by Denise Bower
My only flaw was trying to keep my gaze from wandering to Carter. I thought I was hiding my attraction well until we hit the weight room for stretching. It wasn’t mandatory, so most guys scurried off to the showers. When the final brave souls trickled out of the room, Cam hung back and leaned against the wall to stretch his calf muscles. I tossed him a towel.
“You doing okay?” Cam asked.
“Yeah. I need to figure out how to balance everything. I haven’t been able to pencil in time to sleep in my daily schedule.”
I busied myself by wiping down the mats with disinfectant.
“You’re skating at night,” he stated.
My jaw tightened, but it wasn’t like I was trying to keep it a secret.
I nodded.
“That’s good,” he said. “You need it. Skating is a part of you, and to deny it is a mistake.”
“Working with the kids has been fun.”
“What about working with Carter?”
“He’s still a major pain.”
Before Cam could ask any more questions, I decided to take control and shut him down.
“I’m not having this conversation with you. I reread my contract and I’m not violating any rules.”
He chuckled. “Ah, Vika. I’m not trying to be nosy.”
“Yes, you are, but that’s okay. I appreciate your concern.”
“Carter told me he’s been on the ice with you wearing figure skates.”
“Really?”
“I also know he’s staying with you.” He paused and gave me the identical look my mother used to give me when she knew I’d done something stupid.
“He told you that?” My face reddened, and I wondered if I’d become locker-room fodder. Maybe that’s why the team had been giving me oddball looks.
Cam sat down on a bench and dropped the towel around his neck. The lights in the room made the gray strands in his hair almost sparkle, reminding me he wasn’t a young guy anymore.
I bit my lip and shuffled from foot to foot.
Cam chuckled. “Murph didn’t say anything about the other stuff. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out you two have something going on.”
I opened and closed my mouth several times but finally gave up when Cam raised his eyebrows and shrugged.
“It wasn’t supposed to happen. We have history,” I mumbled.
“You were both skaters.”
“What are you? A detective or something?”
“I’m a captain. I know my players, but Murph never talked about the skating so I left it alone. I didn’t realize he was embarrassed by it. Personally I think it’s an advantage. He’s one of the best skaters I’ve ever played with.”
“Do you know why he quit skating?”
“Have you asked him?”
“Well, no.”
“Maybe you should,” he said.
“I’m a firm believer in not rocking the boat when things are good.”
“Sometimes things get better if you push the limits.”
“And sometimes the boat pulls a Titanic and sinks.”
“Oh, Vika.” He hugged me, but quickly turned the hug into a headlock and mussed my hair. “Be careful,” he said when he let me go.
He snapped me with his towel and disappeared down the hall, leaving me a curious mess.
I hung back and continued to tidy the room. By the time I’d finished, I knew most of the team had gone home. I glanced at the clock and hurried toward the rink. Shelby was already there, standing in the middle of the ice, scanning the stands and checking each tunnel.
“You looking for me?” I asked.
“Oh, no,” she said, shaking her head. “I was—”
“Hey, demon kid,” Carter shouted from the home-team bench.
“Murph,” she yelled and skated away from me.
Sawyer snuck up behind me, clutched me at the waist, and twirled me around. “I asked for his input with her. She seems to light up when he talks to her.”
“I’ve been replaced by a hockey player.”
“You’ve been bedded by a hockey player,” he said with a smirk. “I’m still waiting to hear about it.”
“Let’s just say a fun time was had by both participants. In fact, it was almost simultaneous and then it happened again and again.”
“Oh my,” Sawyer gasped. “Stop saying shit like that. How am I supposed to function now that I’m thinking about perfect timing and multiple times?”
“You asked.”
“You make me crazy,” he said and spun me around so I was facing him. “Let’s dance, doll.”
Although there was no music, we cut a pattern around the rink, skating the steps to a dance called Blues.
“We’ve still go it,” he said when we completed the dance.
“Yes, we do,” I said.
We leaned against the boards, chatting about his students.
“I never thought so many people would want me as a coach. Especially in the middle of the season.”
“I’m happy for you,” I said.
Our conversation was interrupted when Shelby and Carter started arguing about some ridiculous spin. She burst out laughing when he tried to demonstrate.
For the next thirty minutes, we worked on constructing a new long program for Shelby. By the end of the session, she was so excited she could barely stand still.
“I love it,” she squealed and hugged a stunned Carter again. I wondered if he would ever get used to her displays of affection.
“As stated previously, you’re still going to use the old one at sections. There is not enough time to perfect this new one.”
She pouted for a few minutes, but as the other students began filtering onto the ice, she pasted on a smile. Soon they were all gathered around Shelby and Carter, listening intently as he talked about choosing the right music for a kick-ass routine.
Finally Sawyer took control of his kids and shooed Carter and me off the ice.
“If you ever lose your job, you’re welcome to join me,” Sawyer said to Carter.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Carter said.
I gave Sawyer and quick wave and headed down the tunnel. Carter quickly followed, finally catching me and pinning me against the wall. He lifted my arms above my head, slipped his knee between my thighs, and leaned into me, slowly tracing my lips with his tongue. I rocked against his leg, enjoying the sensation. Of course Alex chose that second to burst out of the locker room. We jumped apart, and Carter scowled at him.
“Oops,” Alex said smugly.
“I’ll see you at home,” Carter whispered to me.
He checked Alex into the wall and banged the door of the locker room open. My knees shook and I felt like I was going to collapse.
Alex whistled. “Hot stuff.”
“Well, you certainly doused the fire,” I grumbled.
He flipped me off and mumbled something about needing a fire truck to douse those flames.
Chapter 13
The next evening, Carter lit up the ice again, and the Ravens blew the second-place team off the ice by a score of 5-0. Alex had two goals and two assists, while Carter scored the other three with Cam assisting on four of the goals. Alex received the Raven diamond for player of the game. He was stunned by the gesture, but Cam made sure he realized he deserved it.
Once more Cameron suggested the team get together for a little bonding, only this evening it was for dinner and drinks in a private room. I declined and stayed at the rink to skate and reflect on my feelings about this whole situation that had become my life.
My music choices reflected my mood, and by the end of my skate, I was almost depressed. I sat down and called Sawyer.
“Yes?” he answered.
“I’m bummed out,” I said.
“Maybe talking to him instead of me would help.”
“I don’t know if he’s the reason, and besides, he’s out with the boys.”
“No, I saw him a few minutes ago. I think he took Shelby home and hung out with h
er after the game.”
“I wasn’t supposed to like him,” I said.
“I know, doll. You never take the easy route.”
“What am I going to do?”
“That’s a huge question that only you can answer.”
“Fuck.”
“Exactly.”
I hung up and turned the music louder so it filled the arena. I let my mind go to places I was afraid to confront. Competing, my new job, Carter, and the choices that could alter my life. I fell several times, skidding across the ice on my ass.
“You seem tense,” Carter shouted over the music. “Your shoulders are up by your ears.”
I knocked on my skull. “Too much in my head.”
He leaned over the boards and stretched out his arms, beckoning me to come closer. I glided toward him and slipped my hands into his. He cocked his head and grinned.
“Skate for me,” he whispered as another song filled the arena.
“You pick the music,” I said.
This time he chose an upbeat, dirty pop song that had me grinding my hips and playing seducer. It didn’t take him long to pull me over the boards and drag me into the locker room.
“You ever done it in a locker room before?” he asked, holding up a condom packet.
“Are you serious? We can’t. Not here.”
“Have you ever?” he asked as he sat down.
“What? In a locker room?”
He nodded.
“No,” I said.
“Me neither.” He winked and licked his lips.
For some reason, his confession of being a locker-room virgin surprised me and made me incredibly hot.
He grabbed my hips and pulled me between his legs, slowly inching his fingers into the waistband of my leggings as if asking for permission. I closed my eyes and let him run his hands down my thighs, up over my waist, and across my breasts, until I was vibrating with want. He stood, laced his fingers with mine, and had me sit down in his stall. He kneeled in front of me and slowly stripped me of my skates.
“Baby,” he whispered. “Tell me if you’re uncomfortable.”
I’d almost forgotten we were in the locker room. He grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet while he placed a towel on the bench. He sat down and smiled at me. I grabbed the condom from him, tearing it open, and rolled it down his dick while he held his breath. I swung my legs over his thighs and sank down on him.
What I thought would be a quick, dirty fuck turned into something much more. I couldn’t avoid eye contact. I felt stripped bare with my emotions leaking all over the place. He pumped his hips and I dropped my head to his shoulder.
“Come on, baby,” he gasped. “So close.”
His breathing stuttered and I held my breath as my orgasm built inside me. He groaned and slowed his movement, but I gyrated my hips to let him know I wasn’t done.
It only took a few more minutes until my body tensed, and he held me tightly as I rode out my pleasure. I collapsed on him and he stroked my back.
“I’m not going to be able to come in here anymore,” I said.
“How do you think I’m going to feel,” he said, grinning.
I smacked his arm, climbed off his lap, and gathered my clothes while he cleaned up his stall. I inspected his work to make sure we hadn’t left any sort of evidence.
“Let’s go home,” he said, kissing my temple.
My stomach flipped. The scary thing about this whole mess was how normal it felt, how he had come to feel like home in such a short amount of time.
A good night’s sleep did wonders. I was light on my feet through morning skate with the guys, happy to be surrounded by kids in the afternoon, and ready to hang out with Hank at tonight’s game.
“Haven’t seen you around too much,” Hank said.
“I know. I’ve missed you,” I said as I set a smoothie in front of him.
“Liar.” He tossed an armful of clean socks at me and demanded I put them in the correct stalls. “Then get back here and help me with the skates.”
I mock saluted him and paused for a few seconds before kicking the door open and heading into the locker room, where I found several guys in very little clothing. I’d given up on knocking because they always said to come in, even if they were naked.
Carter was sitting in his stall, putting on his girdle. I couldn’t help staring at the black belt with the clips dangling on his thighs. I tossed his socks in his face, forcing myself not to think of what we’d done in here last night.
He made a show of drawing his hand across my forearm, making every single hair on my arm stand up.
“Fuck,” I mumbled and hurried through the rest of my duties.
In the middle of the second period, Hank nudged me and told me to go get some more clean towels. On the way back to the bench, I almost dropped the entire load.
“Dad,” I said.
“Hello, Vika.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I’ve come to check on the progress of my player. He looks great out there. You must tell me your secret.”
My face reddened and I coughed. “Are you staying?”
“No, I need to leave right after the game ends. I have to catch an early morning flight to Boston. We have a game.”
I stared at him. “I have to go,” I said. “Duty calls.”
“Good to see you, Vika,” he yelled as I scurried down the hall.
I dumped the towels with Hank and raced away to hide in the press box.
The team won, and Carter put on a show for my dad. I spotted them talking in the hall after the game. Carter was holding the Raven diamond and grinning at my father. When my dad patted him on the back and shook his hand, it made my stomach tie into knots. I knew Carter didn’t belong here, but I didn’t want to give him back to my dad yet.
I slunk away to hide in the laundry room, dismissing anyone who tried to talk to me. Carter tried to coax me to come celebrate with the team, but I waved him off, pointing at the huge pile of laundry.
“Hank has been covering for me. I need to pull my weight or I’ll lose my job.”
“Okay,” Carter said. “I’ll see you later.”
He leaned in for a kiss, but I turned my head at the last minute so all that happened was a quick brush of his lips against my cheek. He looked confused and slightly hurt but left me alone.
I leaned against the machine for a few seconds, trying to catch my breath. When the voices in the hall died out, I added the detergent and started it.
With the laundry going, I decided to head to the ice and work off some of my irrational anger toward my dad, Carter, and the world of hockey. It didn’t really work, and I had a terrible practice, suffering multiple falls.
Carter was sound asleep when I crept into my apartment. I elected to crash on the couch and was up and out the door before he rose. I left him a note, telling him I needed to go in early for treatment.
Doc scolded me for not tending to the aches immediately. He forced me into an ice bath, which made me crankier.
“You need to take care of your body,” Doc said.
“I know that,” I grumbled.
After the torture of nearly freezing to death, I redressed and headed toward the ice to skate with Shelby and the kids. The minute I heard voices, I screeched to a halt. I don’t really know why I stopped, but the tone of the conversation sounded serious.
I peeked around the corner and saw Shelby and Carter seated next to each other on the bench. He was dressed in his gear, making her look like a tiny doll.
“Why are you here?” she asked, poking him in the shoulder pad.
“The Hawks management thought I needed a conditioning stint.”
“Do you like to play?”
He shrugged. “Yeah.”
“You’re really good,” she said.
“Well, thanks.”
“Alex thinks you’re a dick on purpose and that you make stupid choices to make people not like you.”
“Oh, really. When di
d the kid have time to get a degree in psychology?”
“You want to know what I think?” she asked.
“Sure. Lay it on me.”
“I know you were a figure skater.”
He slumped forward and hung his head. I almost felt bad for him. For a minute or two, I thought about saving him, but I really wanted to hear what she had to say.
“That was a long time ago,” he said.
“Why did you quit?”
“It’s a long story.”
“I’ve got time. No school tomorrow, and no kids due for another twenty minutes.”
He sighed. “You’re a pain in the ass.”
“I know. Now answer the question.”
“My coach and my dad ganged up on me and forced me to choose. I think my coach thought I’d stay with him. He was genuinely surprised when my dad gave him his walking papers. What my coach didn’t know was my father had told me to quit skating or he’d cut me off.”
“Cut you off?”
“Money, support, a roof over my head.”
“Wow, that’s just cruel.”
“No, what’s cruel was I didn’t know he meant I had to quit hockey as well. He didn’t want to sink any more money into something as silly as hockey.” Carter stood up, squared his shoulders, and put his hands on his hips. “‘One cannot make a living playing a game or competing in a sport,’” he said in a low, booming voice.
“What did you do?”
“Left home and changed my name so it was a clean break from my old man.”
“How old?” she asked.
“I’d just turned sixteen, and he was more than happy to let me declare my independence.”
“Where did you go? How did you survive?”
“Friends, coaches, US Hockey.”
“Isn’t it funny how I would give anything to have my parents around and your dad doesn’t want you.”
Carter sat back down and put his arm around her shoulders.
“Some days I miss them so much that I can barely breathe,” she said.
“I’ve never missed him,” he said. “And I doubt he misses me.”
“Where’s your mom?”
“She died when I was really young. I barely remember her. That’s where the name Murphy came from. I took her maiden name.”