3. Ella Elle l'a

Song: France Gall - Ella Elle l'a

ELLA'S POV

So he played hockey. That explained the gorgeous physique that I was forcing myself not to touch through lunch. I didn’t know anything about hockey further than watching the Mighty Ducks or the little facts my twin brother liked to share with me every now and then. Maybe he knew my cousin. There was only one way to find out.

“Zach Parise,” I said, biting my lip. Last time I’d bitten my lip, I’d had Jordan’s undivided attention and there was a look in his blue eyes that I couldn’t understand. So I thought I would do it again to work out what it was.

“Parise?!” he exclaimed, causing Ethan and Connor to look at him in surprise. The lip thing hadn’t worked, but he obviously knew my cousin Zach. I mean, most people with any inkling of hockey knew who he was. He’d signed to New Jersey and hadn’t looked back. We weren’t really close but I saw him a couple of times a year, and whenever he visited Pittsburgh.

“Yes, Zach Parise,” I repeated quieter than he had. “You know him then?”
So this meant this gorgeous athlete knew my darling smiley cousin.
Jordan nodded. “Wow,” was all he managed.

I held in a desire to laugh. “So your surname’s Parise as well?” Jordan asked as we moved onto desert, which turned out to be Neapolitan ice cream. My father and Zach’s father were brothers so my brother and I unfortunately shared the same surname. Of course there were good things from having the same name, but often people just asked if they could meet Zach.

“Sadly yes. So you’re Jordan ….”
“Staal,” he finished. “Let’s go play in the pool?”

I nodded. It was far too hot and this guy was gorgeous and he knew Zach, I’m guessing from juniors or something. I didn’t know if Jordan Staal had ever made it pro.
“So you’ve never been to a hockey game, or watched one, despite your cousin being Parise?” he asked as I took my sundress off revealing my bikini.

I didn’t know if Jordan was staring because he was trying to get his blonde head around that bit of information or because I’d just taken my dress off. I ignored the look, whichever one it was, hoping it was the first, and he wasn’t so openly pervy and jumped in the pool.

“That’s right, never been. Come in, the water’s lovely,” I said grinning. He didn’t need much encouragement as he jumped in next to me, covering me with water. His head popped up next to me, his hair plastered to his head. He grabbed me and dunked me under.

“Hey!” Ethan shouted as I rose to the surface. “Careful!” I frowned and looked up to see Ethan standing at the edge of the pool.
“Sorry dude,” Jordan apologised, holding two hands in the air. Now was my time to get even. I splashed water at him, and then disappeared under the water before he could find me. I thanked my parents for the years of swimming lessons I’d taken as a child.

A hand caught me on the hip and I was pulled whilst still under water. I tried to struggle but the hand was tight and another one snaked round my waist.
“Gotcha,” Jordan said pulling me above the surface into the blaring sunlight. I giggled as he chucked me in the air. I could see Ethan sitting on a nearby sun lounger chatting to Connor and Gina, every now and then glancing at us. He didn’t look too happy.
Who cares? Today was the last day of the holiday and I wasn’t going to see any of these guys again. Just because of last night I didn’t have to stick with him this afternoon. It wasn’t like he’d even invited me. And Jordan was way more fun.

I landed back in the water with another huge splash, and turned around to find Jordan right behind me. I dived underneath the water. Final revenge, then I’d get out of the water. I swam down towards him and quickly debagged him in the water and then swam away. I didn’t get too far, as I was caught and pinned against the far wall of the pool by the rocks.
“That, that was too far,” Jordan breathed, holding me against the side with his back to Gina, Connor and Ethan. I tried to squirm, but I knew I wasn’t going to get away that easily.

I raised my eyebrows in protestation trying to look comical by wiggling them, but made the rookie mistake of looking into his eyes. That look I’d seen earlier was back, fiercer than before. It was intense and I couldn’t look away. I didn’t want to look away. I watched as water trickled down his cheek down to his pink pouty mouth. I wanted to kiss him. Really badly. Just lean up and kiss him, I urged myself, these few seconds feeling like agony.

He kissed me first.