Chapter One
He noticed her as soon as she walked into the elevator, nose buried in a book.
Lucas Mercer wasn’t at East Harbor University to check out girls, but he would have had to be blind not to notice the curvy, blue-eyed blonde who somehow managed to press floor number seven without so much as shifting her book.
His career-ending injury fucked up his left knee, not his eyes. He allowed himself one appreciative glance at her spectacular ass and told himself to shut it down.
The only thing he could afford to have on his mind was how to take the East Harbor Avalanche to the championship and make sure their transition to a Division I school remained on track. That’s why they hired him. He might be new to the coaching gig, but three Stanley Cups, two Hart trophies, and several scoring titles came with expectations. As in, he was expected to win. No excuses.
At almost thirty-six, Luke calculated he had maybe a couple more years max, before it was time to retire, but fate had other plans. A playoff collision on the ice blew out his knee. His team had won the Cup, but Luke hadn’t been on the ice. It was a bittersweet way to end his twelve-year career in the NHL. Yeah, fate was a bitch, but those were the breaks. He was well aware life was rarely fair. He’d learned that lesson early in life.
Luke didn’t believe in wasting time on regrets. Nor did he believe in self-pity or any other type of ridiculous bullshit that kept you from doing what needed to be done. His father had died when Luke was only thirteen, but he had taught him that a man does what needs to be done. No complaining, no excuses. That’s exactly what he’d done all his life. That’s how he’d helped his mother raise his four younger sisters and still made it to the NHL.
Coaching the Avalanche was going to be no different. Luke was going to get shit done. No excuses. No distractions either because those could be costly. Another lesson he was familiar with after last year’s playoffs. One moment of distraction on the ice and shit had gone to hell.
“Oh, dear God.” The exasperated words came from the only other person in the elevator. “How can sex be this boring?”
“Excuse me?”
She turned, her long, blonde hair doing a little flip. Beachy waves. That’s what his sisters would call those loose, flippy curls. The triplets were obsessed with beachy waves. They had lamented their stick-straight, brown hair every day of their adolescence. Even as adults, Luke was sure the triple terrors would look at this woman’s shampoo commercial curls and weep with envy.
“Did you say something?”
That’s when Luke noticed she had earbuds on. But not cordless. He liked the old school vibe. He liked the round, little glasses perched on her button nose too and the way she blatantly eyed him, up and down.
Her eyes, large and cornflower blue behind those glasses, widened as she took in every inch of his 6’5 frame.
“Damn,” she whispered, lips parting a little while she eyed-fucked him without a hint of embarrassment. The hand holding the book dropped heavily to her side and she just sort of gaped at him.
Incredibly, Luke felt a slight heat touch his cheeks. Jesus, was he actually blushing? Christ, he hoped not. He was huge and considering his career, lucky enough to be in possession of all his teeth, but women didn’t usually look at him all slack-jawed.
He was clean shaven for the first time in almost ten years, but his face wasn’t exactly in pristine condition. There were a couple of scars that he’d never much bothered to worry about before, but suddenly, those small gashes felt like they were burning under her scrutiny.
“Um, thank you?”
She nodded, not so much as a hint of a blush. They just stared at each other; stare down only broken by the sudden jolt of the elevator. The unexpected grinding stop sent her small body banging into the elevator wall.
“What the hell?” Taking a couple, quick steps forward, Luke automatically planted his arms on either side of her to keep her from being thrown around. After a couple beats, it became apparent the elevator was at a complete stop. Looking down at the woman between his arms, Luke spoke gently. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” A slow nod. “Are we-are we stuck?”
Though strangely reluctant to step away, Luke took a couple steps back. Going to the side panel, he pressed a couple buttons. “Looks like it.”
Suddenly, a loud moan rend the air. He turned his head to see her dead still against the wall. Another moan filtered out from the earbuds that were hanging around her neck.
His eyes widened. Was she listening to porn? There was more moaning, followed by a voice saying something Luke didn’t catch but she seemed completely unfazed. By the porn filtering out into the elevator, at least. But he caught the panicky look she sent the elevator panel.
“It’ll be okay,” Luke reassured, pressing the emergency button.
Almost immediately, a voice came over the intercom. “Everything okay?”
“No, not really,” he said calmly, relaying the situation. “There’s two of us. Elevator just jolted and stopped.”
“Alright, we’ll have someone look into it immediately,” the voice said. “Please, sit tight.”
“Sit tight? Oh, God.” The panic in that soft, feminine voice hit him like a blow. Her eyes looked at him in horror. “Oh, God, we are stuck.”
She sounded panicked enough that Luke wondered if she had some kind of phobia. “Are you claustrophobic?”
“N-no. No, I don’t think so.” A rapid head shake. “At least, not-I mean, I’ve never—do you know the velocity of a falling elevator?” she blurted out.
“We are not going to fall.”
“H-how do you k-know?” Her voice shook, breathing coming out faster. “Oh, shit.” She tugged at the neck of her sweatshirt, clearly on the verge of hyperventilating.
“Hey, hey, look at me.” Luke moved without thinking, standing in front of her and taking her face between his hands. “You’re okay. You’re okay. Breathe.”
Her fingers closed over his wrists, but not to remove his hands. Her grip was tight, as if she was using that hold to anchor herself. She followed his instruction, taking deep breaths.
“What’s your name?”
“Li-liana,” she said shakily. “Talk to me, please.”
Liliana.
Even in his mind, it sounded like pure seduction.
Fucking gorgeous.
“Okay, Liliana.” Automatically, Luke rubbed his thumbs over her cheeks in a soothing movement. “Why is there porn coming out of your earbuds?”
She let out a shaky laughter. “You have something against porn?”
He smiled wryly. “No. But most people watch it in the privacy of their own home.”
“I’m not watching,” she clarified with an attempt at a grin. Still, her gaze skittered up and down before swallowing heavily.
“Most people would listen to porn at home too,” he said, just to keep her talking.
“Most people are inherently uncomfortable with sex.” More deep breaths. But talking was clearly helping because her voice was coming out less thin, more normal. “Do you know that over sixty percent of sexually active adults consider a bedroom the only place where sex should take place?”
“Sex is private. Why shouldn’t it take place behind the closed doors of your bedroom?”
“Sex can be private and not be in a bedroom. It can be private but not conform to standard sexual norms. If people were more comfortable with it and talking about it, there would be less stigma around so many things. More acceptance of sexuality regardless of gender and sexual preferences.”
Her voice was stronger now, her tone decisive and firm. She had some strong opinions on sex, apparently. His lips twitched at the sounds coming from the vicinity of her neck.
“So what? You just walk around listening to porn, hoping to change standard sexual norms?”
Luke’s day had taken a strange turn. He was supposed to be meeting with Dean Williams at that moment, but here he was, debating sexual norms with this beautiful girl.
And Christ, she was incredible. Under his hands, her skin felt like warm silk. This close, he could see a dusting of tiny freckles across the bridge of her adorable nose. Her eyes, big and wide, behind those little, round lenses were jewel bright. Like sparkling sapphires. She was still taking even breaths that ghosted across his own lips and he smelled cinnamon and mint. Luke had no doubt that mouth would taste as sweet as she looked.
“No, even I don’t do that.” Liliana chuckled, a soft sound that felt like a caress. “It’s actually a podcast about pornography, not actual porn. It’s research.”
“Research?”
She laughed softly. “Don’t sound so shocked. This is a university campus, you know.”
Research. University campus.
The words landed like a puck to the gut. For the first time, he noted the EHU logo on one corner of her red sweatshirt.
“You’re a student.”
It wasn’t a question. She had to be. He should take a step back. Several fucking steps back actually from that cinnamon scent and that kiss me mouth.
One little problem though, she was still holding his wrists in a death grip.
“I am,” she confirmed, those pouty lips were grinning at him without an ounce of concern.
Liliana released his wrists, sensing his agitation and Luke forced himself to take one careful step back. He eyed her with a hard look, trying to assess just how fucked up his attraction to her was. Fuck, he had a type and Luke was looking right at her.
Everything about her did it for him. Those eyes, the long, blonde hair, her sassy smile. Even those glasses were an unexpected bonus, making her look like a naughty librarian. And that was just from the neck up. She was wearing a thick sweatshirt, but even so, there was no way to conceal her generous curves. That ass, encased in painted on jeans, looked made for his hands.
“Can you legally buy a fucking drink?” he gritted out, hoping the answer would effectively banish every fucking inappropriate thought from his mind.
“Oh, my.” Her laughter rang out, truly amused. “I’m going to choose to be incredibly flattered that you think I’m a college student.”
He frowned.
“What the hell does that mean?”
Liliana gave him a teasing look. “You are asking a lot of questions, you know.” A determined step in his direction. “Why don’t you tell me your name before you continue this interrogation.”
She was clearly amusing herself at his expense, but Luke saw the way her gaze still skittered around the enclosed elevator space. She couldn’t seem to stay still, taking her phone out and finally turning off the podcast. Her nervous hands dumped the phone, earbuds and the book, inside the large tote at her feet. Her fingers still plucked at nothing, even while she eyed him with that mischievous smile.
Liliana was doing her best to distract herself. When she moved another step closer, Luke had no doubt, he was her distraction. Fuck it, bring it. But first things first.
“Lucas,” he provided. “Now, answer me.”
