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

I eyed Nico skeptically as we walked to the front doors of the restaurant. When he said that he knew of a place nearby, I wasn’t sure what he was talking about. This place wasn’t nearly as close as I imagined. I thought he would take us somewhere within a five-minute drive but instead he had me driving closer to twenty minutes from the stadium, in the complete opposite direction of my apartment.

“What is this place?” I asked him as I looked up at the white sign above. All it said was Dare and it gave nothing away from the outside. It was a brick building with blacked out windows and simply had a black door in the front. “Is this even a restaurant?”

It suddenly dawned on me that I really didn’t know Nico Cirone. For all I knew, he could be a serial killer, leading me closer to my death.

“Of course it’s a restaurant,” he said over his shoulder, as he was now a few steps ahead of me. “What else would it possibly be?

He stopped and slowly pulled the door open, stepping to the side for me to walk past him. It was dark inside and I hesitated, pausing my steps as I looked up at him.

“Your secret murder house or something.”

Nico raised an eyebrow. “My what?”

I shrugged, still lingering outside the door. “You know, the place where you bring the girls you seduce to kill them.”

His face cracked and the sound of his laughter vibrated inside my soul. He flattened his palm over his chest as he momentarily tipped his head back. My mouth grew dry and I swallowed hard, feeling the heat creep across my face. The way he was laughing was doing something to my body that I loved and hated at the same time.

“Jesus, Harper. What kind of a person do you think I am?” He stopped laughing and a smile lingered on his perfect lips as he raised a suspicious eyebrow. “You give me too much credit. I usually just kill them where I find them and dump their body somewhere along the drive home.”

Mischief danced in his eyes as I widened mine, attempting to appear shocked.

Nico laughed again and shook his head as he reached out and wrapped his hand around my wrist. “I’m kidding,” he said as he pulled me in the direction of the door. “Come on. We’re going to be late.”

“You made a reservation?” I asked him as I let him pull me into the dark building. My eyes adjusted to the lack of light when I realized there were recessed lights above. They were just dimmed, almost to the point of making the room appear like there weren’t any.

Nico nodded and slid his hand down to mine as he released my wrist. His fingers felt foreign as they laced themselves with mine, yet it felt like they belonged there. I wrapped mine around his and held on to him as we stepped through another doorway and entered a hallway.

Soft classical music played through hidden speakers. The hallway was still dimly lit, but it was brighter than the first small room we had entered. There was art decorating all the walls, different abstract paintings without any definitive designs. I turned my head, looking at them as we walked past.

At the end of the hall, there was a small hostess stand and a woman standing behind it. She greeted us with a soft smile and I was finally able to see what the restaurant looked like inside. Outside, the brick gave nothing away. Even up until this point, it was hard to picture what it would look like inside and it wasn’t what I was expecting.

It definitely wasn’t a secret place for someone to commit murders.

Each booth was tucked into its own little private area, almost like VIP booths with the way they were circular, but each was blocked off with a half wall and there was a small space that you walked through to get to where you sat. The walls were black as well as the furniture. Shimmering chandeliers hung throughout the restaurant and above each booth. It was sleek and minimalistic. Almost futuristic in a way.

“Name?” the woman questioned the two of us.

Nico was still holding my hand. “Cirone.”

She scanned an iPad in front of her and tapped on the screen with a pen. “Follow me, please,” she instructed as she grabbed two menus and led the way.

Nico followed after her and I fell into step with him until we reached our own little private booth. He let go of my hand, motioning for me to slide in first. I slid around the circular table, situating myself more toward the center of the rounded plush seat. Nico scooted in after me, leaving less than a foot between us as he smiled up at the woman.

“Thank you,” he said softly as she handed us the menus.

“Alaina will be your server and should be with you in a moment.” She nodded at the two of us before stepping away from the booth and then walked back in the direction she came from.

I glanced around and adjusted in my seat as I looked over at Nico. I took a moment to study his features. His jaw was sharp and his nose was perfectly straight. His cheekbones were high, creating the illusion that his face was a perfectly sculpted masterpiece. I watched as his tongue slid out and he ran it over the cut in his bottom lip.

Holy shit.

My stomach felt warm and I clenched my thighs together. I never thought something like that would turn me on the way it did. I needed to flip the switch off but I couldn’t seem to find it. Instead, my breath caught in my throat and I let out a choking sound.

Nico glanced at me with a look of curiosity. “Are you okay?”

Heat crept up my neck and my face was on fire. “I’m fine.” I nodded and attempted to clear my throat. “What is this place?”

He set down the menu he was scanning and a soft smile lifted his lips as he folded his hands on the table. “It’s cool, right? I’ve only been here once before, but I love the private setting it offers.” He smiled and I watched a dimple form in his left cheek. “The food is really good too.”

“It feels like we’re the only people here,” I told him, my voice quieter than I anticipated. The place had a very intimate ambiance and I couldn’t help but wonder who Nico came here with before. A frown pulled my lips downward and I stared down at the menu in front of me as I tried to push the thoughts from my mind. My stomach rolled as I felt uncomfortable sitting here with him.

“What was that?” Nico inquired with curiosity as he scooted closer. “What just happened?”

His presence was consuming me. He was close—too close. I could feel his warmth radiating from his body, encapsulating me. His scent was in my nose, invading my senses. Inhaling deeply, I turned my head to face him just as a college-aged girl stepped up to the half wall by our booth.

“Hi.” She smiled as she placed a decanter filled with water on the center of the table. She set down two glasses along with it. “I’m Alaina. Can I get either of you anything to drink? Or maybe an appetizer?”

“I’ll take an old fashioned,” Nico told her before turning to look at me.

“I’ll take a mojito, please.”

Nico stared at me and I couldn’t quite read the expression on his face.

“Perfect.” Alaina grinned. “I’ll be right back with your drinks. Would you like to put in an appetizer or anything?”

I glanced at Nico and shook my head. He didn’t take his eyes away from mine.

“We’re good,” he told her, still with his gaze cemented to mine.

Alaina left with the promise of returning soon with our drinks. Nico was still looking at me and I squirmed in my seat, feeling like he was assessing every inch of me with his blue eyes.

“Before she came—what was that?”

I raised an eyebrow, knowing damn well what he was talking about. “It was nothing,” I told him, the lie tasting bitter on my tongue.

“Don’t lie to me, pretty girl,” he mused. “You don’t want to find out what happens if you misbehave.” He ran his own tongue over the cut on his bottom lip again. “Or maybe you do.”

My mouth was instantly dry and I tore my gaze from his as I reached for the decanter. My hand shook as I filled my glass in a haste and swallowed some of the water in a rush.

“Try again, Harper.”

I turned back to look at him. “I was wondering who you came here with before, considering it is such an intimate setting.”

His eyes glimmered under the chandelier. “Why is that?”

“Because I would assume it wasn’t just a friend.”

“Are you jealous, Harper Jensen?” he challenged me.

I glowered at him. “How do you know my last name?”

“I have my ways,” he responded with a sly grin. “Now answer my question.”

“I’m not jealous,” I told him, although my voice sounded far from convincing.

He cocked his head to the side as he positioned his arm across the back of the bench seat. “Then ask me who I came here with.”

My heart pounded in my chest and my nostrils flared as he challenged me with his gaze. I didn’t want to ask him, but he already had me cornered. A part of me wanted to know. I never once considered the fact that maybe he was seeing someone. I should have turned him down in the parking lot. I shouldn’t be here with him.

“Ask me.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, feeling the jealousy already seeping into my veins. “Who did you come here with?”

Nico smiled as Alaina returned with our drinks. “My sister, Giana.” She disappeared without another word, clearly reading the room, and I was thankful for that.

My face instantly heated and embarrassment swept over me. I looked away from him, but Nico slid his hand under my chin and pulled my face back to look at him. His eyes danced under the lights and he leaned closer, his lips brushing against my ear.

“Don’t be embarrassed,” he whispered. “I like you jealous.”

He slowly pulled away and grabbed his drink. I watched how his lips kissed the rim of the glass and the way his throat bobbed as he swallowed the liquor. I followed suit, taking a sip of mine as I needed the liquid courage. His thigh was now pressed against mine and I wanted him closer.

“Tell me about you, Harper. What makes you smile. What pisses you off.”

Alaina returned, thankfully saving me from having to provide Nico with an answer. She took both of our orders, and I had barely even looked over my menu and ordered a pasta dish on the spot as she stood by our booth, patiently waiting. As she walked away, Nico turned his attention back to me.

“Why do you want to know?”

“Because I want to know.” His eyes were bright as his smile reached them. “I want to know how to keep that beautiful smile on your lips. I want to know what to avoid so I don’t ever piss you off… unless I’m intentionally trying to.”

I stared at him for a moment. “I don’t know why you’ve taken such an interest in me. We had one night together—barely, if we’re being honest. You could have anyone you want, yet you’re chasing after the one you can’t have.”

“See, that’s the thing, love,” Nico said slowly, his voice barely audible. “You say I can’t have you, but that’s where you’re wrong. I can have you anywhere I want.” His hand was on my thigh. I could feel the warmth of his palm through my leggings. My heart was skipping beats. “I promise no one will ever know. I would never jeopardize your job or anything in your life.”

“How can you be so sure?” I breathed as my heart pounded erratically in my chest. “You can’t promise that.”

He scowled. “You’re right, I can’t. But I will do everything in my fucking power to make sure no one ever finds out.” He paused and I counted three heartbeats before his lips parted again. “Tell me you don’t want me, Harper, and I promise I’ll leave you alone.”

I stared back at him as he trailed his hand farther up my thigh. A heat spread through my veins like wildfire and I swallowed roughly. “I don’t want you,” I whispered, my voice sticking like there was peanut butter in my throat.

His lips twitched. “If you’re going to lie to me, love, at least make it believable.” His tongue slid out as he wet his lips. He slid his hands between my thighs, his fingers brushed against my pussy. I inhaled sharply as the friction sent a bolt of lightning through my body. “I’ll give you one more try to convince me that you don’t want me.”

A shiver slid down my spine and he slowly circled his thumb around my clit. Even through two layers of clothing, he had no problem finding it. I shifted under his touch, wanting to get away from him because I didn’t want him to have that satisfaction, yet I wanted to get even closer. “I don’t want you, Nico,” I choked out.

He pulled his bottom lip between his teeth and my eyes dropped down to his mouth. I watched as he left crescent-shaped marks in his flesh. He continued to work his thumb against me and I didn’t try to stop him. I didn’t want him to stop. My body was on fire, simultaneously tingling and there was something building deep inside me.

“You’re a terrible liar, Harper,” Nico growled as he released his lip and pulled his hand away from me. I instantly felt his absence and my clit was throbbing, still needing him and the release he was pushing me closer to.

My eyebrows scrunched together and my eyes sliced back to his. “Why did you stop?” I breathed.

He smirked as he used the same hand he just had between my thighs to lift his drink to his lips. I watched the way his throat elongated as he took a long swallow of the liquor. Nico set the glass back on the table in front of him.

“I don’t reward liars.”

My breath caught in my throat as I tore my gaze from his and stared at the table in front of me. Something about his tone, the way the words spilled from his lips—I couldn’t help myself but feel a deep-seated need inside.

Maybe it was because he left me hanging. There was unfinished business between us and he suddenly tipped the tables on me. He left things even more intense than they were before. There was a part of me that wanted to believe him. He said that no one would find out. He gave me no reason to not trust him.

I let out the breath I was holding as I directed my gaze back to his.

“What do I have to do for you to reward me?”

His lips curled upward. “Tell me the truth or convince me otherwise.”

My stomach fluttered and I traced the indents in his lip before looking back into his eyes.

“I want you, Nico.”

Aliana suddenly appeared as she stepped over to our table with our plates of food.

Nico whipped his head in her direction. “We’ll actually be taking these to go and I will take the check.”

“Very well,” she nodded before taking our food away to box it up without another word.

Nico directed his gaze back to me. “I’m taking you home with me so I can reward you properly without any fucking distractions.” He paused for a beat, his eyes searching mine. “If you don’t want me to do that, now would be the time to say something.”

I swallowed hard and my heart beat against my rib cage.

I should have told him no, but I didn’t.

“That’s exactly what I want you to do.”