Big Sky

The shock of being kissed like that left me dumbfounded for a moment, unable to react. My tipsy brain recognized that this was the opposite of what was supposed to be happening, seeing as I was pretending I didn’t have a thing for Jon. It made me angrier, for different reasons.

Pushing him away roughly, he stared back at me with parted lips, taking in jagged breaths.

The part of my brain that was not clouded by alcohol reeled, wanting to yell at him, or to hit him or to run away. I was mad that he felt compelled to swoop in when I hadn’t wanted help, and that he was making me want him just by standing there.

Maybe it was the whiskey, maybe it was the fact that it had been a while since I had slept with anyone, or maybe it was just that he was so damn attractive, but as he opened his mouth to say something, I crashed my lips back against his with a ferocity I didn’t know I owned.

Pulling back, he smirked at me and tugged my hands towards a waiting black livery car that the guys had undoubtedly rented to drive them here.

Not caring that the rest of the guys and Shae would have to find their own way home, he pulled me into the back seat, and leaned forward to tell the driver to take us back.

Settling back into his seat he turned to me, and asked, “Do we need to talk about this?”

The logical part of me wanted to scream Yes, damn it!, but what came out of my mouth was just the opposite.

“No,” I breathed, and he pulled my face to his and kissed me hungrily, as though we couldn’t get back to his cabin fast enough.

The sound of a running shower and the glare of morning sunlight slanting through the window woke me. Groggily, I sat up, disoriented for a moment before last night’s events came rushing back and the panic set in.

Throwing the first article of clothing I could find over my naked self (naturally an oversized Blackhawks t-shirt) I sifted through my purse, which had been discarded near the door of the bedroom. I had a multitude of texts from Shae.

El did you go throw up or something?
Eliza where the actual fuck did you go???
Did u leave with that guy? Codeword pickles if you need me to call and pretend its an emergency
EL DID YOU LEAVE WITH TOEWS?!!?
ELIZA LAINE TEXT ME NOW
ok, i’m glad ur safe but i’m seriously going to kill u tomorrow after u tell me every detail

Sitting on the floor, I leaned back against the wall to try to collect myself. I had really really really not wanted to be an easy one night stand for a guy who had his pick of the litter wherever he went. While I wasn’t exactly ashamed, it didn’t make me feel special that I had gotten a little drunk and let him take me home like so many girls before. The part of my brain that had known better all along was gloating. And, now, knowing I would have to relive the night for Shae didn’t bring me much joy.

The shower turned off and I realized that Jon would come back any second. Suddenly feeling claustrophobic, I got up to find my other belongings that had been strewn about. I tried to run my fingers quickly through my messy hair in the mirror to no avail. Pulling my pants on, and collecting my shoes and bag, I opened the door just as a damp and bare-chested Jon walked out of the adjoined bathroom in nothing but a towel.

His face was as un-intense as I had ever seen it- in fact, he looked almost content. That is, until he noticed my frenzied expression that was probably indicative of my trapped-animal mental state.

He started to say, “Eliza, last night was…”

“I have to go,” I said, my voice high and cracking. I walked out before he could say anything else. On my way out, I saw that Shae’s jacket was thrown over one of the chairs in the main living area of the cabin.

Jon followed me out of his room, “El, wait.”

Wheeling around to face him again, “You don’t have to act like this is more than it is, Jon.” Shoes in hand, I walked out of the cabin, and said a silent prayer that no one would see me doing my walk of shame to the house, especially not my dad.

I didn’t want to hear him say that it was a mistake or meaningless or even that I was a good fuck. I didn’t want him to acknowledge the fact that my drunken self had done the very thing my sober self had not wanted. I just wanted to pretend that I hadn’t had a one night stand with Jonathan Toews.



Sitting on my bed, I ran a brush through my wet hair. I had showered and changed, and was perfectly content hiding alone in my room.

Luckily, my dad had been out for the day, and he probably assumed I had spent the night at Shae’s. Mason had witnessed me trying to get home unnoticed, as I gently trying not to step on sharp rocks with my conspicuously bare feet. The disapproval in his gaze was tangible, and I probably would be receiving a stern talking-to later.

I braced myself for the onslaught of Shae once I heard the thundering of footsteps up the big wooden staircase of my house. The door blew open and Shae was on my bed in a flash.

“Tell. Me. Everything,” she demanded, resting her head in her hands as she sprawled out on my duvet.

I shrugged, “There’s nothing to tell. He came, he saw, he conquered.”

Rolling over and groaning dramatically, “El, come on, you can’t sleep with Jonathan Toews and not tell me everything!” she whined.

Pretending that I was distracted by brushing my hair that I had already brushed, I retorted, “And you slept with Patrick Kane.”

Unfazed by my comment, she grinned, “I did. And it was fantastic. Now spill!”

Her persistence wearing on me, I told her about Kyle wanting me to go home with him and how mad I was at Jon for playing savior. Explaining the kiss and the way he looked at me, Shae swooned like she was a Victorian actress. I gave her as many details about the night that I could stand retelling. I voiced my interpretation of it being a one night stand and nothing else.

Sensing I wasn’t exactly happy, after a few moments of introspection she said, “Are you okay?”

Shrugging again, I said, “Yeah. Just mad at myself I guess.”

Shae screwed up her face at me. “You know, I think you’re wrong. He likes you, and I think if you talked to him you’d find that it was more than a one night stand for him.”

“Shae, he lives fifteen hundred miles away and plays professional hockey. I love you, and I know you’re trying to make me feel better, but no. I’m insignificant to his world, which he’s going back to in a few days.”

I braced, waiting for Shae to press me further.

To my surprise, she just smiled at me like a loon.

Quirking an eyebrow, I asked her, “What?” quizzically.

“So was the sex good?”

I tossed a pillow at her face as she cackled.

Biting my lip to cover the smile on my face I responded with a sigh, “Incredibly.”