Play the Game: A New Adult Hockey Romance (Golden Boys Hockey Book 1)

by Emma Tharp

  My life would be so much easier if I wasn’t insanely attracted to this girl.

  On my next shift, I can't let that check from behind go unpunished. The ref didn't see it or his ass would be in the penalty box.

  We both go after the puck and he traps me in the corner. I raise my elbow, giving him a blow under the chin.

  Turns out he's a drama queen and throws his head back and grasps for his face.

  A loud blast from the ref’s whistle has me looking over my shoulder.

  "You, twenty-one. Two minutes."

  Fuck. I'm the one that gets caught, and now, Coach is going to go ballistic.

  Head down, I skate to the penalty box. On the way, I chance a glance at Coach. Damn. He’s glaring daggers at me.

  For the next two minutes my team has to play with one less player on the ice. If someone from the other team scores, Coach will have my ass.

  I'm being stupid and playing like a moron. Even though it does seem to help a little to keep my mind off Stella, I can't mess up and piss off Coach. I value my spot on this team too much to play foolishly. I need to get my head on straight.

  As soon as the two minutes are up, I skate back over to the bench, ready for Coach's wrath. I'm grateful Amherst didn’t score on us during my penalty, but I know Coach will still rip me a new one anyway.

  "Hunt!" The rage on Coach’s face has never been directed at me. Until now. His cheeks flame red and I know he’s going to bust my balls.

  I drop onto the end of the bench, next to Justin, with slumped shoulders. Turning my head to behind the bench where Coach stands, I give him my full attention.

  "What the hell was that bullshit?” Coach flails his arms around. “You could've cost us a goal. I don't want to see stupid penalties again."

  I nod because it's best not to speak when Coach is on a rampage.

  He spews off a few more lines about my stupidity and his disappointment before his attention is back on the game.

  Relieved, I turn around and rest my forearms on my legs. It’s important for me to do better.

  "Why are you wound so tight today?" Justin nudges my shoulder.

  He's suited in his goalie gear today, but it's not his turn to play. The team carries two goalies so if a game starts going south one can be switched out for the other.

  I shrug and shake my head, not wanting to talk about it.

  "Is it a girl?"

  I grab my water bottle off the floor and take a long drink.

  "Nah," I lie.

  This gets a little chuckle out of Justin. "Well, if it is, I get it. I’m not sure if you know how bad things were when me and my girl broke up. I thought I was going to marry her, but she ended it. I was playing wild during that time."

  That's more information that I've ever gotten from the guy. I knew he had a rough breakup, but didn’t realize the marriage part. Justin and I weren’t close when he was going through shit with his ex. Maybe that's why he acts the way he does now with women.

  "That sucks. I have to meet a girl later on at the lab. I'm not looking forward to it. I think she's under my skin."

  Justin swats me on the shoulder, the momentum pushing me forward. "Oh, no. Once they’re under your skin, it's impossible to get them out."

  Something about the tone of his voice has my stomach sinking because deep down, I know that he’s right.

  For the rest of the game, I manage to keep my nose clean and we beat Amherst by two goals. Afterward, I shower and grab some pizza from a restaurant close to the hockey house with Justin before I go to the lab.

  I'm not surprised to see that Stella is already there, even though I’m here ten minutes before we agreed to meet. She’s a rule follower through and through. It seeps out of her pores.

  She doesn't notice I'm there, which gives me a minute to take in her blonde hair that flows in loose curls down to her midback. Her legs are soft and solid in their black leggings, leading up to her impossibly voluptuous ass.

  These are thoughts I shouldn't be thinking.

  Inappropriate. A waste of time.

  I clear my throat, and she turns to look over her shoulder at me. Those green eyes I can't get out of my head stare back at me.

  "You made it."

  Did she think I wouldn't show up? She probably has me pegged for a dumb jock who doesn't give a shit about his grades.

  I'm going to have to prove her wrong.

  "Yup. I will always be here when I say that I will." I set my bag on the chair and move to stand next to her. The smell of summer and sun washes over me. I grab the edge of the table to steady myself.

  "Are you still good with testing antibiotic effects?" she asks, flipping through her notebook.

  She texted me yesterday to run this idea by me and I was interested. "Sure. I did some research yesterday and it seems like Bacillus cereus bacteria would be a good option to test."

  She stares up at me, unblinking with her mouth slightly ajar. "You did research outside of class?"

  I love that I surprised her. "Yes. I'm always prepared for every class."

  "That is refreshing. I can't say the same for all of my past partners. Last semester, mine was a complete loser who didn't pull his weight and dragged my average way down, totally pissing off my father."

  "That sucks. You don't have to worry with me."

  She tucks her hair behind her ear and gives me a small smirk. The first time since the night we met. It does weird things to my chest that are completely unexpected.

  "Good." She taps some keys on her laptop. "Do you mind taking some notes?"

  "Sure." I grab a notebook out of my bag and a pen.

  Stella pulls up a website on Bacillus cereus, and I get closer to have a better look at the screen. I’m acutely aware of being in her personal space. Every breath is thick with the current moving between us.

  Her eyes dart to mine and something blooms there. What is it? Fire or ice? Hot or cold?

  She should tell me to move away.

  Being so near has my heartbeat quickening. Thoughts of pulling her into me and claiming her sweet mouth bombard my brain.

  Stella clears her throat and points at her screen. “We could test different phytochemicals and essential oils to start.”

  “Sure. Will we use pure substances or extracts?”

  That baffled look of surprise crosses her face again, like she can’t believe I can formulate thoughts and questions. Her expression is quickly smoothed over with a polite grin and a slight blush to her cheeks.

  “If we can get our hands on pure substances, that’d be ideal. I can type up the proposal later on and email it to Mr. Talbot after I finish my assignment for history, but it’s okay. There’s also the chapters I need to read for English. I can get it done though.” Her words spill out of her mouth fast, like she’s flustered.

  “I’ll take care of it,” I say. “My homework is squared away for the day. Let me work on it.”

  She presses her lips into a fine line and her body goes rigid. “Umm.”

  When I lean in, my shoulder grazes hers. It’s the lightest touch, yet a jolt of energy shoots through the air around us. How would Mr. Talbot explain that? Electromagnetism? Chemistry? Whatever the fuck it is, it feels pretty dangerous.

  As much as I would like to linger longer in this crazy current between us, I push off the desk and take a full step away.

  “How about this? I’ll write it up and email it to you before I send it to Mr. Talbot.”

  She stares up at me. “You’d do that?”

  I push my hands into my pockets. “’Course.”

  Her expression softens and she closes her laptop.

  “That’d be great. I appreciate it.” She moves to stand and rests her hand on my arm. “Promise, I won’t slack on this project. I’m just swamped tonight.”

  I do my best to pretend her touch doesn’t affect me. Or her smile. Or those damn eyes.

  Stella has me wanting more. Maybe I could have more.

  Do I dare wish for something
that could destroy me?

  Seven

  Stella

  It's impossible to erase Gavin from my head. He seems to be working his way into my thoughts, day in and day out. Even a simple task, such as making myself breakfast right now, leads to me imagining what it would be like if we were together, his arms wrapped around my waist and chin resting on my shoulder as I pour us each a cup of coffee.

  But it’s just me, and I’m only pouring one cup, and dear God I need to stop thinking about this man.

  It has been a few days since I've seen him, but that doesn't seem to matter. After our first lab session, that evening he emailed me the proposal that he drew up for us to send to Mr. Talbot. It was well written, researched, and thought through. I'm not proud to admit that I assumed Gavin was a dumb jock, but his articulate proposal crushed that judgment. He's clearly someone who cares about schoolwork, which makes him that much more attractive to me.

  The pop of the toaster yanks me from my daydream.

  I butter my English muffin, grab a cup of coffee, and take them to the table. While I scroll through social media on my phone, my mind moves to thoughts of the lab session I have scheduled with Gavin in an hour. My belly charges up with nerves and excitement. Maybe today he'll show me a little bit more of himself like he did a few days ago.

  "Hey girl," my sorority sister Lexi says as she sashays into the room.

  "Good morning,” I speak around a mouthful of English muffin.

  She grabs a yogurt out of the refrigerator and a spoon from the drawer, then takes the seat next to me. "What's up with you?"

  "Nothing. I have to start a lab project today. How about you?"

  She yanks the lid off her yogurt and licks it. "I have class in thirty minutes. I don’t want to go.”

  “I hear you,” I say.

  Except, I really, really want to go meet with Gavin. Way more than I should want to.

  “Any new guys to speak of?" she asks.

  No way would I tell her about my crush on Gavin. I like Lexi, but this Gavin thing would make me sound like some hockey fangirl or something.

  "Nobody special. What about you?"

  "Same. Although…" She looks over her shoulder to see if anyone is walking in the room as if this is top-secret information. "I did hook up with a hot hockey player the other night."

  My stomach sinks and swirls around. Was it Lexi that Gavin hooked up with? "Oh, yeah? Which one?"

  She stirs her spoon around in the yogurt and leans in. "He's a forward. His name is Gavin."

  Fuck. Fuckity. Fuck. Fuck.

  "Oh. Wow," I say but my tone holds no enthusiasm.

  "Yeah. He’s such a good kisser and man, he’s huge, and…"

  I hold my palm up, effectively stopping her brag fast.

  "Great. Good for you. That's enough detail for me." I jolt up out of my chair and throw away the rest of my English muffin. "I gotta go. I'm going to be late."

  "All right. Have a great day," she calls out behind me.

  In my room, I grab my bag and car keys and leave before Lexi can enlighten me with any more details about her hookup with my lab partner.

  The entire drive to campus, all I can think about is Gavin's hands all over Lexi. His tongue gliding across hers. I wonder what makes him a good kisser. I'm sure they had sex. Why wouldn't they? How else would she know he’s huge?

  Maybe I should’ve let her give me all of the details so I wouldn't have to sit here and make up my own.

  My phone rings with an incoming call as I’m pulling into the parking lot. The display says it’s my mother. I’ve been blowing off Dad’s calls, but I should probably answer hers. She’s not the overbearing one.

  I press the button to connect the call on my dash. “Hi, Mom.”

  “Stella. It’s nice to hear your voice. How are you?”

  “I’m doing well.” Physically yes. Mentally, not so much. “How about yourself?”

  The clanking of pans clangs over the line. She’s probably starting some elaborate meal for my dad that takes all day to make. “I’ve been keeping busy. The Ladies Auxiliary is hosting its annual fundraiser. Lots of planning.”

  Mom’s been an auxiliary member for years. From what I gather, it’s a bunch of gossipy rich women who bake a lot of cookies and casseroles, but once a year, they have a big fundraising event. Whatever keeps her happy.

  “Great, Mom. I’ve just pulled in to campus and I don’t want to be late. Can I call you back later?”

  “Do you have a minute?”

  I glance at my watch. “Sure. What’s up?”

  She lets out a long sigh. “I’ve been hoping we could chat about how school is going.”

  “So far, so good.”

  “Excellent. And what about…” She pauses. “What about your personal life? How’s that been?”

  Where is this coming from? She has never called while I’m away at college to ask about my personal life. Now, all of a sudden, the second semester of my sophomore year she’s asking. “Everything is fine, Mom. Why are you asking?”

  She strains to clear her throat, like it’s forced. “I don’t know. I just want you to be happy.”

  “I am.”

  “Are you sure? You seemed so happy when you were with Hunter. I’m sure if you wanted to get back together with him, he’d be receptive to the idea.” She lets out an uncomfortable laugh. “I bet if you called him now, he’d take you back.”

  This smells a lot like my father. He probably set her up for this call. I’d be angry with her if I thought she could say anything to get out of it.

  I stay silent.

  “Hunter is a good guy, Stella.”

  Instead of upsetting my mother by putting her on the spot and asking her why she’s letting Dad use her like this, or upsetting her by verbalizing my irritation, I’m going to let her off the hook. I don’t think any other solution would get me anywhere. I grab my bag and get out of the car.

  “Mom, Hunter and I weren’t a good match. I know you and Dad loved him, but I didn’t. I’m sorry, but I really need to get going. I’m going to be late.”

  “All right. Have a wonderful day. I love you.” Her voice is cheery, like she’s relieved the conversation is over.

  My strides quicken as I get closer to the science building, and cold wind blows in my face. I zip my jacket all the way up under my chin. “Love you, Mom.” And tell Dad to go screw himself.

  When I get to the lab, I would rather be anywhere but here. Especially since Gavin arrived before me and is already setting up.

  He's in a gray pair of joggers and a maroon form-fitting long-sleeved T-shirt. The material hugs his body, highlighting his broad shoulders, small waist, and beautiful backside. I think I should take up skating because it seems that most hockey players have nice asses. I wonder if he has any tattoos. He probably does. I’ve never dated anyone with tattoos, but I think I would like to, just to see what they’re like. To glide my finger across the surface.

  I blink hard and check myself. This guy is a player who just hooked up with one of my friends. He's not the type of guy I should be attracted to.

  Tell that to my hormones.

  When I walk into the room, I take off my coat and throw it on an empty table.

  "Hey," he says, looking over his shoulder.

  Why does he have to be so damn hot? His light brown hair is styled just so, but it looks like he doesn't put any effort into it. His chiseled jaw, angular nose, and dark eyebrows frame those navy depths that I could easily get lost in.

  No. Nope. We're not getting lost in any part of Gavin.

  "I hope you don't mind, but I got started." He brings a stack of petri dishes under the hood.

  "No. That's fine." I glance around the room. He does seem to have everything in order.

  "Want to join me under here?" He angles his head toward the hood while holding two test tubes. “This is the bacteria.”

  After a few calming breaths, I move to stand next to him.

  There's barely any r
oom in the hood area. With Gavin being a massive hockey player, he takes up nearly all the space. His nearness and his clean, stormy scent crowd me, making it difficult to breath.

  He gives me one of the test tubes. When my hand closes around it, he doesn't let go. I suck in a breath as a jolt ricochets through me at the contact.

  "Got it?"

  "Yes." My voice is strained and breathless.

  He tilts his head and looks down at me. "You sure? I can grab it if you need me to."

  I stare at my shaking hand, willing it to steady. "No. I'm fine. Too much coffee this morning."

  "Okay." He dips the sampling tube into the test tube and floods the contents into the petri dish.

  We switch test tubes and he repeats the process on several more petri dishes. I’m basically useless, only holding the test tubes while he does all the work.

  I can finally breathe again the second we finish up under the hood.

  "Did you bring your laptop?" he asks, standing in front of me.

  Because I'm a shameless fool, I glance down the front of Gavin's sweatpants. Yes, I stare at his junk. I have to see if Lexi knew what she was talking about. I swallow hard and pinch my lips together. She was right.

  He's huge.

  What is wrong with me?

  I hate myself.

  "Well, did you bring it?"

  "What?" I huff.

  Gavin gives me the smallest smirk and it's like the sun coming out after a storm. "I was just asking if you brought your laptop today."

  "No. I'm sorry. I was in a rush this morning and left without it."

  Because your hookup, Lexi was giving me all the deets about what went down the other night.

  Gavin takes a seat at the lab table and tugs a few books out of his bag. "We can take some notes from these. I stopped at the library yesterday to see what they had."

  "You did?"

  "Yeah."

  How inadequate am I today? What did I bring to the lab today besides myself as the hot mess express?