Faceoff

Chapter Twelve

Kyla had the hour-long drive back to Winnipeg to do a lot of thinking. A lot of thinking about Tag. About what had happened last night between them. She’d come so close to telling him she loved him and she didn’t even know where the words had come from. They just seemed to rise up inside her, uncontrollable. It was ridiculous. She had no intention of falling in love or messing her plans up with a relationship. Guys expected too much—they wanted all her attention, didn’t want her working sixteen-hour days, expected her to be free on weekends.

Who the hell was she kidding? Who wanted that kind of life forever? She wasn’t stupid, but she’d definitely been blind. Or blinkered. Or stubborn. Whatever. The closer she got back to the city, the tighter her stomach got and the more her head began to ache from clenching her jaw.

She had time to think about her career and all the questions Tag had asked that she didn’t want to answer. She had time to think about her dad’s words to her, about family being first. The truth was, when she really thought about it, she hadn’t been entirely happy for a while. And looking into the future, even if she did get what she wanted, which was making partner, she wasn’t so sure now she’d be any happier. A heaviness filled her.

Her BlackBerry, plugged into the charger, chimed on the seat beside her. It was against the law to talk on a cell phone while driving, so she just glanced at it. Then it chimed again. And again. Shit.

She grabbed the phone, hoping there weren’t any RCMP cars out patrolling to see her, and thumbed the track ball. Christ. A ton of missed calls, starting Wednesday. All from the office. That iffy cell-phone coverage up at the lake had let her down.

She tossed the phone down and bit her lip. What was she going to do about it now, on a Sunday evening?

But she found herself parking in the small loading zone outside the Richardson Building. She could run into the office and her car would be okay there on a Sunday night for a couple of hours.

She turned on the lights in her office and powered up her computer. She surveyed the folders and documents that had piled up in her week’s absence.

Three hours later, she’d checked emails, found out what all the calls were about, done some research and had solved the problem. Now she was ready for Monday morning. Sure she was.

Her condo felt empty and cold when she walked in even though she’d turned down the air conditioning before she’d left. She didn’t bother with lights, just grabbed a pair of pajamas out of a drawer, washed her face and climbed into bed.

Alone.

For the first time in a week, she slept alone, her bed cold and empty, especially after last night, after the impassioned, heated way she and Tag had come together. She’d felt so cherished, so cared for, so free to be herself without judgment, only respect. Admiration and affection had emanated from the depths of his dark eyes as he watched her with steady eyes while they made love. She rolled, turning her face into her pillow and closing her eyes, an ache of longing spreading through her body. Tag.

Hell. If she needed an orgasm she could give that to herself. She slipped her hands under her shorts and between her legs. But it only took a few seconds to realize she wasn’t in the least turned on. She just…missed him. She was in big trouble because she didn’t need sex…she just needed Tag.

Tag and Jase left Twin Pines Country Club after finalizing some details for the charity golf tournament the four brothers were hosting the next day. They climbed into the Jeep Cherokee Tag had just bought a week ago and Tag reversed out of the parking spot.

“Looks like we’re good to go,” Jase said.

“Yeah.”

“You did a lot of work on this.”

“Yeah. You guys weren’t here, so someone had to do it.”

When Jase said nothing, Tag glanced sideways at him and caught his pissed-off look. “What?”

“We couldn’t get here any sooner, Logan or me. Matt was here and he said he helped.”

“Yeah, he helped a little.” Tag shrugged.

“What the hell’s your problem?” Jase demanded as Tag pulled out onto Highway #1 just outside the Perimeter.

“I don’t have a problem.”

“Yeah, you do. You’ve been snarly all week, with everyone. Ever since we came back from the lake.”

“I’ve just got a lot on my mind. There’s a lot of stuff going on with the team and this golf tournament.”

“Yeah. And what else?”

Tag shot him an annoyed glance. “Nothing else. Lay off, all right?”

Thick silence filled the Jeep and Tag stabbed at the button for the radio. The music of Eminem filled the Jeep, the expensive sound system creating a deep booming bass. Jase reached over and cranked the volume down.

Tag glared at him again.

“What’s bugging you?” Jase asked again.

“Nothing.”

“Bullshit.” Jase sighed. “Jesus. Are you really that pissed off that you had to do most of the work for this tournament?”

Tag sighed. “No.”

“Okay, I’m gonna go out on a limb here. Does this have anything to do with Kyla?”

Tag’s chest tightened. “Kyla? No.”

“Huh.” Jase was silent. “Because we knew what was going on in that tent last week.”

Tag’s stomach jumped. “Who knew?”

Jase grinned. “Me and Matt and Logan. And Scott. And, well, Jessica.”

Tag was silent while he processed that. They couldn’t know. “Nothing was going on.”

Jase laughed. “Riiiiight. You two were just playing Rummikub out there every night.”

“How’d you know she was there?”

“We saw her a few times between the three of us. One night Logan was coming to see you, and when he heard some noises from inside the tent, he…uh…decided not to bother you. One night Jess went to check on Emily and Kyla’s bed was empty. We put it all together. Plus, everyone noticed the way you two were acting.”

“Everyone?”

“Yeah. Especially Mom.”

“Shit.”

“So…why are you pissed? Kyla doesn’t want to continue the sleepovers now you’re back in the city?”

“Neither of us do.”

“Really.” Jase rubbed his chin. “Why not?”

“Neither of us is into relationships. She’s too busy with her high-powered law career. Even though it’s killing her,” he added with a touch of bitterness he couldn’t disguise. “And you know why I’m not.”

“Jovannah.”

“Her and every other woman who just wants to get with a pro athlete.”

“Not every woman is like that.”

“Okay, you found one who’s not.”

“Yeah.” Jase smiled. “Remi wanted nothing to do with me when she found out what I do for a living. Of course, I felt the same about her.” He made a face. “She’s not into money or status at all.”

“Women like Remi are rare.”

“Oh yeah.” Jase’s heartfelt agreement both annoyed Tag and made him envious. “She’s pretty special, all right. But I don’t know that it’s that rare. I mean, the real women are out there. Somewhere. I believe it. That’s pretty damn cynical to think all women are like that.”

“Well, I haven’t seen it.”

“So you’re saying the reason Kyla slept with you last week was because you’re an NHL hockey player?”

“No! She’s not like that.”

“You do know that you’re not making a lot of sense, right?”

“Fuck off.” Tag’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel and his jaw clenched.

“Seriously, man. You can’t say all women are like that in one breath and in the next say Kyla’s not. So what was it last week then?”

“It was just…sex.”

“Well, nothing wrong with that,” Jase said. “Sex is good. And you always did have a thing for her.”

“I did not.”

Jase’s laugh grated on his nerves. “You’re in bad shape, dude. Look, deal with it. If you want to see her again, call her.”

Tag could think of a lot of reasons why he couldn’t do that. They’d agreed, no relationship. She was too busy with her quest for partner. He was too busy with his career. They couldn’t risk the friendships between all their family members on something that could go horribly wrong. And…probably the biggest…he was terrified of being rejected by her. No way was he confessing that fear to his little brother.

His little brother, who seemed to have grown up a lot lately.

“There’s nothing to deal with.”

“Okay. Whatever. I tried. Just don’t take out your frustrations on the rest of us, okay?”

Tag turned the music back up. They were into the city now, cruising along Portage Avenue, another gorgeous summer day. Hopefully the weather would hold for the tournament. It would be a major pain in the ass if they got rained out.

He sighed. Jase was right. He’d been pissy all week, with everyone. And it was nobody’s fault but his. Since he and Kyla had parted at the lake, his mood had dropped like a puck at faceoff. He couldn’t stop thinking about her, which was driving him crazy.

She’s not like that.

Okay, so fine. She wasn’t the type to use him. She remained unfazed by his success, unimpressed by his money, oblivious to his celebrity. Yeah, she was obviously happy for him, the way she was happy for Jase and Matt and Logan, the way she celebrated their successes like she did her own brothers’. Clearly her feelings for him weren’t brotherly, thank Christ. But he knew she wasn’t one of those women who just wanted to sleep with him so she could say she had. He knew she wasn’t looking for a rich and famous husband. If there was any woman in the world he trusted, it was Kyla. But all that didn’t mean there was anything more to what had happened last week than just some fun.

Except…

He flicked on the blinker and changed lanes to turn onto the Charleswood Bridge.

Except something more had happened. He was falling in love with her.

What was he going to do about that? They lived in the same damn city now. Chances were pretty good they were going to run into each other. He could deal with that. But suddenly his single, no-strings-attached life seemed pretty dismal. Especially after seeing what Jase had with Remi. Especially after being with Kyla, so much fun, so undaunted, so unimpressed, but…so admiring, respectful and…loving.

“That’s the third time you’ve let out a big heavy sigh,” Jase said. “For god’s sake, go talk to her.”

Tag took in a deep breath. Yeah. Maybe he was going to have to do that.

By the end of the week, Kyla had done a lot more thinking about her career. She still hadn’t made a decision, but she found herself online looking at employment websites, perusing jobs in the legal field. Her mind was starting to open to the idea that maybe she needed to explore other options. She’d left the office at five o’clock every day, had had dinner with a couple of girlfriends she hadn’t seen for a long time and had laced up her running shoes and gone for a run along the river walk at the Forks.

Today, Friday, was the Heller brothers’ charity golf tournament, which she’d signed up for a long time ago. Seeing Tag again made her both nervous and excited.

So she’d never gotten over that little crush on Tag Heller. Sleeping with him had probably been a mistake because she’d gone all female and gotten emotionally involved. Why that hadn’t happened with other guys she’d slept with, she wasn’t sure, but in any case, she would be in control and friendly and polite when she next saw him.

The golf tournament wasn’t fun. She hated doing things she wasn’t good at, and despite a lot of expensive golf lessons, hours at the driving range and a lot of business tournaments, she wasn’t exactly a great golfer. She was decent at best, at least not humiliatingly awful, but it wasn’t fun for her. She put on a good face, though, especially when she ended up in a foursome with one of the new owners of the Jets, Mike Glendower. Tag’s boss.

“So, congratulations on finally making that deal to buy the team,” she said with a smile as they prepared to tee off. “You must be so happy.”

“Yeah, we’re pretty pumped. Thanks.”

They discussed some of the complicated business and legal issues that had dragged on for months, the frustrations, the delays. “I’m an attorney,” she explained to Mike, seeing the look of surprise on his face.

“Yeah,” he said slowly. “I think I knew that. You’re Greg MacIntosh’s daughter, aren’t you?”

“That’s right.”

“You’re an attorney at Ingram Howell Grant.”

“Yes.” She blinked. “I am.”

“Ted Ingram is a good friend of mine.”

Of course he was.

“I’ve heard good things about you,” he added.

“Really.” She smiled. “Thanks. That’s nice to know.”

They next chatted at the second hole as they waited for their companions to tee off.

“You’ve done a lot of work for the AHL,” Mike said. “I remember talking to Craig about that. Craig Pearson.”

Craig was the other owner of the team, and yes, he’d been involved with the city’s AHL team, and yes, she’d worked with him. “Yes. You have heard a lot about me.”

“Craig was impressed with you.”

“Thank you.” She smiled. “That’s nice to hear.”

“You know,” Mike said, “we’re rebuilding our team here, the off-ice team as well. We’re looking for new legal counsel.”

“Really.” What was he saying?

“You’re probably not looking for a change, but if you’re interested in talking about employment with the Jets, I’d love to talk to you more about it.”

She didn’t answer, thoughts running wildly through her head. She’d been thinking so much about her career this week, especially after talking to Tag. Especially after that week at the lake where she’d realized how her work was making her literally sick. The firm hadn’t made the decision on partner yet. She’d probably get it. But Tag had asked her the question and she was now asking it of herself—was that what she really wanted?

“That’s interesting,” she said slowly. “Very interesting.” She was fascinated by pro sports. She loved hockey.

“Great! Here’s my card. Call me at my office Monday morning and we’ll set up a meeting next week. No pressure,” he added with a sincere smile. “I’m sure you have a lot of questions too. I’ll introduce you to some of the other personnel and we’ll just have a chat.”

“That sounds great.”

After eighteen holes, she chatted with other people she knew there, a few clients, people she’d gone to school with. Then she spotted Tag across the lawn, standing near the clubhouse entrance, surrounded by three gorgeous girls smiling up at him. She stood there and watched him for a moment as he talked and laughed, his wide smile flashing charm all over the place, and her heart turned over in her chest. She began walking toward him.

She felt as though her heart reached out to him and he seemed to sense it. He looked up and spotted her. He kept talking, but he didn’t take his eyes off her. As she neared the group, he said, “Excuse me, ladies,” with another charming smile, and detached himself from them. He moved toward her, his gaze still fastened on her face, making her heart tremble and her skin tingle.

“Hi,” she said when they stood face-to-face, a little breathless.

“Hi.”

They stared at each other.

“Um,” she began. “I was just talking to Mike Glendower.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Mmm. He um…wants to talk to me about a job.”

Tag lifted one eyebrow. “A job?”

“Legal counsel. He says they’re looking for someone here.”

Tag’s slow smile had her pulse fluttering. “Huh. That’s true.”

“I just wanted to mention it to you…I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m not even sure I’m interested. Although it is intriguing. And I’ve been thinking a lot about my career this week. Thanks to you.”

His lips quirked.

“Would it be a problem for you if I worked for the team? Because I don’t want to make things uncomfortable, and if it would be, I won’t even call him to set up the meeting.”

He didn’t answer. His eyes roved over her face. Her heart beat even faster, but she kept a cool smile on her face, her hands steady on the tote bag she held over her shoulder.

“It wouldn’t be a problem for me,” he said finally, his voice low and smoky. “If it’s something you’re interested in, go for it.”

“It might be.”

He moved a little closer. “Kyla…”

She tipped her head back to look up at him, so tall, so broad, so handsome.

“I missed you this week,” he said quietly.

Everything inside her melted into liquid. Her mouth went soft and her eyes closed briefly at the surge of emotion inside her. “Oh.” She looked at him again, saw her own feelings reflected back in his brown eyes. “I missed you too.”

“Tag Heller!” A man stopped beside them. Kyla didn’t know him, but Tag did.

“Hey, Norm. How are you?”

“Great! Just wanted to say hi and tell you how happy we all are the team’s back in town.”

“Thanks.” Tag’s smile held charm and enthusiasm. “Glad to be here. It’s going to be an exciting year.”

“Yeah, definitely.” The man glanced at Kyla.

Tag introduced them and Kyla shook hands and smiled.

“Great turnout this year,” Norm said.

“Definitely.” Tag grinned. “The team moving back brought a lot of attention to our little golf tournament. I think we raised a good chunk of cash for Children’s Hospital today.”

“Sure hope so, it’s a good cause. Nice to see you again. Good luck this season.”

“Thanks.”

And Norm moved on.

“I wish we could get out of here,” Tag muttered, sliding his hand around her arm. “But I have to stick around for a while.”

“I know.”

Their eyes met and held again in a connection of heat and longing. “I know what we said,” he murmured, his face so close to hers she could see the glint of whiskers on his jaw, the flecks of gold and cinnamon in his eyes. She could breathe in his scent, that fresh clean scent. “Up at the lake. How neither of us was looking for a relationship.”

She nodded, holding his gaze.

“I wasn’t looking for one,” he added, touching her cheek, fingertips grazing her jaw. “But I think it found me.”

A tremulous smile tugged at her lips. “Oh yeah?”

He bent and touched his nose to hers. “Yeah.”

“Well, I wasn’t looking for one either. Didn’t have time. But this week…I seem to have freed up some time in my life for other things. Thanks to a very smart man who annoyed me with some tough questions.”

He smiled. “That’s good.” He paused. “I’ve been burnt a few times, Kyla. I kind of have a hard time trusting women.”

“Me?” she asked quietly.

“No. Not you. Never you. That’s why…I―”

“Jesus.” Someone slapped Tag on the back and Kyla looked up to see Logan standing there grinning. “Would you two get a room?”

Heat scorched her cheeks, but she smiled back at Logan. His grin held warm affection.

“Shaddup,” Tag said mildly. His hand slid down Kyla’s bare arm until it clasped her hand in a warm grip.

“Or should I say a tent,” Logan added with a wicked little lift of one eyebrow that reminded her of Tag.

“Uh…” Bereft of words, she looked at Tag, who was grinning broadly. He shrugged as he met her eyes. Logan moved away to talk to someone else.

“I said nothing,” he murmured in her ear. “I can’t help it if people noticed things.”

“Like your mother,” she added. She bit her lip. “Tag…”

“I know. I’m not taking this lightly, Kyla.” He regarded her seriously, turning to face her, holding both her hands with his. Once again, he seemed to know what she was thinking.

“Your mom talked to me,” she said. “Up at the lake. I felt horrible because she thought there was something between us and she was all happy about it. I had to tell her it wasn’t really anything. If we mess this up…”

“I know. I hear you. I’m picking up what you’re putting down.”

She laughed reluctantly. “Seriously, Tag.”

“I am serious. As serious as a game misconduct. No, as serious as a full-season suspension. I know what this means. I know the consequences of things going wrong, believe me. But Kyla…I need you.” He paused and she saw the vulnerability in his eyes, the same as she felt. “I never thought I’d say this. I want a relationship. It’s true, I wasn’t looking for one, but…well, I want one with you.”

The vulnerability she saw somehow reassured her and made her want to reassure him. “Oh me too,” she said in a rush. “I never realized what it would be like…”

They were both dancing around it, like two players squaring off for a fight, both knowing it was too soon to be talking about love and forever, but knowing they both felt it.

“This isn’t the place to be talking about this stuff,” she whispered.

“Kyla.”

“What?”

“Wanna go on a date with me?”

A bubble of joy rose up inside her and made her laugh. “A date?”

“Yeah. You know. Like a couple. Maybe dinner. I know this really cool place on Portage, across from Assiniboine Park. Tiny little place, great food. Tomorrow night.”

She lowered her eyelashes, breathed in the smell of him, absorbed the warmth of his body. “Oh. A date.” She smiled and tipped her head back. “I’d like that. But just so you know…I don’t put out on the first date.”

He laughed and brushed his mouth over hers. “We’ll see about that.”