Charmed Life

James was the picture of calm when he came to collect me. He strode into the precinct like it was something he did everyday. He was all smiles and hand shakes with the officer that arrested me, who looked like he just won the lottery. There were a lot of pictures and autographs, and by four thirty, we were out of there and I was out, scotch free.

I figured that was all a show, and he’d explode the second my car door was closed, but instead of red hot anger, he just sat behind the wheel, maneuvering through the streets towards my apartment. He looked… thoughtful.

“Thank you,” I said gratefully. “So much.” He had no idea how much this meant to me. But he didn’t respond. Not right away. And not with what I was expecting.

I’d called him, using the number on a business card he’d given me a few days after we met. Why a pro hockey player needed business cards, I had no idea, but I was glad for it. It was nearly three in the morning, and his voice had that sexy rasp that you only got from sleep.

“Hey!” I had greeted brightly. “It’s Alayna.” I smiled at the cop, leaning against the wall and glaring at me suspiciously.

“Alayna?” He asked groggily. Under different circumstances, I’d take a minute to appreciate his voice, but I couldn’t really do that at the moment.

“Yeah! So, remember when we met, and you threatened to call the cops and didn’t? Well, I, um, met someone new today, and she threatened the same thing you did! Isn’t that funny?”

“The cops?”

“Yeah, well. She actually did. Call the cops, I mean.” I laughed then, trying desperately to take advantage of his state of consciousness. Maybe he’d be super confused from the lack of sleep and won’t be so mad at me.

“Alayna, what the hell are you talking about?”

Crap. He didn’t sound so asleep anymore. In fact, he sounded really angry.

“I’m at the station and I need you to come get me,” I smiled reasurringly at the officer. “If you don’t mind.”

“Jesus – Alayna – Fuck!” Angry. Definitely angry. “Stay right there. Don’t you dare move.”

Um, okay. That was kind of the point of jail. I couldn’t exactly leave if I wanted to. But I didn’t dare point that out.

“I’ll be right here!” I replied, an extra bounce in my tone.

There was a definitive click, so I hung up the phone and waited. Half an hour later, he showed up to save my ass again. My own white knight, dressed in black sweat pants and a black Penguins hoodie.

That’s why I was expecting the anger I’d heard over the phone, but I was wrong.

“So… you do this a lot?” He asked finally.

I played dumb. I knew it was stupid, but I did it anyway. “Do what?”

“Breaking and entering,” He humored me, stealing a sideways glance in my direction.

“Um… yeah, I guess,” I answered honestly. What was the point? He’d seen me at my lowest. How much further could I fall with this guy? He’d gotten me from the police station, after all. “It’s kind of a bad habit.”

“And this… habit… of yours,” he said slowly. “Was what you were doing when you broke into my house?”

“Yes,” I said quietly.

“Right.”

I expected more, but he dropped it. He stayed quiet all the way up to my apartment, and it was me who broke that silence.

“Shit!” I exclaimed the second I saw the broken padlock and half opened door to my apartment.

Rushing inside, I ignored the chaotic state of my normally small but neat apartment and headed to the sink and got down on my knees.

“Fuck!” I cursed when I noticed the Ziploc with nearly four grand in it missing. I’d saved every single penny of every tip I got for the last two months. I sat back on my heels, my stomach sinking. Half of that was going to go into my savings account for grad school, and half was for Grams and Gramps. I sent them what I could, and the last time I sent them anything was three months ago. They hated when I sent them money, but I knew it made things a little easier when I did.

I had thought this horrible night was over, but it had only just started. I was an optimistic person, and often looked for a silver lining, but right now, I just wanted to die. I felt the unfamiliar rush of tears threatening to flow.

“Holy shit,” James murmured as he stepped inside and took in the sight of my ransacked home. The bedding was all on the floor. Both chairs were on their backs, and the table was no longer against the wall. All the drawers were pulled opened, and one was completely out and upside down on the floor. The bathroom curtain was nearly ripped from the metal bar and the cabinet door was wide opened. “Who would do this?”

“Who wouldn’t,” I answered quietly. “This place is full of people who would do this.” In fact, I thought, but didn’t add out loud, this isn’t the first time I’ve been robbed. I got over it the first time, I can get over it now.

I took a deep breath, wiping my wet cheeks.

“Hey,” a soft voice said, and suddenly I was face to face with James, who’d moved quietly to my side. He pulled me into him, and I stiffened at the embrace. I stayed for a second, not wanting to offend him. He was only trying to help, but I didn’t need him thinking I was some sort of damsel in distress. Even though that’s exactly what I've been.

“I’m fine,” I smiled. “No use crying over spilled milk. Right?”

He frowned, but let me go. I got up, straightening my tank top. I started to pick up my bedding and pillows off the floor. Then I felt a hand on my arm and froze

“You’re coming with me,” James stated. I stared dumbly at the large hand on my arm.

“What?”

“You can’t stay here tonight. You don’t even have a lock.”

“No—I—I’m fine,” My voice was weaker than I had anticipated, but everything in me was gone. I looked up into those grey eyes that I had first come upon all those weeks ago.

He noticed it, too, because he took advantage of it.

“Alayna, do not argue with me right now. You woke me up in the middle of the night. I'm not leaving you here, and that’s that. You don’t get to argue with me on this.”

He was right, of course. I had disrupted his night, I had no right. The last thing I wanted was more of his help, but I couldn’t stay here tonight. I didn’t even have a functioning lock.

“Okay.”

His eyes widened in shock. I guess he wasn’t expecting me to acquiesce so easily.

“Okay. Uh… pack a bag or whatever you need for tonight.” He let my arm go hesitantly, like he was afraid I might run away.

The thought crossed my mind, I'll admit. Even in my state of shock, I was still aware of what I’d just agreed to. Spending a night in James' house? I didn’t like it. But I knew for a fact that if I ran, then he’s catch me. Just like the first time.

So instead, I threw some random clothes into my backpack while his eyes followed me around the room. When I finished, we headed back to the car and I got in, feeling too resigned to be feeling uneasy about this.

But it was there. I didn’t like being this vulnerable. Or at least, showing that I was vulnerable. But my apartment did that for me just fine. Only Hayden knew the extent of, well, me. He knew almost everything about me, and accepted me for it. I wasn’t ready to share my story with anyone else.

Especially James Neal.

…..

This time, I entered the house through the garage door, and despite everything, a small smile crept across my lips.

James noticed, and smirked in response. “Can I get you something to drink? A glass of orange juice?”

My smiled widened, but I looked away before he noticed. “No. Thank you.”

I followed him upstairs and he led me down the hallway with all the bedrooms.

“Does it look different with the lights on?” he asked seriously, switching the lights on in the hall and turning back to face me. “Don’t you normally leave them off. To avoid detection?”

I looked him straight in the eyes and rolled my own green ones. “You weren’t home. The lights were on.”

“Oh, right, I almost forgot the part about me not being here,” he replied sarcastically.

I paused when i saw where we were headed. “Wait, just hold on a second –” I stammered as I realized what room he was leading me too.

His bedroom.

James paused in opening the door. It was his turn to roll his eyes.

“Calm down,” he chastised, looking a little offended. “This is the only room with a bed. I’ll take the couch.”

“Oh.” My cheeks warmed, and I prayed the floor would open up and swallow me. “Right.”

He shook his head, laughing. “Just want to help,” he said, putting his hands up. “Let me know if you need anything.”

“Right, thanks,” I mumbled, stepping inside the room. I started to close the door when his hand stopped him.

“Alayna,” he said simply, a cocky smile on his lips as he pointed at himself. “National Hockey League. Remember?”

“Ugh,” I scoffed, narrowing my eyes disgustedly at his meaning as he backed away, laughing.

…..

I laid in his bed, trying to make myself as small as possible. I didn’t want to leave anything of me behind when I left, not even an imprint on the bed. After a nice, warm bath, I rummaged through my backpack to find that all I’d packed were shorts and underwear. Not one single shirt.

I didn’t want to wear my dirty tank to bed, so I borrowed a tee shirt from one of James drawers. It was a little loose, but better than nothing.

As I stared at the dark ceiling only illuminated by the moonlight coming in through the window, it all hit me.

Four thousand dollars. Gone.

That was money for my future, for rent, and for food. That was for medicine for Gramps heart. And now that money was all gone. Hayden always said I should deposit the money as soon I could, but I was waiting for it to reach an even four thousand.

It was bad enough to deposit all ones and fives. The least I could do was deposit an even amount.

And now I had nothing.

Tears threatened to fall again, so I sat up to force them back down. There was nothing I could do about it now, and crying would not bring back the money.

I got out of bed, pacing back and forth in my underwear and the borrowed tee shirt. I needed to think about something else, anything else.

That’s when my thoughts wandered out the room, and down the stairs, to the person I knew was sleeping on the couch in the living room because of me.

He was so close. How many people got to be in the same arena as a professional athlete? The same room? And this was James Neal. I was in the same freaking house. I was in his house.

I could go downstairs and touch him and there would be no one there to stop me. No bodyguards to arrest me and no cameras to catch my embarrassing fan girl act and broadcast it. I was no sports fan, but I could appreciate a big deal like James Neal.

Better yet, I could explore! That would be the perfect distraction! I glanced at the clock. Almost seven in the morning. I headed back to the bed. I wasn’t going to take advantage of his hospitality like that.

I shook my head, disgusted with myself. What was wrong with me?! I mean, I didn’t plan on attacking him or anything, but a picture of a sleeping James Neal? Or his used towel? How much would that be worth?

I almost laughed at the image of me trying to sell a towel used by James Neal. But then again, it wouldn’t hurt to take a quick look. I felt a little guilty, since he’d taken me in, but I couldn’t help it. I was in the home of a hockey player. I wasn’t going to steal his toothbrush and auction it off or anything, but I did feel like snooping a little bit.

Besides, I didn’t exactly get to look around the first time I was here. If being granted access a second time wasn’t a sign to snoop, then I didn’t know what was.

If I got caught, I could always claim to be thirsty.

Easy peasy. One quick look, then back to bed.

He was probably still asleep downstairs, so I’d stick to upstairs. Feeling giddy, I crawled out of bed and yanked the door opened.

I stopped in my tracks, because a shirtless James Neal stood in front of me.