Satin on the Slopes

Chapter 23

Hockey players are usually very diverse athletes. It was one of the first things I found out about them. A lot of them played soccer or tennis in their free time. It seemed that if a body was at it's peak in terms of physical performance it could handle most sports. For hockey players, as long as it didn't involve outrageous flexibility it was usually in their ability range. And golf was an off season favorite of the boys.

However, with a club in my hand, I wasn't worried that one of them would come upon me.[

"Very nice shot," Hudson praised with fake enthusiasm as my lime green ball bounced off the obstacle, coming right back to me.

"Shut up, I can't see in here, it's too dark," I complained, but couldn't keep the smile off my face. I wondered if he knew what those little comments and those cheesy grins did to me. I wondered if he could hear my heart pounding all the way over there.

"That's the point of glow in the dark mini golf, Princess. It's gonna be dark," he shot back. When he tapped his hot pink ball it rolled perfectly through the small opening and slowed to a stop just beside the hole. Damn, it seemed like all athletes had the same skill set.

Hudson and I progressed through the mini golf course and I admired the sea theme more than I paid attention to the actual game. It was a creative space that someone must've had a ton of fun designing. And to put it in a mall was just brilliant. To be honest I was quite competitive by nature, however, when it was clear that there was no chance I would win I would usually forfeit and pretend it didn't bother me to lose. Thankfully, Hudson didn't see to notice the glares I shot him when he scribbled down his score on his little card.

Hudson crushed me and when he playfully asked to see my score at the end of the game I lied and told him that I had stopped counting a while ago.

"You never struck me as a poor loser, but I guess that a girl like you is full of surprises," he mocked when we handed out clubs and golf balls to the uninterested attendant. 

"I am not a poor loser," I defended.

"Acting like you stopped keeping track isn't fooling anyone. I know that if you had been winning you would've rubbed it in my face until we got back to your place. A girl like you always has way too much pride, especially with the small stuff like this."

"And why would you think that?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as we merged back into the foot traffic in the mall. "I was nothing but supportive when you got your hole in one."

"Sure, but I saw the way that you grit your teeth every time I managed to get a couple less points than you. And God, when you won a couple rounds you were more than ready to parade around," he pointed out.

As we exited the mall the winter air was a punch, but it wasn't enough to wipe the stupid smile off my face. "You think you know me so well, don't you?"

"I've spent enough time with you to notice a few signs," he said while shrugging his shoulders.

"My signs?"

"Yeah, like the way you get really wide eyed when someone asks you to do something you don't want to. It's like you're trying to push those whole doe-eyed thing and appear so sweet and kind while you're actually plotting their murder," he pointed out.

Despite the frigid air, I didn't climb into my SUV when we reached it. In fact, I tugged my jacket tighter around my body and leaned my hip against a side panel. "I do not plan people's murders."

"Maybe not to that extent, but you aren't denying that you do it. You also have an issue with hair. You can't even stand your own hair on your clothes, you have to pluck them off. Honestly, sometimes when you do it I think you look a little like a chimp."

At that my mouth dropped open. But even the horror and shock couldn't stop the corners of my mouth from curling up. I moved towards him to smack my open palms against his chest. I knew that the puffiness of his black jacket would protect him for the blows. But what I didn't notice was the ice under my feet.

My hands did make contact with Hudson's jacket, but it was to save my balance as my legs wobbled out from under me. As my arms flailed and my knees knocked together I imagined I looked like a new born deer. But, as my fingers slipped over the slick material of his jacket I felt hands grab at my hips and pull me in.

There, with my hands gripping his jacket and our bodies only separated by insulated by the layers of our jackets. My eyes darted upwards and they met coffee coloured warmth. I could feel my legs weaken even more when the corner of his mouth quirked up. Was it even possible for a human to be this attractive in such a discrete way?

"I want to take you out again," he whispered, then that smile grew into a full grin. "Not like murder or anything though."

"Yes," I agreed without a thought. Being so close to him, having him hold me like this and watch me with such endearment was making my logical brain fade away.

A dark eyebrow rose up. "That easy?"

At that I came back down to Earth. My hands released his jacket. My feet found their grip. My back straightened, moving me away from Hudson ever so slightly. Warm hands fell off my hips, making me feel cold beyond the chill in the air.

"Mini golf was a lot of fun and it was exciting to have you plan something," I said, hoping my voice didn't sound too soft.

"Good, I'll pick you up on Wednesday night at six."