by Toni Aleo
As everything went black, he wasn’t sure what was happening, but he heard Kacey’s voice.
When you get too many people in the bedroom, someone is bound to get hurt.
He hated when she was right.
When Jordie woke with a jerk, he looked around the room, confused. Blinking a few times, he squinted from the bright lights and the pounding headache. Licking his lips, he ran his hands down his face before sucking in a deep breath. Looking around the room, he realized that he must be in the hospital. The ER to be exact. Glancing at the clock, he saw it was almost four in the morning, and he wondered what had happened to the last three hours. Blinking a few more times, his heart started to race as he looked for a call button. But when he found it, the curtain pulled back and a nurse walked into the room, meeting his gaze.
“Mr. Thomas, you’re awake,” she said with a smile before reaching for his file.
“What happened?” he mumbled, closing one eye because of the pain on that side of his face. “I hurt. Everywhere.”
She nods. “Well, you did fall face-first into a brick, from what the two ladies told the paramedics,” she said with a look. He wasn’t sure what the look meant, but it didn’t seem like a very sympathetic one. She must have thought he was some kind of nasty playboy, and really, after the things he’d just done, he probably could be considered one. But still, he didn’t want her to think that.
“Yeah, it’s a little hazy,” he said sadly, rubbing his nose. “Is my face messed up?”
She looked over at him, and he smiled the best he could in a goofy way, which was easy with all the alcohol coursing through his body. She smiled back before shaking her head. “Not much, but you do have bruising around your mouth and nose.”
Letting out a sigh of relief, he glanced back up at her. “Oh good, gotta make sure to keep my money-maker intact,” he teased and she giggled. It was a breathy sound, and that made him really look at her then. She was probably his age, pretty with long, auburn hair. Her eyes were a light green color, and she was curvy with a pooch in the front. She must have just had a baby. Glancing at her hand, he could see that she was married too.
“Your money-maker?” she said with a grin as she fixed the blood pressure cuff on his arm.
“Yeah, can’t be looking crazy. How will I pick up gorgeous women like you?”
That made her face turn red as she waved him off. “Please.”
“No, really, you are a very pretty woman, but I see you’re married. Lucky guy, I have to say.”
She giggled and he knew he had her. A little flirting got him a long way. One thing he’d learned from his long hospital stays was that you flirted with the nurse. It guaranteed you the last apple juice and the best snacks.
“He is, thank you.”
She pushed a button, and the cuff started to tighten as Jordie said, “Only giving compliments where they are due.”
“That’s very sweet of you.”
Flashing her a winning grin, he hoped his teeth were still in his mouth. Running his tongue along them, he was thankful they were before he said, “Any kiddos?”
“Yes, I just had my first,” she said with a bright grin.
“Well, show me some pictures,” he said happily, and when her grin grew, he knew that he’d get a Snickers too. Pulling out her phone to show him pictures of the little guy, she went into full first-time mommy mode. Usually guys were bored by that, but Jordie sort of enjoyed it. It was weird, but the thought of a little person who would come out looking and acting like you was amazing. He’d always wanted kids even in spite of the shitstorm of his childhood.
He wasn’t sure how he would handle having a child though, trusting and loving someone for the rest of his life. He wouldn’t be able to do it with its mom, so how would it work? He really wasn’t sure, but as he listened to Brandy, the nurse, talk about her little guy, he wondered when he would be ready for that. He still had a long life of singlehood to enjoy. He wouldn’t want a kid till he retired, either. But then, the problem was how to get a baby without a mom being attached to it. Adoption was his best bet, but who would give some playboy a baby?
Hm. But, really, why the fuck was he caring about this now? He must have hit his head really hard. His head wasn’t the only thing hurting though. His knee was throbbing, and then he remembered what made him fall. It wasn’t the desire to get into those two girls or the alcohol. Nope, his knee had popped.
“My knee, it popped.”
She glanced over at him from her file, a brow coming up. “Your knee?”
“Yeah, that’s what made me fall. I was getting up and I turned wrong, and I felt it pop in the brace.”
Her brows came together, and he could actually see the wheels spinning in her head. “I’m gonna get the doctor. We assumed it was all superficial, just a hit on the head that knocked you out since your vitals were fine. We’ve been pumping fluids into you to get rid of the alcohol and drugs—”
“Drugs?” he asked, shocked.
“Oh yeah, some MDMA,” she said, eyeing him. “But you didn’t know about the drugs.”
“Fuck no. What is MDMA?”
“Molly is the street name.”
“Fucking hell,” he said, expelling a breath. “I can’t do drugs; I play professionally. Fuck me,” he said, covering his face. He was sure that Elli would believe him if he told her he was drugged, but it didn’t look good that he came to New Orleans to party. Fuck.
“It’s okay, it obvious you didn’t know. I’ll write a note in your file,” she said, coming to him and patting his arm.
“Fucking Pierre,” he muttered, shaking his head. He was gonna cuss that asshole out.
“It will be fine; don’t worry. But please, tell me what happened to your knee.”
Shaking his head once more, he couldn’t believe this. He never did drugs, and now he was hurt and drugs could show up in his system. Hopefully this nurse would help out, but still. Fucking bullshit. Clearing his throat and deciding that he needed to call Elli once he got home, he looked back at Brandy and said, “I’m a pro hockey player up in Nashville. I was going toward the puck, guy came up behind me, and we both went into the boards. My leg went the wrong way and it snapped. I just went through four surgeries, and now I’m doing PT. But I heard a pop, felt it.”
She nodded, a worried look on her face. She liked him and that was good. When he first got hurt, he was angry and had decided that everyone sucked. He had chased off so many PTs that he couldn’t remember the count. But then Karson reminded him that honey attracts bees, and that if he wanted to heal, he had to be nice. He took that to heart, and now, he was as nice as could be to everyone in the medical field. His goal was to get back on the ice. The more he thought about it, the more he didn’t have to worry about the drug thing. He was a good guy and didn’t lie. He’d never failed a test because that would prevent him from getting on the ice. Nothing else mattered but getting back to what he loved.
As she moved around him, taking vitals, he couldn’t help but be disappointed in himself. This was probably the dumbest thing he had ever done. This weekend was supposed to help him get past his feelings for Kacey, but that wasn’t working. He had been through three different females, and still he was craving the one with brown eyes and an ass that could bring him to his knees. He could still see her laughing eyes, feel her hands on his chest, and he wished it would go away. Especially since he was lying there, helpless, unsure what the pop meant. He wanted his phone. He wanted to text her, but that wouldn’t help. It would only make it worse.
“What hospital?” she asked him, grabbing her pen from her pocket.
“I was in Vanderbilt in Nashville for a bit, and then I transferred to Middle Park Medical Center in Colorado,” he said, before giving her the names of the doctors who took care of him. He then gave her the name of his current PT. He was sure that Richard was going to flip when he got the news, but he’d worry about that later.
“Okay, let me get on the phone, and then I’ll track dow
n the doctor and see what she wants to do next. Sit tight for a few,” she said, finishing writing on her hand before putting her pen back in her pocket. Looking over at him, she smiled. “It’s gonna be okay, but in the meantime, anything I can get you while we wait?”
“Can I get something to eat? And also, where is my phone?”
She nodded. “I’ll see what I can find for you, and here, let me grab it for you,” she said, reaching for the bag that had his personal items. Handing him his phone, she sent him another grin and then winked as he thanked her. “No problem, be back soon.”
Kicking the blankets off, he looked down at his braced leg and shook his head before looking up at the ceiling. Please let it be okay. He didn’t need anything else holding him back from recovering. This had been such a bad idea, one he really hadn’t thought through. Shaking his head, he decided that it was all Pierre’s fault, and he was a fucking idiot. He should never have come to New Orleans. He should have never gotten that drunk, been drugged up, and played with two bitches.
Thinking of those girls brought up the memory of Kacey and what she had said to him before.
When you get too many people in the bedroom, someone is bound to get hurt.
It was a couple weeks ago when he realized that he was getting way too deep in the feelings pool for her. He knew he loved her, but he wouldn’t admit it to himself, and never to her. He figured if he suggested another girl coming into the bedroom, it would piss her off and she run off. If it didn’t go that way and they did bring someone else in, maybe it would help him ignore his feelings for her. But neither one of those scenarios happened. She laughed him off, told him he was crazy, and then dropped to her knees and gave him the best blow job of his life. When he came in the back of her throat, she sucked him dry, stood up, kissed his lips and then whispered, “I’m enough woman to please you. You don’t need anyone else in the room but me.”
He was so high on his orgasm cloud that he only nodded, laying her down and then fucking her so damn hard, it shook him to the core. He always joked that she wouldn’t walk the same the following day, but it was really he who would never be the same. Which was why he was in fucking New Orleans doing everything to forget his feelings for the girl that had his…fuck…his fucking heart.
Ugh, how pathetic.
Shaking his head, he saw he had some text messages from Pierre, telling him to call or text when he needed to be picked up. For some reason, it bothered him that the asshole couldn’t even come to the hospital to make sure Jordie was okay. But then, that further proved his point on why he never trusted anyone. Except for Karson. If he called and told Karson what happened, he knew that Karson would be on the first plane down here.
He knew that, so why did he dial Karson’s number?
He answered on the second ring. “JT, you okay?”
“Man, I think I fucked up,” he admitted, tears stinging his eyes. He wasn’t sure if he was still drunk, drugged, or what, but he felt completely and utterly alone. Weak, something he didn’t like at all. And the shitty thing was, he didn’t even want to talk to Karson.
He fucking wanted Kacey.
“What? What’s wrong?”
“I’m in New Orleans, came to see my boy Pierre Paul, and things got crazy. I got drunk and apparently drugged and was about to smash two bitches, and I think I fucked my knee up again.”
He heard Lacey then, asking if everything was okay, but Karson told her to go back to bed, and then he heard a door shut. “Fuck, Jordie, what happened?”
Jordie explained the whole situation, not leaving out anything. No matter how disgusting and wrong Karson could think it all was, Jordie didn’t hold back. They were bros; they didn’t hide things from each other. Well, he did hide that he’d been fucking Karson’s sister for the last five months. That was beside the point, though.
“Why, Jordie? Why didn’t you just stay home? Or hell, come here.”
Shaking his head, he cupped his face with his other hand. He couldn’t admit the real reason, and instead, he lied to his best friend. “I just wanted to party. You can’t party when you have a wife, dude.”
“Don’t bring Lacey into this. You know she loves you and wouldn’t mind you coming here. Where are you? I’ll fly down.”
“No, no, don’t do that,” he said quickly. “That’s not why I called.”
“I know, but I don’t want you to be alone, and I know that fucktard Pierre isn’t there.”
He was right, but Jordie wasn’t going to tell Karson that. “I just… I just don’t know. I don’t know why I called.”
Karson let out a long breath, and Jordie knew he was probably shaking his head, running his hand over his face, completely frustrated with him. He always joked that Jordie was like a younger brother to him. Someone he always had to put back in place. The funny thing was that Jordie was older than him. Not that anyone would ever know that. Karson was the kind of man that all men strive to be. He was responsible, knew what he wanted, and worked his ass off. Loved with all his heart and tried to fix everyone. He was a good dude.
“You’re in the hospital?”
“Yeah,” Jordie answered, sucking in a deep breath. “Waiting on the doctor.”
“Okay, listen, you’re gonna be okay. Don’t worry. I’m sure everything is fine. You’re drunk, maybe you imagined the pop?”
“I felt and heard it.”
“Okay. Fucking shit, Jordie, I don’t know. You’re making me nervous. Sure you don’t want me to come down?”
“Not yet, dude., Let me see what happens,” he said, biting his lip. He shouldn’t have called, but something inside him needed someone to care that he was hurt. That he had fucked up. He wanted Kacey, that was the problem, and Karson was the closest to her that he could get and keep his heart safe.
“Okay, listen, I got my phone by the bed. Call me as soon as you know, okay?”
“Yeah, dude, thanks,” Jordie said, and he meant it.
“Okay, bro, call me.”
“I will,” he promised before he hung up the phone. Leaning his head back, he locked his phone, the picture of him and Kacey staring up at him.
Man, he missed her.
Unlocking his phone, he went to her text thread, and like a fucking idiot, sat there and read their texts.
Jordie: When you getting here? I’m ready to fuck.
Kacey: Shut up, asshole. I’m coming.
Jordie: Not yet, but when you get here you will be.
Kacey: I better. Don’t waste my time, Thomas.
Jordie: Have I ever?
Smiling, he continued to read them. Usually they talked about sex, sending pictures of themselves in sexy poses. She loved his beard and loved pictures of him grooming the beast. Her ass was his Achilles’ heel, and when she sent pictures of herself squatting or even in a thong, he would beg her to come over. But there was more to them than just sex. As much as he didn’t want to admit that, there was.
Kacey: What if I don’t make the team?
Jordie: Then they are fucking dumb. You’re the best.
Kacey: Thx. So are you.
Jordie: I don’t know. My career might be over.
Kacey: Never, you’re too strong. You’ll bounce back in no time. We’ll train together.
Jordie: Fine, but busted leg or not, I’m not letting you beat me.
Kacey: I know, that’s why I want to train with you. So when I do beat you, you’ll know who the best is.
Jordie: Are you challenging me, King?
Kacey: I am.
Jordie: So when I win, what do I get?
Kacey: What do you want?
Jordie: You. Naked.
Kacey: That can be arranged.
Kacey: So I guess we aren’t having sex until someone wins?
Jordie: Whoa, whoa. Relax now. No need to overreact. I have to heal first.
Kacey: LOL. So we are still having sex?
Jordie: Yeah, come over.
Kacey: You don’t tell me what to do.
Jordie:
…get your ass over here. I want you in my mouth.
Kacey: Ugh. Fine, you’re lucky I like the way you eat me.
Yeah, he was lucky, but he had let her go.
Closing his eyes, he let his phone drop in his lap as he let out a long breath. It took everything out of him not to open his eyes and text her. He just wanted to know she still cared, but how selfish was that? He didn’t want to have a real relationship with her, but he wanted to know she cared. That was wrong and selfish. He needed to let her go. She needed to find someone who would want what she wanted. Someone who would trust and love her. He may love her, but he really didn’t think he could trust her. No matter how much he wanted to try.
When his phone sounded, he expected it to be Karson checking in, but it wasn’t.
Kacey: Lacey said you’re in the hospital in New Orleans, but didn’t know details. Are you okay?
His fingers were hovering over the keys, and he wanted to answer her, but before he could, the curtain pulled back and soon his attention was stolen.
By the doctor.
“Holy fuck.”
As she looked at Jordie with dark eyes that pierced his soul, he wasn’t sure if he was really looking at the doctor or the girl that could star in his naughty doctor porn dreams. The air sizzled around him as his body went hot and his heart started to pound. It had been so long since he just instantly wanted to fuck someone, but this doctor was someone he wanted to plow into. And by the way she was looking at him, she was feeling the same.
Standing in a pair of strappy black heels, her legs were encased in black tights, her skirt was tighter than a nun’s ass, and she wore a white shirt that was snug against her huge tits. While her body was something of the gods, her face was gorgeous too. Plush lips that were painted a nude color while her eyes were done dramatically. Her black-rimmed glasses sat on her nose, while dark hair with light ends was up in a bun held by a pen. She was downright sinful.
“Well, good evening to you too,” she said, recovering a bit before coming toward the bed and averting her eyes to look over his file. He didn’t miss the way she licked her lips though or how she kept stealing glances at him or how she stood a little taller, perking that ass out in a way that made his hand shake at his side. No, she had his undivided attention.