by Denise Bower
“Holy shit,” he groaned and rolled to his back. He raised his arms and covered his face, groaning again.
I was stunned because that, to me, was more than sex. And it scared the shit out of me. It wasn’t supposed to be like that with anyone. Much less someone I barely knew. And worse, a hockey player who wasn’t going to stick around.
Ugh.
“Jeesh,” Carter said as he slowly sat up and shed the used condom. He leaned across me, flinging it toward the garbage can before kissing and licking his way down my body, firing me up again. He mumbled something about tasting me, and when he flicked his tongue against me, I gripped his hair and shuddered with pleasure. I lost track of time and space, and soon there were fireworks shooting behind my eyelids again.
He nuzzled my neck before rolling out of bed. “I’m starving,” he said.
“I can’t move,” I said.
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“I think there’s a few drinks in the fridge, but not much else. I wasn’t planning on being here.”
Instead of grabbing something to wear, Carter left my bedroom totally naked. I had to remind myself that it was okay for him to wander around in the nude. This was my apartment and I didn’t have a roommate. I flopped back and reveled in the afterglow of a great morning. Too bad it only lasted a few seconds.
“Holy Mary, Mother of God!” Sawyer shouted. “My eyes. My eyes! Fuck, man, put some clothes on.”
“Jesus Christ! What are you doing here?” Carter asked.
“Wait a minute. What am I saying? Let’s see it again,” Sawyer shouted.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Shut up. Toss me a towel or something.”
Someone dragged a chair across the floor and slammed a drawer or cupboard door.
“Victoria!” they both yelled.
I grabbed the sheet and wrapped it around my body before rushing out to save Sawyer.
Carter was sitting at the kitchen table with an oven mitt strategically placed on his lap.
“Hey, Soy Sauce,” I said. “It sounded like you boys found religion this morning. Am I late for the sermon?”
“Ha ha. Aren’t you funny,” Sawyer said and frowned, flailing his arms. “Everyone is getting some, and what am I doing? Babysitting a fourteen-year-old girl who thinks she’s in her late twenties and a brother who calls every hour to make sure I haven’t lost the little demon. How is this my life?”
I moved to sit down, but Carter decided to pull me onto his lap and kiss my neck.
“Seriously?” Sawyer squeaked. “I’m out of here.”
“Hey, wait a minute. Why are you here?” I asked, trying to keep a straight face and not squirm because I could feel Carter pressing his semi against my ass.
“I have no idea,” he said and fled the apartment.
When the door slammed, Carter attacked my neck again and began a slow grind against me.
“I need to get to the rink,” I gasped.
“No you don’t,” he mumbled as he nipped at my shoulder.
The sheet I was wearing pooled at my waist, and before I knew what was happening, Carter stood and carried me to the bedroom.
We were late for our ice time, which meant Sawyer was already in the building. Carter headed for the weight room, leaving me to face Sawyer alone. The instant he spotted me, he narrowed his eyes and stalked toward me.
“Good morning, sunshine,” I said, smiling. “Remember there are children present.”
He flipped his bangs off his face. “So … interesting morning.”
“Are you asking me or telling me?”
“I do want to hear all the dirty details. I think I deserve it. I mean I saw everything the guy has to offer, and let me tell you, I was impressed.”
My cheeks burned, and I tried to keep a straight face but failed miserably when a giggle slipped out. Luckily I was saved from saying anything when Shelby bounded down the tunnel.
“I certainly hoped you practiced safe sex,” she said, eyeing me.
Sawyer burst out laughing and herded her down the tunnel.
“What? I’m not stupid. She has a huge hickey on her neck,” Shelby said loudly.
“Oh, Jesus,” I muttered and zipped up my jacket. This was going to be a long day.
Sawyer spent the day entertaining a steady stream of kids while I did a second session on the ice with Carter and a difficult hour in the weight room. By the time I staggered down the tunnel to the other rink, I wanted nothing more than to collapse in my bed, but Sawyer had begged me to check out some potential students.
“You have hockey skates on,” a girl said when I stepped onto the ice.
“I do,” I said.
“This is a figure skating academy,” she said. “Not a place for hockey players.”
I chuckled. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“See that you do.” She huffed, stuck her nose in the air, and skated away.
I resisted the urge to call her back and explain why I was wearing hockey skates. Several kids nervously glanced from me to the rude girl, possibly hoping for a confrontation. It only took a few minutes for the kids to find another distraction. I sighed, remembering how it felt to be dumped in a new place where I didn’t know the coach or the other kids. Shelby skated over and proceeded to give me a short bio of every kid on the ice.
“I liked having you guys all to myself,” she said. “Sharing doesn’t really appeal to me, especially with Clare. She keeps telling everyone she’s going to be the next senior ladies champion. She’s so full of—” She paused. “—it.” She ground the word out like it had a bad taste, then pointed at the girl who had obnoxiously mentioned my hockey skates.
“I think I’ll change,” I said.
Sawyer had all the kids clustered in a group when I stepped onto the ice wearing figure skates and dressed in Ravens leggings and a black midriff top that showed off my toned abs. I did a few leisurely laps before I launched into a series of double axels. After I knew I had the attention of everyone, I picked up speed and nailed a triple Lutz, double toe. Shelby whooped as I stopped in front of the kids, making sure I sprayed them with a pile of snow. Clare received the worst of it.
“Please welcome, Ms. Victoria Campbell, 2014 Olympic silver medalist in pairs,” Sawyer said.
The kids oohed and aahed and suddenly Clare was my best friend.
“I am sorry about my earlier comment. I didn’t know who you were,” she said sheepishly.
“Who I am shouldn’t matter,” I said. “You should treat everyone with respect, even hockey players.”
She bit her lip and slowly nodded.
“Now, let’s start over. My name is Victoria,” I said. “And your name is?”
“Um, I’m Clare,” she said quietly.
“Hi, Clare. It’s nice to meet you.”
Her lip quivered, but she managed a tiny smile. I patted her shoulder and asked her to show me her best jump. She picked up speed and cranked out a double axel, landing on a beautiful back, outside edge.
Soon all the kids were showing us their best stuff. Even Sawyer joined the competition when he cranked out a triple loop, followed by his signature death-drop spin. By the end of practice, the kids were grinning and talking excitedly. Sawyer settled them down by discussing what would be expected of them when they joined the academy.
With the kids’ attention firmly on Sawyer, I decided to sneak off the ice and head home. It had been a long day and I’d have to do it all over again tomorrow. Plus I had no desire to deal with the parents. Most of the time, they were worse than the kids.
I expected my apartment to be empty, but when I opened the door, Carter was sitting at the table surrounded by food.
“Dinner is served,” he said.
“Oh my. I think I love you,” I said.
He coughed and dribbled water down the front of his shirt. I forgot how to breathe.
“I mean, I’m starving,” I said loudly. “Food is good. It smells really good. What are we having? It’s
so nice of you to cook and….” I buried my face in my hands and turned my back on him, wishing the floor would swallow me whole.
“Could you toss me a towel?” Carter asked.
“Yep,” I said and pulled open a drawer, almost sending it to the floor. I managed to find a towel so he could wipe up the mess. Maybe he wouldn’t notice if I ate my dinner under the table. Tension was thick, and it wasn’t until his phone buzzed that I moved.
He laughed and proudly showed me the screen. “The guys are texting me.”
I had no idea what all the emojis meant. Why would anyone text an eggplant along with some sort of ghost?
“Sit down. It’s getting cold,” he said, gesturing at the chair.
“Thanks. I do appreciate this. I need food.” I felt like a bumbling thirteen-year-old again.
“You’re welcome,” he said in between bites.
Carter flipped on the TV and the sounds of a hockey game filled the apartment. I concentrated on the food in front of me while listening to the TV announcers arguing about which team was the worst in the league.
“Doc gave me a clean bill of health,” Carter said. “And I also heard from Teresa.”
“Who’s Teresa?”
“The redhead.”
“What?” I dropped my fork and it bounced to the floor. “You were supposed to take out a restraining order on her, not have a conversation with her.”
“Paulie told me some chick wanted to see me. I figured she wouldn’t do anything with Paulie hanging around. She never admitted anything, but she apologized for being a nuisance.”
“A nuisance? For fuck’s sake. She could have killed you.”
“I told her if she or her friends showed their faces again, I wouldn’t hesitate to call the police.”
“That’s all you said?”
He shrugged. “I just want to put that night behind me. I’m going to take the advice offered by the mini demon. No more free drinks unless I’m at the bar and get them directly from the bartender.”
“But don’t you think—”
He placed his hand over my mouth. “I’m handling it.”
His easy dismissal angered me, but it really wasn’t my place to question his decision.
He patted my hand and smiled. “I get it.”
“Okay, but people are worried about you,” I whispered.
He put his arm around me, drawing me closer. I rested my head on his shoulder and sighed.
“Thanks again for dinner,” I said. “When did you have time to cook all this stuff? There’s barely enough food in my fridge to make a smoothie. I just can’t seem to find time to get to the grocery store.”
“Truthfully. I didn’t cook. I placed an order and had them deliver a bunch of food.”
“I don’t care where it came from. It’s great, and thanks for including me.” I grinned but restrained from telling him I loved him again. Even though I sorta did right now. “At times, you can be very brilliant.”
“That is something I have never heard.”
After we cleared the table, he gestured for me to follow. I thought he’d head for the bedroom, but he collapsed on the couch and patted the empty space beside him. I sat down, and he wrapped a blanket around us and closed his eyes.
“I’m assuming you’re planning on heading back to the arena in a bit,” he said.
“Yes, but it can wait.”
“The main sheet is in use until ten,” he mumbled.
I was secretly pleased he had checked the arena schedule. In my mind it meant he enjoyed skating with me at night. I snuggled against him, warm and comfortable. It was going to be difficult to haul my butt out into the chill of the evening. But when the clock struck midnight, the draw of an empty arena coaxed me into moving. I’d grown to love the quiet and solitude of skating alone, although I did enjoy having Carter along.
“You didn’t have to come with me. You worked hard today,” I said.
“I wanted to come.” He slid the key into the lock and opened the door.
“I know you were drugged out of your mind, but do you remember what you said to me?”
“Not really,” he said. “Was it something dirty?”
My face fell, but I pressed forward. “No. You said you wanted to skate with me.”
He chuckled. “Maybe in the deep recess of my mind I remember.”
“What?”
He took a deep breath and clenched his jaw. “For some reason, I felt compelled to bring these tonight.”
He unzipped his bag and a pair of black figure skates tumbled to the ground.
“Whoa,” I said.
“It’s been awhile, so I’ll need a little bit of ice time before I’m used to these damn toe picks again.”
I laughed. “Mine tripped me up the first time I skated here.”
He twisted toward me, knocking his knees against mine. “I never thought I’d wear these things again, but I think it’s time to put the demons to rest. You wanna help me?”
“You’re getting pretty sappy,” I said.
He snorted and shook his head. “Almost dying does that to a guy.”
“Point.”
He turned his attention to his skates, tugging and pulling until he was satisfied. He stood slowly, and then stomped around, jumping and bending his knees.
“Feels weird. No laughing if I bite it,” he said when he stepped onto the ice.
His first strokes were tentative and wobbly, but before long he was gliding around the ice exhibiting perfect arm and head positions. I saw the fifteen-year-old skating phenom come to life before my eyes. He beckoned for me, so I jumped over the boards and joined him. He held out his hand but I shook my head.
“Not yet,” I said and smiled. “Not until I know you can keep up with me.”
“You’re on,” he shouted. Within seconds, he’d caught me and was matching me stride for stride. I turned backward and he copied my movements, still staying near me. Again he held out his hand, and this time I laced my fingers with his.
He pulled me closer as we skated faster and faster. He counted a steady rhythm until we were totally in sync.
“Lasso lift,” he said.
Without thinking of the danger of doing a trick with an unfamiliar partner, we turned forward, and I allowed Carter to lift me above his head. I felt like I was flying. All of my insecurities and unhappy thoughts dropped to the ground as I enjoyed the moment. He set me gently on the ice, and we kept skating, doing a few more simple tricks. When the music ended, he stared at me, wide-eyed and unsure. I was so turned on I could barely breathe.
“I can’t believe I let you do that,” I said breathlessly.
“I can’t believe I did it. I don’t know what I was thinking. I could’ve hurt you.”
“But you didn’t. It was exhilarating to be in the air again. And I felt secure.”
“I’m still sorry. I seem to make all the wrong choices,” he said, hanging his head.
“Sometimes I feel that way too.” I wrapped my arms around his waist and held tightly.
The next three days were spent on the ice with Carter, Sawyer, and the kids, working on programs and getting to know everyone. Sawyer’s happiness was infectious, and I seemed to have found my joy again, especially when Carter was around.
Thankfully there wasn’t enough time for me to dwell on my burgeoning feelings for the guy. Next week was sectionals for the kids who had qualified. Shelby was excited but not pleased that Sawyer was sticking with her old programs. She looked to me several times, but I stood with Sawyer. It was too risky to debut a brand new program.
Carter had forced me to go to the grocery store, which translated into cooking dinner together. I found myself getting so comfortable with him; I had to remind myself daily that this was not a permanent thing.
The team returned after a successful road trip, winning three out of the four games and firmly securing their spot on top of the league. Carter seemed genuinely excited to be back on the ice with the boys. It was great to see h
im happy, but in the back of my mind, the clock had started ticking again. The league had given him a few days to recover, but with the team back and a clean bill of health, his time here would be ending soon.
The guys welcomed Carter back to the team by filling his helmet with shaving cream, which made him late for practice and earned him an extra fifteen minutes of skating drills. I waited for him to explode, but he took it all in stride, getting payback the next day by embarrassing most of the guys with moves that would make even the best hockey player cry.
With Alex back, Sawyer decided he needed to rent his own apartment.
He dragged me down to the manager’s office. “You don’t have to do this,” I said. “He’s not going to stay forever.”
“Yes, I do. I need my space.”
“Why?”
“What if I want to entertain guests? You have one bedroom. I’m not—” He coughed. “—using your couch, and I don’t want people to get the wrong idea about me and you sleeping in the same bed.”
I burst out laughing. “Protecting my reputation,” I said. “My hero.”
“More like protecting mine,” he grumbled.
“I’m just teasing you,” I said.
“Our lives are like soap operas. Maybe we should do a reality show.”
“No thanks. I have enough people interested in my business,” I said. “Now let’s go find you a new place.”
He decided on a three bedroom, citing his ability to entertain parents and host gatherings. He also wanted room to breathe. He’d been on the road for over a year, and the thought of living in a small box was not appealing.
Sawyer enlisted Shelby to aid him in furnishing his apartment. It took them two days to set up a livable household. I still tripped over boxes and only had food in my fridge because Carter had taken the initiative to fill it.
With Sawyer living in his own place, I figured Carter would budge his way into Sawyer’s space. But he made no move to leave my apartment. Alex snickered a lot and Shelby constantly made kissing noises. The rest of the team nudged each other and raised their eyebrows whenever I spoke to Carter.
A jittery feeling started to take over my body. The only place I felt calm was during practice with the guys. I decided it was because I was in charge and confident in my choices for my players. My personal life was a different story.