Face-Off

“I can’t believe how well I got to know you.” She shook her head. “This time yesterday, I didn’t even know you existed.”

“Now you do.”

She rolled over to face him. “I guess you’re right,” she agreed. “I’m not really the casual-sex type.”

He kissed her nose. “Believe it or not, neither am I. I tell you what. Since I accidentally made you stay all night, how about I take you for breakfast?”

“How does that make me staying over here any better? If we go for breakfast?”

“Doesn’t. But I’m hungry. I can’t think when I’m hungry.”

“Well …” But it wasn’t like she had anything pressing to do at home. Laundry that could wait. And besides, after all their night-time activity, she was hungry too.

“Okay. But I need to shower first.”

“Mind if I join you?”

“Jarrad.”

“What?” He threw up his hands all Mr. Innocent. “It’s a great way to save water. I’m all about saving the environment.”

Because he was adorable and made her feel so good, how could she resist?

HE MIGHT HAVE TAKEN her to a fancy place for dinner but she discovered his taste in breakfast was more of the diner variety. Naturally, everyone knew him in Tracy’s, where the choices for breakfast were pretty much bacon, eggs, sausage, pancakes and steak and eggs. This wasn’t a place that would serve, say, muesli and yogurt, or an organic fruit compote.

Oh, well. She supposed a good dose of cholesterol wouldn’t hurt her once in a while.

The coffee was good and strong, and while Jarrad launched into the West Coast Trucker which pretty much seemed to contain every single item on the menu times three, she stuck to bacon and eggs. Jarrad waded through all of his and still managed to eat half her hash browns.

“I don’t know where you put all that food,” she said, amazed.

“Sex,” he said around a mouthful of potato. “It’s fuel for sex.”

She did not know how he did it, but even the stupidest comments like that one made her hot. She knew she only had him for a couple of weeks so she was determined to enjoy every minute.

Simply being here eating breakfast in a diner while wearing her black dress from last night made her feel gloriously wanton. She might as well wear a neon sign that said, Got Laid Last Night. Not that anybody spared her a second glance, but it was cool nonetheless.

She tried to cross her legs and felt a muscle twinge. “Ow.”

“What’s the matter?” he asked immediately. “Did I hurt you? “

“I don’t think it was you. I think it was the hockey.”

He seemed enormously relieved that it was hockey and not the aftermath of his loving making her wince. “You need to practice every day. Then your body will get used to skating and you’ll get better fast.”

“Jarrad, I have a job. I can’t practice every day.”

“Sure you can. When does your team meet up again?”

“Thursday.”

“Okay. Come on. I’ll give you a private coaching lesson today. We’ll see if we can get you caught up enough that you can go after a puck without clinging to the boards.”

“I need to change my clothes. I can’t go skating in a little black dress.”

He leaned forward. “I’m telling you right now that your thoughts are way too limiting. Haven’t you ever watched figure skaters? They skate in dresses all the time.” Then his voice lowered and he got that sexy look in his eyes that made her melt. “Imagine how it would feel, the cool breeze rising up underneath your skirt, maybe letting me get a little feel in if you manage to skate in a straight line without looking at your feet.”