Breakaway: A Hockey Romance

by Christiana Watson

  “Devon, Cam’s out there, and he definitely saw us.” She was definitely freaking out, and that realization caused a pit to drop in my stomach. I turned toward the large window to see Cam staring at us with a bewildered look. He pulled his cell phone from his pocket, and Charlie jumped from her seat immediately and rushed toward the entrance.

  The gray cat that settled between us turned an unfazed eye on me, and I stroked it once more with a sigh before standing. I jogged through the cafe and pushed the door open in time to hear Cam asking, “Charlie, what the fuck? Are you dating Devon?”

  Cam turned accusing eyes on me as I stopped behind Charlie. I shrugged and shoved my hands in my pockets. I didn’t speak, afraid that my voice would hold a relieved quality that didn’t match the tension in the air. Hiding the relationship was draining, and I was relieved that our friends were finally going to find out what was going on between us.

  When I didn’t say anything, he turned back toward Charlie. “I thought you were with Sean,” Cam said with an accusatory tone and narrowed eyes. “Seriously, what the fuck? Does Lindsey know?”

  I could practically hear Charlie’s gulp as she shook her head no with vehemence. “No, and she’s not going to find out.” My stomach dropped, but I fought to keep my face stony. “Sean’s an asshole, and Lindsey was way too invested in trying to get me to sleep with him. I’m really, really into Devon, and I don’t want her interfering here.”

  “Lindsey will kill me if she finds out I knew about this,” Cam spat as he stalked a short distance away.

  “So she doesn’t find out,” Charlie said defensively.

  He threw his hands in the air and started to stalk off, and Charlie chased after him. I stood rooted to the spot as they volleyed back and forth loudly. “How do you expect me to not tell her, Charlie? I just convinced her to go out with me! She’ll fucking kill me if she finds out I know about this!”

  “Cam, listen to me! I love Lindsey, but she’s a real pain in the ass sometimes. I am so happy to be with Devon right now, and I just don’t want to have to share that with anyone!”

  “She’s going to be furious, Charlie,” Cam’s voice was pleading, and I did feel just a little bad for putting him in this situation.

  Charlie ran a hand through her hair and leaned her head back to stare at the sky. I watched her rise with a few heaving breaths before she faced my roommate again. “Listen, I get it. Lindsey can be tough to deal with sometimes, especially if she doesn’t get her way. But I’m begging you, Cam, please, please, please don’t tell her about this. I promise she’s never going to find out that you knew.”

  Cam ran a hand down his face roughly. “Fine,” he said, and a wide grin spread over Charlie’s face. I watched as they parted with an oddly-formal shake of the hand.

  I didn’t miss the exasperated look Cam threw my way before continuing his way down Meeting Street. Charlie rushed back over to me and grabbed my hand. She began pulling me in the direction of her office building before saying, “I explained everything to Cam. He’s not happy, but I don’t think he’s going to say anything to anyone.”

  “Would it be so bad if he did?” I asked as I pulled her to a stop and stepped out of the way of other pedestrians.

  I wanted her to say no, and I tried to hide my disappointment when she practically screeched yes. I told her I understood that she wanted to keep our relationship on the down-low; and a month ago, I did understand. But my patience was wearing thin over time. How long could she expect to actually keep our relationship a secret? We talked almost every day, my phone was constantly blowing up with texts from her, and we never discussed the need to hide our movements around town when we were together. Hell, she was the one to initiate our very public kiss earlier that evening on the street. I tried to hold in a frustrated groan, but my face apparently conveyed the feelings that I refused to vocalize.

  “Devon, we’re in this special bubble right now that’s just us, and it’s easy and fantastic. I love where we are right now. I don’t want to tell anyone about us because I’m selfish, and I really don’t want to share you with my friends yet. Can’t we keep it easy and special just a little while longer?”

  With a sigh, I ran a hand along the back of my neck and closed my eyes briefly. How was it that the way she said it made it seem disgustingly romantic that we were keeping our relationship a secret? My resolve crumbled, and I realized just how weak I was in her presence. If she ever found out, I would be completely done for.

  “I’m sorry that I keep pushing so much,” I finally said. “It’s just—I don’t know how to explain it. There’s this pride that bubbles up inside of me every time I realize that you chose me. I want to shout it from the rooftops. I want the entire world to know you’re my girl.”

  Her smile melted my heart. She placed a gentle kiss on my lips before saying, “Let’s keep our world really small right now, but I swear we’ll scream it from the rooftops together soon.”

  I found myself nodding along with the sentiment. Goddamn. There was no coming back from this one.

  Chapter 16

  — C —

  “You seem distracted.”

  Devon’s voice sounded far off, and I shook my head slowly. I squinted against the bright sun shining off the water and turned my focus back to him. We were situated comfortably on one of the swings on the downtown pier we both loved to visit. Devon sat on one end, and my head was in his lap. I laid stretched out over the rest of the swing. My feet dangled over the edge, and our hands were interlocked over my head. We rocked slowly back and forth in the warm breeze, and I felt a sense of contentment washing over me that I hadn’t experienced in quite some time. It felt like slipping into a warm bath on a cold day.

  I squeezed his hand gently and shrugged. With a slow sigh, I replied, “I’m just thinking.”

  “Anything I can help you with?” He asked as he smiled down at me warmly.

  My breath caught in my chest for a nano-second as his smile washed over me. I fought the urge to reach up and touch his cheek tenderly. He continued to be kind and genuine to me despite our disagreement just a few days before, and I found myself feeling more ashamed of myself each day for not treating him well when we first met. I could have saved myself weeks of confusion and headaches with Sean and my meddlesome, but well-meaning, best friends if I had put my insecurities aside long enough to consider the fact that he was actually into me when we met at Big Game.

  “Is it—is it too early to say that I think I really, really like you?” I asked, stuttering over the words that felt too big to be saying so soon. His eyes widened slightly, and I closed mine in response. You are such a damn fool, Charlie. I admonished myself internally and tried to pull my hand from his in order to wrap my arms protectively around my middle.

  He laughed as he held tightly to my hand. His free hand ran through my bangs gently before caressing my cheek. “I don’t think it’s too soon at all. I think I’ve liked you since the day you accused me of thinking you’d been stood up. I’ve really, really liked you since the day you were blatantly checking me out in my uniform before telling me to ‘get a fucking clue.’ It was really adorable.”

  I groaned and carefully extracted my hand from his before sitting up and stretching my arms over my head. I wasn’t quite sure how he could simultaneously make me feel just a little bit like an idiot while also making me feel enamored and elated all at the same time. Butterflies danced in my stomach at his words. Devon’s eyes locked on my boobs as they strained against the thin, cotton material of my sundress. I snapped my fingers in front of his face, and he had the grace to at least look a little ashamed of his blatant leering.

  I gestured toward my face before saying, “Eyes on the prize, buddy.”

  An eyebrow snaked toward his hairline, and he smirked. He glanced at me, and the smoldering heat in his eyes caused me to lean back slightly as my stomach clenched. “My eyes were already on the prize, love.”

  I rolled my eyes but laughed none-the-less. I held m
y hand out to him and smiled at the familiar jolt rocking through my body when our skin touched. “C’mon, perv. Let’s go watch the sunset on the beach.”

  — D —

  My fingers dug into the hair at the base of Charlie’s neck. I tangled them the strands that I pulled loose from the bun she piled on top of her head when we arrived at the windy ocean front. Her lips worked urgently against my own, and a shiver worked its way up my spine. The kiss was chaste, and I could feel her frustration with me. But I was sincerely afraid that anything more would lead to me pulling her into the frigid water and having my filthy way with her.

  Waves crashed around our ankles, and Charlie sank another inch deeper into the wet sand. Our lips remained connected as she worked her feet out of the muck and pushed herself closer against my body. She ran her tongue along my lower lip and moaned with apparent frustration at my refusal to part my lips for her. She untangled her fingers from my t-shirt and pushed me away slightly. I couldn’t help but laugh at her obvious frustration as she turned pink-tinged cheeks and a frown in my direction.

  “You’re feeling feisty today, aren’t you?”

  Charlie surprised me by kicking in my direction, spraying cold water across the front of my jeans. I scowled as I studied my wet pants. A burst of giggles poured from her lips as her eyes followed mine; and thankfully for both of us, the denim was tight enough to conceal the absolute raging boner I was sporting.

  Her giggles turned to a shriek when I cupped my hands and bent toward the murky water. She turned, attempting to run in the wet sand. Her body tensed as the cold water connected with her back. I hated that her dress wasn’t thin enough to see through when wet. She preferred boy shorts, and I found myself wondering for the better part of the day if she’d worn something sexier for our date.

  She turned abruptly to face me as I chuckled at her. A half smile played across my lips, and her hazel eyes shone molten in the late afternoon sun. She smiled in return; and I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, soaking up the sun and the happiness of that moment. Closing my eyes proved a fatal mistake. Charlie took the opportunity to send another splash of cold ocean water crashing toward my body.

  My eyes popped open as my mouth gaped in shock. She didn’t wait to gauge my reaction. Instead, she turned and started racing toward the harder packed sand beyond the waterline. She giggled as I bellowed to her, and she laughed outright at the sound of me splashing through the water in pursuit. She glanced over her shoulder, and the genuinely happy smile on her face paired with the halo of sun shining around her was almost enough to keep me from chasing her.

  — C —

  Devon was only twenty feet behind me. I knew that I didn’t stand even the tiniest chance of outrunning the athlete, but I wasn’t a quitter. The deck where we dropped our shoes was a quarter of a mile away, and I pushed harder, kicking up the loose sand as I went. My thighs burned as I ran.

  An anguished yelp from behind caused me to slide to a stop. I turned and my heart stuttered before restarting in double time. Devon was bent at the waist, his left leg extended slightly in front of his torso. The shadows on his face couldn’t hide the scowling grimace displayed there as he clutched his thigh with both of his hands.

  “Are you okay?” I asked while racing back toward him. “What happened?”

  “Cramp in my hammie,” he groaned, and I suppressed the urge to immediately mock him for using the term hammie.

  I placed a hand on his hard shoulder, and it raised up and down with his rapid breathing. “I know it hurts, but it’s only going to feel better if you walk it out. You can’t stay all hunched up like that.”

  I rolled my eyes at the slight whimper in his voice when he replied, “But it’ll hurt to walk!”

  “It’ll hurt to just stand there, too. Don’t be a pussy, Devon!”

  I took advantage of his shock. As his eyes widened at my crass language, I wrapped my fingers around his bicep. With a determined tug, I pull him upward and yanked him forward. I heard a sharp intake of breath behind me, but I simply rolled my eyes and continued to drag him along. His resistance lasted only a couple of moments.

  As we approached the deck, I allowed my hand to slip from his bicep, down his arm, and finally to his hand. He laced our fingers, and a smile spread over my face at the electric warmth that seemed to flow from his fingers and into my body. I bumped shoulders with him, and he glanced down at me with a look that was a mixture of a gentle smile and a grimace.

  “Better?” I asked as we mounted the steps to the deck. We paused long enough to grab our shoes and wash our feet.

  As we walked toward the park exit, I noticed a slight limp in his step. “It was a deep cramp,” he muttered. “It’s still spasming every now and then. It could turn into another cramp.”

  “Oh, you poor baby,” I teased as he limped toward his parked car. “Here, give me your keys. My place is much closer than yours. I have Icy Hot and therapeutic oils at home—let’s get you taken care of.”

  “You really don’t have to do that. I can drop you off and then drive myself home.”

  I rolled my eyes and stopped short of the car. One of my hands rested on my jutted hip while I held the other out before me. “What happens when you get another cramp while driving? Are you just going to drive off the side of the road? How would I live with the gnawing guilt of your death on my conscious? Give me the keys.”

  “Really, it’s that big a deal. I’ll go home, eat some bananas, and get some rest. I might even still be able to get a workout in later this evening.”

  “Will you just do me a favor and let me take care of you? I get it; you’re a big, burly, strong man. But you need a little help right now, so let me help.”

  Devon rolled his eyes, and I winked in an over-exaggerated manner. “You’re a real asshole, you know that?”

  I shrugged noncommittally. “C’mon, you had a deep tissue cramp, probably caused by the fact that you’re pushing yourself way too hard every day with playoffs just around the corner. I’m pretty sure Coach Fisher would end me if he thought I was the reason you weren’t taking care of yourself. He’s already had enough trouble out of me this season.”

  A look of absolute resignation crossed Devon’s face as he dropped the keys in my hand.

  The drive to my apartment was short, and I tossed Devon’s keys on my kitchen island. “I think the Icy Hot is in the medicine cabinet in my bathroom. C’mon, let’s go check.”

  I started to walk down the hall. When I didn’t hear footsteps, I turned back. He stood, hands tucked in his pockets, leaning against the doorframe between my kitchen and living room. A smile tugged at his lips, and the lines near the corner of his eyes deepened with the action. My own small smile quirked over my lips at the realization that I never noticed how much more attractive his smile lines made him.

  I held my hand out to him and smiled at the feeling of his calloused palm in mine. We passed the doors to the laundry room/half bath combo and linen closet before Devon spoke. “Your apartment is really nice. I didn’t realize that working with the county government paid so well.”

  I let an awkward silence fall between us at the mention of my job. My job as an archival assistant, researcher, and occasional presenter for the Historical Society didn’t pay nearly well enough to cover the expense of the apartment. I was lucky in a gross sort of way that the guilt my grandparents felt over pushing me out of their lives for years on end ended with them subsidizing my living space once I graduated college.

  The memory of the e-mail from Dr. Mitsos sitting in my inbox fueled my awkward silence. No one knew about the offer to move home and work with a professor at Miami University, and I planned to keep it that way. I didn’t have any intention of taking the internship, but I didn’t want to cause unnecessary tension between myself and Devon or myself and my friends over the fact that I was receiving job offers from other parts of the country.

  The thought slipped from my mind entirely as we approached my bedroom, and my stomach flutte
red slightly. “I’ll grab the Icy Hot and be right out,” I said as I walked into my room and headed toward the bathroom.

  — D —

  “Sure thing,” I called after her, and she disappeared into the bathroom.

  The sounds of her rummaging through cabinets faded from my ears as I studied her bedroom. Her large sleigh bed caught my attention almost immediately. A slow smile crossed my face. I definitely wouldn’t mind testing the durability of that particular piece of furniture.

  “So I couldn’t find the Icy Hot,” she said as she emerged from the bathroom with a small glass bottle in her hand.

  “That’s okay; I really appreciate the thought. Thanks for trying to help!” Smooth going, Cote.

  “Hey, not so fast, mister! I have a bottle of eucalyptus tea massage oil. You won’t get the heat, but it should still help to massage the stiffness from the muscle. It smells really nice, too. I like to use it as stress relief sometimes,” she prattled on when I turned back toward her.

  My mind immediately returned to the gutter at the thought of her rubbing herself down with the oil on long, lonely nights. She stood, her shoulder bracing her weight against the doorframe of her bathroom.

  I couldn’t keep the sultry timbre from my voice as I asked, “How do you use that oil?”

  “S-sorry?” She stuttered before clearing her throat, and I was very aware of the sexual tension filling the space in the room between us.

  “Where,” I began speaking as I moved slowly in her direction, “do you rub yourself with the oil, Charlie?”

  A blush rushed up her neck and toward her cheeks, and her grip tightened visibly around the glass bottle in her palm. Her eyes were hooded. There was no doubt that the heat that was racing through my body was racing through hers as well. She chuckled quietly, and my eyebrow quirked.