Puck Battles: A Complete Sports Romance Series

by Kristen Echo

  Caroline twisted her fingers. She had considered trying to go solo, but she liked being surrounded by like-minded musicians and the collaboration of a group. Starting a career alone didn’t appeal; she was more of a team player. Besides, working every day with her best friend was the highlight of her day.

  Another sigh came through which she didn’t take as a good sign. “He wasn’t impressed, but we voted. And—”

  “What? That creep tried to kick me out. What the heck!” Caroline wanted to track him down and pummel him. One bruise wasn’t enough.

  “Stop! For starters he’s not an asshole, and it didn’t go down like that. He defended you when Nathan said it might not be worth the hassle if there’s drama on your first show. We all agreed that you nailed it and that it was a crazy misunderstanding. We voted unanimously to keep you. You’re one of us, whore. Get used to the craziness.”

  The shriek pierced her own ears as she bounced on her bed and the pillows went flying in all directions. “I’m so happy. And I take it back, he’s not a creep. I didn’t appreciate the kiss, but I set him straight and we’re good. At least I think we are, but what’s the deal between you and Brody. I noticed he grabbed your ass. You mentioned nothing but I get the feeling there’s something more there.”

  “No mixing business with pleasure, right? I love him… as a musician. He’s the best drummer in the city and we’re tight.”

  “There’s more than that. I saw the dreamy, bedroom eyes you sent him. How did I miss it? Maddison, you have a crush on him.” Caroline had listened to Maddy rave about the guy for the last year, but she honestly thought it was all platonic. She’d bragged about all the guys in the band, therefore, she hadn’t connected the dots.

  “Whore, shut your mouth. He’s hot. He’s well aware of it and there’s isn’t room for anything else. Like ever.”

  “Okay, I’ll drop it because I can hear your frustration loud and clear. Just believe you can do better than a manwhore like Brody. And you’re right, if you two hooked up and it didn’t work out what will happen to the band?”

  “The band is good and we’re picking up gigs. We got like ten referrals from New Year’s. Plus, we’re still ironing out the deal that fell through when dickwad, Grant, ditched us. Enough about work, what happened between you and the thug? I got your text; thanks for bailing on me today by the way. You left me alone to deal with a hung over and useless Nathan, a too chipper Peter, and a sulking Brody. Not exactly how I hoped to start my new year.”

  She laughed at her friend’s over dramatization of events. “Oh Maddy… he’s incredible.”

  “Oh shit. Don’t fall in love with this one. He’s like your employee and does he know who you are?”

  It was as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped on her head and her entire body shivered. “No, we didn’t talk about how my father owns the team or the fact I’ll technically be an owner one day. I don’t want to have anything to do with that business, so it’s not a big deal.”

  “Tell your father that. He’s the one hell bent on you taking over in a few years. He thinks you’ll get this music out of your system now and then go run the Northcote Empire. It’s your destiny, Caroline,” she boomed the last words.

  “Funny, you sound just like him. And I won’t ever get the music out of my system. It’s not a phase. And I’m not in love, at least not yet. But he’s so amazing. The sex is out of this world. He’s funny and makes me laugh. Better yet, he thinks I’m funny. It’s like we’ve known each other our entire lives and—”

  “Wow, you’re already too far gone to see it. Caroline, you told me to reign you in the next time you fall in love too fast. You’re doing it again. This guy doesn’t walk on water. He’s got issues like they all do. Before you go giving him your heart, ask the tough questions and find out more about him, not just how great his dick is.”

  “Crass much?” Wow, she expected her friend to be the voice of reason, but that was harsh. Maddison had a pragmatic approach to life, which Caroline admired most days.

  “Ha! Is there any other way to be?” Her laughter grated on Caroline’s ears. “You’re in love with falling in love. You believe every guy who shows you attention is amazing. Then you either run them off with your I love you within a week shit or they hang in there because of your net worth.”

  She couldn’t sit any longer. “This is different, and that only happened once.” Caroline walked circles in her room.

  A few months ago, she’d called Stephen the one. They met at University and he said all the right things. He was smart and handsome. At first, he treated her like an equal until he stopped paying for anything and bought expensive things, expecting her to foot the bill. It turned out he was using her and it took a car dealership asking for her credit information to get the big picture. This wouldn’t end up anything like that because Nico had his own money.

  “He’s nothing like the boys I’ve dated. Nico’s a man with a good head on his shoulders. Plus, he’s been very honest about himself, and he’s interested in a relationship. It’s refreshing.” If she believed her own words, then why was she pacing? Her feet almost burned a hole through the cream-colored area rug.

  “It’s also not worth a damn because he doesn’t know who you are. It’s one thing to keep that shit hidden from random strangers, but he might want to know he’s shagging his boss, or at the very least the boss’s daughter. This could have a major impact on his career when your dad finds out.”

  She’d thought of all of that before she spent the day with him; before she fell for him. Now she was too selfish to give him up. “I’m just seeing where things go and there’s no point in my father knowing anything if it goes nowhere. For all I know, I may never talk to him again.” The lie slipped out. Caroline had already received two messages since they parted ways. This wasn’t over; not even close.

  “Well, don’t say I didn’t warn you. If you see him again, you should tell him who you are so he can decide if you’re worth losing his career over. Once your dad gets a whiff of it that guy is as good as traded or worse. And this year the team has a real shot at the cup. The entire city might hate you for messing that up, Caroline.”

  “None of that would ever happen, Drama Queen. Daddy would punish me, and I’ll deal with that when and if I have to. When did you start following hockey?” She closed her eyes and let the reality sink in. Maddy hadn’t intended to deflate her balloon, but it happened all the same.

  “In case you didn’t notice, the players are hot. Plus, someone will have to help you out when you take over the empire.”

  She let out a small laugh, but it didn’t lighten her mood. “If I see Nicolas again, I’ll tell him. I don’t want secrets between us.” After that decision, Caroline operated on autopilot for the rest of the conversation.

  When she closed her eyes, she saw Nico’s face. His mischievous half smile and the way he spoke her name right before he came, haunted her thoughts. She gave up on sleep and stared at the message he’d sent earlier.

  “Thanks for rocking my world. I can’t wait to see you again in a few days. Don’t miss me too much.” He even sent a wink emoji.

  She hadn’t responded, but her fingers itched to reply. Tossing and turning didn’t ease the guilt swamping her system. She should have told him her real name. She could have walked away and never looked back. A million should’ve, would’ve, could have’s marched through her mind, but none of them brought her closer to a resolution.

  Morning dawned, and she had no answers, but when his next message arrived her heart leapt into her throat. If something felt so great, how could it be wrong?

  “I can’t get you out of my head, and I’m thinking that’s a good thing.”

  The right thing would have been to ignore him, but she didn’t want to do that. Her fingers flew across the screen. She glanced at the clock; it wasn’t eight yet. “It’s a very good thing. I’m tired and sore; you wore me out.”

  “LOL. Did you sleep well?”

  She roll
ed onto her stomach, picturing him in all his gear laughing. “It’s barely morning, so no, I haven’t slept much yet.”

  “I’m afraid you won’t get much sleep when I’m around. Does that scare you?”

  Nothing about him frightened her, but it should have. Being with him had the potential to do so much harm, yet she kept responding to his messages. “No. What’s your biggest fear?”

  “Getting injured. Not sure what I’ll do if my hockey career ends before I’m ready. Every time a guy goes down it’s a reminder of how close I am to having my dream taken away. Fucking scary shit, so I play like every game could be my last.”

  “Every pro athlete must have that same fear. For singers like me, it would be getting sick and being unable to perform.” She ran her hand over her throat.

  “That’s not your biggest fear. I told you mine, come on, fess up.”

  “I’m afraid the people I love will disappear. Like here one minute and gone the next. I don’t let that fear rule my life either, but it’s something I think about way more than I should.”

  “Yeah. I know what that feels like all too well.”

  A few minutes of silence followed, giving their fears more weight. Caroline didn’t want that to dampen their day. “What’s your biggest turn on?”

  “You. The way you smell after sex. An erotic combination of you, me, sweat and lust all rolled into a perfect fragrance with a hint of honey. The scent of an angel.”

  Her core quivered, and she wanted to see his face. A quick glance at the mirror on her dresser revealed the state of her pillow creased face. Then again, it was best they texted. “Nice answer, but I’m serious.” She shifted on her bed, wishing he was there.

  “I am serious. You make me so hard. What makes you so wet you’re dripping, angel?”

  Caroline wanted to use his own words back at him because it was the truth. He turned her on. Everything about him did it for her. She was getting in way over her head. “Aren’t you at practice?”

  “Yeah, about to hit the ice and then we’re flying out this afternoon. It will be close to a week before I can see you again. Can you behave while I’m away?”

  Caroline giggled. “Can you?” They hadn’t said they were in a committed relationship or anything like that, but she got the impression he was fishing for something. She chewed her nails, waiting for his response.

  “Touché. Is it too soon to ask you to wear panties the whole time I’m gone?”

  This time she laughed out loud. “I’ll only take them off for you. If you only take yours off for me?” This was the naughtiest way anyone had ever asked her to go steady, and it was so him.

  “I will never wear panties. And you’ve got a deal, angel.” Again, he sent the wink emoji and Caroline beamed as she read and reread his texts.

  They were moving ahead like a normal couple; two people falling in love. It didn’t matter he was a famous hockey player, and she was the daughter of the owner. That’s what she told herself. Only deep down, she knew it could all fall apart once the secrets came out. She had one week to convince Nico that she was worth the risk. Then she’d deal with her father. There had to be a way to bend the rules.

  Chapter 11

  The next three weeks raced by as Caroline floated in a happiness bubble. Every day Nico called or texted and she responded with cute flirty messages. It was stupid to get attached to someone who might walk away, but she couldn’t help herself. The morose man who refused to share was replaced by a man who said all the right things to make a girl blush and laugh at the same time. Each day she fell more in love with him.

  She wondered more than once why he was single, but she never asked. The limited time they carved out to be together hadn’t been wasted with idle chat. They hadn’t seen each other for more than a few hours since their first night. Nico insisted on taking her out on dates. This meant they’d had sex in three different restaurant bathrooms, twice in her car, his truck once, and a lot of heavy petting at the movie theaters. Not the most romantic settings, but both of their schedules were insane. Hockey took up most of his time and when he was home and not at the rink, she was playing music.

  The band had picked up two regular gigs at local clubs and they were in the studio recording an album. A record company expressed interest and wanted to hear some original songs. Things were coming together on a professional level. There weren’t any bad feelings between her and Brody. He flirted, but he hadn’t crossed the line again. Caroline couldn’t have been happier, except for the secrets eating away at her conscience. The timing hadn’t been right, but as the weeks disappeared her guilt mounted. Each time she mustered the courage to bring it up when they got together, he’d kiss her and all discussion vanished. Keeping secrets took more effort than expected, watching what she shared and trying not to let things slip. There might never be a right time, but she had to get this off her chest. Nico returned to the city late last night, and they planned a date for tonight.

  As that time loomed closer, the fear Nico might disappear cloyed at Caroline. It nipped at her heels, threatening to pop the bubble she’d created. Her father had noticed something, but she’d played it off as nothing. She tried to keep the pep out of her step when he was around, which was all the time. When the team traveled that’s when he made time for his daughters. They got his undivided attention. Normally, Caroline loved those days, but she’d never kept a secret before. She always told him when she met someone new, and Nico’s name had been on the tip of her tongue more than once. It killed her to stay quiet, but she reminded herself that it was for the best.

  She needed to make sure there was a real relationship to talk about before she spilled the beans. The chance existed that once Nico learned her true identity, he might bail. She tried to push those negative insecurities away. Regardless of what happened, if their relationship stood a chance, he had the right to know the truth. She hoped he thought she was worth the risk.

  They picked a neutral meeting place at a coffee shop downtown. As intimate as they’d already been, neither had been to each other’s place yet. When he suggested the coffee shop, she thought it was a good choice. She also figured it best if they went separately on the off chance he never wanted to see her again. That seemed unlikely given the deep feelings she’d developed.

  Caroline arrived first and grabbed a seat by the window. Her legs bounced under the table as the minutes ticked by. Then she saw golden waves poking from under a plain black beanie. A well-groomed beard covered the softest lips on the planet and shoulders broader than the sidewalk approached. Her breath hitched as she drank him in. He didn’t appear as dark and intense as he had the first time she’d laid eyes on him, but he wore the same leather jacket, and fierceness still radiated from him.

  The door chimed as he stepped inside. He looked around and when their eyes met, his entire body relaxed, as if he thought she might not show. Maybe she wasn’t the only one with insecurities?

  She stood up to greet him and he instantly twirled her around in a hug that stole all the air from her lungs. Then he kissed her. A kiss that made up for all the hours they’d been apart. It was hungry and not appropriate for a coffee shop. It left her gasping for air and soaking wet below the belt.

  “I fucking missed you,” he said as he set her down.

  Caroline laughed. “I can tell, and the feeling is mutual. You almost seem surprised to see me. What’s that about?”

  He held onto her hand and brought her knuckles to his lips. “It’s been my experience that people don’t always do what they say they will. Guess I’m not used to dating a normal woman, and I’m happy to see you, angel.”

  She beamed. “I’m glad to see you too.” Happy didn’t fully convey her emotional state, but as the L-word lingered on her lips, she kept talking. “Drinks… I got you coffee with milk and nothing else, but I’ll get something different if you’d prefer? That’s how you took your coffee when we went for brunch at the hotel a few weeks back. I have a good memory, but I might have mixed some
thing up. How did the trip go? I don’t watch hockey, but I overheard you guys won two out of three. Is that good? Should we—”

  He kissed her, swallowing her words. Their tongues met again, and she reveled in the connection. “I even missed your rambles.” He chuckled, and she swatted his shoulder.

  “Hey!”

  “Let’s grab a seat and we can catch up. Thanks for the coffee and for having such a great memory. I don’t remember what you drank that morning because I was too busy thinking about how wet you were under the table. I was counting down the minutes until I could touch you again.”

  She swallowed hard. Telling him her real name wouldn’t be a big deal, but then she chickened out. “Do you remember what happened when we got back up to the room?”

  “Yeah, you weren’t wearing any panties.” He arched a brow, and she nodded. “We’re leaving.” He grabbed her coat off the back of the chair and helped her into it. She couldn’t stop laughing at his sense of urgency even though she felt the same.

  “Here’s your coffee. You’ll need the caffeine because I plan on keeping you up for hours.” Caroline licked her lips and Nico growled as his phone rang.

  The Canadian anthem ringtone wouldn’t stop. “Hold that thought,” he said to her before answering his phone. “This better be good… I don’t remember saying I’d be there. Theo, tell her I’m sorry, but I have plans... Fine, let me get back to you.” He hung up and the playfulness from seconds ago faded.

  “Who called and why don’t you look happy?”

  “I apparently made dinner plans I’m not allowed to cancel. Would you like to come with me as my date? It’s a casual dinner party, nothing fancy.”

  Meeting the friends was a big step, and one her previous boyfriends had delayed for months. She loved that Nico included her in his life. “I’d love to be your date. Can we stop somewhere and grab a bottle of wine or something? I’d hate to show up empty handed.”