A Valentine for Two

by Lia Davis

  Derek skated over to Ian. “Keep your head up, man. These guys are spoiling for a fight.”

  Derek had about three inches and twenty pounds on his friend, who only stood about five-eleven and weighed in at one eighty-five. Though feisty, Ian got pushed around more than Derek would have liked.

  “I will.” Ian glanced over at the opponent. “And don’t forget what Coach said. Watch out for Barney. I’d hate for us to get caught flat-footed and have the bastard score on us. Not a great way to get the crowd behind us.”

  “Nope. Definitely not.”

  Ben approached. “Did you talk to him?” He indicated Derek with a toss of his head.

  “No, I was waiting for you.”

  Derek’s eyebrows shot up. “Something I should know, boys?”

  The two exchanged a look.

  “Out with it before I sic Jordan on you. He’d make anyone talk.”

  “And talk, and talk, and talk,” Ben responded. “No need to involve him; the game will never start. There’s been a change in plans.”

  “What kind of change?” Derek asked.

  Ian jumped in. “You’re on the power play tonight. The point man.”

  “I thought Jon wanted to wait before he made any decisions about me playing on special teams,” Derek responded. He’d already been excited about playing, and now, the fever ratcheted up one more notch.

  “Today’s your lucky day. Coach is moving Rob back onto the penalty killing unit, and he doesn’t want to give him too much ice time since he just came back from that flu,” Ben explained. “That leaves a vacancy on the power play, and Jon’s giving it to you.”

  “That’s great.”

  “See you don’t let him down. Jon doesn’t take kindly to guys not taking advantage of the opportunities they give him.”

  Ian said, “I think you’re being summoned.” He indicated Sarah Jenkins, one of the Storm’s coaches, standing in the bench area.

  “Thanks, man,” Ben answered. “She’s been watching game footage and doing some sort of very complicated math calculation about how we should be setting up for face-offs.”

  “Good luck with that,” Derek answered with a chuckle. “I don’t miss taking face-offs.”

  About halfway through the game, Montreal took a penalty. Jon barked out the line assignments. “Seb, Ben, Ian up front. Derek and Fredrik in the back. Don’t fuck this up, we need a goal.”

  Derek checked his stick and took a deep breath before vaulting over the boards. He took up his assignment on the right point and prepared to impress his coach.

  ***

  Several of the guys went to Ironworks to celebrate their victory. Ian clinked his beer bottle with Rob’s. Derek had settled in quickly, which eased Ian’s stress level. It had taken a couple of months for him to feel comfortable, but his friend had taken to playing on a new team with apparent ease.

  Ian said, “We kicked Montreal right back to Canada.”

  “We did, bro. And new guy here didn’t embarrass us,” Rob indicated Derek with a wave of his beer.

  “Hey now, there’s a reason they traded for me, you know.”

  “And it’s not his good looks,” Ian interjected.

  “Right back at you.” Derek raised his bottle in salute.

  “Let’s not get into a fight,” Rob said. “We all saw enough of that on the ice.”

  “Is that how every game with divisional opponents goes? Colorado didn’t have as many teams to get excited about.”

  Rob nodded. “It’s the history, even though what some team did to the Storm twenty years ago shouldn’t matter now.”

  “That always cracked me up,” Ian said. “You ran over my goaltender in 1993, and so we’re going to hate you forever.”

  The three men laughed. Ian liked Rob. He was one of the easiest guys to talk to on the team. He and Alaina, his girlfriend, had invited him over for dinner more than once. Even if it was only because they felt sorry for the lonely bachelor, he appreciated the offers.

  ***

  Before practice the next morning, Ian met Haley for breakfast. They were leaving on their road trip, and he wanted to see and talk to her.

  “Hey, honey,” he greeted Haley, kissing her on the cheek.

  “Hi, how are you?”

  “Good.” They followed the hostess to a table. Ian already knew what he wanted. Eggs Benedict—his favorite.

  Haley looked over the menu. “Hmm. Not much healthy food on here. Carb city.”

  “What about the omelets? They have an option to order one with egg whites.”

  “Ah, yes. I’ll do that. I got waylaid by the myriad pancakes, waffles, and French toast offerings. Man, sometimes I miss carbs. I mean, I can make all those things with healthier ingredients, but occasionally, I’d like to walk into a restaurant like this and order a big stack of pancakes without putting myself in a carb coma.”

  Ian nodded. “We have to eat carbs for energy, but I always try to combine them with a protein and some fat. I read that’s the way to do it if you’re a professional athlete.”

  “You guys have different nutritional needs than most of the population, and besides trying not to eat too much junk food, I don’t think you have as much to worry about.” Haley closed her menu. “Hockey players do so much cardio that a lot of what you eat is merely to fuel your legs. What did Herb Brooks say in Miracle? Something about the legs feeding the beast?”

  “The wolf, but points for being close,” Ian answered, smiling. The server came over and took their order and they both settled back in the cushy booth after. “So we’re leaving for a couple of days.”

  “I noticed that on the schedule you attached to my fridge.” Haley’s mouth curled into a smirk, and Ian had the urge to dive over the table and do wicked things with that mouth. The family sitting right behind her, including three very little kids, probably wouldn’t appreciate that, though.

  “Before we left, I wanted to get a reading from you about what you thought of Derek.”

  “He’s cool. I can understand why you two have been friends for so long.”

  Ian chuckled. “Like he’s given me any choice...”

  “Right...”

  “What about the, um, spark, chemistry, whatever you want to call it? I’m pretty confident in saying you and I have it, but what you and Derek? Did you feel anything?”

  “Yeah. That surprised me, but didn’t, if that makes sense.”

  Her head ducked down for a moment before she lifted her green eyes to him. A lot of guys went for the blondes with blue eyes, but Ian had never been partial to that. A brunette with green or brown eyes attracted him far more.

  “Wanna explain that statement?” he asked.

  Haley shrugged. “I’m not surprised I was attracted to him. I was surprised I could be attracted to two guys at the same time and actually be able to do something about it. That’s the really strange part. Most women don’t go around kissing two men, especially not with their wholehearted approval and with both of them in on the action.”

  “I can understand that,” Ian responded. “But you were okay with how things went? How they may go in the future if you date both of us?”

  “I’ve thought a lot about that.” She paused, biting her lip for a moment. “And I came to the conclusion I don’t care what anybody thinks. Who I choose to be with is my business.”

  Ian blew out a breath. “I’ll warn you that may not be the same opinion you’ll find from your friends and family.”

  Pushing some hair behind her ear, Haley said, “I thought about that, too. Like, how would I tell my mother I’m bringing over two men for dinner? I mean, she grew up in the sixties, so things really shouldn’t shock her, but I think it might be best to ease her and my dad into it. I doubt my sister will care. She’s been a serial dater since her divorce.”

  “Serial dater? Okay then.”

  Their server dropped off loaded plates, and they tucked into their food. When they finished, Ian walked Haley back to her car. It had snowed overni
ght, and the parking lot had a slick coat of black ice. Ian kept a tight hold on Haley’s hand.

  “This must be normal for you, but skating on pavement is not my favorite thing,” Haley remarked, shuffling along in her fuzzy winter boots.

  “I wouldn’t say normal, but I’m guessing I have better balance on ice than many people. Of course, give me a pair of skates, and I could do the job much faster.”

  Haley giggled. “But then what would I do?”

  “Hold on for dear life?”

  They arrived at her car. Haley leaned in to start it then turned back to him. “Have a safe trip, both of you.”

  “We will.” Ian leaned over and kissed her, keeping in mind they were standing in a crowded parking lot in broad daylight. I wish it was dark right now. I’d love to push her against the car and show her how much I want her.

  After he released her, Haley climbed into her car and drove away. As he watched her carefully navigate back onto the road, Ian smiled. He hadn’t realized how much the idea of her not wanting to date both he and Derek had been weighing on him.

  “Well, without that elephant on my back, I should be able to skate just fine,” he said to himself.

  ***

  With the guys out of town, Haley concentrated on her work though sexy daydreams kept invading her consciousness. Her body had responded like a thousand points of light with images of both Ian and Derek touching her, and the thought of those touches being more intimate made her breath quicken.

  She had just finished counting drops of rosemary essential oil into one of her signature blends when her belly tightened.

  “Oh no,” Haley said with a groan.

  The sensation was explained a few seconds later when images of Ian and Derek on her bed, the three of them engaged in some NC-17 action, flooded her brain.

  Nope, not nausea. It had been so long since anyone excited her this way that Haley had hardly recognized it. Her vibrator may get a workout in the time the boys were on their road trip. Like many healthy women in their thirties, Haley engaged in masturbation, but not with a hunger this strong. The poor thing might burst into flames, and then how would she explain herself to the fire department?

  She attached the roller mechanism and capped the bottle, labeling it before setting it aside with the others she’d produced that afternoon. For the next several hours, she replenished her stock and updated her website with a couple new products she finally had decided were of good enough quality to put on sale.

  Everything Haley concocted had to go through several quality checks. Luckily, she had a pre-made focus group in her cadre of friends. They gratefully took product samples and then filled out various reports on everything from consistency to feel on the skin to smell and effectiveness.

  Finally, she stopped working and made salad for a late dinner. As she placed the ingredients in a large bowl and then set about whipping up a quick homemade dressing, she hummed one of her favorite songs. She couldn’t help but smile as she realized how silly she must look, swaying at her kitchen counter with an undoubtedly star-filled gaze as she tried in vain to focus on anything but the guys.

  Her phone buzzed, and Haley wiped her hands quickly and then answered.

  “Hi, baby,” Ian said.

  “Hey, how was the flight?”

  “Eh, no biggie. I took Rick for fifty bucks, had a snack, and we were landing.”

  She laughed. “Sounds like the kind of flight I like. I’m not a big fan of flying, so any distraction I can get, I take.”

  “I just wanted to let you know we’re here. I’ll try to call or text tomorrow, probably before the game.”

  “Sounds good. What do they say to hockey players for luck?” Haley poured the dressing on her salad and then grabbed a fork. Her mouth watered. She always went from slightly hungry to starving in about two seconds, and today was no different.

  “You can’t beat Wayne Gretzky. The Great One said, ‘You miss one hundred percent of the shots you don’t take’.”

  “If it’s good enough for a legend, it’s good enough for me.”

  “Derek wants to talk to you. Hold on.”

  Haley heard some muffled sounds, and then Derek came on the line. “Do you miss us yet?”

  “I’ve hardly had the time,” she answered, her tone teasing. Haley figured she shouldn’t be so pleased they’d called her, but couldn’t help it. She bit her lip. Encouraging them might not turn out well, though, since she had no intention of getting serious. They were having fun, and she liked it that way.

  “By the time we get home, I hope that will change.”

  “I do, too. Good luck with the game.”

  “How about a good luck kiss?”

  She snickered. “Through the phone? Okay, how’s this?” Haley smacked her lips together.

  “Works for me until I can get the real thing.”

  “You don’t suffer from lack of ego, do you?”

  “Lack of ego has no place in hockey,” he retorted.

  They said their good-byes, and then Haley carried the salad out to her living room. Before long, her lids had grown heavy. With a smile still plastered on her face, she got ready for bed.

  ***

  The day the guys got home, they called her. Haley had just gotten out of the shower and ran to catch the phone.

  “Hey,” she answered, her voice breathless.

  “You sound like you’ve been busy,” Derek said.

  “I was in the other room when the phone started ringing.”

  “Ah, so nothing too exciting. Pity. Listen, I have an idea.”

  Haley laughed. What had he thought she’d been up to? “Shoot.”

  “How about we come over to your place, as long as that’s okay, and I make us all some dinner? I’d love to learn more about your work.”

  “An offer to feed me? Sold, as long as you can keep to my diet. It’s really not that hard—no white carbs, like pasta or white bread, dough, etc— and no refined sugar.”

  “I can work with that. Does five o’clock work for you?”

  “Perfect, see you then.”

  Haley tidied up and then tried to do some paperwork while she waited for the guys to arrive. She had trouble concentrating, though, and went online in her never-ending search for supplies. She used the highest-quality ingredients, but if they could be sourced for a steal, all the better.

  After searching about twenty different sites, she closed her browser. Several parcels would arrive in the next two weeks or so, and a deep sense of satisfaction stole over her. Knowing she could help people become healthier was a big part of why she’d chosen this profession.

  The men arrived, carrying several grocery bags. Both men shook snow off their dark hair. Each held two bags heaped full of food.

  “Reusable bags? I’m impressed.” She folded her arms over her chest, giving the boys a pleased smile.

  “We just bought them,” Derek replied, his tone sheepish. “It didn’t seem right to bring food here in plastic bags.”

  “Good thinking. Anything I can do?”

  “Sit your pretty self down and have a glass of wine. We’ll ask if we need something.”

  Derek tried to shoo her into the living room, but Haley insisted on staying in the kitchen. For one thing, she wanted to be sure nothing would go into the cooking that she shouldn’t be eating, and second, it was kind of fun watching them, especially since they bickered the entire time.

  “The mushrooms are supposed to be chopped, not mutilated,” Derek complained.

  Ian made a face. “I don’t like big pieces in sauce.”

  “Would you just do what I say?” Derek shot an annoyed look to Ian, and Haley’s mouth twitched as she tried to keep a straight face.

  “The chicken should have more prosciutto on it,” Ian said.

  “It has plenty.”

  Uh-oh. Sounds like Derek just said that through clenched teeth.

  “Gentlemen, let’s call a truce, okay? I don’t need you dueling with the breadsticks. I’m l
ooking forward to them,” Haley said.

  Dinner smelled amazing, and true to his word, Derek hadn’t added anything that went against her diet. By the time they sat down to chicken wrapped in prosciutto with a mushroom sauce, corn casserole, breadsticks, and roasted stuffed sweet potatoes, Haley’s stomach had been making embarrassing noises for quite a while, or so it seemed.

  After they’d finished eating, Haley muscled Derek away from the sink. “You cooked. I’ll clean up. With Ian’s assistance, of course.”

  “How’d I get roped into this? I did all the chopping. All Derek really did was push stuff around and add a bunch of spices.”

  Derek snorted. “And figured out what to make, and bought the ingredients, and did the actual cooking.”

  “Derek’s right,” Haley said. “We can take of this. Come on. I’ll even let you pick—washing or drying.”

  “Big deal,” Ian grumbled. “Fine. I’ll wash since I don’t know where everything goes.”

  “Deal.”

  They did the dishes quickly, all the while trading banter. Haley couldn’t help but think about what might come next. Would she truly experience two men tonight? She had never been the type to jump in bed with someone, but she felt as if she already knew Derek, since Ian had talked about him for weeks before the trade happened.

  In the living room, Derek fiddled with her television, and she wondered what would happen next. Maybe the guys would just want to watch a movie or something. Her eyebrows drew down. Why did that idea depress her? She certainly wasn’t a nymphomaniac, and maybe they were trying to be respectful, so it seemed silly to be upset. On the other hand, she might be making something out of nothing.

  With a deep breath, she rinsed the final dish and handed it to Ian. She grabbed a dish towel to dry her hands and then wandered out to the living room. Derek had a remote in his hand.

  “It’s a universal remote. Were you able to work everything?”

  “Without a problem. I was just messing around, anyway. You know, spying on your Netflix list and all that.”

  Haley mock-cringed. “So you know all about my period drama obsession. Surely you’ll run now.”