Won't Give Up Easy

*Jonathan*

Jonathan didn’t know what to think of the girl who sat before him. He hadn’t been quite sure to how to peg her. When he had first arrived to her small office at their practice rink for the interview, he hadn’t known what to expect of the new employee, Callie Bennett, that Jeremy had told him about. Of course, being the young man he was, he asked the happily married older man to rate the new girl, which earned him a scathing look. Now he knew why, the girl was gorgeous.

Thinking about the old man, Jon chuckled – from the corner of his eyes he saw an amused expression on her face. Jeremy Clark had loved hockey, more than love, Jon mused, Jeremy simply lived the sport. Ever since he had torn a muscle, which caused him to end his rising career with the Blackhawks, back in the day, the old man was determined not to let it get in the way of the sport he loved. He went back to school, got a degree in journalism, and came back. Years later, he was senior writer for everything Chicago Blackhawks. Which lead Jon to the situation he was currently in.

An awkward silence had settled in the office as Jon sat in the slightly too small seat that directly faced Callie, she had asked him to patiently take a seat while she finished whatever she had been typing away at in the keyboard. He watched her. His first thought when he had seen her was, of course, that she was pretty. But now, as Jon examined her, he saw more.

The way the florescent light of her office hit her hair made red tones stand out amongst the dark rich brown. The long waves framed her round face, even from where he sat, he could tell her hair would be soft and silky. Her face, devoid of much make up was very pale. A sprinkling of freckles scattered her cheekbones, Jon made notice that she had them all over, her arms, a few spots on her chest. Her lips, they were soft and plump, a light pink, darker at the area where she was biting it. Her teeth were perfect, straight and white, strong against her luscious bottom lip.

Jon thought of her body, or at least what he could see of it underneath her layers. This October had been particularly cold. Over her dark form fitting skinny jeans, she wore a scoop-neck vintage Cubs t-shirt and a gray bulky knit sweater. She looked cute and comfy.

But he knew under her clothes, there would be a body he coveted. She had stood when he entered the office and gestured for him to sit, he saw through the part in her sweater. Her hips were round, and her waist was trim. He didn’t mean to be vulgar but she had breasts he knew would fill even his large hands. He would have given anything for her to turn and give him a glimpse of her ass but she had sat back down and continued to work.

As her hands typed away, he saw that she was just as pale there as her face. It seemed to Jon, that she got less sun than he did. Her nails were unpolished, just plain and simple. She didn’t wear any jewelry, no ring on her left ring finger, he took immediate notice. He moved his eyes back to her lips.
Looking back had been a mistake; Jon felt his jeans strain just a tad. To get his mind off her, he focused on the contents that cluttered her desk and office. Pictures were everywhere. Callie herself had been in a few, one with her and another pretty young girl at what had to be her high school graduation, a few with her and a couple, some were her and a few other people on vacation from what he could tell, his eyes settled on one. It was Callie, of course, she was holding a small baby against her side, her head was tipped, eyes closed, and she was laughing. The sunlight caught her in such a way that took his breath away. The baby seemed enamored with her, the small arms of what he presumed to be a boy, due to the blue onesie he was wearing, were around her neck. The boy had a huge smile on his face as he looked up at Callie with such joy. Jon’s heart skipped a beat.

“That’s Logan Jr.” Callie’s soft voice filtered through his head. His head whirled to her face, probably giving him whiplash. She was smiling at the picture. Her eyes were soft and her amazing lips formed a small smile.

“I didn’t know you had a kid?” his voice was huskier than usual and his words came out like a statement. He glanced back at her left hand, still no ring, but then again, who really knew. Jon looked back at her face, she was a little flushed, pink, embarrassed.

“That’s my sister’s baby. She’s in the picture with her fiancé over there.” She pointed to a picture of a couple at the beach, he had to admit that her sister had it going on. She must have read his mind. “I know, she’s a babe,” she smiled again. “I’m sorry to have kept you waiting.” Callie gestured to her work.

“No problem, Jeremy tells me it’s your first interview. Nervous?” Jon was only teasing. He saw her swallow.

“Not in the slightest.” Her words came like a challenge to him. He looked directly into her eyes and saw something he hadn’t expected, lust. Her pupils had widened and the soft brown became toasty. She looked over his body, undressing him with her eyes. Jon watched her. When her eyes came back up to his face, her cheeks were flushed again, and this time her eyes were sad. Why? He asked himself. “Let’s get the interview started.” Her voice was husky.

Jon listened to her questions thoroughly, answering diplomatically, a couple times he slipped in a funny answer, so he could hear her laugh, and it was clear, smooth, welcoming. She would throw her head back and he would get a glimpse at the pale column of her neck., wishing he could kiss or bite her there. He watched her as she fiddled with the settings of her voice recorder, as she grabbed the black baseball cap lying on her desk and slid it backwards on her head, she looked like his kind of woman.

*Callie*

Callie didn’t know what to make of the man who sat in front of her. No doubt, Jonathan Toews, Captain of the Chicago Blackhawks was a complete babe, but she didn’t know what to make of the face when he made when glancing among her pictures or the man now, who was answering all her question calmly, often making her laugh. While his reputation in the city and with the team was depicted as a serious captain, she saw through it, he was someone who was trying to please everyone. Jon obviously wanted to please everyone with the diplomatic answers that would please PR but a few times, he let himself slip through, throwing in something funny.

Jon could be so much more than his reputation if he tried. Under the most present exterior, he was funny and charming. Callie wondered if he ever really let himself go. Probably not, she mused, from what she had read about him and learned for herself, the poor man seemed to have the whole city and organization bearing down on his shoulders to win another cup like he had a few seasons ago.

Stop it, Callie ordered herself, the last thing you need is to over think anything about this man. Stick to the plan, ask him questions and write the article about the preseason and continue on with your life. She had known interviewing him would cause these feelings of attraction, hell, she had even been attracted to him through a picture, and when he came waltzing into her office, all 6’2 of him, Callie could tell you, he looked so much better in person. But she never expected to be attracted to the man lying underneath. He was too intense and serious, she preferred her men funny and witty. Callie put her lack dating life in the back of her mind and proceeded with the job at hand.

“What’re your expectations for this season?” her last question flowed with the conversation. Her eyes focused on him.

Jon stared her dead in the eyes, with all seriousness, he answered, “Greatness.” She cut the tape recorder. Callie ignored his long probing stare, stood, and held out her hand for him to shake. He stood quickly, unfolding his large frame from the seat. His hand reached out the grasped her. It was all she could do not to gasp at the electricity racing through her body. Jon’s hangs were huge, basically enfolding completely around hers, rough and warm. They were the hands of a pro athlete.

“Thank you for your time, Jon.” She spoke, her voice was raspy. He didn’t let go. Callie looked into his eyes. They were still focused on her. She could almost get lost in the deep rich brown they were. Jon let go of her hand, thank god, and glanced at the watch at his wrist.

“It’s five o’clock.” He mused before looking back at her, “When are you getting off?”

Callie was wary but decided she had better not lie. “Now,” his lips formed a devilish grin.

“Come have dinner with me.” It wasn’t a question, almost an order. This man was cocky, but then again, every woman in the city wanted a piece of the captain, he could be. That was the reason she would have to say no, he could have anyone, why her? No one wanted her or at least they never wanted her for more than a night and while the part of her that was attracted to him and screamed for her to say yes, she’d vowed ever since she was sixteen not to be that girl again and if she got caught up in Jonathan Toews, that’s exactly what would happen. In her mind, there were already too many things going against them to ever start.

“No.” She looked at him and glanced at the door, hoping he would take the hint.

*Jon*

Jon was pretty sure his jaw dropped. No one ever rejected him, especially a woman who had been undressing him with her eyes. He made a conscious effort to stand still and not fidget under her gaze, which very much told him to leave.

“Why?” he knew he almost sounded whiny kid but he had to know.

She looked down at the papers on her desk; he already knew she was going to lie to him this time, “Because I don’t want to.” Jon walked up next to her behind the desk. His breathing disturbed her hair. He smelled the soft vanilla scent that filled the office.

“Liar.” His voice was so low; she shivered and stood still for a while. Jon was afraid he’d gone too far and scared her when she turned.

“Why do you want to go to dinner with me?” her words were almost accusatory. Callie’s eyes were fire, so angry and so sad. He wondered what made her this way. Jon noticed exactly how close she was standing; maybe an inch separated their bodies. He hoped he wouldn’t regret what he was going to do next.

He kissed her. At first, she stood frigid. But the moment he pulled her body to his, she opened for him. Her mouth accepted his tongue. Callie’s own was soft and inviting. Jon felt her arms go around his neck and lost sensation to everything else as she bit his bottom lip, making him groan. It was just a kiss but Jon was pretty sure he was losing his ability to stand. He moved one hand into the soft hair
that flowed out of her hat and the other felt the soft skin of her face.

All too soon, she pulled away from him and moved so that the desk separated them. Her eyes were wide, lips were red and puffy. “What’re you doing?” She whispered. Looking from him to the door, it clicked, she was worried that this would cost her, that it would be the end of her career.

“I was showing you why you should come to dinner with me.” She glanced at the door again. “Look, you’re not going to lose this if you do anything with me. It’s not a big deal.” He looked into her face, she had relaxed some but there was still edge in her eyes.

“I still can’t go with you Jon.” If it wasn’t her job that prevented her from going out with him, what was it? He’d seen the attraction in her eyes, or had he just made it up in his mind? Did she really not want to go out with him, did he really not interest her for one shot?

Her words seemed to cut him, despite his ramblings before, he had been rejected and it hurt for some reason that it was coming from this girl. Maybe he was too used to getting his way. She grabbed her bag from the desk and readjusted her hat. As she walked out just outside the door, she stopped and gave him a hard look. “Do me a favor, shut the light off and close the door when you leave.”

Jon dropped himself into her chair and listened to her footsteps walk farther and farther away. He questioned himself. What was with this girl? Could something really be wrong with him? The ultimate question he had for himself was, what was he going to have to do to get with her? Sitting in her office, that was filled with everything about her wasn’t the best place to rationalize all of the information. He got up, did as she asked, and followed after her, just to catch her face once more, only to see that her car was already peeling out of the lot as he walked out.