Bennett (On the Line Book 2) (11 page)

“Sorry,” he mumbled, looking sheepish.

“You’re pregnant?” one of the puck bunnies asked. “What are you doing in a bar? You shouldn’t drink if you’re pregnant.”

“I’m eating nachos and drinking water,” I said, giving her a look.

“It’s a pub,” Bennett said to the blonde who’d questioned me. “The place has a full menu and there’s no smoking.”

“Smoking?” The brunette who’d been cozied up to Bennett before slid onto his lap, laughing. “Remember when we watched that porn,
Smoking Cracks
? Oh my God, that was awesome.”

Bennett’s eyes closed for a second. At least he had the decency to look embarrassed. He slid the woman off of his lap and cleared his throat, meeting my eyes in a silent apology.

Two other well-dressed Flyers came up to the table and joined us. Soon everyone was engaged in their own small conversations at the table.

“How are you feeling, Charlie?” Liam asked from his seat next to me.

“Really good. The sickness has passed and the baby’s healthy.”

His gaze darkened. “What about the father? Is he around?”

“Yes. He’s been great about everything.”

“You guys seeing each other, then?”

I shook my head. “He’s been supportive, but we’re not together.”

Liam grunted in acknowledgment. “When do I get to meet this guy?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“It’s a fan-fucking-tastic idea. Guy knocks up my sister, the least he can do is man up and meet me.”

I felt Bennett looking at us and resisted the powerful urge to look across the table at him. The brunette was still standing next to him, which nagged at me hard. Just knowing he’d been with her made me inexplicably edgy.

“So when will this someone you’re seeing be here?” I asked Liam. “I can’t wait to meet her.”

“Oh, yeah, not tonight. She’s working.”

“At this hour?”

“Yep.”

I gave him an admonishing look. “Are you seeing another stripper?”

“No.” He lowered his voice. “She works for my team, actually.”

“Oh. What’s her name?”

Liam glanced around at his teammates. “I’ll tell you about it another time.”

Beer and shots were ordered by everyone but me, and suit jackets started to come off and get hung on the back of chairs. Bennett had gone to the bathroom, and he brushed against my arm when he returned to the table. I forced myself to look impassive as I caught the tiniest bit of his leather and cologne scent. He settled back into his chair, just looking at me as everyone around us talked.

What was he thinking? How uncomfortable was he right now?

I wished I’d dressed up more. My Flyers T-shirt and yoga pants had felt sporty chic at home. Plus, my jeans didn’t fit anymore. But sharing a table with these women dressed in tall, leather boots and sequined tops made me feel frumpy in comparison.

And we
still
hadn’t ordered food. I was about to go to the bar and get a menu when a waitress brought a steaming pizza to our table and sat it in front of me.

I glanced up at Bennett,
knowing
somehow, and he winked at me. He’d ordered me a pizza when he went to the bathroom. Right now that made him my hero, whether he’d slept with the brunette in the past or not.

She whispered something in his ear, and he shook his head and turned away.

Liam was having an animated conversation with some Flyers fans about the game, and Tara was talking to one of the other players. I just ate my pizza in silence, wishing I could get the hell out of here. Bennett and I weren’t together, but pretending I didn’t even know him was just too hard.

But I couldn’t make Tara leave right now. I could tell she liked the guy she was talking to.

I remembered it was Bennett’s invitation that had gotten me into this awkward situation, and I glanced across the table at him. He was looking at me, his coffee-colored eyes warm and intense. I wanted it to be enough that I had his attention. It wasn’t like we could let on to Liam that we knew each other. But when the brunette started laughing loudly and put a hand on his shoulder, I looked away.

“Madison, don’t,” I heard him say to her.

“What?” She gave him a dirty look. “What’s your problem?”

“Just back the fuck off,” he said shortly.

Liam gave Bennett a questioning look. I didn’t like the tension in the air, and I knew it would get worse if I stayed.

“I’m taking your car home,” I said to Tara. “Can you catch a cab?”

“I’ll give you a ride,” the guy she was talking to said.

She gave me a look that said she was more than okay with that, and I promised to return her car in the morning.

My brother was in a happy, inebriated state, so I just gave him a quick hug and promised to see him soon. I’d slipped out the door when I heard someone calling my name.

Bennett.

“Hey. You okay?”

He looked down at me, concerned, as I slipped into my coat.

“Yeah. Why?”

“You don’t seem like yourself.”

I shrugged. “I’m not sure you know me well enough to know that.”

“Charlotte . . .”

“I didn’t expect to spend the evening watching you get hit on.”

He arched his brows. “What, Madison? Are you jealous? Don’t be. She’s nothing to me.”

“She was at some point, if you watched porn and gave her multiple orgasms.” The frustration that had been simmering inside me was now reaching a boiling point.

“Yeah, before I even met you. Don’t hold that against me.”

My nostrils flared with anger as I pointed at his chest. “Yeah, well, now you’re going back in there to be with her, and the pregnant chick is going home to take off her stretchy pants. I’m so glad you asked me to come tonight.”

He sighed and met my eyes. “What do you want me to do? I’m trying to keep Liam from being suspicious. You said you’re not ready for him to know.”

“I know. It just . . . this wasn’t a good idea.”

I fished Tara’s keys out of my purse and headed for the spot on the street where we’d parked. Bennett followed, stopping me before I could get in the car.

“Don’t leave like this,” he said.

Emotion welled in my throat. “How should I leave, then?”

“I don’t want you to leave at all.”

“Well, I’m tired. Growing another person inside you can have that effect.”

He brushed the hair back from my face and spoke softly. “Do you know how much I like your curly hair?”

“Don’t try to sweet-talk me now, Mr. Smoking Cracks.”

“Charlotte, I will come home with you right now if you want. I’d rather be with you than any of them.”

I sighed with frustration. “I wish you could. Liam will probably come out looking for you any minute now.”

“I don’t even care. I’ll deal with it. Keeping it from him is upsetting you.”

“Not tonight. I just want to go home.”

He stepped closer and kissed my forehead softly. And despite my aggravation with him, I liked it.

“When can I see you again?” he asked.

“When do you want to?”

“I’m leaving for a road trip tomorrow. Can I call you after my game?”

I nodded and stepped away, opening the door to Tara’s car. “Call me before you go out if you want.”

His expression was sober and I knew he felt the dig I’d intended. But really, who were we kidding? We hardly knew each other, and he was a sexy professional athlete who could get with women any night of the week. He wasn’t going to stay abstinent just because he’d gotten me pregnant.

I was about to get in the car when I felt his arm wrapping around the small of my back. I sucked in a breath, surprised, as he backed me against the back door of Tara’s car. I’d barely gotten my face turned up to his when his lips met mine, warm and demanding.

My heart pounded wildly as his body heat surrounded me and his lips did a sweet, sexy dance with mine. This was different than the chaste forehead kiss. Bennett’s erection hardened against me as his tongue met mine.

I wrapped my arms around his back and spread my palms to take in the hard muscle. His stubble grazed my lips and he bit down on my bottom lip just hard enough to make me moan into his mouth.

“Come home with me right now, Charlotte,” he said.

I kept my lips an inch from his, hoping he’d kiss me again. “I . . . can’t,” I managed, breathing heavily. “Because Liam will come home . . . and Tara’s car. Also, I’m wearing maternity underwear.”

“Fuck it.” He kissed me softly this time. “Don’t think, just come home with me right now. Let me fuck the sass out of you, beautiful.”

“Oh, shit,” I mumbled, a needy burn forming between my thighs. “Bennett . . .”

“Come on, baby. I want you so bad right now.”

My body was screaming
yes.
Liam had to find out eventually, anyway. And if it was dark, I could probably get the granny panties off without him seeing them.

“Bennett?”

At the sound of my older brother’s voice, I pushed Bennett’s shoulders back. His eyes widened with surprise.

“Liam,” I said softly.

“Is that you, man?” Liam asked, squinting as he walked over to us in the dark.

“Bennett was just making sure I got to my car okay,” I said.

“Oh.” Liam stuffed his hands in his coat pockets and looked between us sheepishly. “Thanks. I should have done that.”

“Nah, it’s all good,” Bennett said. I looked at his crotch, where the outline of his erection was still visible. “I was just telling her I can give her a ride if she wants to leave her friend’s car here.”

He looked at me intently, a question in his eyes. Would I go home with him right now and face the consequences with him later?

“You can’t do that,” Liam said. “Tara’s had too much to drink. You need to take care of her car, Charlie.”

“Yeah,” I said, nodding slightly. “Okay.”

I got in the car and started it, my body still humming with arousal. I couldn’t think straight right now. Bennett had that effect on me.

When I pulled away from the curb, Liam and Bennett both waved. Bennett looked disappointed and Liam looked blissfully intoxicated.

I laughed loudly and ran a hand through my hair. This was crazy. How was I going to tell Liam his best friend had gotten me pregnant without knowing I was his sister? Not to mention, what was I going to do about Bennett? Despite all the reasons I knew it was a bad idea to get involved with him, one look at him turned my mind into a pile of mush.

It was time to put this situation down on paper.

Bennett

L
iam was in a shit mood. He had the bunk across from mine on the bus we took to road games, and he’d been lying there swearing at his cell phone for almost an hour.

My mood wasn’t much better. My dick was in serious need of some love that didn’t come from my own hand. Kissing Charlotte had reminded me what I was missing.

It had been three and a half months since that night. I’d wanted more of her since the next day.

“Fucking stubborn woman,” Liam muttered at his phone.

I felt my own phone buzzing beside me in my tiny bunk, and I picked it up. I’d gotten a photo from Charlotte. She was standing sideways in her bathroom with her shirt pulled up, exposing her slightly rounded, clearly pregnant belly. Her wide, pretty smile made me smile too.

A text came in from her.

Charlotte: Thought you might like to see my bump.

Me: I love it. Can I show this to my parents?

Charlotte: Sure.

Me: I want you to meet them soon.

Charlotte: I’d like that.

I stared at her picture, tracing a finger over her belly. Just like when I’d heard the baby’s heartbeat, it hit me how real this was.

I wanted to be a good father to my kid, and being a good provider was part of that. How could I provide well with the shit money I made? I’d stopped at a place called The Baby Boutique when I saw the sign on the way home one day. And holy shit, had it opened my eyes. The cribs were almost a grand. Even diapers—which the kid would only piss or shit in—were expensive.

How would I help Charlotte pay for that stuff? My only hope was to focus hard on my game and hope to get called up. If I couldn’t, I didn’t see how I could keep playing hockey.

Charlotte would be doing many of the late nights with the baby alone while I was on the road. Who would take care of the baby while we were both working? And how much would
that
cost?