Taking Shots (Assassins, #1)(18)

“The baby was adorable, a pain, but a beauty.”

“Is it hard getting shots of babies?”

“It can be, but I love it just the same,” she said with a grin as she wiped the corner of her mouth and then took a long swig of the water he had bought. Grace was actually the one to suggest the picnic. She had said that she thought it was the perfect day for one, so here he was, with Elli. He had missed her last night when she was at the wedding. She could only answer him once every hour, but she did call on her way home and they had talked until she had to get back to work on the pictures. He found that she was an extremely busy lady.

“So, tell me this, how does a typical Elli Fisher day go?” She smiled as she took another drink of water.

“Well, I wake up early. If I’m not too tired, I go for a run before letting my pup out, then I eat some breakfast, go to work, then go to work again, I’m really boring, I swear,” she said with a laugh. “You’re a pro hockey player, nothing I do would impress you.” He smiled as he looked down at his food.

“Elli, anything you do impresses me. You are amazing.” She blinked a few times before looking down at her food. He needed to remember that she was shy and he couldn’t be so forward with her, but it was so hard. Plus, it was as if he control what he was saying when she was around. Shea took his hat off, running his hand through his hair, and then placed it back on his head.

“Tell me what the typical day of Shea Adler is,” she said. He looked over at her. She was tearing apart a piece of bread. He smiled.

“I run in the morning, too, maybe we could do that together one time,” he suggested. She laughed out loud.

“Please, you would smoke me!”

“I really don’t run that fast. I hate running.”

“You’re in shape, Shea. I am not.”

“Yes, you are.”

“No, really. I’m not. Anyways, go on with your day.”

He paused, giving her a look before saying, “Running in the morning, practice in the mid morning, then, lately, lunch with a beautiful girl.” She grinned at him before she threw a piece of bread at him.

“Stop, you’re making me blush!” He smiled, and continued.

“Then I usually go home, sleep a little, before doing some more team stuff. Right now I’m taking it easy, since the season is about to start and I’ll be busy all the time.”

“Yeah,” she said with a nod, “I have a question.”

“Shoot.”

“Why do you wear glasses when you’re not on the ice? Do you hate your contacts that much?”

“No, it’s just my glasses are easy, really, I’m just lazy.” She giggled as she laid back on the blanket. There was a nice breeze and the sun was shining. It was a nice late summer day. “I also hate putting my finger in my eye. I have big hands,” he said holding them up, she smiled.

“I know, when you held my hand over here, yours swallowed mine.” Shea smiled as he reached over and took her hand in his.

“I think it’s a nice fit,” he said, looking at their hands. She looked down, then back at him.

“Maybe you’re right.”

“I’m always right.” She giggled again, rolling her eyes.

“Male ego…” He smiled, as she giggled some more. He loved her giggle, her smile, shit, her everything. “I got another question.”

“Ask away.”

“Did you always want so many tattoos?” she asked looking at his arms. He looked down at his arms. He had gotten both arms done over the last eight years. He added things that meant something to him, and he was about done. He had a little room on his left arm. But for the most part, everything was full.

“Yeah, I started them about eight years ago. What, you don’t like them?’

“No, I do, I just never knew you had ‘em, your jersey covers your arms. And when I saw pictures of you online, you are always wearing your blazer jacket.”

“Yeah, the league doesn’t like them much.”

“Oh.”

“I don’t care, though. I love them, they are a story, telling of my life. My whole family has something on my arm.”

“Really? Where’s Grace?”

“Right here,” he pointed to two stick figures that stood with their arms around each other.

“Stick figures?” He smiled.

“She likes it; she has the same one on her hip.”

“Oh, cool,” she made a little face, and he laughed as he pointed to other things. His mom and dad’s part, which were their names. A hockey stick with a 6 above it, the date he was drafted, then the dates Ryan and Amelia were born. Then there was a bunch of other crap that didn’t matter, but looked cool.

“Do you have any tattoos?”

“I do, but I can’t show you cause I’m wearing a dress, remind me the next time I’m wearing jeans”

“What is it?”

“You’ll see,” she said with a sneaky smile. He smiled back, turning onto his stomach, holding her hand in both his. They stayed like that for a long time, Shea messing with her fingers as they talk about everything. Elli’s time in college, along with his, their families, but she didn’t say much about her parents or brothers or sister, it was mainly about the kids. They were discussing the upcoming season when her phone rang. She dug into her purse until she found it.