Page 65 of An Irresistible Force (Vancouver Vice)

I shrugged. “It’s for charity.”

“Do you still have a crush on him?”

I turned and put my hand on her arm. “Please, Cyn. I’m having the most wonderful night, and I don’t want to ruin it.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’ve always had your head in the clouds. Don’t forget to touch up your lipstick.” But mercifully, she stopped asking me questions. Instead she began calculating how much money had been raised tonight. It might turn out to be their best fundraiser ever, thanks in part to me. Just before we re-entered the ballroom, she whispered into my ear. “From what I can see, he likes you too.”

All wonderful things have to come to an end, and the gala wound down around 1:00 am. The valet brought the classic Jaguar to the front of the hotel, and Chris opened the door for me. I sighed as I got inside.

We headed back towards the west side.

All evening, I felt like I was playing a role—some enhanced version of myself. Perhaps it was the dress and all the special grooming, but when I looked in the mirror tonight there was no dissonance. I looked exactly as I had always wanted to look. Or maybe it was the confusion and admiration on Chris’s face when he first saw me. Maybe, best of all, I was finally grown up and my experience and confidence were peaking. The real me, who I had only revealed to close friends and family, was now merging with the public me.

All my yearning bubbled up, and I said half-seriously, “I wish this night could last forever.”

Chris looked over at me and smiled. “You’re cute. I can’t get over you tonight. You’re so different.”

This is the real me, I wanted to shout. But was that even true? I never looked or acted like this normally. He changed lanes and made an abrupt right-hand turn.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

He only smiled. It wasn’t until he pulled into a low driveway that I realized we were at his house in Kits Point. I was wrong—this night could get better.

“It’s late, but I thought we could have a drink here. There’s a view….”

I nodded. Speaking wasn’t really an option.

His place was beautiful. It was done in dark shades of leather and wood. We went upstairs to the top level, where the living room was. He brought me a glass of cognac, while he had a beer.

“Is this okay? It seems like something you’d like to drink.”

“Yes, this is great. Cheers.” I held up my glass. As promised, there was a beautiful sparkling view of the ocean and the silhouette of the North Shore Mountains. I could see the twinkling sparkle of a little boat motoring through English Bay.

“It’s gorgeous. I could look at this view all night.” Did that sound too presumptuous? Tonight, I didn’t care.

Chris stood beside me. “It’s even better in the daytime when you can see all the boats.” He motioned to a pair of binoculars.

“This is a nice area to live in—near the beach but still close to everything. Greg lives in Yaletown.”

“Yeah, that neighbourhood’s not for me, but lots of my teammates live there too.” He shook his head. “I mean, my former teammates.”

“It must be hard to make the switch after all these years,” I commented.

A pained expression ran across his face, and I felt a wave of sympathy. Most of the time, he acted like the smooth, confident hockey royalty he’d always been, but Chris was the most appealing to me when he was vulnerable. I moved towards him instinctively.

“To be honest, I’ve struggled with it all season. You think I’d be ready after a long career, but I’ve never been one to plan ahead.”

He bowed his head, and I reached out and stroked his arm. He had taken off his jacket and tie and rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt. My hand slid down the smooth white fabric and touched the bare skin of his forearm. I felt the silky black hairs on his forearm and the tensed muscle underneath. There was a crackle of energy in my fingertips—just touching him created static electricity between us. Or was that only in my head?

Chris turned his head slowly and stared at me. He looked more puzzled than anything. “Are we doing this?”

A tightness in my body prevented me from speaking. I wanted him so very much, and the stupid teenager in me was taking over.Oh my God, I’m in Chris Luczak’s house. And now we’re about to do it.I steadied myself and tried to be a mature woman. “If you want....” I managed to say.

He swivelled his body towards me with his perfect fluid skill. He was so graceful that he never made a wrong move. “Of course I want to, Mandy. But we get along so good now. I don’t want to wreck that.”

“It’s okay. I’m a big girl, and I can separate tonight from real life.” Was that even true? The only thing I was sure of was how much I wanted this to happen.

“Thisisreal life.” For proof, he put his hands on my bare shoulders and the heat of his palms scalded me. He moved his hands up my neck and lifted my chin. Every place he touched me was electrified.

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