sandpaper and velvet. I feel it everywhere. I try to swallow and nod my response. The elevator suddenly feels claustrophobic and hot. I move away from the wall, and him, and shrug out of my blazer. The air swirls around my bare arms, and I pinch the front of my sleeveless silk shirt and move it, creating a breeze.
“If it makes you feel any better I have somewhere important to be too,” Eli tells me quietly, still serious. “And I could use a little luck right now also.”
I have no idea what he’s talking about and I open my mouth to ask at the very moment the elevator lurches up but stops just as abruptly as it did before. It makes me squeak in shock at the sudden movement and stumble, but he grabs me again, this time with both hands on my waist, and I face-plant into his chest. It’s rock hard and warm, and he smells unbelievable. I look up at him. “I guess we both need something good to happen.”
“So let’s make something good happen.” Before I realize what he’s doing he’s got his hands against my cheeks and he’s tipping my head back.
His mouth hovers so close to mine as he tilts his head slowly. His lips part just a little bit as his mouth gets even closer. I feel like the whole world has stopped just like this elevator. We’re frozen in this almost kiss. And then his lips are against mine. It isn’t sudden. It isn’t rushed. I’m not taken by surprise. I knew exactly what he was going to do and I let him do it. Still, somehow I’m surprised. My pulse races and my breath catches, but I kiss him back. With everything in me, I kiss him back.
It’s long, it’s deep and hot and perfect, and I find myself suddenly begging the universe to leave us here in this elevator forever. But the universe isn’t taking my calls right now, obviously, because the elevator shudders and starts moving down. This time it doesn’t stop.
He steps away from me abruptly and my hand flies up to cover my mouth. He just stares at me, a victorious smile on his lips. “That was something good,” he says in that deep velvety voice.
Oh my God. Suddenly he’s way more than just a pretty face. And just like that I am totally, fully and completely crushing on Elijah Casco.
The elevator stops, smoothly this time, and the doors slide open. I rush out. He follows. We’re on the player level, my original destination. I turn to him and I start to open my mouth because I need to say something—but what? Do I ask for his phone number? Do I ask him out for drinks? Do I act like that kiss didn’t just curl my toes and set my insides on fire?
“Dixie!” Mr. Carling’s voice shatters the euphoric post-kiss haze that had engulfed me. “You’re out!”
I spin to face him as he approaches. “Hi, Mr. Carling. Yes. We’re out.”
He glances past me at Eli and his entire face lights up. “Elijah! You were trapped in the elevator too? We’ve been looking for you everywhere! The rest of the team is already dressing, and Ryanne wanted to meet you before the game.”
Rest of the…what? I blink. My eyes fly up to Eli. He’s giving Mr. Carling an easy smile. “Sorry. I would have called but my phone is in the locker room.”
“You still play?” I blurt out, stunned and horrified. Eli nods. His back is to Mr. Carling because he’s about to walk away, so Mr. Carling doesn’t see the smug smirk and the wink. That’s just for my viewing pleasure.
Mr. Carling looks at me with confusion and a little judgment, which makes me feel like I just let him down somehow. “You didn’t know?”
“I mean, I knew he played in college…” I mumble like an idiot. “I saw the news reports on the accident a couple years ago, but I assumed he quit hockey after that.”
Eli frowns, hard, but I ignore him and concentrate on Mr. Carling, who’s still looking at me like I’ve just failed some test. “He’s been with our farm team for almost a year now. We called him up for the game tonight. I guess you haven’t see the team roster yet.”
“No. Sorry,” I mumble, stunned and confused. It’s like the world just stopped and then started spinning in the wrong direction.
“I figured you wouldn’t even need the roster since Levi is best friends with your brother. I’m surprised Jude didn’t ever mention Eli was playing in the organization.” Mr. Carling glances down the hall and smiles. “Oh! There’s Ryanne. Let me go get her.”
He starts to march down the long, curved corridor. I try not to fall headfirst into a panic attack because holy shit, the hottest kiss of my life just turned into a giant mistake. There’s a strict policy against fraternization between employees and players, and I’m fairly certain having Eli’s tongue in my mouth in the elevator counts as fraternization. I don’t break rules. Ever. Especially ones that can cost me my fledgling career.
“Why didn’t you tell me you’re a Thunder player?” I whisper harshly when Mr. Carling is out of earshot.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were Jude Braddock’s sister?” he counters, looking just as stunned as I feel.
“Because I don’t tell anyone. That’s why I use my middle name as a last name,” I reply sternly. “I don’t want the team to think he got me the job, so you can’t tell anyone. Just like you can’t tell anyone about that kiss. Please. Because this is the only good thing I have in my life, and I’m not losing it over a kiss.”
“For the record, I didn’t tell you I play for the Thunder because I don’t. I play for the Storm,” he tells me calmly. “And I won’t tell anyone your real last name, but who cares who knows about the kiss?”
“I care! They have a strict policy about that stuff here,” I explain. My eyes keep darting down the hall. Mr. Carling is coming our way now with Ryanne. “That kiss could cost me my job.”
