minutes until midnight. Thank God this night is almost over.
“Checking to see who you’re kissing at midnight?” Some guy walks up to me. He’s got blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and broad shoulders. The guy screams athlete, and my guess is he’s probably one of the Florida Fury hockey players. Also, he has a Russian accent so that’s a tip-off as well.
“No, I’m not.”
He leans his shoulder against the wall next to me and I slide a step away. “I saw you talking to Joran. Was he hitting on you?”
“I came here with him.”
“Oh shit. Really?” His hands fly up in the air. “Then I’ll stop hitting on you.”
I sip my wine and look at him over the edge of my wine glass.
“Want to help me pick up a woman?” he asks.
“Excuse me?”
He chuckles. “I really want to kiss her at midnight, but she gives the whole excuse of not dating athletes.” He rolls his eyes.
“There is such a thing.”
His eyebrows scrunch. “Who wouldn’t want to date an athlete?”
I shrug. “Someone who doesn’t want to constantly second guess what you might be doing when you’re out of town. Someone who doesn’t want to go crazy and be possessive because of the puck bunnies. Someone who doesn’t want to be second to a man’s career. Someone who likes their life private and not on public display. Dare I go on?”
His eyebrows move from furrowed to raised. “You talk from experience? Do I look like an athlete?”
I cock one eyebrow.
“How do you know I’m not an accountant?”
“First I pegged you for a PE teacher,” I say.
He points and laughs. “Even without my whistle?”
I laugh and he smiles like he’s glad he can pull that out of me. “Damn, maybe I should tell women that.”
“Sure, lie to them. That’s always a good way to start a relationship.”
“Whoa lady. Slow down. Who said anything about a relationship?”
I shake my head and tip my wine glass at him. “And there’s another reason a woman doesn’t want to date an athlete, rarely are they looking for a relationship.”
He shrugs. “Well, I have a good reason.”
I stand straighter. “This should be good.”
“I’m Russian.”
“Really?” I bulge my eyes out and he chuckles, shaking his head.
“And eventually I’ll be going back there. Not many women want to relocate to Russia.”
“If she loves you, she probably would.”
He waves his finger in front of my face. “That’s where you’re wrong. She can love me and still want me to stay here.”
“Okay. I’m not going to argue a hypothetical with you. I don’t even know you.”
He looks over my shoulder. “Here comes a guy who needs to get laid tonight.”
I turn to see Aiden approaching. Taking a moment, I watch him. Straight back, confident shoulders and an air about him that says he’s someone. I deny my urge to drool right here in front of everyone. Maybe hearing his problems with his game is pulling on my heartstrings pretty damn hard. Or maybe there’s just something about him that I’ve never noticed with anyone else.
“I know this guy isn’t your date.” Aiden says fist bumping the Russian. “Since he came with me.”
“Oh, so you two are on a date.” I give him a saccharine smile and point between them.
“Yeah, but we have an open relationship,” the Russian guy says.
“This is Maksim Petrov. He plays on the team too.” Aiden points to him. “This is Saige, she’s here on a date and manages social media for people.”
“You do? I need someone to do mine. I love to post, I hate the interaction.”
I laugh because that’s pretty typical, but usually it’s what they post that causes the problems. Digging into my purse, I grab a card and hand it to him. He twirls it with his finger and pockets it with a wink. “Okay wish me luck, I’m trying one last time for at least a midnight kiss. Who wouldn’t want to kiss this guy on New Year’s Eve?” He circles his face with his finger.
“Can’t imagine who wouldn’t,” I say.
A huge grin consumes his face.
Once he leaves, Aiden turns to me. “Where is this mystery date?”
I look around. “Not sure. You just missed him.”
He glances above my head at the clock. “Fifteen minutes to midnight. If he doesn’t show I say I’m the one who gets the kiss?”
“Hate to break it to you, but you still have to jump in the ocean.”
“I’ll jump in the ocean if you kiss me at midnight,” he says, a sexy smile on his lips.
“No. You already lost