6. Hasta la vista

Song: Moby - Porcelain



JORDAN’S POV

“Don’t stop” - I had been doing something right then. In all truth I hadn’t wanted to stop. I ran my hand up her right thigh pushing that silk dress up. Her silk dress which billowed in the breeze and showed off her fuckable figure. Right now I wanted to take her back to my room and bang her brains out. I’d screw her into next week if I could. If she didn’t have to go back to school and I didn’t have to go back to training, matches, bench presses and workouts. And listening to TK sing in the shower. That last one I didn’t miss so much.

Instead we’d gone to see the cliff divers, standing there like any other couple on holiday taking pictures before going for a walk on the beach and going to the nearest bar on the beach. This was the most romantic thing I’d ever done for a girl. Ever. I’d once sent flowers to this girl every day for a week when I was in juniors only for her to tell me she was a lesbian. Man, that had hurt. Jared hadn’t let me forget that one. Max would be having a laughing fit if he could see me now on the beach with this chick. This wasn’t going to make it back to the guys - I’d make sure of that. No locker room banter.

We’d talked. We’d talked about all kinds of things and it wasn’t awkward, from Canada to Montreal, to holidays, ambitions, favourite bands and yogurt. She preferred strawberry yogurt. I don’t even remember how yogurt had come up in conversation. But I could talk to her about anything - even yogurt. This felt like a date. A DATE for god’s sake. I’m not a commitment phobe - but this isn’t something I usually do. Next thing I’d be buying her flowers and jewellery. No, Jordy, just no.

Ella had been quiet over dinner once she’d done all her stupid apologising. She looked incredible. Her blonde hair shone in the light making me want to run my hands through it and that dress - if only she knew what effect she had on me. I was going to make sure we would hook up when we were back in Pittsburgh.

We still had an hour or so to kill before Palladium and I didn’t want to take her back to the villa because Ethan and the other guys would probably still be there.

“Do you want another drink?” I asked about to head back up to the bar to get myself another beer. She shook her head.

Ella took my hand and led me down to the shore. I looked around - the beach was deserted apart from us. Awesome, late night skinny dipping, I hadn’t done this since forever. I started stripping off my clothes, until she grabbed my arm.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Skinny dipping?” I said now a little unsure. Was it a trick question? I was standing in my boxers and felt a little stupid.
She grinned a little before giving her head a little shake and took her shoes off before sitting down, her long legs stretched out in front of her, the sea inches from her toes. I pulled my jeans and top on. Damn. Skinny dipping later perhaps?

“Do you ever feel powerless?” Ella asked staring at the ocean and the full moon.
How? I’m a big guy, I don’t feel powerless. I feel powerful on the ice, not powerless. What was she referring to? And what a question. I didn’t know what the right answer was. If I said no, I’d sound like an arrogant shit, and if I said yes, then I’d be allowing her to continue her current train of thought. I'm not good at deep conversation especially when I've had a couple of beers.
“In what way?” I asked, figuring this had to be the only way around her question. Except now she was going to explain.
“As if there’s more to life than just this. In the whole scheme of things, that we are so insignificant in relation to the universe?”
I put my arm around her shoulders. Those two beers were already having an effect. I’ve never really thought about it until now. About life’s bigger questions. I leave that to Marc. Marc’s the dreamer and the big thinker in the family. I’ve always been playboy Jordy. So I did what I do best and kissed her.

Her phone beeped. And then again. Way to kill the moment. She pulled it out of her clutch and glanced at the screen before fixing those huge green eyes on me.
“They’re all at the club already. Ethan’s not there,” Ella said, kissing me on the cheek before standing up. She put her shoes back on and ran up the beach towards the road, her dress shimmering in the moonlight showing off her body. This girl is far from boring, I mused before running after her.

The club was crammed and I didn’t want to be spotted. Not with Ella. It’d spoil tonight. And I could do without having the pictures posted online. I don’t normally do this but I’ve enjoyed this mushy night so far. I also liked how she had no idea who I am and I didn’t want anyone to spoil that for her. Maybe I’d tell her but right now didn’t seem like the right time. And at least that douche bag Ethan wouldn’t be there. I could do without that right now.

“I’ll go find the others, if you get drinks?” Ella asked. I watched her wind her way through the crowd until she was out of sight.
“Hey, it’s Jordan Staal,” I heard a voice to my right. Fuck.
I plastered a shit-eating grin on my face, before turning around and nodded. There were three guys.
“Is the rest of the team here?” they asked. I shook my head before posing with them for a few photos. I had learnt from Crosby that if you do that and sign stuff they tend to leave you alone afterwards and respect your space. I grabbed the drinks and made my way back to the tables. I could see Connor and Ella dancing on the table with what looked like Sophie or Gina. He already looked mashed.

Ella dropped down into the booth beside me.
“Thanks,” she whispered placing a smooth hand on my forearm giving me shivers. Shivers I told myself were from the tequila I’d just downed and not her touch. Man up Jordy, I told myself. Chicks do not have that effect on you.

Between the two of us we must have drunk a bottle of tequila by the time we hit the crammed dance floor. I’m a possessive dancer; I don’t share people very well so I got her grinding into me, wanting her as close as possible. She danced like she didn’t care, as if she was dancing for no one else in the world but herself. I could see guys checking her out and dancing as close as they dared. Eventually she took my hand and led me back to the booth, both exhausted from dancing.
“I hate PDAs,” she breathed once we were seated, “so I waited until we were back here to do this.” She started kissing me, kneeling next to me in the booth. I pulled her on to my lap, trying not to break the kiss as she straddled me.

She excused herself to go to the bathroom and I saw she’d left her clutch on the table. I quickly opened it, and called myself before putting her phone away. At least I had a way to contact her when I got back to the city.