Chloe's POV
Today drags on for what seems like forever. I'm distracted all afternoon working some things for accounting. I also find myself day dreaming about Beca which makes me want to pull the rubber band around my wrist for letting my brain go there.
When the clock rounds itself to five, I excuse myself at work, taking a little trip to the bathroom to quickly freshen myself up. I swig some travel sized mouthwash I have in my purse in case I ever have eaten an onion or had coffee breath, it happens a lot and comes in handy. Although, I don't plan on kissing Beca tonight, I just don't want her to say my breath smells or think it for that matter since she probably wont tell me if it does.
I take the elevator down to the lobby at about five fifteen. When the door opens, I spot Beca sitting in one of the chairs we having in our waiting area. When she spots me, she stands smoothing out her shirt. She has changed since she broke into my conference room this morning. She is wearing dark wash skinny denim jeans, a light blue button up blouse and a black jacket to go around that. Ah puck me, I hate that she looks so good but really, she looks good in anything.
"I thought we were meeting at the coffee shop." I say as I approach her.
"I thought we could walk over there together."
"A.K.A you wanted to make sure I didn't stand you up."
She chuckles and gives me a smile out of this world. I don't know if I can do this when she's so fucking hot.
"Something like that."
"I could still run you know."
"Well, you can try but I've been told I'm pretty fast, especially if I'm going after something I want."
She makes my stomach erupt in butterflies. Flashbacks to her on the ice with her amazing lightning speed come flooding through my brain. Beca chasing after me with the same kind of momentum she uses on the ice, kind of turns me on. I'm interrupted from my thoughts when Beca starts speaking.
"It's only a drink and some conversation, Chloe. That's all I'm asking for."
The way she said that reminded me of the night she told me she just wanted to hangout with me and not have sex. I force myself to think of other things, I cannot go down that path with her again. I don't want end up one of her hockey hookers.
When we got to the coffee shop I see a crackling fireplace with a table in front of it empty. It has a reserved sign which I'm happy about. It looks comfy and romantic and I don't need that right now. I need to focus on having this chat with Beca and going our separate ways. Beca gestures to the table and tells me to go sit down while she orders me something. I glance at the table again making sure she is talking about the table near the fireplace.
"It's reserved." I inform her. She leans over to whisper in my ear.
"I reserved it."
Of course she did.
I don't sit, I follow her to the counter and check out the options. After about ten seconds of scoping out the menu, I know what I want. Beca wraps her hand around my wrist.
"I got it."
"I can buy my own drink." I didn't mean for it to come out harsh, I feel bad at my tone. She is being nothing but nice and considerate and I'm being a jerk which really isn't me. She makes me nervous, but I like it.
"I asked you to come, please let me get this for you."
She's looking at me like a cute puppy dog.
"Okay." I tell her with a smile smile.
She smiles back at me and her palm slides its way down and settles on my back. Its find for a while until she starts stroking up and down along my spine, its distracting me.
"What would you like?" she asks me.
"Green tea latte, non-fat, lactose free, with extra whipped cream, please."
"Lactose free with whipped cream huh?" Beca asks.
"it balances the dairy out." I respond.
"Anything else?"
"No thank you."
I stare at the bakery items; the caramel crunch cake looks delicious.
"Are you sure? These cakes look too good to past up. I'll feel bad ordering one and you don't have anything in front of you." I give into her and let her buy the cake.
I notice the way the girl behind the counter is looking at her and I don't like it. If she wants to play, ill play. I move closer so my boob is pressed against her arm and whisper 'thank you' in her ear. She raises her eyebrows but then she gives me that sweet, beautiful smile.
"It's my pleasure, I'm really glad you're here."
She motions for me to go sit down while she waits for out drinks and deserts to be ready so I comply and go have a seat. As I'm sitting in the comfy spot Beca reserved for us, I have a great view of her ass so I stare at it. I'm not the only one staring at her tonight. A bunch of guys and girls are all taking her in, I'm not surprised. What can she do about being so hot? I feel like a lot of these people go to our school so they recognize her from playing.
She comes over to the table with our drinks and deserts. I start eating the cake because it looks so damn good. Beca watches me, smiling.
"Is it good?"
I jump a little at how close she is to me, I can see a little cut on her eyebrow in detail, she must have gotten hit on the ice. I feel bad she always seems to come back with one thing or another, I guess it comes with the game. I also see her stormy blue eyes I love so much; I could get lost in them. They're one of my favorite features she has. She moves her chair next to me instead of sitting across.
"it's heaven." I tell her.
"Can I see what heaven tastes like?"
I take some onto my fork and go to hand it to her when she grabs my hand and raises it to her mouth. Her lips part and close over the tasty desert and holy cow is it hot. I want to shove my tongue down her throat again. she savors her bite, then swallows.
"Want to trade? She asks me.
"No thanks."
"Are you sure? Maybe you want to try my half." She sticks her fork into her cake and is ready to feed me the bite.
'I'm keeping my cake."
"Suit yourself." She observes me for a while, to a point that makes me a little uncomfortable.
"What?" I ask
"I'm really glad you agreed to see me." She could really go from being cool and flirty to small and vulnerable with a snap of her fingers.
"You wanted a chance to explain."
I glance up at her and she is sweet and awkward and is fumbling with her napkin. I want this part of her to be authentic, not something she does to get women in bed with her. She takes a deep breath and looks up.
"What everyone says about me is inaccurate."
"Uh-huh." Of course she is going to say that.
"When I started playing at Barden, everyone liked to talk about the hockey players and were in college, that's what everyone does. Makes up rumors or blows the little things way out of proportion. I'm not saying there isn't any truth behind was some people were saying. When I started I was eighteen, a rookie, there were lots of girls…"
I guess I can understand this, when you're a confident, hot, single, out of the closet hockey player women are going to throw themselves at you.
"Anyway," she continues. "The two girls in one night is a total lie. Freshman year the guys took me to a party to celebrate me becoming one of them I guess. There were a lot of girls there suddenly interested in me because I was with them or because I played hockey. They hyped me up and eventually the party got out of control, there were girls on my lap I was uncomfortable then some idiot took grainy pictures of me with them and the rumor was born. I don't even know why someone made it up who made it up all I know is its out there and it is one hundred percent not true."
"You didn't deny it in that video."
"No I didn't." She drops her head. "It was a bad move on my part and made me look like a total jerk." She whispered quiet. "You don't know what its like, Chloe."
"You're right, I don't. I can't imagine why you would want to come across as a womanizer or why you talked to Caleb about 'regulars'."
"Regulars?"
"Yeah that night you were at my house and Caleb forgot his wallet."
Beca's eyes pop out and the color drains from her face.
"Oh wow, this explains what happened at the bar after the game." She lets out a long breath. "I wasn't sure what Cal knew, if anything at all and we hadn't had the chance to really talk so we're clear…" She leans in closer so her knee is touching mine.
"There are no regulars. There never was. I don't care if Beale knows about us. I'll gladly take the beating from him if you'll go out on a date with me."
"Oh." I respond.
She touches my cheek with her warm, delicate yet strong fingers. Her touch distracts me and I'm intoxicated by everything that is Beca Mitchell and all I want to do is lean closer and feel her lips on mine.
"Is 'oh' code for yes?" She asks stroking my cheek.
"Um…" She seems genuine. It was easier to shrug her off when I believed she was a player. If she turns out to be lying, ill be devastated.
She leans closer so our foreheads are touching. "Please say yes." She is so sweet and it makes me want to say yes on the spot.
"I guess I can do dinner." Her smile is contagious and I can't help but smile back.
"Are you busy tomorrow night?" She asks.
"Tomorrow?"
"I leave on Wednesday for a couple away games, I wont be back for a week, maybe more. I would like to see you before then; I understand if its too short notice."
"I'll check my calendar." That's bull, I have no plans for tomorrow night and even if I did I would cancel them. Beca sips her hot chocolate as I pretend to check my schedule. "It looks like I'm free."
"Great." She's smiling widely.
This is not what I was expecting. I thought Beca would give me a load of crap and I would forget her and be on my way but instead as she reclines in her chair I think about what underwear options I have for tomorrow and whether I have anything date appropriate. I need to go shopping. I definitely want to look my best.
