First Shot At Love

By Lisa B. Kamps

This 13,500-word short story originally appeared in the LOVE HAPPENS anthology

Jean-Pierre "JP" Larocque doesn't believe in love, especially not love at first sight. As a rising star for The Baltimore Banners, the hockey player has his choice of women. Why should he settle for just one? Then he meets Emily Poole. She's quiet, reserved, maybe a little shy--and completely unlike any woman he's ever met. Can he convince the woman of his dreams to give him a chance?  

Emily has no idea what to make of the sexy hockey player. She's never met anyone like him before: charming, charismatic, and attentive. Is he merely flirting, or is he after something else? Should she take the chance and end up risking so much more than her heart? 

Sometimes opposites really do attract. But is it enough for these two to risk everything and try for a first shot at love?

• Language: English
• Publisher: BimHaven Press
• Release date: Dec 13, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386281856

Lisa B. Kamps

Lisa B. Kamps had a zest for life at an early age. As a young child she wanted to do many things, from being an astronaut to becoming a marine biologist. A strong calling came from somewhere in between, and instead she chose to become a firefighter. She successfully served in a job dominated by men, becoming highly respected in her field. After a rewarding career with the Baltimore County Fire Department, she retired and found new happiness in retail management. Throughout her entire life, Lisa has had the ability to express herself through writing. She has never looked back, and has never regretted any of the detours that life may have thrown at her, because she knows that she is able to become anything she wants through the power of her writing. Lisa lives in Maryland, where her two energetic sons constantly keep her on her toes.

Book preview

First Shot At Love

A Baltimore Banners Warm-up Story

Lisa B. Kamps

FIRST SHOT AT LOVE

Copyright © 2017 by Elizabeth Belbot Kamps

All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the express written permission of the author.

The Baltimore Banners™ is a fictional professional ice hockey team, its name and logo created for the sole use of the author and covered under protection of trademark.

All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation to anyone bearing the same name or names, living or dead. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to any individual, place, business, or event is purely coincidental.

Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Other titles by this author

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

About the Author

For Gerrit and Connor...

Thanks for keeping me young!

Other titles by this author:

THE BALTIMORE BANNERS

Crossing the Line, Book 1

Game Over, Book 2

Blue Ribbon Summer, Book 3

Body Check, Book 4

Break Away, Book 5

Playmaker, A Baltimore Banners Intermission Novella

Delay of Game, Book 6

Shoot Out, Book 7

The Baltimore Banners: 1st Period Trilogy

Books 1-3 Boxed set

The Baltimore Banners: 2nd Period Trilogy

Books 4-6 Boxed set

On Thin Ice, Book 8

Coach's Challenge, A Baltimore Banners Intermission Novella

One-Timer, Book 9

Face Off, Book 10

Game Misconduct, Book 11

Fighting To Score, Book 12

Matching Penalties, Book 13

THE YORK BOMBERS

Playing The Game, Book 1

Playing To Win, Book 2

Playing For Keeps, Book 3

Playing It Up, Book 4

Playing It Safe, Book 5

Playing For Love, Book 6

Playing His Part, Book 7

THE CHESAPEAKE BLADES

Winning Hard, Book 1

Loving Hard, Book 2

Playing Hard, Book 3

FIREHOUSE FOURTEEN

Once Burned, Book 1

Playing With Fire, Book 2

Breaking Protocol, Book 3

Into the Flames, Book 4

Second Alarm, Book 5

Feel The Burn, Book 6

Coming Soon

STAND-ALONE TITLES

Emeralds and Gold: A Treasury of Irish Short Stories (anthology)

Finding Dr. Right

Time To Heal

Dangerous Passion

Dangerous Heat

Illicit Affair

Coming Soon

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One

Jean-Pierre Larocque never thought he'd abuse a cucumber in such a way but desperation made a man do strange things. He grabbed the sorriest looking one from the pile then nudged his cart closer to the angel, not quite hitting her with it.

Could you help me? He thickened his accent, knowing how women reacted to it. Why, he had no idea, but he had no problems using it to his advantage when he wanted to.

And he very much wanted to.

The angel slid her gaze toward him ever so briefly, barely looking at him before turning back to study the bin of vegetables. Then she did the unthinkable: she shifted away from him, cart and all.

No, that wouldn't do.

JP nudged his cart even closer, leaning over it like a young child and holding the cucumber out toward the angel. Time to pull out the heavy ammunition. "Excuse me, he said in French, the accent heavy, the words thick and rich. Could you help?"

She looked over at him again, this time actually looking at him. She reached up with one small hand and tucked the waves of spun-gold hair behind her ear. Then the angel turned her head the other way, as if