by Kate Meader
A few minutes before the end of the period, his body language changed when his brother came on the ice. He angled forward, his fists balled, his entire being focused the next play. As much as she liked Bastian, she didn’t want him to score—not if it ruined Reid’s night.
She wasn’t quite prepared for Reid’s reaction when Bastian plugged the puck into the back of the net within seconds of coming on the ice. Her roommate shot upright, as if he’d forgotten he wasn’t alone, and yelled, “Yes!”
Bucky barked and Reid sat beside him quickly, running a hand over him to soothe him.
“You’re glad he scored? Aren’t they the competition?” And isn’t your brother your biggest rival?
“Of course I’m glad. I’m always happy for him when he does well.”
“And with that goal, Bastian Durand shoots to the top of the conference scoring table. Pity his brother didn’t play so well last night! Bet that’ll be awkward at the next family dinner.”
“Wow, they really like playing up this rivalry, don’t they?”
“Rivalries are the lifeblood of sports. But Bast and I aren’t really in the same league. I recognize that and it’s okay.”
Her heart did a weird flip. She’d expected a begrudging acceptance of Bastian’s talents, not this sheer joy in his brother’s good fortune. That should not have turned her on more. It really shouldn’t have.
Though she now realized that by “turned on,” she meant something else. Something far riskier to cool, no-attachment, rolling stone Kennedy Clark.
26
Reid jumped the boards and headed out to the center for the faceoff. Kevin Maclin, the Philly captain lifted his chin and grinned—or as much as you could with a mouth guard in.
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t pretty boy Durand in a new position. Your coach gettin’ desperate, huh?”
“Not as desperate as that redhead you used to screw in college. What was she called again?”
“Keep her name out of your mouth.”
“Right, you married her.” Reid’s chuckle was dark. “Merde, she definitely took pity on you.”
“Asshole.”
But he was the asshole with the puck. Sometimes people forgot the heights of dickishness he was prepared to scale in service to the game. Reid had already flicked the puck to Foreman before Maclin’s insult had died on his lips. He shouldered his way past the big Philly man, determined to be out of his range should the puck come flying back.
Which it did.
If Reid squinted, he might be able to make out a pocket of light through the Philly tender’s leg pads. He could take the shot … or take advantage of Petrov who was already in position on the left. Back to the Rebels captain who struck, clean and true.
The horn went off, the crowd went fucking nuts, and Reid felt better about that goal than if he’d scored it himself. Petrov skated over, his gloved hand raised, and Reid high-fived him.
It would be rude not to. While he might be a dick to others on the team, he had a lot of respect for the big Russian.
“Good work, Duracell. Keep it up.”
Duracell. He hadn’t lasted long enough anywhere to acquire a nickname. Reid nodded and headed back to the center.
An hour later, he’d accumulated eighteen minutes and thirty-two seconds of ice time, two assists, and was uncomfortably accepting the praise of his teammates in the locker room after a 5-1 win.
“Jesus, you must hate this,” Foreman said with a grin as he pulled his jersey off.
“It’s not my favorite thing.” He shot a sharp look at Foreman, who was having a hard time not laughing. Or not a hard time at all. “Unlike you who needs constant ego massaging, I prefer to play my game and not make a fuss about it.”
Kershaw clapped Reid on the back. “Fuckin’ awesome, Duracell. Drinks are on you.”
Now wait a minute. “I play great and I have to buy the drinks?”
Gunnar called out, “As you don’t indulge during the season, this’ll be a cheaper round for you.”
“Doesn’t indulge in anything!” Jorgenson’s comment drew plenty of laughter. Well, the joke was on them because for the last few nights he had indulged. He’d indulged all night long.
Someone smarter than him might argue he’d unlocked some sort of magic as soon as he accepted his fate: sex with Kennedy was inevitable, and he had no intention of fighting the thrill in his veins at the very thought of her. But it was more.
Bastian was right: Reid was crushing hard on this woman.
“Yeah, Durand, buy your buddies a drink.”
Reid snapped his head back because that was not the voice of one of his asshole teammates.
Kennedy stood at the entrance to the locker room in all her glory—if you could describe that old lady parka glorious. On Kennedy, undoubtedly. She brought a shine to everything.
She stood back a few feet, her silver-gray eyes dancing and taking it all in. Then she caught his gaze again and smiled, a bright grin that ripped something apart in his chest.
He should not be this glad to see her. But all he could think about was Sunday, once they got that dumb brunch out of the way. They had spent all afternoon in bed, then cooked together, walked Bucky in the park, watched a hockey game, and … well, an early night was always good for his regimen.
Couple stuff. The kind of connection he would never usually seek and couldn’t have imagined he would crave.
Tonight he played well but the victory happened before he touched skate to ice.
He stood and walked toward her, gratified when she met him a few steps in. So she was leaving in a few weeks, but he intended to make it harder for her. Failing that, he would enjoy this time they had left together.
You’re here, he told her with his eyes, before he gathered her in his arms and claimed her with his mouth.
You’re mine, he told her with this kiss. The wolf whistles of the crew couldn’t compete with the thunder in his veins and the rabbit-kick thumps of Kennedy’s heart beating against his chest.
He didn’t want to let her go, not now that he had found her. Neither did he want to share her. On opening his eyes, he found her with a glassy look and kiss-stung lips. Absolutely perfect.
“Where’s your grandmother?”
“Nice to see you, too.” She laughed, sounding nervous, and her eyes asked if he had really done that. “She’s getting her gentleman friend to buy her a hockey shirt.”
“I can get her merchandise.”
“Oh, let him do it. There’s some contest for his affections at Larkvale, so if she can bamboozle her way into his good graces this way, we shouldn’t question it. Good game, by the way.”
“Merci.”
She gave a little shiver. His girl liked the French. “And before you ask, I texted Sandy about Bucky and he’s fine.”
Sandy was the neighbor down the hall, who Reid didn’t know existed until this past Sunday.
“That’s good. We probably should get home and—”
“Oh no, you don’t, Duracell.” Cade Burnett butted in. “You’re buying the first round, whether you drink it or not. And I need to talk to your lady here.”
Your lady. He was about to deny it but it would be a barefaced lie. Besides, Cade had already turned on a big, toothy grin for Kennedy. “Howdy, Ma’am, we haven’t met officially. Cade Burnett at your service.”
Reid glared at his teammate. “For fuck’s sake, you’re not that Texan.”
“Quiet, please, we’re conducting business here,” Cade said without any heat. “I heard you’re the woman to talk to about getting a puppy. My guy’s at home with our little one and—”
“A new baby?” Kennedy was all smiles. “Aww!”
“Aww is right. A gorgeous little gal called Rosie and my hot husband is taking on the lion’s share of the childrearing duties. But I think he could do with some canine company and a little bird told me you’re the woman with the connections at the shelter.”
“I volunteer there, so I’d be happy to help you
find a new companion. What did you have in mind?”
“Something friendly, doesn’t have to be pure breed or anything fancy, just good around babies.”
Someone else pushed his way in. Jorgenson, the big lummox. “Kennedy, thanks so much for picking up my dry cleaning. Did you get my payment?”
“I did, Erik, thanks! And the woman at the counter said she was really sorry about that stain on the shirt sleeve. She tried but it wouldn’t budge.”
Puppy matching? Dry cleaning? Reid glared at Jorgenson who was his usual oblivious Swedish self.
“It’s okay, I can cover it up with a jacket. So my parents are coming into town next week and I need some ideas for stuff for them to do. I thought about Second City but they don’t really get all the political humor.”
“Shoot me the dates and I’ll work around your playing schedule. Maybe a show at the Magic Lounge? Everyone loves card tricks.”
Erik turned to Reid. “Isn’t she amazing? And if you’re free for dinner, Ken—”
“She’s not free for dinner,” Reid choked out. Did the man not see Reid’s arm wrapped around this woman? “Every waking minute is spent minding Bucky or walking other people’s dogs or visiting her grandmother, so stop trying to monopolize her time. All of you.”
Kennedy patted Reid’s chest. “I can accept or decline my own dinner invitations, thank you.” She turned to Erik. “Let’s chat when Grumpy Pants here isn’t giving us the evil eye. And Cade, send me the specs for your puppy and I’ll see who’s looking for a forever home the next time I’m at the shelter.”
“You are a queen among women, Kennedy.” Cade picked up her hand and kissed it, making her giggle. The guy was gay but Reid couldn’t help his scowl. Hands off, Burnett!
Kennedy was now busy ogling—and that was definitely the correct term—his teammates. Most of them were in various stages of undress, not caring that they had female visitors. Mia was also here, canoodling with Foreman.
“Maybe you should wait outside,” he said.
“What? It’s just naked hockey butt.” She peered up at him, all mischief. “I’m a world traveler. I’ve seen plenty of butts before, y’know.”
“Not the asses of the guys I work with. It looks like I have to go out with them for a while.” He’d rather she was with him than not, even if these other shitheads were present and flirting. “Come with me.”
“I would but I really should get Edie and her man back to the asylum before they send out the search dogs.”
“I should go say hello to her.”
“Would you? She’d love that!”
“I need to get changed but I can meet you outside in a few minutes. Near the west entrance.”
She smiled, and his heart went boom. This crush was the worst.
Ten minutes later he approached Kennedy’s group, wearing a baseball cap and a hoodie to keep under the radar. Since he started playing so well, fans were more forward, but his subterfuge went to shit as soon as Edie saw him.
“Reid Durand! You were amazing.”
He felt a smile tugging his lips. “Thanks, Edie. I hope the seats were good.”
“Are you kidding? They were the best. And George got me a jersey!”
“I can’t wait to see it on you,” George said, his gaze adoring. “And then off you.”
Huh, George was really going for it. Reid caught Kennedy’s eye; she was clearly trying her best to keep it together.
“I picked up a few extra from the merchandise people.” He handed a bag over to Edie. “You can keep it or give it to some of your friends and enemies at Larkvale.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful. And you should come and play bingo!”
Kennedy chuckled. “Not sure that’s a true quid pro quo, Edie. Reid gives you free merch and you make him play bingo?”
“No, it’s fine. I’d be honored to join you for bingo one day.” He raised an eyebrow at Kennedy who responded with a look of touché.
Only now they couldn’t stop looking at each other. Really looking. Kennedy’s color rose, staining her cheeks, and he realized he must be giving her that intense, scorcher of a look that let her know everything he was thinking. How was he so good at hiding his emotion on the ice but turned to a movie reel of feeling around this woman?
“We—uh, we should call that Uber,” Kennedy said quietly. “Get you two back. Reid has team stuff to do.”
“No, I’ll drop you off,” he said, an offer that was declined then argued over then finally accepted as he ushered them back through the center and out a different entrance to the players’ lot.
“You don’t have to do this,” Kennedy said. “I know you need to get to that after-game celebration.”
“Plenty of time for that. They’ll be there ’til the bar closes.”
But she stayed quiet on the car ride to Larkvale. Perhaps he had been too intense, too forward in stamping her “property of Reid Durand” in front of his teammates, and it caught up with her a little late. Edie and George kept the conversation going, and Reid responded to their questions and comments about the game as comprehensively as he could. They pulled up outside the home and Kennedy undid her seatbelt.
“You’re going in?”
“I just want to get her settled—”
Edie cut in. “No need! I have an escort here.”
Reid helped them both exit the car—this took some time and several exclamations about how high the car was off the ground and how dangerous the ice that didn’t exist was—but eventually the back seat was empty.
The tension, however, was thicker than ever.
“Looks like they’re okay,” Reid said when he got back in the car, trying to put her at ease, or bring them back to the roommates-with-benefits they were before the kiss in the locker room.
“Yeah, they don’t need us.”
“So you can come out to the bar after all? Everyone should be at the Empty Net by now.”
She lifted her gaze to his, licked her lips. And then in a heartbeat, their mouths met and every fucking reason for not being this close all the time went out the window.
She tasted of fire and victory, of wild midnight wishes. Of all his hopes and dreams for the future.
But mostly she tasted like his.
“I thought, maybe, I got it wrong back there in the locker room,” he murmured against her lips. “Came on too strong.”
She looked conflicted, but after a beat, she said, “No, not at all. I—I loved it. Still want to go to the Empty Net?”
In her eyes he read her need and it matched his own. “No.” He kissed her again, savoring her taste because it would be at least ten minutes of driving during which he’d have to keep his eyes on the road.
Her hand moved to his leg, squeezing his thigh. “Maybe I can—”
“Non.” He placed her hand back on her side of the car. “Keep that weapon to yourself. I won’t last if I let you have your way. I want to make it good for you, better for you than before.”
“Not sure how that’s possible, but I’m all for you trying.” She squirmed in her seat. “Just drive.”
27
“Penny for ’em.”
Kennedy looked up to find Edie studying her closely above the straw of her raspberry razzmatazz smoothie.
“Oh, nothing.”
Edie snorted. “You’re thinking about Reid. Maybe that great shot he made in the final period of last night’s game.”
“Sure. That’s what’s on my mind. Hockey.”
Edie was half-right. The last week had been a whirlwind with Reid and Kennedy passing like ships in the kitchen. He had spent a couple of days away at a game in Nashville, then had to turn around and play a home game last night. She was a busy woman herself, though she’d stopped taking on more dog clients. As much as she adored the work, it didn’t seem fair to them if she was leaving in a few weeks.
Leaving. It was all happening so quickly.
She loved seeing the happy, smiling faces of her doggie clients. She loved contributing
to the mental well-being of their humans. She loved having this chance to connect with Edie. And she loved the comfort she felt in Reid’s arms.
Possibly a little too much.
That passionate claiming—because she couldn’t think of any other way to describe it—in the Rebels locker room a few nights ago had taken her off guard. She had told Reid she loved it, and that was true. Who wouldn’t want to be focus of a man of such intensity? Yet she couldn’t help thinking about the Mount Everest question.
Why did you climb that mountain?
Because it’s there.
He was her boss, her landlord, and now her roomie-with-uhmazing-benefits. She had pretty much driven him to distraction during an intense period of his career. Not that she was irresistible, but she certainly pushed some sex-shaped buttons. They were connected by their love of a dog and a shared roof.
Why did Reid bang Kennedy?
Because she was there.
Was there more to it than scorching looks and hot sex? She wasn’t sure she should examine it, not when her plans were moving along. She had received an email from the Thai school where she would be teaching. Her visa had come through and her documentation was in order. The only thing to hold her here was Edie and her developing feelings for a certain surly Canadian and his dog.
“Edie, do you ever wish I was here more? In the States?”
“Of course I do. I love when you visit me here and I love our chats. Sure, I know you have a life that’s separate from me.”
“But …”
“Aren’t you tired, honey? Don’t you ever think of slowing down?”
Slowing down gave her time to think, a commodity she would rather have less of than more. Who wanted to be stuck in her head with all those memories? Better to act, move, live in the moment.
That had been her mantra for so long she wondered if they were only words on a page instead of affirmations in her heart.
Edie’s phone vibrated and she picked it up, squinting.
“Oh, good, Reid’s here.”
Kennedy started. “Reid? My Reid?”
“Yes, your Reid.” Elder smirk, which were the most annoying smirks of all. “He’s in reception. Go down and meet him, will you?”