“You know, there are much more conventional ways to give a woman your number,” I explain.
“No, this way you can’t tell me you lost it,” he smirks, then reaches out, taking my hand in his and finishes it off. “Call me,” he demands once he has completed branding my arm. Geez, this guy comes on strong.
“Don’t think so,” I say, enjoying the way his eyes dance as he watches me.
“You will,” he smirks with confidence. I give him one last smile and turn my back, making my way out of the locker room.
“Hey,” he calls, I turn back around just in time to see him drop his towel to the ground, an evil smirk dances on his handsome face and I can’t help but look down. My eyes widen in shock. Wow. He is one glorious man, “See you around.”
I feel my cheeks flame as need rushes through me once again and I stutter out a, “Yeah,” which comes out extremely breathy and I swear there may have been a little moan. Crap. I need to get out of here before I jump him. How embarrassing. He smirks again at my reaction as I scurry out the door and run right into Sophie.
“Watch it, cow. What’s the hurry? I’m dying to get back in there,” she laughs.
“Oh, shut it. I just got flashed by the Captain and he branded me with his number,” I say holding up my arm.
“Damn, you work fast, he’s hot. When are you calling him?” she asks, grabbing my camera and flicking through all our photos, then going back to the last ones and zooming in.
“I’m not calling him, he’s the biggest player on campus,” I tell her.
“What? That’s ridiculous,” she says, then her eyes widen as if she has just discovered a secret. “Did he not have a lot to show for himself? I’m surprised. You know, maybe he is a grower, not a shower.”
“Oh my god, shut up. And for the record, I was extremely impressed with what I saw. I’m just not ready to date, not after what happened with Brett.”
“Whoa, slow down, cowgirl. Who said anything about dating? Whatever happened to just sex? I’m sure he would be down for that. I bet he is the bomb in bed,” she says looking extremely smug.
“No, you know I can’t do that,” I tell her. “Sex for me is more than just a quick pump and dump. There has to be a connection. I’m a relationship girl, not a ‘One Nighter’ like you.”
“Hey, don’t knock it till you’ve tried it,” she grins.
“Yeah, that’s never going to happen,” I confirm. “Now, what do you think of the photos? I think we have heaps to get the first story out, though I liked the idea of the ‘Hockey Hottie of the Week Bio” I add.
“Yeah, I liked that too. Did you just come up with that one? I don’t remember talking about it before.”
“Yeah, it just kind of popped into my mind, so I rolled with it. Maybe we should start with the newbies, leave the more popular guys till their following is back.”
“I agree,” she says. “Now let’s get home so we can show Jared all these photos. He is going to die when he sees this.”
---------
I get home and make my way down to my bedroom as I dig my phone out of my bag. I make myself comfy on my bed and bring up my mother’s number.
“Dani Bear, how are you?” my mother’s shrill, excited voice beams after the second ring. “When are you coming home? We miss you,” she says as I hear Dad calling out hello in the background. God, I miss them. It must have been Christmas when I last saw them and even that nearly sent me broke.
“Hi Mum,” I smile. “Miss you too, hopefully, I can make it home in the next few weeks.”
“That would be great darling. How're your classes going?” she asks, falling into our usual weekly conversation.
“Yeah, so far so good. We got this huge assignment in Communications that’s worth 50% of our grade and I’m paired with Sophie, which is great. The only downfall is that we’re stuck being the hockey team groupies for the year.”
“Really?” she asks interested and I can practically hear the smile in her voice. I imagine her flopping down on her old couch, her dark hair high up on her head. “Why do you make it sound like such a bad thing? I bet there are a lot of good-looking boys on that team. Have you met them yet?”
“Mum,” I groan. “I’m not interested,” I tell her, giving the little white lie as I haven’t been able to get the image of Miller Cain dropping his towel out of my mind. “I told you I’m not dating and even if I were, it’s not going to be one of those guys, no matter how hot they are.”
“Come on darling, don’t you think it’s about time you got back on the horse?” she asks.
I put my phone down and hit speaker as I make my way across my room to pull out my nail polishes. “No mum, I don’t. Why are we having this conversation again? You know how I feel about all this.”
“Baby,” she scolds. “It’s been months since you left Brett, maybe finding someone new will be good for you. Dating is healthy.” Damn it, why did she have to go and bring up Brett.
“No mum, I don’t think so. It’s way too soon. I just want to enjoy being single. If the right guy comes along, then he comes along, but until then, I’m not actively searching for him,” I say, searching through the polishes and pulling out my favourite red and get to work.
“Why do you have to be so difficult? You get that from your father, you know?” she laughs “But one day, whether you like it or not, some amazing guy is going to come along and sweep you off your feet. I just hope you’re open to it when he does.”
“I know, mum,” I grumble with an eye roll.
“You better not be rolling your eyes at me, Missy,” she says.
“I’m not,” I laugh as I move onto my other foot.
We chat for another half hour discussing classes and the assignment when I hear Jared getting home.
She doesn’t let me hang up until I’ve promised to send her the pictures from the boy’s locker room which is exactly what I do.
I hop up, hoping my nails have fully dried and make my way into the kitchen, following the inticing smell of Chinese food.
“Yum,” I say, making my presence known, noticing Jared and his boyfriend, Ashton, sitting up on the counter. “God, I hope that’s to share,” I say as my tummy begins to rumble.
“Girl, I know better than to come home without bringing you ladies dinner,” Jared smirks.
“I thank God for you every day, Jared,” I say, crossing the kitchen and wrapping my body around his in the tightest hug.
“Shut up and dig in,” he laughs, pulling a clean plate out of the dishwasher behind him.
“What’s that smell?” I hear Sophie call from her bedroom.
“Get your skinny ass out here,” I yell back. “The boys bought us Chinese.”
She comes rushing down the hallway in nothing but her pyjama shorts and hot pink bra. She smirks when she sees the plate Jared has just retrieved for her and grabs it enthusiastically. “What do you say to a movie night?” she asks the room.
“I’m in,” Ashton pipes up, hopping off the counter and making his way into the lounge room, being sure to smack Jared on the ass on his way past. We all follow behind with our dinner and flop down on the couch.
“This is amazing,” Sophie grumble’s as she stuffs another forkful into her mouth.
“Mmmm,” I agree, shovelling in my own.
Jared places his plate down on the coffee table and heads down the hallway, coming back a minute later with pillows and blankets. He heads over to our shockingly poor DVD collection before turning back at us. “It’s either the notebook or Burlesque?” he asks.
“Burlesque,” we all say in unison, though Sophie and I grumble it with full mouths.
He laughs and gets on with loading the DVD. “You bitches are going to give yourselves muffin tops if you keep eating like that.”
“Don’t stress,” Sophie smirks. “I get enough action to have to worry about a muffin top.”
“Oh, and what about you?” Ashton asks me with eyebrows raised.
“I’m fine,”
I huff, earning a scoff from both Sophie and Jared. “What? I am.”
“You’re not babe,” Sophie says. “But you will be if Miller Cain has anything to do with it.”
Chapter 4
Miller
Why hasn’t she called me yet? This is ridiculous and definitely not how this game is played. I give a girl my number and she calls me the next day. Simple. But no, this chick has got me so wound up with her rejection, it’s killing me. I mean, Miller Cain does not get rejected. It’s just fact. She hasn’t even sent a text telling me to fuck off, that I can work with, but radio silence is not going to help me get her into my bed.
It’s been a few days since Dani first graced us with her presence and so far, the girls have come to a few of our training sessions and I must admit, I am enjoying their audience and I know the rest of the guys are too. They have all been killing it during practice, giving 110% and I know for a fact that’s not because they're listening to Coach’s demands.
The girls have been keeping to themselves so far, sitting up in the grandstand taking photos and scribbling notes before packing up and heading out. They even took Johnny for an interview for their ‘Hockey Hottie of the week’ Bio and man, I have never seen a kid look so stoked about chatting with a bunch of girls. They really must have worked their magic on him. I know I’ve got Dani’s attention, but whenever I glance her way she makes a show of being busy, searching through her bag or taking another pic, but I don’t get it, she didn’t strike me as shy that first day, so there is another reason she is avoiding me and don’t doubt me, I will figure it out.
I sit with Tank as our Business professor wraps up the lecture. I grab my bag from the floor and begin to stuff my pens and notepad inside. “What’s the plan for tonight?” Tank asks, getting up from his seat.
“Don’t know,” I say following him out the room. “Maybe a few drinks at Micky’s. I was planning on hitting up the gym early in the morning,” I say, thinking a quiet one at our local bar would probably be the best idea.
“Cool. Might hit the gym with you.”
“What? You never go to the gym on a Saturday. What’s the deal? No date tonight?” I ask, glancing at him out the corner of my eye.
“Nah, man, not tonight.”
We walk out of the building and cross the campus in search for some lunch when a head of thick golden hair darts into a café. “Let’s go in here,” I tell Tank, turning into the café without a backwards glance.
Tank grunts in disapproval behind me as I know he hates this café after he spent four days hunched over the toilet after eating their chicken sandwich last year. But, fuck him, I’m not letting this opportunity go to waste.
We enter the café and I watch as Dani finishes giving her order then steps off to the side to wait. I make my way up to the counter and order a coffee and salad hoping that shit won’t make me sick. I pay my bill while I watch her out the corner of my eye and notice the exact moment she realizes I’m here. She gasps and quickly turns away, making a show of studying the artworks on the wall as if she hasn’t seen me.
I make my way over and notice how her jeans are perfectly plastered to her skin. I come right up behind her, close enough that she can feel the heat from my body and gently place my hands on her hips. I slide them up under her shirt, letting them rest against her firm waist. I give a little squeeze and watch as a shiver takes over her body, leaving goosebumps across her creamy skin. God, I’ve been needing to touch this skin, to feel it’s smoothness under my fingers. I gently pull her into me and whisper in her ear. “You never called.”
She takes a slow deliberate breath as a satisfied smile rips across my face. Yeah, she wants me. “I lost your number,” she explains.
Nah, there’s no way. I made sure that number wasn’t coming off. Hell, I used permanent marker just to be sure. I reach around her sexy body and take her hand in mine, holding it out while I use my other hand to slide her sleeve up to her elbow. “You’re a liar,” I tell her, as I see a slightly faded version of my number, which I must say is still clear as day.
“Oh, I didn’t see that there,” she smiles, knocking me right off my feet with her beauty. Fuck.
I tug her sleeve back down into place and turn her in my arms. She looks up at me, her green eyes confused and unsure. Her eyes lower to my lips then dart back to my eyes. I smirk at her, knowing I have an effect on her and lower my face, stopping an inch from her lips, an open invitation, if she wants it, all she would have to do is take it. She catches her breath, “Come to my place tonight, we’re having a party.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she tells me.
“Baby, it’s the best idea. Besides, the whole team will be there, it would be good for your assignment if you knew us all on a more… personal level.”
She cringes as she realizes I’m right and I know I’ve drawn her in. She gazes at my lips once more and I’m almost sure she is about to kiss me when the barista calls her name, making her jump in my arms. Damn it, what I wouldn’t do to feel her lips on mine. She lets out a small huff. “Fine, we’ll be there,” she says, stepping out of my arms. She turns her back on me and grabs her coffee, looking back once before heading out the door.
My coffee and salad come up next and I grab them and turn to find Tank starting at me. “What the fuck was that?” he asks.
I shrug my shoulders and pull my phone from my pocket and send a group text.
Miller – Party at my place. Get your asses there and help me clean up. Bring booze.
Tank pulls out his phone and reads over the message, shaking his head at the same time “You’ve got it bad for this chick.”
“I don’t,” I tell him. “I just want to get her in bed.”
“Nah man, that’s bullshit. I haven’t seen you try this hard for a woman’s attention since we were freshmen. You’ve had your eyes glued to the grandstand all week,” he laughs.
“You’re one to talk, you haven’t even looked at another woman since you were with Sophie.”
He shrugs and continues forward. “She’s in my head,” he confesses.
WTF! “What do you mean ‘She’s in my head’? You like this chick?”
He scoffs at my question but grows serious a moment later. “Yeah, I think I do. I mean, don’t you think about having a serious girlfriend?”
“Girlfriend?” I ask in shock. “That’s not how we do things, bro,” I say, slapping him on the back. “We’re heading to the NHL, we don’t need chicks holding us back.”
He shakes his head at me once again. “I think you’re wrong. I think things are changing and I think this thing with Dani is about more than sex, you just haven’t realized it yet. As for me, I’m going after Sophie,” he smiles, proudly.
“Alright man,” I laugh in shock. “Tonight’s your night, Dani is bringing her along.”
He nods in understanding as we walk the rest of the way back to my place in silence. I contemplate what Tank has just told me, more than just sex? There’s no way. I did the whole girlfriend thing and to say that was a major fuck up would be an understatement. I don’t need that shit holding me down and besides, I’m heading to the NHL, who knows where I’ll even be next year.
We get back to my place where I find a few of the boys waiting out front for us. “Alright, we’ve got a few hours to make me not look like a lazy ass slob. Get to work,” I say unlocking the door and letting everyone in. “Oh, and get the word out, this is going to be the best party this college has ever seen.”
---------
I sit out the back surrounded by my teammates as the party rages around me. Bodies fill every spare corner of my place, inside and out. Girls dance upon each other as the guys kick back with a beer, watching the show. Empty red cups litter table tops and benches as the music vibrates through the walls and into the ground.
I head into the kitchen to grab another beer when a hand shoots out to my chest. “Hey baby, come and dance,” the soft voice says, I look up into the pleading eyes of Natasha
, the beautiful leggy blonde that I may or may not have used over the past few months, though I think it’s fair to say, that so has every guy in the room.
I shake her hand off and smirk as she pouts for my attention. “Sorry babe, not tonight,” I tell her as I slide away.
I grab a few beers and make my way outside, taking my seat beside Tank who is trying to shoo away some chick from taking possession of his lap. I reach out and hand him a beer which he greedily takes and pretends to listen in on the guy’s conversation.
I sit across from Jaxon, a Junior and most likely the guy who will take over Captain next year, if he can get his shit together. He has a promising future ahead of himself but needs to pull the reigns in a little. His eyes light up as he looks over mine and Tank’s shoulders. “Ah, there’s our girls,” he smiles, then rises out of his chair. “Fuck, Dani is hot, she’s mine tonight.” Rage instantly fills me and my fists clench beside me. This little prick better watch his next words.
“Sit your ass down,” Tank murmurs as he notices my fists.
Jaxon stops in his tracks and looks at Tank in confusion. “What’s the big deal? Those girls are too hot to pass up,” he smirks.
Tank stands up and gets in his face. “I told you to sit the fuck down,” he scowls as Jaxon’s face turns white at the monster of a man before him. “There are hundreds of chicks around here willing to suck your dick. Sophie and Dani are off limits,” he explains then looks around at our rowdy group. “That goes for all of you.”
They all nod their understanding, not one of them willing to go up against Tank.
Jaxon though, still has a bit to learn. “Aren’t you already messing around with Sophie? Share her around,” he smirks as he falls back into his chair.
“I don’t share. The girls are spoken for,” he says finishing the conversation.
Tank turns back to me with a knowing smirk on his lips. Yep, he just staked our claim. Well, sort of. But damn, it feels good to know none of these idiots are going to try and mess things up for me. Dani is mine. A few of the guys send me curious glances as they try to work out who has claimed Dani, but they are not stupid, they all saw me get naked for her in the locker room. Hell, I coped it for that, but it was worth it to see that shocked and needy look on her face.
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