“Sometimes. You did, but you were more subtle than most people.”
She winced, recollecting her initial impression of him. Given that, she could see how Kyle would think all professional athletes were jerks. That had been her assumption.
“Why do you ask?”
“Well…”
Rob straightened. “Someone made a comment about me to you.”
How the hell did he guess that? “Sort of.”
He threw a doubting look her way. “How can someone ‘sort of’ say something derogatory about me?”
For a second, she considered making a joke about his use of derogatory but then realized that would be exactly the same as what Kyle had said. Plainly Kyle didn’t think much of the players, though whether he felt they were lacking intellectually or morally she really couldn’t say. “That guy Kyle, the student teacher?” Rob nodded, his mouth set in a thin line. “He stopped me as I was leaving and congratulated me on the fundraiser.”
She pushed her veggies around on her plate for a moment before swallowing and continuing, “I told him I didn’t have much to do with the fundraiser, that it was all you. He kind of smirked and said something like, ‘Oh yeah, the hockey player.’ He said a few other things, and they didn’t sound, er, like they were meant in a respectful way.”
“I like this Kyle even less the more I find out about him. Maybe I’ll seek the lad out when I’m at school later this week.”
“No, no, don’t do that.” Placing a hand on his forearm, she said, “Please. I’m sure he’s just a jerk.”
“Sounds more like he’s trying to turn you against me, worm his way in.”
Alaina smiled softly and picked up his hand, kissing his knuckles. “It would take a lot more than one stupid comment to do that.”
“I should hope so,” he grumbled. “But I’m telling you, that guy wants you.”
Removing her hand, she began to eat once more. “Like I said, maybe he’s a troublemaker, but I can handle that. You told me not to worry about your shoulder. Afford me the same courtesy and don’t worry about Kyle.”
“Those are two entirely different situations.”
She shrugged, not wanting to argue. Alaina had made a mistake bringing up Kyle’s off-handed comment and should’ve known better. Luckily, Rob took the hint, and with a disgruntled noise, started shoving food into his mouth once more.
Rob, not surprisingly, came down with a cold as he began to really push himself on and off the ice, trying to get back into game shape. Alaina cooked some chicken soup then brought it over to him. He was curled up on the couch, shivering despite having dragged the comforter off his bed.
She frowned. “Are you sure you don’t need to go see a doctor?”
“I’ll be all right. I need to rest.” The last words came out with Ws in the beginning, and Rob made a face. “I hate having a cold,” he groused, and of course, cold sounded like “code.”
If he didn’t look so miserable she would’ve smiled, but instead she ran her fingers over his forehead, checking to make sure Rob indeed had a cold and not something that involved a high fever. “Do you think you can eat? You know what they say—feed a cold, starve a fever.” Rob said nothing and she coaxed, “Come on, baby. Can I heat some up for you? Can you at least try?”
“You sound like you’re talking to one of your kids. I’m not five.”
Now she understood fully how miserable he must be feeling. Normally he’d never make a crack like that, and she let it slide.
“But yeah, I’ll eat.”
A few minutes later she brought the soup back and set the bowl on the coffee table. “I couldn’t find that tray we used before. Do you want to eat here or in the kitchen?”
“Here’s fine.” He slid off the couch and pulled the comforter around himself once more. “You don’t need to stay. I’ll be okay. I’m going to watch a movie and take a nap. Not exciting company.”
“You don’t have to entertain me all the time, baby. Isn’t that what you told me after the surgery? Well, that goes the other way too.” She sat on the recliner a few feet away. “I’ll stay for a bit, see if you need anything else.”
“Even though I’m sick and gross, I love you.”
“I love you too. Try to eat for me.”
Rob ate a bowl and a half of soup, plus a couple of pieces of bread, and she was satisfied. Alaina left the rest of the soup in the fridge then went back to the living room. Her man was fast asleep. Leaning down, she brushed her lips over his forehead, smiling faintly as he scrunched up his nose at the contact, and then left.
~ * ~
When Rob woke up the next morning after nearly fifteen solid hours of sleep, he felt like a new man. He was rarely taken down by a cold more than a day or two—a perk of how well he took care of his body. After a shower that felt so good he considered taking another one immediately, he padded into the kitchen and demolished the remainder of the soup Alaina had left for him.
He glanced at the clock. Alaina would be at school by now. Yawning, he stretched then called Colby.
“Hey.”
“How ya feelin’, bud?”
“Way better. I thought I’d do some lifting.”
“That should be fine. No cardio ‘til tomorrow though, okay?”
“Yeah.” Rob sighed. “I hate being sick.”
“Comes with the territory.”
“I know. I’m not even sure why I felt so miserable with this one.”
He could almost see Colby shrug over the phone. “Some vicious strains going through this winter.”
“Anyway, I’ll be down in a bit.”
“Sounds good. Find me when you’re done so I can take a look, and then I’ll send you on your merry way.”
They hung up and Rob got his stuff together. A short time later, he’d been cleared by Colby and went to the weight room. A few of the guys were around and he shot the shit with them as he lifted. It felt good to finally be back in the fold, even if he wasn’t able to actually play yet. He left a few hours later feeling more positive than he had in a while that he’d be able to get back to where he’d been before the injury or even better, since the shoulder had been bothering him for a couple of years. Maybe the surgery would be a blessing in disguise.
He ate as soon as he got home then sat in his recliner, putting his feet up before dialing Alaina. She should’ve gotten home a little while ago, even if she’d had a few errands to run.
“Hi, babe,” he said when she answered.
“Rob?”
Sitting up, he asked, “What’s wrong?”
“I’m sick.”
Rob groaned. “Oh, no, honey. You caught my cold, didn’t you?”
“I don’t know. Usually you don’t get sick this fast after being around someone else who’s sick, but all my kids have had runny noses for weeks, so I shouldn’t be surprised.”
“Have you eaten? Let me take care of you now. Since I probably gave you the germs, the possibility of me getting sick is unlikely.”
“You do sound suspiciously healthy. What the hell?”
He laughed. “A nice side perk of my peak physical conditioning.”
“Whatever…”
“I’ll come over. What do you want for lunch?”
“Pizza,” she answered immediately.
“Pizza it is.”
“I love you.”
“And I love hearing you say that. But I also return that love. Be over soon, babe.”
“’K.”
After calling for a pizza, Rob took a quick shower then headed out the door. On the way to Alaina’s, he stopped to pick up lunch. When he arrived, he got her situated on the couch before sitting, trying not to stare at her while she ate. He wasn’t hungry, but since she didn’t have the TV on there wasn’t much to do. Rob was not good at being still. He liked motion, and after a few moments, he rose and went to the kitchen then quickly did the few dishes Alaina had.
He was drying his hands on a dish towel when the doorbell rang. Walking ba
ck into the living room, he motioned Alaina to remain seated. The doorbell sounded again, and he muttered, “Keep your pants on,” as he opened the door.
Standing in front of him was some young buck of a man who looked too slick for his own good. Leaning against the door frame and thus blocking the guy’s view of Alaina on the couch, Rob crossed his arms over his chest, flexing his biceps, and said, “Kyle, I presume?”
The guy smiled, revealing ridiculously white teeth. Trying a little too hard, aren’t ya, bud? “The hockey player, I presume?”
His voice dripped with condescension, and Rob heard Alaina mutter, “Oh boy.”
“Oh boy” is right. Who the fuck did this jerk-off think he was? The kid was taller than Rob by a couple of inches, but Rob easily had fifty pounds of pure muscle on him. Standing to his full height and drumming his fingers on the opposite arms while he flexed his biceps, Rob answered, “Yeah, the hockey player. Now, why don’t you take whatever you’ve brought my girlfriend back to your little hole and then go fuck yourself?” In a lower voice he was hoping Alaina couldn’t hear, he continued, “No way in hell you’ll ever be fucking her.”
He felt Alaina approach behind him and hoped that last crack hadn’t reached her ears. He hadn’t meant to go all alpha-male on this guy’s ass, but the dude’s tone couldn’t be ignored.
“Go home, Kyle,” Alaina said, scooting into the small space between Rob and the door.
Rob raised his voice once more. “And don’t ever plan on coming back.”
Kyle smirked. “We’ll see about that. A girl can only handle a Neanderthal for so long before she wants a man she can actually have a conversation with.” He tilted his head. “I bet you don’t even know what Neanderthal means, do you?”
Does this asshole have a death wish?
Alaina pushed the rest of the way past Rob. “Let me handle this.” Poking Kyle square in the chest, she said, “Rob’s one of the smartest people I know and has the most generous heart I’ve ever had the pleasure of coming across. He isn’t stupid by any means, but he is strong, and if you keep insulting him, I might let him showcase that strength.”
“I’ll file charges if he fucking touches me.” Kyle’s face softened as he looked at Alaina, and Rob growled. “What’re you doing with this guy? You could do so much better.”
Rob’s temper was on a hair-trigger, but Alaina had asked him to let her handle the matter and he was trying his damndest to do that. He owed that respect to her, so he contented himself with glowering menacingly from behind his woman.
“You know what, Kyle? You’re an asshole. I defended you to him. I told him you were being nice, trying to fit in. But you’re every bit the slimeball Rob said you were. Stay away from me, stay away from my classroom, and stay away from my kids, or I’ll report you so fast your fucking head will spin. You got me?” She began to cough, and Rob turned her into his chest.
He spoke directly to Kyle now, “I think we’re done here. I even get a whiff that you’ve been sniffing around and I’ll make life real uncomfortable for you.”
“I wasn’t kidding when I said I’d file charges if you touched me.”
Scoffing, Rob said, “Oh, I believe you. And I’m not gonna touch you. I know a lot of ways to make somebody’s life miserable.” With a cold smile he added, “Why do you think they call me ‘the Don’?” He was pretty sure he heard Alaina snicker, but she coughed again and he merely raised an eyebrow. “Capice?”
“Whatever, dude.” Kyle backed away though, not giving Rob his back until he’d approached the staircase several feet away.
Rob slammed the door shut. “That was actually kinda fun.”
Alaina moved back to the couch and sat heavily. “Thank you for letting me deal with him. I owe you an apology.”
He shook his head. “You owe me nothing.” Shrugging, he said, “I can’t really blame the guy for wanting you. That would be pretty hypocritical of me, don’t you think?” Rob walked over then squatted in front of her. “Promise me one thing. If he bothers you again, you’ll tell me.”
“I will. But I don’t want you going after him.”
“And risk a record for a dude like that?” He jerked his thumb toward the door. “So not worth it. Since I can’t get sick, let’s snuggle.”
“I’m disgusting, Rob. My nose is running. I’m coughing and sneezing—”
“And yet I still love you. Imagine that.”
“Yeah, imagine that.”
“Also, remind me to never piss you off. That’s the first time I’ve heard you swear at someone like that.”
Alaina sighed. “I try not to swear at all, since if I do, it’s harder not to around the kids.”
“Good point. Now let me wrap my Neanderthal body around you and keep you warm.”
~ * ~
SEVENTEEN
Rob took a turn around the ice, as excited as a six-year-old on Christmas Day. If things went well at this pre-game skate, he’d be in the lineup against Boston that night. Jon would use him in a limited capacity until he got his sea—or game—legs back, but he’d be on the bench again—something he’d been dreaming about since November.
He’d promised Alaina under penalty of no sex—a cruel, cruel threat, in his opinion—not to suit up if he didn’t feel right. In his heart of hearts he had to face that she was correct. If he returned to playing too early, he could cause even more damage, perhaps even career-threatening harm. But he’d felt good for the past week or so, really pushing his shoulder with contact in practice, and so far the joint had held up.
After the pre-game skate, he went to lunch with the team, as was custom, and then returned home. He waited a few hours to see if his shoulder stiffened up or swelled, but neither happened, and when Rob returned to the Barn later that afternoon, a huge grin was plastered on his face.
Alaina had declined to attend the game, even though he’d offered the two tickets each player got per game so she could bring Becca, but she’d said she was too nervous and wanted to watch at home. On the one hand, he was sad about that. He thrived on playing in front of the people he loved. But on the other hand, he might try to go too hard if she was in attendance, and plus, he could understand her nervousness. He’d spoken to his mother three times already within the past few days as she fretted over his return. In case Alaina changed her mind, he left her name at the “Will Call” window.
Sebastian was already at the arena, which wasn’t a surprise since he’d probably driven with Sarah. He was clad in spandex leggings and a Storm jacket and was working on his stick. Rob had to fight the urge to roll his eyes as he approached. In all his years of hockey, he hadn’t known many guys who fiddled with their sticks as much as his ex-roommate did.
Wisely waiting until Seb had turned off the blowtorch to speak, Rob then said, “Hey, man.”
“Hey.” His friend offered his hand for a fist bump. “You doing good? Will you play tonight?”
“I plan to.”
“I’m happy for you, mon ami. This has been a long time in coming.”
“Too long, but had to be done. I’m back in time for the push into the playoffs and hopefully a good run at the Cup, and that’s all that’s important.” They exchanged another fist bump and Rob said, “I’ll be back in a few to toss the soccer ball around. Gotta go check in with Colby and Jon.”
“I’ll be here.”
Glancing at Sebastian’s stick, Rob chuckled. “Yeah, somehow I don’t doubt that.”
He did his duty and talked to both the trainer and the head coach before heading into the locker room to change. Normally before a game, a bunch of the guys kicked a soccer ball around to get the juices flowing, and Rob couldn’t wait to get back into the routine. When he exited the room moments later, Jordan and Brendan were both bouncing tennis balls off the walls in the narrow hallway near Sarah’s office, and he left them alone, turning the opposite way until he was in a more open area. Sebastian hadn’t been at the stick machine when he’d walked by, and wasn’t here, where they usually
warmed up. Had they changed locations?
Rob was about to do a scouting mission when Sebastian trotted up from the general direction of Sarah’s office, his face flushed. At Rob’s raised eyebrow, he said, “Shut up.”
“I didn’t say a word.”
“Hey, you have your way to warm up and I have mine.”
Rob would never understand how a guy could have an orgasm then expect to perform at his peak a few hours later. But it worked for Sebastian. He and Sarah didn’t go at it—Rob shuddered—before every game, but often enough to give Rob sufficient data on which to base his conclusion on. “Just as long as Jon never gets wind. Then you’re a dead man.”
“Let’s warm up.”
They began to kick the ball around, taking things easy, and soon, several other players joined them. Brendan walked by on his way to the bench for his Zen moment and none of them even spared him a second glance. Goaltenders were notoriously…unique, and they’d all learned long ago not to question anything either he or Jordan did. Brendan definitely had a stranger routine than Jordan, who tended to be easygoing until you got him in a game situation, and the team gave their All-Star starting goaltender a wide berth on game day.
Ben joined the game. “Coach says you’re fourth-lining tonight.”
Rick gave a whoop. “Reunited.” Though he’d like to reclaim his spot on the second line.
Ben centered Sebastian and Nikolai on the first line, and Rob normally played wing on the second line, though he sometimes took a shift with Ben and Sebastian when the team needed more brawn than speed. Silently he prayed tonight would go well and in a game or two Jon would give him his spot back. A rookie was currently occupying the position and had to be expecting to be demoted. One of the perks of being a veteran was reclaiming your position after an injury without having to prove yourself all over again. Rob couldn’t slack, of course, but he’d already demonstrated his particular talents time after time. Jon trusted him.
After five, the soccer game broke up and men dispersed to work on sticks, ride the bike, or whatever pre-game ritual they felt was necessary. Sebastian and Rob grabbed their sticks and a puck and went sliding out onto the ice in their sneakers. They’d done this before pretty much every game since Sebastian had joined the Storm roster for good last season.
Underneath It All (Storm Series) Page 26