Between the Pipes

Chapter 10

Sarah stood naked in her bedroom and rubbed her temples to ease the headache brewing as a result of trying to decide what to wear to the movie with Mike.

She'd thought about cancelling and had picked up her cell phone a half a dozen times to do so. When she hit the sports section of the newspaper and scrolled through the hockey articles without wanting to read them, and when she changed the radio station whenever hockey updates started, she'd felt guilty about saying yes to a date with a hockey player. But the interest she'd seen in his gorgeous blue eyes had changed her mind.

She looked at the clothes strewn over her queen-sized bed. Deciding what to wear shouldn't be this hard. She was stalled at her choice of underwear. Tattered cotton briefs or sexy silken panties? If she chose the sexy silken ones, then obviously she had to wear the lacy bra. Because it matched. Not because it was sexy and she was going to a drive-in movie with Mike. She grimaced. On the other hand, the tattered cotton briefs and old cotton bra could help with the whole dissuasion thing.

Honestly, she thought. Will Mike care? Just put some damn underwear on.

She settled on the silk and lace, trying not to imagine Mike taking them off. She tugged on dark black jeans and picked her favourite pale blue sweater. It was flatteringly snug but comfortable. She added dangling earrings with three sparkling baby-blue stones and a matching teardrop necklace, which skimmed the neckline of her V-neck sweater. She chose low-heeled and well-worn black leather boots, and grabbed a black jacket with a back that cinched in the waist and flared at the hip. Helped with the illusion of curves, she thought with a smile.

When the doorbell rang, she gave one last nervous glance in the mirror, flicked her hair over her shoulder, and hurried downstairs to answer it.

Just avoid any conversation about hockey. Keep it light and easy. She wiped sweaty palms on her thighs. Breathe.

Mike wore blue jeans that sat low on his hips and hugged his muscular thighs. A well-worn brown leather jacket showed off his broad shoulders. She fleetingly wondered what underwear he had on.

"You look lovely," he said as he leaned forward and gently brushed his lips against hers. He leaned back and smiled before she had a chance to respond.

"Th-thank you," she said, trying not to sound as dazed as she felt. "Come in. I'll just get my purse." She tucked her cell phone in her purse, hooked the strap over her shoulder, and turned. "Ready."

Mike waited while Sarah locked the front door and then guided her to the passenger door of an enormous black pick-up truck. He opened the door, and she had to step up to get in.

No bucket seats. Her heart skipped a beat.

"I didn't realize you were into monster trucks," she said with a laugh when he settled into the driver's seat.

He glanced over and grinned. "I know. It doesn't blend very well, but it's great for drive-in movies and icy roads. Living out of town a ways, I needed something that could handle the snow. Country roads aren't always the first ones ploughed in the winter."

She nodded. "And you probably can't just call in and tell them you can't make it because of the weather." She froze. Avoid hockey. Avoid hockey.

Mike laughed. "Yeah, it wouldn't go over too well. Although I'm sure Chad Dillon wouldn't mind. He'd be happy to step in if I couldn't make it."

"Right," she answered quickly. Was Chad Dillon the back-up goalie? She didn't want to ask. "Have you heard what Firefox is about?"