Erik (Arizona Vengeance 2)

Erik manages to put me in my place and make me feel guilty at the same time. It compounds the anger that’s been building toward him since the season started and he so arrogantly thought he could get into my pants with a charming smile and some pretty words.

When I accepted this job, it was well before the expansion draft had been completed and I had no clue that Erik Dalhbeck and I would cross paths again. When I saw that he would be coming to the Vengeance, it revived a whole lot of negative feelings I have toward him.

Feelings I’d managed to put to rest over the past five years since my “encounter” with the biggest player the league has probably ever seen, and I’m not talking about being a player on the ice.

My words are clipped. “You don’t know Billy or me, and I don’t want you to know us. So just leave us alone, okay?”

Bishop’s expression turns wary and Erik just blinks at me, his face devoid of any emotion. I know I’ve crossed a line I shouldn’t have but between Billy’s meltdown earlier and the extreme way that Erik flusters me, there was no bottling up what just came out.

There’s an awkward silence that hangs in the air but it’s broken when Erik pushes up out of his seat. His hand goes to my elbow and he murmurs, “We need to have a private word.”

I start to jerk out of his hold but his grip tightens. He leans in and says in a low voice, “Don’t make a scene, Blue.”

Erik then walks me right to the back galley where Sadie is loading drinks onto a tray. Her eyebrows shoot upward when she sees us but she quickly makes her way out to give us privacy.

My elbow is released and I turn to face Erik. His lips are pressed into a flat line and his eyes are hard. “I get that I must have pissed you off at some point in the near past with my shameless flirting, but I honestly was asking a nice question about your brother with no ulterior motive. I think your reaction was a little over the top, don’t you?”

“Not when it comes to men like you,” I retort.

Erik’s chin pulls inward and his eyebrows rise. “Men like me? What does that even mean?”

I wave my hand at him. “Men like you. You know…the ones that only see value in a woman based on how good it is between her legs.”

If I thought that would offend him, I was wrong. He just smirks at me. “That’s simply not true.”

I narrow my eyes at him and then throw his words he told me not long ago back in his face, mimicking that slight Minnesotan accent he has. “?‘You look like a party girl.’ That’s what you said to me, and that translates to ‘You look like you’d be a great fuck.’?”

“I didn’t mean anything by it,” he mutters, looking at least somewhat chastised. His smile turns somewhat sheepish. “It’s just…you look like you knew how to have fun, and I thought we could have fun together.”

“I know the type of fun you’re talking about,” I hiss at him.

“You don’t know me at all,” he replies smoothly, crossing his arms over his chest.

I lean in and lower my voice, wanting to be assured this conversation stays private. “I know more about you than you think. And just to be clear, I am not interested in being your next plaything. So just stop the flirtations and we’ll be fine. Understood?”

Erik throws his hands up in the universal sign of surrender. His smile is roguish and charming, as if he intends to disregard every word I just said. But he surprises me. “Totally understood. No more flirtations.”

I just stare at him, knowing my expression is as skeptical as I feel on the inside.

“While I disagree with the notion that you think you have the right to judge my moral character, I’ll respect your request and lay off. Cross my heart.” And he drags his fingertip in an X pattern across his well-defined chest. It complements his broad shoulders and powerful legs.

Erik turns and walks away. He’s got a great ass too.

I let out a sigh of frustration because even though Erik just gave me what I asked for, I still don’t feel satisfied.

I have every right to judge his moral character, because I’ve been on the receiving end of his blistering charm and ungodly moves between the sheets. He left me with stars in my eyes, the promise of something more with him, and then changed on a dime.

That was just over five years ago and I haven’t forgiven him since.

The fact that he doesn’t remember me is just adding insult to injury.Chapter 3Erik“Okay, I’m ready,” Legend says as he steps out of the bathroom.