Taking Shots (Assassins) (5 page)

“
Of course. I don’t miss games.”

“
Awesome, I’ll look for you.” Her cheeks turned red, as she looked anywhere but at him. Since she wasn’t looking him in the eye, he looked down at his hands. “So, does your husband come to the games with you?” She whipped her head up, looking at him like he was crazy.

“
I’m not married.”

“
Oh, a boyfriend?”

“
No, I’m single.”

“
Good.”

She was still looking at him, making him nervous. Maybe that was a little to direct.

“
Does your wife come to the games?”

“
There is no one in my life, just me.”

“
Must be lonely,” she said. He gave her a thoughtful look.

“
It can be,” he said with a shrug, because he wasn’t all that lonely. He could get any girl he wanted in bed, but no one had ever really mattered.

“
So, anyways, your camera, ready for a lesson?” She asked, smacking her hands together, with a nervous giggle.

“
Absolutely,” he said, even though Shea didn’t want to learn a thing about the camera, just about Elli.

Shea was a fast learner. He caught on to everything Elli taught him and when he did something wrong, he grinned widely at her, causing her to grin even bigger. It was so easy to talk to him, between his jokes, his smiles, and the way his eyes just settled on Elli. It was so easy, as if they had known each other their whole life.

“
Hey, look at this one!” he called over to her; he was over by the flower gardens, while she finished her coffee and snacked on the pretzels she had bought. She stood up and came over to him. She leaned over to him, looking over his arm to the viewfinder. The picture was of her, with the flower garden in front of her. It was actually a good picture of her and she never thought pictures of her were good.

“
Wow, Shea, that’s good.”

“
I got a pretty amazing teacher. I’ll hook you up,” he said with a wink as he wandered off towards a duck. She watched him with a smile on her face. While it was a pretty interesting to watch a grown man chase a duck, she couldn’t help wondering why this was so easy. She had never met a man that was so easy to talk to and get along with. He made her nervous, of course, but it was fine after a moment.

Probably cause they are meant to be friends.

Yeah, that’s it. So she needed to get this notion out of her head that he liked her. It would never happen. He was Shea Adler, leading defensemen of the NHL, captain of the Assassins, the most gorgeous man she had ever met. When her heart started to ache, she rolled her eyes. What was she expecting? True love?

Please, it’s Shea Adler, you are Eleanor Fisher, no man of that stature or that pedigree would want you.

“
Hey, you okay?” She looked over to Shea; he was standing beside her, his camera in hand.

“
Fine, you done?”

“
I am, I got some good shoots. I’m excited to go on the road and take pictures now.”

“
Awesome, my job is done then,” she said with a clap of her hands “So you’ll have to email me when you’re on the road, show me what you get.”

“
For sure, if I ever figure out how to use my email.” She laughed as he picked up his blanket and their trash. “Maybe you could teach me,” he said as she stood straighter, he had that sexy smirk on his face, the one that made her girlie parts scream.

Bad girlie parts!

“
Sure,” she said breathlessly.

“
Cool, where did you park?”

“
Over by the Sportsplex.”

“
Awesome, me too. We can walk together.”

She smiled and they started walking in silence. Not weird silence but comfortable silence. How she had became so comfortable with him so quickly was beyond her, but she would never let him know. He probably thought they were becoming friends. She was someone to teach him things, since he obviously was an idiot with technology.

She was not girlfriend material.

Duh.

When Elli saw her truck, her heart dropped to her stomach. This was the end. No telling if he would ever have contact with her. He would be nice, of course. The occasional hello if they ever ran into each other. But this was the end of probably one of the best afternoons of her life.

“
Where’s your car?” he asked as she started towards her truck.

“
My
truck
is right here,” Elli said, pointing to her truck. Like always when guys saw her truck, their eyes got big, their mouth dropped open some, and they gave her the ‘you gotta be kidding me’ look. She expected it, liked it even.

“
That’s your truck?”

“
Yeah, why?”

“
I expected you to drive something small, like a Beetle.”

“
Why, cause I’m a girl?!”

“
No, well, maybe…that’s a big damn truck!” Elli ran her hand lovingly down the side of her baby. Along with her house, it was one of her favorite things.

“
It is big, but I like big things if you haven’t noticed: my dog, my truck-“

“
Maybe you’re man?” Elli choked on the words that were trying to leave her mouth as her face went deep red in a matter of seconds, he laughed. “Sorry, didn’t mean to embarrass you.”

“
I’m not embarrassed,” she lied, not looking in his eyes.

“
Actually, you are. You’re bright red!”

“
Oh, hush,” she said, smacking him on the arm. Was she flirting? Jesus, what the hell is wrong with her? She glanced up at him and he was grinning at her, making her feel even more stupid, so she looked away to unlock her doors.

“
So, can I get your number?” She looked over her shoulder at him as she laid her bag down.

“
Oh, of course,” she muttered as she rambled the numbers off when he had his phone out. He pushed a button, and then her phone started ringing.

“
For when you want to call me,” he said with a grin as he did some more stuff with his phone.

“
Oh, okay,” she said with a nervous giggle as she saved his number, when she looked up from her phone, he was closer to her, his blue eyes piercing into hers. His jaw ticked at the side, and, her eyes were drawn to his mouth.

Good golly, it was a pretty mouth. Such strong jaw bones, a little scar at the end of his chin. His lips looked so soft, so inviting.

“
I had a great afternoon with you, Elli,” he said. Was he whispering? Was his voice husky? Oh, God.

“
Me, too, one of the best ever,” she cringed at her nervous babble. God, she was an idiot. Shea gave her a sexy grin that she was starting to think he was born doing, and leaned closer to her. Her breath caught, and he smiled again.

“
Can I kiss you?” he whispered in a husky manly, yummy voice. Elli could do nothing but nod and his lips were over hers within seconds. His lips were so warm, so strong, as his hand came up to her cheek, caressing her softly. She had never been kissed like this. When Justin would kiss her, it was quick and rushed, but Shea took his time, tasting her mouth as she did the same to him. When he pulled back, he smiled down at her. “I’ll call you later?”

Elli’s head bounced up and down like a freaking bobble head.

“
Bye, Elli.”

“
Bye,” she said after he was already to his car.

Okay, what the hell just happened?

“
He kissed you!” Harper bellowed through the house when Elli had relayed the afternoon to her. “Oh, my God! Was it good?” Harper had come over for dinner and a movie. Something they did a lot. Sometimes their other friends came, too, and they made a night of it, but tonight it was just her and Harper. Sometimes she liked it better that way.

“
It was amazing,” Elli gushed out. “I don’t know why he did it though.”

“
Because he likes you!”

“
Oh, come on, Shea Adler? Like me, Elli Fisher, please. I am nowhere near his type; he likes the leggy blondes with big boobs, small waist, and fake faces. I am not that.”

“
You don’t know his type, Elli, plus you can give them blondes a run for their money! You’re beautiful.”

“
I’m fat, and I guess okay looking.”

“
Oh, shut up!” Harper said throwing a piece of popcorn at her, Elli giggled as she picked it up, throwing it in her mouth. “I slept with Jakob again.”

“
Well, that came out of nowhere,” Elli giggled as Harper just grinned widely at her, “Again? I thought that was a one time deal.”

“
Me, too, but he kept like calling me and then he showed up at my condo last night and I’m, like, well, since you’re here come on in and fuck my brains out. You know?”

“
No, actually, I don’t.”

Harper giggled. “That’s what you should do with Shea, just have him knock your boots off, then be done. How long has it been since you’ve gotten any?”

“
Wow, Harper. Um, no, I will not be knocking my boots off with Shea Adler. That would be a horror. A big sexy man like him with my dumpy body? Please!” Elli purposely didn’t answer the other question. That was an embarrassment in itself. Something Elli didn’t even want to venture too.

“
Your body is beautiful, Elli; you’ve got sexy curves, something I wish I had. I’m just bones and skin.”

Elli gave her a pointed look. “Please, don’t give me that I wish I was curvy speech, no skinny girl wants to be fat.”

“
You’re not fat!”

“
I’m not skinny.”

“
Whatever, Elli, and don’t think I forgot about my question. How long has it been?”

“
Why does it matter?” Elli asked, picking a piece of popcorn apart. When she was nervous she always had to keep her fingers moving.

“
I want to know.”

Nothing was said for a moment and when Elli realized Harper wasn’t going to let it go, she let out a breath before saying, “Six years.”

“
What! Since Justin?”

“
Yeah, why?”

“
Oh, my God, you need to get laid. No wonder you’re such a bitch sometimes.”

“
For the love of God, shut up! I am fine.”

“
You most certainly are not!”

Elli was about to yell some more when her phone rang. She picked it up and looked at the display.

“
It’s him,” she whispered, looking up at Harper in horror. What the hell was he doing calling her?

“
What? Shea? Answer it!”

“
No! What would I say?”

“
Umm…hello?”

“
Shut up!” Elli stood off the bar stool and walked to the living pushing, talk. “Hello?”

“
Hey.”

“
Hey.”

“
It’s Shea.”

“
I know.”

“
Oh, okay, you sound weird.”

“
Oh, sorry.”

“
Don’t be, what’s up?”

“
Um, nothing, what’s up with you?”

“
This is Elli right?”

“
Yeah.”

“
What’s wrong? You sound really weird.”

Elli slapped herself in the forehead, trying to get it together, but how could she! Shea Adler was calling her! “Oh, well, I’m just surprised you called.”

“
Am I not supposed to?”

“
Oh, no, it’s not that. I just didn’t think you would.”

Silence.

“
Alright, did I do something wrong? Cause I thought this afternoon went great.”

“
It did, but I thought that was all it was, an afternoon.”

“
Oh, is that all you want it to be?”

“
Oh, no, you don’t, don’t put that loaded question on me!” He laughed, and she smiled. Harper came into the living room, throwing herself on the couch, grinning up at Elli. She, of course, gave Harper the death glare.

“
Okay, then I will tell you this. I want it to be more. I want to see you again, Elli.”

“
You do?”

“
Oh, yeah I do. What are you doing tomorrow?”

“
Tomorrow?”

“
Yeah, as in the day that comes after today?”

“
Smartass.” He chuckled, which made her smile “I gotta work during the day and I have a wedding tomorrow night.”

“
Okay, Tuesday?”

“
Bar mitzvah and work all day.”

“
A bar mitzvah? You do that?’

“
Yup,” she said with a grin. Harper just smiled big.

“
Okay, I got an event Wednesday, what about Thursday?”

“
Wedding.”

“
Well, shit woman!” she laughed, “I bet Friday and Saturday is a no go.”

“
Friday, weddings out my butt, but Saturday, I’m spending the day with my nieces and nephews. My assistants are doing the weddings that day, then I have a wedding that night.”

“
Okay.”

“
I know I’m stupid busy and-“

“
We’ll make the time, okay? The season opener is Wednesday, and then I’ll be wicked busy.”

“
I know. I understand.”

Silence, she guessed he was thinking, because she sure was. She was thinking maybe she could throw some stuff on Harper, but she quickly dismissed that. How could she expect Harper to do her job just so she could go on a date with Shea?