BrickWall_Kobo (2 page)

Her dad loved her and he tried, but she’d always been a girly girl and that had been her mom’s domain.

“So I told him if he didn’t at least attempt to get along with my cousin, we might as well call off the wedding.
I mean, my family is so important to me and…”

Yep, she totally got that.
Family was important.
She’d seen more than one wedding disintegrate into factions more fierce than anything in the Hunger Games during the planning stages.

And anyone who said words would never hurt you had never dealt with a bridezilla whose mother-in-law dared to have an opinion on what color napkin should be used on the cake table.

Bliss swallowed a sigh.

What the hell are you doing here anyway?

She should be mingling, flirting, having a good time.
It wasn’t like there weren’t any good-looking guys here.
A few of them had even made eye contact, and two had tried to start conversations.

Until five minutes later and she realized they only wanted to talk about what they did and how much that should impress her.
Sure, they had decent jobs and wore decent clothes and were attractive but—

What’s wrong with you?

“And who tells your mother her dress makes her look fat?
You know what I mean?
I just wanted to punch…”

Bliss knew exactly how the bride-to-be felt.
She wanted to punch someone, too.

Except Bliss didn’t do physical violence.
She was no tough cookie.
More like a cupcake with fluffy frosting.
And who didn’t love cupcakes, right?

Sighing again, she took another sip of her drink and tried to wipe the pissy look off her face.

She knew she was no great beauty but she certainly didn’t look like an ogre.
Sure, her nose was a little too big and her body a little too curvy.
But she still managed to attract guys who liked big tits and a decent ass.
She knew that because most guys she talked to couldn’t stop checking out either one long enough to hold a rational conversation.

Then again, she hadn’t exactly allowed any guys close enough to get to know her better.
A vicious cycle, one she didn’t know how to break.

So, here she sat.
Smiling and nodding through a conversation with two women she barely knew.

This had been a mistake.
She should just take her pitiful self home and—

The front door opened, catching her attention simply because it was directly in her line of sight.

But then
he
walked through.

And she actually felt her mouth drop open.
Like, literally, her jaw dropped.
Then her lips parted and she sucked in a sharp breath that she immediately tried to cover with a slight cough.

She assured her new friends, who interrupted their conversation about guest lists to make sure she wasn’t choking, that she was fine and managed to come up with a question to get them back on their conversational track.

So she could go back to checking out the newcomer.

The really
big
newcomer.

And she didn’t mean fat.
She meant
built
.
Big as in broad.
Wide.
He looked like a—

Hockey player.

Like Lori’s husband, Cary, who greeted the newcomer with a big smile and a firm handshake as he pulled him farther into the house.

Cary led the new guy right into the great room, where she sat against the far wall, and walked him straight to the bar.

Bliss tried not to stare.
Really, she did.
But how could she
not
when this guy ticked off every box on her Yummy Meter, including a few she hadn’t know she had?

Like his dark, wavy hair.
Everyone in her huge Italian family had dark hair so every boyfriend she’d ever had had been blond, pretty, and clean-cut, like he’d just walked off a magazine shoot.

Like her ex-fiancé, the prick.

Nope, not thinking about him.

This guy looked like he hadn’t cut his hair in months or seen a razor in days, if the dark stubble on his strong, square jaw was anything to go by.
He looked scruffy but not like he was trying to be trendy.

Now, the bright blue eyes… Yeah, she absolutely had a thing for those.
And his were a perfect ocean blue she could see from across the room.
Combined with that nose that looked as if it’d been broken a few times…

Damn.
Her mouth watered.

And when her gaze slipped south… Hell, she was pretty sure her thighs just clenched.

The guy had to be at least a few inches over six feet, which means he’d tower over her.
And his clothes couldn’t hide the fact that he had muscles in places all men should have muscles.
Like in their thighs.
And their abs.
And their arms—

When he took off his coat to let Cary hang it in the closet, she had to swallow because…
Oh my god.
The man’s arms bulged beneath his blue dress shirt.

With black dress pants and that blue shirt, he looked good enough to eat.

Wouldn’t you love to get your mouth on him?

Yes, please.
Anywhere he had skin.

And when he turned to walk with Cary to the makeshift bar on the other side of the room, she thought she might have actually squeaked at the wonder of his ass.

Ho-lee shit.

“Bliss, are you okay?”

Blinking, she turned her attention back to the two women, now staring at her with identical expressions of knowing amusement.

Damn.
Had she been that obvious?

She forced a smile.
“Yes, I’m fine.
Sorry, I, uh…”

“Got a glimpse of Shane Conrad.”
The bride-to-be, whose name was Crista, smiled with commiseration.
“He certainly is nice-looking.
Kind of shy, though.
Lori’s tried to set him up with a few girls before but nothing’s stuck.
He’s apparently a really nice guy but doesn’t talk much.
Or he doesn’t like girls.”
Crista shrugged.
“No one’s been able to figure out which yet.
Would you like to meet him?
I’m sure Lori would be thrilled to introduce you.
He’s kind of become her pet project.”

Is that why Lori had invited Bliss tonight?
To introduce her to Shane?
Not that that would be a bad thing but…

But what?

“I think I need a drink.
Anyone need another?”

Both Crista and her friend shook their heads, their grins widening.

Bliss didn’t care.
For the first time in months, she wanted to jump a guy’s bones.
She’d be damned if she didn’t follow up on it.

And maybe later, she’d get to strip off his pants and shirt and rub against his naked body like a cat in heat.

Just as long as she didn’t stick her foot in her mouth first.

Chapter Two

Why the hell are you here?
You’re a goddamn glutton for punishment.
Should’ve stayed the hell home.

Shane knew his strengths and his weaknesses.
He could be the life of the party, but only if he felt comfortable with his audience.

He didn’t know a single person here, except Cary and Lori, and he had the almost overwhelming urge to slink back to the door and make his getaway.

Dork.
Get a grip.

He glanced around for Cary, but the guy had disappeared not long after introducing him to Damien and Lynton.

Shane would make him pay for that.
Somehow.

“…must be amazing to get paid to be an athlete.
You have like…what?
Two games a week?
Better than working in an office ten hours a day, six days a week.
My fucking boss…”

Shane nodded and agreed, letting the guys continue to tell him how amazing his life must be.

Of course, they didn’t have a fucking clue what they were talking about.

If they did, they wouldn’t be giving him those sly smiles when they talked about all the “fun” he must have on the road.

Oh, yeah, he was just swimming in pussy all the fucking time.
Between daily practice and working out and three or four games a week and travel and—

Yeah, he loved playing hockey.
Couldn’t think of anything he’d rather do.
But like everything else, it had a downside.

Playing in the AHL meant he didn’t move around as much as when he’d been in the ECHL, but it wasn’t the easiest way to make a living.

Hockey was tough on the body.
Plus, he had a shelf life.
Goalies especially had knee problems.
He might last until thirty-three.
If he was lucky, his knees would hold out until he was forty.
But eventually he’d have to leave the ice and find something else to do to make money.
Especially if he continued playing the way he was and never made it to the NHL.

Damn, what he wouldn’t give to be home binge-watching
Daredevil
and drinking beer.

“So I told him I could work that weekend just so I wouldn’t have to be home when her parents showed up.
I know I was being kind of a dick but if I had to listen her dad…”

Shane nodded like he knew what Lynton—what the fuck kind of name was Lynton anyway?—was talking about but he really had no clue.
He hadn’t been in a serious relationship…well, ever.

He’d had no time and no opportunity.

Shit, where the hell had Cary disappeared to?
Maybe Shane could slip away and no one would notice.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cary coming toward him.
Oh, thank Christ.
This had been a mistake.
He’d make his excuses and—

“Hey, Shane.”
Cary turned and smiled down at the smallish redhead by his side.
“This is Bliss Vescovi.
Bliss, this is Shane Conrad.
He’s the goalie for the Redtails.
And—” Another knock at the door and Cary grimaced.
“Sorry, I gotta get the door again.
Hang tight, I’ll be back.”

Shane barely noticed Cary’s departure as Bliss smiled and held out her hand, “Hi.
Nice to meet you.”

Her voice made the hair on Shane’s arms stand straight up.
And sent a shock straight to his cock.

Holy shit.
Pure fucking sex.

If Shane believed in heaven, he figured he’d just died and gone there because, Jesus Christ, this woman was a fucking angel.

Red hair so deep it had to be fake and hazel eyes that were a swirl of green, blue, and brown.
A face that belonged on a billboard and a body slapped together like a porn star.

And damn, if he wasn’t standing there with his mouth hanging open.

He shut his trap and took her hand.
“Shane Conrad.
Nice to meet you.”

Then he glanced down and watched as her fingers wrapped around his.

Warm.
And soft.
Damn, she’s soft.

His cock sprang to attention before he could rein in his response.
He’d be sporting one hell of a boner in a few seconds.
He couldn’t remember ever getting hard just by shaking a woman’s hand, not even as a horny teenager who hadn’t had a chance in hell of getting laid by even the sweetest cheerleader in his high school.

He couldn’t believe he hadn’t noticed her when he’d come in a few minutes ago.
Then again, he hadn’t really been interested in anything other than grabbing a beer and something to eat.
Since he’d been in this slump, he’d fallen into old habits of using food for comfort.
If he wasn’t careful, he’d be putting on pounds that’d slow him down.
And he definitely didn’t need that.

But, damn, wouldn’t it be great to work them off in bed with her?

When she didn’t say anything else, just stood there staring at him with a smile that made his balls tighten, he forced himself to release her and think of something to say.
Anything at all, just to keep her here.
But she beat him to it.

“Nice to meet you, too.”

“So Cary said you’re a hockey player?
You play for the Redtails?”