Disclaimer - I do not own anything even remotely related to The Mighty Ducks. I only wish I had thought of them first…
Italics indicate character thought.
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Cole and Beau walked up to the house, the music pumping out the doors and windows, the night air cool and brisk. They stopped on the front stoop and Cole looked up to the second floor's rickety balcony where a couple stood kissing.
"You a party girl, Mayland?"
She rolled her eyes in the dark, her voice bland. "Not particularly."
He grinned, grabbing a hold of the front of her shirt, and pulling her towards the door. "There's a first time for everything."
When they came through the front door, it was hard to see through the people crowding the sparsely furnished living room and the hallway to the kitchen. The music was deafening and people moved to the beat in the center of the room. Beau surveyed the room and didn't see a single person that she knew. She looked over at Cole. "Don't leave me alone, Procida."
He grinned and draped an arm around her shoulders. "Who knew you were shy?" He nudged her and started to pull her towards the kitchen. "We can fix that."
-
They entered the kitchen just in time to see Dave and Riley, surrounded by most of the team, slam two shot glasses down on the table. They grunted and laughed, then turned.
"Hey! The newbies!" A roar of laughter rose up around the room and Beau felt her stomach tighten. She looked over at Cole, who raised his eyebrows at her in challenge.
"This can't be good."
Before Procida could respond, they were drug over to the table. Riley bent forward, his nose nearly touching hers. "Miss Beau Mayland, our little speed demon." He chuckled. "How do you feel about tequila?"
She grimaced, earning a few boos. She was just about to open her mouth and say she'd just stick with beer when Charlie sidled in to stand behind her, his hand on her shoulder. "I don't know if tequila shots are a good idea for a freshman girl, you know?"
"Ohhhh." It was a rousing challenge around the room and Fulton laughed from his perch on the counter.
"Mayland, them sure sound like fightin' words. You gonna take that?"
She smirked, looking over at Charlie. "I'm a big girl, Mr. Conway. I think I can make a decision about what I drink and don't drink."
"Ohhhhh." The team clapped and Procida slapped her on the back. In the noise, Beau leaned closer to whisper in Charlie's ear. Her lips lingered on his skin, sending a shiver down his spine.
"Charlie, if you let me drink too much, I'll beat the crap out of you as soon as I stop throwing up."
As Charlie whispered back, his lips now against her skin, neither of them noticed the look that passed between Guy and Banks.
"Don't worry. We look out for each other around here." He looked over to Riley, who was playing bartender for the night. "Load 'em up boys."
-
They were sitting on the front porch, getting some air, when Beau's phone rang on her hip. Stretching her legs down the stairs, she pulled it out and recognizing her brother's number, flipped it open.
"Hey, Parker!"
"Oh my God. You're drunk."
She smiled. "Yes I am."
"Beau, is that smart? Might I remind you that you are only 19?" He grinned, hearing her voice just barely slurred.
"Riiight. Because that wasn't you who was throwing up on the lawn when we rented the beach house after graduation. Besides, the guys wouldn't let anything happen to me."
Now it was his turn to scoff. "Yeah, but how drunk are all the guys?"
She looked over at Charlie, who was watching her in amusement. "Charlie is 'nearly sober teammate' tonight. He has to stay sober enough to make sure that no one goes overboard and that no one drives."
Parker was sprawled on a couch at his new friend's apartment, and motioned for him to turn down the volume on the television. He grinned at him and mouthed This is going to be fun.
"Hey, let me talk to this Charlie guy."
She whined a little. "Parker, no!"
"Oh c'mon. I just want to make sure that he's looking out for you."
She sighed, rolling her eyes heavily, and Charlie couldn't help but grin. She stuck the phone out, nearly hitting him in the face. "Here, Conway. My school marm of a brother wants to talk to you."
He took the phone slowly, putting it up to his ear. Beau only caught part of the conversation.
"Hi…uh huh…yeah, she's great…really…that's totally understandable…yeah, I know…okay…will do…later, man."
He closed the phone, pocketing it so she wouldn't lose it, and turned to her. "Your brother says good night and he'll call you in the morning when he thinks you're done throwing up."
"I'm not going to throw up."
Jesse came onto the porch, his hair perfectly picked out into thick points. He grinned, crouching down between the pair and resting his chin on Beau's shoulder.
"Girl, we haven't danced yet. Get your fast butt in here and let's go." He looked over at Charlie. "You can come too if you want, Conway."
Charlie shoved him back. "Thanks. Thanks a lot."
-
Beau would never in a million years have danced with Jesse if a few of her inhibitions had not gone out the window with her tequila shots. But she was having a great time. A small circle had formed around them as they moved to the beat. She reached up, running a hand through her hair and moved her hips against Jesse's, laughing out load as he slid a hand to her waist, guiding her movements.
Across the room, Guy sauntered up to Charlie, unabashedly grinning at the wide eyed look on his friend's face.
"She's got you bad already, huh buddy?"
Charlie shook his head. "What? Who?"
Guy laughed. "Oh, don't even try it Charlie. It's so obvious between you two. Why are you even fighting it?"
"We're not. She didn't want to cause tension."
"Please," Guy mocked. "If you don't go after her, one of the other guys will. Just try to keep the making out on the ice to a minimum, huh?"
Charlie turned sharply to look at him, involuntarily getting an image of himself and Beau kissing at center ice. "Hmmm."
Guy elbowed him. "Don't look now, but here comes you girl."
Beau walked up, her cheeks rosy, her hair loose around her shoulders, and her smile radiant. "This is perfect. I've had just enough to make dancing fun, but not enough to not know what I'm doing. You boys throw a good party." She reached out a hand to Charlie. "Come dance with me?"
He backed away a step, shaking his head. "Um, I don't really dance, Beau."
She frowned a little, turning her gaze to the left. "Guy?"
Guy turned red and shook his head quickly. "Jeez, Charlie. Don't be a jerk. Go dance with the girl." He shoved his friend hard in the back and turned to leave the room.
They had ended up chest to chest and before he knew what was happening, Beau hooked her finger in Charlie's belt loop and pulled him against her and into the middle of the dancing bodies. She was looking up at him, smiling, and he knew then and there that there wasn't anything that she could ask for that he wouldn't do.
She started to move her hips bank and forth, her body rising and falling slightly with the beat. She still had her hand at his hip, and despite his lack of rhythm, Charlie found it hard not to move his body in motion with hers. He slid a hand up her arm and wrapped it around to rest on her lower back. He looked down, his voice hoarse.
"Beau, how drunk are you?"
She smiled lazily. "Charlie, I'm not as big of a goody-two-shoes as you think. I'm definitely feeling no pain, but I know what I'm doing and I'll remember what I did tomorrow."
His eyes grew dark. "Good." With that he leaned down to kiss her, his hands sliding up into her hair, their bodies still moving back and forth. He didn't care who saw or what they thought. He couldn't get enough of her.
In his pocket, he felt her phone vibrate, but ignored it, just as he was ignoring everything else but the feel of her against him.