by A. J. Wynter
“That’s called a bardownski,” Amber leaned in and yelled.
“A what?” I thought I was up to speed the hockey lingo.
“It hit the bar and went down.” She pumped her eyebrows as she took a sip of her beer.
“Creative,” I laughed.
All the Otters players surrounded Leo, congratulating him, even Gunnar.
“Leo’s a good player.” Amber nudged me. “Dean said that if he tried, he’d be better than Gunnar.”
The Bobcats didn’t stand a chance. Gunnar scored in the second period, and going into the third, the score was two to one. The Bobcats were starting to get scrappy, but when Dylan Moss scored the third goal in the third period I could see the deflation in their spirit. The Otters were going to win the game. I kept an eye on the box with the scouts and several times I saw them point to Leo. As much as I didn’t want him to leave, my chest swelled with pride.
Amber and I waited in the lobby like a couple of puck bunnies. The crowd had thinned and the smell of popcorn and beer lingered. As the players started to file out, a few young fans rushed the door to get autographs. Leo stopped to sign every one of their jerseys. Gunnar did too.
Leo’s face lit up when our eyes met. He made his way through the crowd and drew me in for a kiss. His hair was wet and he smelled like pine trees and celebration. “Nice goal, Lion,” I said.
He gave a humble smile which gave way to his one tooth-missing grin. “It was a nice one.” I still wasn’t used to his hillbilly look, and even though he secretly loved the gap-toothed smile, I had a hard time taking him seriously.
“Faith.” Gunnar nodded and walked past us. But then he stopped and turned. “You two deserve each other.”
“What does that mean?” Leo stepped toward Gunnar.
“Careful, Leo. Your girl, she’s a liar.”
The red shot up Leo’s neck like a thermometer in a sauna. “What did you say?”
The intense voices raised some eyebrows. Mike Ryan stepped behind Leo and held onto his arm. “Easy,” he whispered.
“Let go of me,” Leo hissed.
“Leo.” I touched his other arm and it seemed to diffuse the posturing.
“He can’t talk to you like that,” Leo seethed.
Coach Covington stepped between the two players with their hackles up. “Boys.” His voice was low and stern enough to cut through the testosterone that hung thick between the men. “Enough.”
Gunnar shrugged and walked out of the arena. Leo looked like he was ready to maul someone.
Coach Covington stepped between Mike Ryan and Leo, replacing Mike’s hand with his own. He whispered something in Leo’s ear that doused the fire in his eyes.
“Are you alright?” Leo’s eyes were soft as he looked at me. He took my hand. “I’m sorry about that.”
“That was a little scary,” I admitted.
Leo wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “I felt like I had to defend your honor, Faith.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” I shook my head. “I can take care of myself.”
“I know,” he whispered. “But I want that to be my job now.”
The almost fight was juvenile, but the protector in Leo was hot. I didn’t want to admit it, but I liked it – a lot.
Coach Covington and Amber walked out of the arena ahead of us. I could see the coach keeping Leo in his sight, ready to diffuse a potential parking lot situation, but by the time we stepped into the humid night air, Gunnar’s giant car was gone.
Amber pulled me aside. “Are you okay with all that?”
I shook my head and rolled my eyes. “Idiots.”
“Well, they are hockey players,” she laughed.
She was finally getting it.
“Listen, Faith. I have something for you.” She took an envelope from her handbag. “It’s an assignment.”
“An assignment?” I opened the envelope and pulled out a gift certificate for the Still Waters Hotel and Spa. “What’s this?”
“Your mom got the contract to re-do the rooms. She needs you to go and check out the suite. It’s an urgent matter, and she needs it done tonight.” Amber winked. “I thought that would be better than the back of that truck.” She jerked her head at Leo’s mostly rust-colored truck that sat under the moth-filled light from the street lamp.
“I can’t take this.”
“You better. That man needs to celebrate and there are no parties tonight. Coach’s orders. Tell him to take that masculine energy out in the bedroom.”
If tonight were any indication, Leo wasn’t long for Laketown. How many opportunities would we get to have a romantic night at a luxury spa? “I accept the assignment.” I shoved the gift card in the envelope and hugged Amber. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Be safe.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I laughed.
Leo came up beside me. “What’s that?” he asked.
“Enjoy. And be good.” She gave him a sly grin and jogged to the Jeep where Dean was ready and waiting with the door open. Before she got in, she shouted, “Leo, get a pedicure.”
“A pedicure? I’m so confused.”
I stood on my toes and kissed him. “I’ll explain everything.”
He smiled, but it disappeared. “There’s just one thing, Faith. What was Gunnar talking about?”
Twenty-Five
Leo
The Still Waters Hotel and Spa sat on the shore of Lake Casper. The valet looked unimpressed as we pulled up in my truck, but when we got out, recognition flashed in his eyes. “Leo Rocci.” He held up his hand for a high five and I slapped his white glove. “I hear you guys won tonight.”
“It was a good game. The guys hustled.” I gave him my boilerplate response and tossed the keys in the air. “Take good care of her.”
“Of course.” The door rattled as he got in.
The suite was the nicest one I’d ever seen. “Why did Amber give you this gift certificate?”
“Mel D Designs has the contract for the renovation. This is research.” She dropped her purse on the leather bench in the entryway.
“I can think of some research I’d like to do.” The desire that had been building up took over my body. Faith let out the cutest squeal as I picked her up honeymoon style and threw her on the king-sized bed.
Faith thought I’d be mad at her for telling Gunnar there wasn’t another dude in the picture. Technically, at the time we were only friends, so she wasn’t lying. I should have told him myself. It might have saved me thousands of dollars on dental work. But part of me understood – who wouldn’t be pissed about losing out on the chance to be with someone like Faith Dawson?
Some of the guys were sneaking out to a party on one of the islands, but not me. The skills competition was going to be my time to shine, and after tonight’s game, I was ready for it. Drinking a bunch of beer and staying up late wasn’t going to get me signed, and if I wasn’t signed, I couldn’t help my mom.
My primal instinct wanted to rip Faith’s clothes off her body, but I fought it. Instead, I straddled her hips and kissed her gently. She hooked her fingers into the pockets of my jeans and moaned into my mouth. “There’s something I need to do, Faith.”
“What?” She propped herself on her elbows.
I put my hand between her breasts and pushed her gently into the fluffy pillows. “Let me show you.”
She tried to sit, but I applied enough pressure to keep her body against the mattress. “Don’t you move,” I ordered.
She nodded, her eyes watching my every move. I lifted her t-shirt and kissed her belly. The vanilla smell was intoxicating, better than stale beer at a keg party. I undid her jeans and slid them down her legs. She raised her feet enough to allow them to slide off effortlessly.
“You have no idea how sexy you are, do you?” First, I kissed each of her feet and then kissed above each of her kneecaps. She was wearing white cotton underwear with little pink flowers on it and a silky-looking bow. They were hotter than any lacy g-string I’d ever s
een. I nudged her knees apart with mine and kissed the inside of her silky thighs. It was the smoothest skin I’d ever felt.
My lips made their way to the little pink flowers and when I kissed the front of her panties and let my mouth linger on the cotton, my breath warming the fabric, Faith balled up the sheets in her fists and her body writhed beneath mine. I teased her a little longer, moving my mouth back to her thighs.
“Leo,” she gasped.
“Patience, Faith.” I looked at her and hoped that I’d be able to keep my own desire under control – my dick was about to bust the buttons of the fly of my 501s.
I slid my hands up her shirt and cupped her breasts. Her nipples were hard and firm against my palms.
“I can’t take it.” Her voice was breathy.
My willpower was depleted as well. I slid her panties to the side and her body jerked as I kissed her warmth. I replaced the cotton and then slid the panties down her legs. She kicked them and they flew off into the darkness.
I made my way to her stomach and kissed just below her belly button, and then made my way lower. I could’ve spent all night with my face between my girlfriend’s legs, but after she orgasmed, she quivered when I tried to do it again.
“I want to feel you inside me, Leo.”
She didn’t have to ask twice.
We didn’t get a lot of sleep, but when we did it was deep. My body was tired from the game and exhausted from exploring Faith’s body. We made love once that night and fucked twice more. I had the feeling she would be a wild one in the sack and I wasn’t disappointed. She was also sweet and tender. In short, she was perfect.
A knock startled me awake, and it took a second to realize where I was and who I was with. Waking up with Faith in my arms was the best feeling ever, better than scoring the breakaway goal the night before. I realized that I would do anything to be able to wake up with her blond hair in my face every day.
“Room Service,” the voice answered.
“Leave it in the hall.” My voice cracked. I groaned as I sat up. The day off had worked wonders for my body, but the night of hockey and fucking had created new aches and pains.
“Aren’t you too young to be moving like that?” Faith laughed as my first two steps out of bed were a hobble.
“In the hockey world, I’m almost past my prime.” It was an exaggeration, but not much. I brought the tray of breakfast into the room and Faith and I sat in bed and fed each other strips of crispy bacon and strawberries.
We made love in the shower and then lounged in the fluffy terry cloth robes. I assumed Faith was on the pill, but I had pulled out every time, just in case. I turned the TV on and there were some highlights from the game on the local station. Faith’s robe slipped open and revealed the only thing in the world that could distract me from the highlights reel. I slipped my hand below the tie and rested my palm on her leg, caressing her inner thigh with my thumb.
“I’m not too old to do this ten more times today,” I growled and pushed her into the pillows.
Her phone rang and she ignored it. I opened her robe and saw her nipples in the daylight for the first time; they were the same pink as the big flowers outside the window. When the phone rang again and then a third time, I stopped shy of pressing into her body. “You should get that.”
“I know.” She groaned and pushed me off of her. “I don’t recognize the number.”
“Hello?”
I watched as her face went white. Listening to one side of the conversation was excruciating. I wanted her to put it on speaker, but she was listening so intently I didn’t want to interrupt.
“Pass me that notepad.” She pointed at the desk. She scrawled an address on the pad, nodded a few times, and then hung up. She closed the robe over her body and looked at me with wide eyes.
“Was that Slim?”
She nodded and bit her lower lip. Her eyes glimmered with tears.
“What did he say?” I was hesitant to ask. The look on her face was pure shock.
“He saw the man again in the same place.”
“Where?” I crossed my legs and sat facing Faith with my hands on her knees.
“The bush. Somewhere outside of Corstead.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. I knew that the call was going to come. “Did you get all the information?”
“Leo.” Faith’s bottom lip quivered. “He’s arranged to meet the man today at some saloon gas station. To take him into town before he goes back into the bush for a month.”
“Today?”
“Today,” she echoed. “At six o’clock.”
I looked at the clock. It read ten in the morning. “Corstead is seven hours away.” I did the math in my head. “We have to leave in an hour.”
Faith jumped off the bed. “Where are my clothes?” Her voice was panicky as she looked for her panties. “We’ve got to get ready.” She threw my jeans at me.
When she found her underwear, she shoved them in her handbag and pulled her jeans on over her naked ass. “I’ll get a change of clothes when we get my car.” She tucked her t-shirt into her jeans. “Leo, we have to go. Put on your pants.” Her voice had moved into full-on panic.
“Faith.”
“Yeah?” She brushed her hair out of her eyes.
“The skills competition. It’s at five.”
She froze.
“What did you just say?”
I looked at the pile of denim in my lap. The skills competition was my one big shot. “I can’t come.”
The guttural scream that came from her scared the shit out of me. “I’m sorry,” I whispered. “Can we tell Slim to meet him tomorr—”
“Fuck you.”
She stormed to the door and I didn’t know what to do. “Wait, Faith.” I got off the bed, but she held her hand out like a stop sign. “I can’t believe you’re doing this to me again.” Her face was purple with rage. “Fuck you, Leo Rocci.” She slammed the door so hard the windows shook.
I rushed to the door and opened it. The hall was empty. My bare feet padded on the hallway carpet as I sprinted to the elevator. The numbers were going down. I took the stairs two at a time, but by the time I got to the lobby, she was gone.
Twenty-Six
Leo
Shit. Shit. Shit. I paced in the lobby while I waited for the front desk attendant to make another key for the room. There were a few raised eyebrows when I flew into the lobby in bare feet with my robe askew.
What had I done?
I returned to the room and got dressed. Before I left, I surveyed the rumpled sheets and tears sprang to my eyes. She would never forgive me for this. In her rush to get away from me, she’d left the pad of paper on the nightstand. I ripped off the sheet with her printing and tucked it in my pocket.
The truck shuddered as I pulled into the driveway of my house. I slammed my hand on the steering wheel. “Fuck,” I shouted. Of all the days for this to happen. I snorted as I breathed heavily, contemplating my next move. I reversed to the end of the driveway. I could still catch up to Faith. Then I drove back into the driveway and put the car in park. Or I could get ready for the skills competition. I did this three more fucking times. If anyone had seen me, they would’ve thought that I’d gone insane.
Mom’s little hatchback pulled into the driveway. Moofie’s big head hung out the passenger seat.
“Sweetheart, what’s going on?” The tears had started to fall down my face.
“Mom,” I said through a full-on sob. “I fucked up.” I never swore in front of my mom. Ever.
She opened the door. “Get out of the truck.”
I obeyed my mom and followed her and Moofie into the house.
“What did you do?” She pointed to one of the kitchen chairs. “Did you get arrested?”
“No, Ma. I didn’t get arrested.” She seemed to relax and handed me a tissue. “Talk to your mother.” She busied herself with the coffee percolator before sitting next to me.
“It’s Faith.”
“Leo.” S
he was angry. “She’s a good girl.”
I sighed. “I know, Mom. She’s the best thing that ever happened to me. But I royally fuc—messed things up,” I corrected.
“How?” Mom’s voice was a little softer. “She’s in love with you, you know.”
“I know,” I nodded. “I’m in love with her too.”
Mom stared at me. “What’s the problem then?”
The story poured out of me. Reggie, Slim, finding out Bruce was alive, waiting for the call, the lack of action from the police, how we wanted to look for Slim, but couldn’t. The words tumbled out so fast, I was short of breath by the time I was finished.
“I told you two that was a bad idea.”
“But he’s alive.”
Mom’s lips made a narrow line. “How do you know it’s him?”
“It has to be, it was his hat. And the timeline works. He’s been living in the bush.”
Mom stood and poured the coffee into a Thermos. “Then what are you waiting for?”
I took the Thermos from her, but set it on the table. “Mom. Faith went on her own. I can’t go with her.”
“You can’t go?” She jerked her head back. “Why?”
“The skills competition.”
Mom sat. “Excuse me?”
“The scouts, they want to see my skills. This could be my big break.”
The look on Ma’s face could only be described as one of horror. “There will be more competitions, more scouts… I can’t believe you let her go up there alone.”
I took a deep breath. “Mom, if I get signed I can take care of you.”
Her head turned like she was in slow motion. “You’re doing this for me?”
“Of course, Ma. I want to take care of you. You’ve taken care of me all these years.”
“That’s why you want to get signed to the National League? For your poor old mother?” Her voice had dropped almost an octave and was bordering on guttural. She muttered and shook her head, swearing in Italian. “This is the boy I raised?” Her eyes flashed and I thought that she was going to slap me. Instead, she leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms.