Rushing back into the kitchen, Kelly took Bonnie aside. “Look, I don’t have time to explain, but I’m going to the hospital. Can you hold down the fort here?”
“Of course,” Bonnie answered. She cocked her head. “I know you said you didn’t want to explain, but this is going to look awfully weird. Between the way you acted just now and your sudden departure, there’s gonna be a lot of questions. What do you want me to tell the staff?”
“Tell them Leo and I are friends, which is true. You guys all know how often they come in after games.”
Bonnie nodded. “But it’s more than that, isn’t it?”
“I have to go. My cell is on if you need me.” She ducked into her office to grab her coat before Bonnie could question her further. How was she supposed to explain something to Bonnie that she didn’t understand herself? Jumping in her car, she made it to the hospital in record time. When she got inside, though, she stopped short. Would they even tell her anything? It wasn’t like she was family. Her uncertainties were shoved aside, though, as she heard loud arguing down the hall. Turning, she headed that way, ducking to get by the nurses’ station without them noticing.
“I don’t need a fucking CT scan. I got hit with a puck. It happens at least once every practice and every game.”
Kelly would’ve smiled if she hadn’t been so concerned. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door leading into the area.
“Miss, you can’t be back there. The waiting room—”
The rest of his sentence was cut off when Leo spied her. “Kelly!” His brows drew down. “Why are you here?”
“Duh. I saw what happened. I figured they’d bring you here since you got knocked out cold.”
“Yeah, Brad insisted on it,” he answered, pointing to the team’s trainer, who just shrugged and went back to filling out forms.
Kelly approached the bed. “Honey, you need to let them take a look at your head.”
“I hate CT scans. They make me feel all claustrophobic.” Leo shuddered, and Kelly reached out her hand briefly before pulling it back.
“If you go have the test, I’ll be right here when you get back.”
“Will you give me a sponge bath?”
“Don’t press your luck, buddy.” Turning, Kelly sat in the seat next to the bed. “Go. Shoo, shoo.” She motioned with her hands, and the orderly and Brad both laughed.
Leo crossed his arms over his chest, and this was the first time she realized he wasn’t wearing his goalie equipment anymore. He motioned her closer. “I better get a reward when I get back.”
“I’ll look for some Jell-O.”
The orderly wheeled Leo out of the room, and Kelly slumped back in her chair. Why was she even here? She knew the answer to that question before the thought had even truly formed. She cared about him. Him and Scott. What the hell was she going to do?
Leo returned within a half hour and patted the bed next to him. “Come over here where I can see you better.”
Kelly slid onto the bed. “Does your head hurt?”
“I’ve got a little headache. I told them it was nothing serious.”
“Leo! You were knocked unconscious. I don’t care how tough you hockey players are, that’s serious!” Leo smiled. “What?”
“You’re adorable when you’re angry.”
“This is no time for jokes. You could’ve been seriously injured!”
Leo took her hand and wouldn’t let go, even when Kelly tried to jerk away. “Darlin’, listen to me. Every single time a puck gets shot at me there’s a risk of serious injury. It’s just the way it is. If I let that bother me, I’ll be a fucking basket case and should retire, because I won’t be any good to my team.” Fanning his thumb over the back of her hand, he continued. “But I like the fact you came charging in here like an avenging angel. It’s too bad this isn’t a private room or I would show you exactly how much I liked it.” Kelly’s gaze was drawn to his crotch, but it was covered by a sheet and blanket. Leo moved a little and winced. “Or maybe I’d wait until tomorrow.”
Suddenly Kelly stood and backed away from the bed, yanking until Leo released her hand. “I can’t do this.”
“Do what?”
She gestured in his general direction. “This. I can’t do this. I was worried out of my mind, and we’ve never even gone on a date.”
“We can correct that whenever you’re ready. I’m going to be free for the next week or two while my dented noggin heals.”
“No.”
Leo’s eyebrow shot up. “Did you just say no?”
Kelly nodded. “I can’t handle this. I can’t be in the middle of a dinner shift on one of the busiest nights in the week, see you go down on the ice, and not know if you’re going to get back up or not.” Her voice rose near the end of her sentence, and she knew she must sound hysterical, but this feeling of being off-balance was horrifying.
“Hey, calm down,” Leo replied, reaching for her, but she stepped back again, and his hand dropped to the bed. Sighing, he said, “We have something special here. Don’t just throw it away.”
“Yeah. You, me, and Scott. You must realize how messed up that sounds?”
Leo shrugged. “It’s no one’s business but ours.”
“Do you really believe that?” She put her hands on her hips and looked down at him. “Do you honestly think if people found out about us, the press wouldn’t have a field day? Or doesn’t the thought of making me a laughingstock mean anything to you?”
Leo sat up in bed and his face briefly contorted before he schooled his expression. Kelly was instantly sorry. Rushing over to him, she made him lie back down. He grabbed her hand and brought her knuckles to his mouth, kissing each one in turn. “I care. Scott cares. But that doesn’t mean we’re willing to give you up.” A knock sounded at the door and Leo cursed. “Come in.”
The orderly stuck his head in. “They’re keeping you overnight for observation, so I’m gonna wheel you up to the fifth floor. Sit tight and I’ll be right back.”
“Like I could go anywhere else.” He turned his attention back to Kelly. “I’m sure Scott is going to come here as soon as the game is over. Stay and we’ll talk about this.”
“There’s not really anything to talk about. A couple of rolls in the hay doesn’t make a relationship.”
Leo swore under his breath again, and Kelly began to shrink back again before he grabbed her arm. “Dammit, Kelly, I’m not gonna let you run like some scared rabbit.” His grip loosened, though, and he looked down at the bed, twisting the sheet in his free hand. When he spoke, his voice was thick with emotion. “I’m sorry if I scared you. It’s just that the thought of never seeing you again, of never holding you, of never making love to you—it makes me fucking crazy. Please, please stay until Scott gets here, and we’ll talk about everything.”
The orderly came back in. “Ready to go?”
“Yep.” He looked at Kelly. “Coming?”
“Yeah.” She preceded the orderly out of the room and then walked alongside the bed as the orderly rolled it toward the elevator.
“Pretty girl ya got there,” the orderly told Leo, jerking his head in Kelly’s direction and grinning like a Cheshire cat.
Kelly started to correct him, but Leo just smiled. “That she is.” When they got up to the room, the orderly set everything up and then left. “Lie down with me, Kelly.” He opened the bedclothes and Kelly bit her lip. “Come on. I took a hundred-mile-an-hour slap shot to the head and you won’t even snuggle me?”
“Nice attempt at guilting me into it,” she said, laughing. “I will lie down, but only for a minute. I really should get back to the restaurant and make sure everything is all right.”
“I’m quite sure Bonnie is doing a fine job in your absence.”
Kelly looked up at him as she scooted under the covers. Leo pulled her back into his chest, and she couldn’t help but notice how well they fit together. “You know her name?”
“I know everybody’s name. You have, what, a doze
n employees, and we come in at least twice a week. Why are you so surprised? You thought all hockey players were just dumb jocks? Or that we’re so focused on you that we don’t even notice anybody else?”
“Well, of course!” She looked up at him again with a cheeky grin and he growled. Reaching an arm around her body, he turned her until she was on her back and then attacked her mouth. At first, she was so shocked at how quickly he’d moved that she simply lay there, but when his tongue demanded entrance, she melted against him, opening for his assault. He continued to nip at her lips and tongue before sucking on her full bottom lip. She moaned as the sensation shot straight to her pussy.
Finally he pulled away, panting. “I want you so badly.”
“But you’re hurt and you need to rest.”
“Fuck that.”
Her thighs clenched involuntarily. Leo was just moving toward her again when the door opened and Scott came in. Smirking, he said, “Good thing I wasn’t Tom, eh?”
Kelly started to scramble out of bed but Leo held her in place. “He’s teasing us. And you’re not going anywhere.”
“Someone could see.”
“Yeah, and they’ll think you’re my girlfriend. How horrible.”
Her gaze shot to Scott. “But what about—”
“What about me?” He interrupted. “I can keep my hands to myself for one night. Mostly.” He gave her a quick kiss before she could protest and then plopped down in the only chair in the room. “Man, that game was brutal. We won, by the way.”
“I expected nothing less,” Leo answered.
“So what did the doc say? Obviously they’re keeping your sorry ass here.”
“They wanna observe me overnight.”
“And I bet you’re using this opportunity to play on the sympathies of our lovely Kelly.”
“I am doing no such thing.”
Kelly snorted. “You totally did, and I fell for it like a sucker.”
Leo leered at her. “Speaking of sucking…”
“I am not engaging in any sort of sexual activity with either one of you tonight.”
“But I’m not injured!” Scott cried. “No fair.”
“Hey, you’re the ones who said you shared. It would hardly be fair if I was to consort with one of you while the other was unable to.” Kelly stuck her tongue out at Scott.
“I’m able to! What is this shit?” Leo demanded. “Just because I took a knock to the head doesn’t mean my dick doesn’t work.”
“Nonetheless,” Kelly said, turning toward him again. “I’m not fooling around with either of you. I really need to get back to the restaurant.”
“Uh-uh. Not until we all talk about your suddenly cold feet.” Leo looked at Scott. “She says she can’t be with us.”
“What? Why?”
“Because we’re goaltenders and she can’t handle the stress of us possibly getting hurt. Plus she thinks someone is going to find out about our relationship”—this time he paused and raised an eyebrow at Kelly—“and give her shit about it.”
“It’s none of their fucking business what she does.”
Kelly laughed, but there was no warmth behind it. “I doubt the press would agree with you.”
“Anyway,” Leo continued. “She thinks it would be better for us to go back to being just friends, and I dunno about you, but the thought of never making love to her again makes me want to tear this room apart.”
Scott nodded. “Me, too.” He looked at Kelly. “Don’t make any rash decisions, honey.”
“This isn’t a rash decision.” She felt a headache rearing up and tried to ignore it.
“Just give it a little time. We’ve waited so long for you, Kelly,” Scott implored. Leo hauled her back against his chest again, and his body felt so warm and solid. She closed her eyes for just a moment.
* * * *
Someone was shaking her. “Kelly…”
Her eyes fluttered open. “Wha—”
Scott leaned down to brush his lips over hers. “It’s morning, sweetheart.”
Kelly sat up in bed. “You’re kidding!”
“I’m afraid not. My entire body is sore from sleeping in the chair.”
“I have to go.” She started to push off the bed, and Leo sat up, too.
“Where are you going?”
“I have to get home. I can’t believe I stayed here all night!”
“Shhh,” Scott cooed, running his hands down her arms. Grabbing her hands, he said, “Calm down, and we’ll leave together. We can grab some breakfast before I have to go to practice.”
“I––I can’t. I’m sorry.” With that, she fled. Both men called out for her to stop, but didn’t come after her, thankfully.
When she got home she crawled back into bed immediately. Bonnie was opening today, so Kelly didn’t need to be in for a few hours. Suddenly everything hit her—how badly Leo could’ve been hurt, how insane this thing they had going on was—and tears began to track down her face. She lay in her bed crying until she finally fell into a fitful sleep.
Chapter Seven
Leo watched Kelly race out of his hospital room. When Scott started to go after her, Leo stopped him. “Give her time, man. She’s freaked out. She thinks you and I are just fucking her until another flavor of the month comes out.”
“I thought we’d made it clear we wanted more from her than that.” Scott frowned and looked toward the door again. “This is messed up.”
“I agree, but right now we have to concentrate on making her believe we’re serious about her.”
“And just how the hell do you think we should go about that?”
“I’m not sure.” Leo blew out a loud breath. “Look, just go to practice and get on the road. While you guys are gone I won’t have anything better to do anyway, so I’ll hang around Kelly’s and slowly worm my way past her defenses.”
Scott slanted him a look. “As long as you don’t ‘worm your way’ into her pussy.”
“Not until you get back. Scout’s honor.”
His friend barked out a laugh. “You were never a Boy Scout.”
“Whatever. I’ll wear her down, and when you get back we can lay our cards on the table.”
“I can’t think of any better ideas,” Scott answered, sighing. “So yeah, go for it. Don’t let our girl get any farther away from us than she already is.”
Scott left, and Leo cooled his jets, waiting to be discharged. Finally he was given his walking papers late morning and took a cab to the apartment he shared with Scott. Immediately he headed for the shower and then took a nap. He hadn’t wanted to tell anyone, but he’d had a monster headache since getting hit, and taking a nap before he went to plead their case to Kelly was an absolute necessity. If she got any inkling that he was worse off than he was admitting, it certainly wouldn’t help their case.
Around six thirty the next night, he climbed in his Range Rover and drove down to Kelly’s. Thankfully he’d driven to the last game with Scott, as they usually did, or he’d be trying to figure out how to get his car from the arena parking lot when the rest of the team was out of town. The game was due to start in an hour, and he planned to have dinner and watch the game at the bistro.
When he walked in, one of the waitresses noticed him. He sat and nodded at her, and she immediately approached with a cup and the coffeepot. At his nod, she filled his cup. “Should I tell Kelly you’re here?”
“Nah. I can see she’s busy. Full house tonight, huh?”
The waitress smirked. “Yeah, you’re not usually in here on our busiest nights, are you?”
“No, not this early, anyway.”
The waitress departed, and Leo sipped his coffee, letting the caffeine work its way into every exhausted cell in his body. After a few moments, Kelly came out, her hair tucked into a bandanna and sweat running down her neck.
“Hey, darlin’.”
She seemed to be warring with herself about something before sighing and regarding him with a serious expression. “Hey. Can you ent
ertain yourself for a while? I’m in the middle of the Saturday night dinner rush.”
“Of course I can. Go about your business. I’m just gonna hang out and watch the game.”
“Fine.” Pivoting, she returned to the kitchen and a wicked smile broke out on Leo’s face, remembering all the fun things they’d recently done to Kelly in that very room. His cock twitched and he willed it down. Leo wanted inside Kelly’s mouth, her pussy, her ass, whatever she was willing to let him do. But he’d promised Scott he wouldn’t fuck her in his absence, and he intended to hold himself to that promise. When all was said and done, no woman, not even one as amazing as Kelly, was worth betraying his best friend for.
He watched the pregame show with one eye and Kelly with the other. She never failed to amaze him. She seemed to have a constantly rotating list of about a million things in her head at any given time, but rarely did she ever get frazzled, and she never yelled at her staff. Leo chuckled. He wished Tom would take a page from her management handbook.
When the waitress came around to refill his coffee, he ordered the evening special of a fish fry. That was one of the things he loved about Buffalo—great food. His meal came out a few moments later, the fish so large it overflowed the plate. Sinking a fork into the crispy breading, he cut off a chunk and popped it into his mouth. He knew he shouldn’t be eating a huge piece of fried fish, but to his mind there were some things you just shouldn’t have to give up, and awesome food was one of them, along with great sex.
After demolishing the fish, he set to work on the German potato salad and coleslaw that came with the dinner. He knew Kelly made both herself. He’d seen her do it enough times in their late-night chats, but he’d never actually tried them before now. When he came in with Scott, his friend would allow him to order the fish fry but would guilt him into getting veggies on the side rather than the usual accompaniments.
Carr, Cassandra - Head Games [Buffalo Intimidators] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 5