Meet Me in the Penalty Box: A Small Town Hockey Romance (Orchid City Book 1)

As I stood in the bathroom, I tried to apply makeup to the bruise across the bridge of my nose and the ones that settled beneath my eyes. There was only so much I could apply before it was noticeable that I was just caking it on.

Nico texted me this morning and asked if I wanted to go get lunch with him. They had a home game tonight and then he’d be back on the road for about a week-long stretch for away games. I told Nico I needed to go see about getting a new camera lens and he was more than happy to offer to take me to the store.

I had meant to do it as soon as we got back from Vegas but I had spent the past two days fighting off gnarly headaches from the swelling in my face. Today was the first day I felt a little bit better and a little more like myself. I was surprised the pain had gotten worse than when it initially happened.

My phone vibrated from the counter as I applied my mascara and was finishing up my makeup routine. I gave myself a last glance in the mirror and shrugged. It wasn’t the best but it would do.

NICO

I’m outside. Did you want me to come up?

HARPER

I’ll be right down.

I flicked off the bathroom light, grabbed my keys and purse, and slid my feet into a pair of sneakers before heading down to Nico. His sleek car was parked along the curb outside of my apartment building and he was leaning against the side of it with his hands tucked in the front pockets of his gray joggers.

A smile crept onto his lips as his gaze collided with mine. “Hey you.”

My mouth went dry at the sight of him and my heart pounded to its own beat in my chest. There was nothing rhythmic about it. “Hey,” I murmured and smiled back at him as he pushed off the car and opened the door for me.

I sat down and he waited patiently before shutting it behind me. I watched him circle around the front of the car before sliding into his seat. He slid his hand into mine before pulling the car away from the curb. He took us to a small coffee shop not far into the city. It was about two blocks away from the camera store.

“If I park here, would you want to just walk?” he inquired as he found a spot in one of the parking garages. “I needed to stop to get a new dress shirt and there’s a store on our walk.”

“That’s perfect with me,” I told him as he pulled into the parking spot and turned off the engine. He hopped out of the car in a rush while I was still getting my stuff together and he met me at my door as he pulled it open for me.

I smiled up at him and he took my camera bag from me. He slid it over his shoulder and his hand found mine once again before we headed out of the garage and to the coffee shop. Nico’s steps were light, almost as if he were floating. There was never a nervousness to him. If there was anyone who oozed confidence and was sure of themselves, it was him.

His energy was contagious. He wasn’t arrogant, he wasn’t cocky. He was simply just confident in the things he knew and believed in.

It didn’t take us long to eat our sandwiches at the coffee shop and we were heading down the street, walking past shops as we made our way to the camera store first. Nico carried my bag and held my hand until we reached the front door. He paused to open it for me and let me walk in ahead of him.

As we stepped inside, I was captivated by the different displays set up throughout the store. There were various cameras and styles, along with different lenses, attachments, and accessories. I turned to Nico and attempted to take the camera bag from him.

“I need to see if they have one similar to the one that was broken,” I explained to him as he ducked his shoulder and dodged my reach. “Can I have my bag, please?”

His lips stretched into a grin and he shook his head at me. “I’m sorry, love. I can’t do that.”

My eyebrows pinched together in confusion. “Why not? I need to show them the broken lens.”

Nico shook his head again. “We’re not here to get you a new lens.”

“Yes, we are,” I reminded him as confusion set within my expression.

His eyes were bright and his lips parted. “Pick out a new camera, love. Whatever you want and whatever you need to go with it.”

My eyes widened and I quickly shook my head. “You don’t have to do that, Nico. It’s too expensive. Plus, the camera I have is fine. I don’t need something new.”

“Let me do this for you, Harper,” he said softly as he raised his hand to cup the side of my face. “I want you to pick out whatever you want—the price doesn’t matter.”

His words had me staring back at him in shock. The caliber of camera that I had to use for the shoots I did was very pricey. I didn’t think Nico knew what he was really saying by telling me to pick out whatever, regardless of the cost.

“I can’t let you do that,” I retorted, my voice barely audible as his eyes stared into mine.

“I’m not asking you to,” he countered, still cupping my cheek. “I want to do this for you and if you don’t pick out what you want, then I’m going to end up picking out something that will most likely be the wrong thing.”

“Nico…” My voice trailed off as I swallowed over the emotion that was thick in my throat. No one had ever done something like this for me before. It had nothing to do with the money, but more of the meaning and principal behind it.

His lips were soft as he pressed them against mine. “Come on, love. Let’s get whatever it is you need.”

There was no argument with Nico when he was insisting on something. He made it clear from the start that he gets what he wants and he was making sure that I reaped the same benefits. When I picked out a camera and was mindful of the price, he made sure they gave me the fully loaded, more expensive model instead.

I had no idea how much money was spent in that store and I wasn’t going to be the one who asked him or fought him on it. It was hard letting someone do something like that for me but when I saw the joy on Nico’s face, I knew it was worth it. He had quite a few different love languages and I was learning that giving was one of them.

As we walked down the street, Nico’s fingers were laced through mine. He was silent with a thoughtful look on his face as we moved side by side. We passed by the store he had said he wanted to stop at, yet he didn’t stop. His footsteps weren’t rushed, yet he walked right by it.

I came to a stop and he glanced down at me as he stopped beside me. “What’s wrong?”

He didn’t seem to have any idea and I angled my head to the side as I looked up at him. “You didn’t need to get a dress shirt, did you?”

Nico smiled and shook his head. “I just wanted the chance to hold your hand for a little while longer. For us to be out like this without anyone knowing anything about either of us.” He paused for a moment as he raked his teeth over his bottom lip. “It’s almost like we’re free to be together here.”

My heart crawled into my throat as he turned to face me. People moved past us on the sidewalk but neither of us paid them any mind. They didn’t exist. It was just the two of us as the world stopped spinning. His fingers were soft as he brushed the hair from my face and tucked the strands behind my ears.

“I need to tell you something,” he said softly, his voice tentative and hoarse with emotion. His eyes searched mine and he folded his lips between his teeth.

I swallowed and nodded. “Okay…”

His chest rose as he sucked in a deep breath. “I’m in love with you, Harper,” he said slowly as he exhaled. “You’re all I think about, day and night. You’re the only person I want to spend my time with. I tried to fight it, but I can’t anymore. I can’t keep up this charade. I love you.”

My eyes widened as I stared back at him. His words slid across my eardrums and seeped into my veins. My heart picked up its pace as it began to race in my chest and I was lost in the depths of his ocean eyes.

He was never supposed to love me, but we didn’t have a say when it came to love. It made its own rules and we had to play by them. Neither of our hearts ever stood a chance and he was spreading through my system like an addiction I never wanted to recover from.

My lips parted and a ragged breath escaped me as Nico smiled the smile that was only reserved for me. “You don’t have to say anything, love,” he assured me as he pressed his lips to my forehead. “I just need you to know my feelings for you and the intensity behind them.”

I wanted to say it back to him, but I found myself struggling to form the words. If I spoke it out loud, then that made it true. And if my feelings were true, that made whatever this was between us real. And if it were real then he would have the power to break my heart.

Who was I kidding?

He has had the power.

“I love you too, Nico,” I admitted softly as I reached into my own chest and pulled out my own heart as I handed it over to him. “I’ve been in love with you longer than I’ve wanted to admit because it scares me more than anything.”

“I know you’ve been hurt in the past, Harper,” he said with hesitation as his eyes searched mine. “I can promise you I’ll never hurt you.”

I stared back at him. “That’s the thing… the way he hurt me comes nowhere close to what you could do to me.” I let out the breath I didn’t know I was holding. “You would ruin me completely.”

His face dipped down to mine. “Never, Harper. You’re it for me.”

He sealed his promise with a kiss as his lips melted into mine. He was tender and attentive as he stole the air from my lungs and I willingly let him.

Nico could take whatever he wanted from me until there was nothing left.