Balls: The Complete Players Collection (Sports Romance Box Set)

by Teagan Kade

  I tried to give him a thumb’s up, but my hand seemed to have sprouted several of them. Thank God I’d been wearing my helmet. If not, I was pretty sure I’d be trying to stuff my brains back inside my head right about now.

  Cormac extended a hand and helped me into a sitting position. It was only then I noticed Scott storming across the ice.

  Jensen didn’t even see him coming.

  Scott shirt-fronted Jensen, shoving him in the chest with two hands. “What the fuck was that, Pettigrew? You trying to get someone fucking killed?”

  Jensen pointed to his nose. “Bitch fucking broke my nose.”

  Scott lurched for him. “The fuck did you just say?!”

  Thankfully, Liam and Brody were there to hold Scott back. He shrugged them off, levelling a pointed finger at Jensen. “Get the hell out of my sight.”

  Jensen looked around him at me. “We’re not done.”

  “Go!” screamed Scott.

  Hands in the air, Jensen began to skate off muttering to himself. The second he stepped off the ice Scott was over to me, a hand behind my back and concern sketched onto his face. “I’ve got her,” he told Cormac, shifting him away to stare into my eyes. “Rae, you okay?”

  I nodded weakly but my head still felt like it was attached to a drill bit.

  He started to rub my back in full view of the others. In fact, even through my pain I could see he was acting more like a protective boyfriend than a coach. There was no way he would have been this affectionate if it was Erik or Liam in my place.

  Scott held up his hand. “How many fingers am I holding up?”

  They swam before me. “Ah, two? Or three, maybe?”

  “Shit. I think you’ve got concussion,” Scott said. He looked around for Cormac. “Give me a hand here getting her to her feet. “We’ll get you to a doctor.”

  I started to protest, but he pressed his finger against my lips. “Just to be on the safe side. You’re no good to me if you’re seeing three pucks instead of one.”

  True, but I was seeing three Scotts — every one of them as sexy as the last.

  I closed my eyes and kept that thought going as I was carried off the ice, the last thing I remembered the cold blast of air outside and the way it made my hair stick to my helmet.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  SCOTT

  Fucking Jensen. It had been going so well, Rae somehow anticipating the boys’ moves. I’m pretty sure Cormac had something to do with that, but I didn’t care. I was happy to see her finally making ground. That was until the wayward elbow and the subsequent clusterfuck that followed.

  I knew I’d put it on too thick out there, fawning and fussing over her like an idiot, but I was scared too, maybe for the first time in my life. The way her head collided with that bar… Jesus. If something had happened to her…

  My anger flared at Jensen again. I’d deal with him later. He was a big boy. He shouldn’t have come at her so hard, bloodied nose or not.

  Bit like the tea pot calling the kettle black, isn’t it? I reminded myself.

  I had been a rebel on the ice once upon a time, keen to get the fists out and go to town. I’d been jacked up on testosterone and dying to carve out a name for myself — at any cost. I’d simmered over the years, but from time to time the Hulk emerged before I could stuff him back inside Bruce.

  Had I overreacted?

  Without question, but what did that mean for the team and, more importantly, my relationship with Rae?

  The boys, knuckle-headed as they were, weren’t fools. They could piece two and two together when they wanted to.

  “Scott?” came Rae’s voice, weak as a lamb.

  The doctor said it was mild as concussions went, but he still prescribed ample bed rest and definitely no “strenuous physical activity” for a few days, which I suppose put sex out of the question.

  I had her flat in my bed, the room lights off given the way she said it hurt her eyes. “I’m here,” I told her, squeezing her hand. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  I’d been checking her pupils on the hour as instructed, despite her protests. I was reassured she didn’t appear to be getting any worse, but I knew how these things could play out, which is why I had to remain vigilant.

  “Why does it feel like an elephant has set up shop in my head?” she asked.

  “You took a pretty big hit, bloodied Jensen’s nose up real nice.”

  She gave a small trill of laughter. “Oh, yeah. He was pretty pissed, wasn’t he?”

  “I don’t think he’ll be inviting you to his next pool party, no.”

  “But I was good out there today, right?”

  God, even the way her lips were moving was turning me on. I wanted nothing more than to smother them with my own, to taste her again. One, two nights — it wasn’t enough. My hunger for her was far from being satisfied. I was pretty sure it never would be. “You were,” I replied, “like you’d developed a sixth sense of sorts.”

  “Thanks to Cormac,” she said.

  “I figured you two talked shop. Anyhow, get some rest. We can talk later.”

  The doorbell rang. I’d ordered Thai earlier, so it came as no surprise.

  Seeing Rae falling back to sleep, her lips lightly parted, I begrudgingly let go of her hand and made my way to the front door, surprised to find Wanda when I look through the peephole.

  I pulled the door open. “Bit late for a house call, isn’t it?”

  She looked over my shoulder, but I blocked her view. I noticed she was in her usual power skirt and silk blouse combo, too many buttons undone and far too much cleavage on show given her position. But that was Wanda.

  “I was in the neighborhood, thought I’d swing by,” she said.

  “How thoughtful,” I replied, “but I’m really busy, sorry.”

  Before I knew it, she’d managed to slip under my arm and casually make her way to the lounge.

  “Hey!” I called, but she was already settling into the sofa. “I’d almost forgotten how this place looked.”

  I came around in front of her as she crossed her legs, extending her arms across the back of the sofa like she owned the place. “Wanda, it’s too late for this bullshit. I’ve got things to do.”

  She got straight to the point. “I heard the way you reacted to Rae Walsh’s injury today was… out of character.”

  So word had already spread, but I’d expected that.

  I crossed my arms. “I’m not allowed to be concerned for the welfare of my players now?”

  “You’re telling me if that was Erik or Jensen you would have handled the situation the same way?” Her lips pressed together smugly, rose red and just as prickly.

  Now she was just pissing me off, fishing. I wasn’t going to let her bait me. “You weren’t there.”

  “True,” she conceded, “but I’m starting to think perhaps she’s more than a player to you.”

  I didn’t reply.

  Smiling, Wanda pressed. “In fact, if I know you at all, Scott, and I think I do, I’d say you’ve probably fucked her little brains out by now, haven’t you?”

  I should have told her to get the hell out, that it wasn’t true, that she was insane, but my moment of hesitation gave Wanda all the answer she needed.

  She nodded slowly. “If that’s the case, as Head of PR, I need to ostensibly remind you of the damage it could do to your reputation, not to mention the team’s.”

  But now I could see her façade dropping. This wasn’t about anyone’s reputation. This was about jealously, plain and simple. “Don’t worry about me, Wanda, or the team. I’m perfectly capable of handling both.”

  She stood and took a step towards me, rolling her lips together. She placed a hand against my chest. “I’ll never stop worrying about you, Scott.”

  I gently lifted her hand away. “I think it’s best you left now.”

  “Scott, you—” but she froze when she heard a moan from the master bedroom.

  Fuck.

  She looked at me stricke
n and then angry, a myriad of emotions running across her face before she darted off towards the source of the sound. I didn’t have time to stop her.

  “Wanda!” I yelled, but it was too late. I’d forgotten how fucking agile she could be.

  Wanda’s switched the light on before I can stop her, Rae groaning and squinting.

  “Don’t you even think about shining that flashlight in my eyes again, mister,” said Rae, before rolling over and placing the pillow over her head.

  I grabbed Wanda by the arm and pulled her from the room, switching the lights back off and closing the door.

  I marched Wanda back onto into the living room. “You good now?”

  She ignored me. “What’s she doing in there, Scott?”

  Fuck.

  “I thought it would be best to bring her home for observation after the concussion.”

  “And I suppose the neon pink suitcases I saw in the back room are simply you getting touch with your feminine side?”

  Double fuck.

  But I’d had enough of this. I wasn’t above to give Wanda the satisfaction of an answer. I started to lead her towards the front door. “I don’t have to justify or explain myself to you, Wanda.”

  She stopped at the door. “You do know how deep you’re shoveling the shit on yourself here, don’t you? There’s no world in which this ends well.”

  I opened the door and marched her through. “Goodnight, Wanda.”

  I resisted the urge to slam the door closed and checked the peephole to make sure she was, in fact, leaving. She stood there for a moment all the same, words left unsaid on her lips, before turning heel and strutting away towards the elevators.

  I turned with my hands on my head and pulse pretty fucking elevated. I saw the green eyes Wanda had going on there and knew she wouldn’t be able to keep this a secret if she tried.

  Rae sensed something was up when I returned to the room, rolling back over and asking, “Is everything okay? I heard voices.”

  I wasn’t even sure she knew Wanda was here at all. I took a seat on the edge of the bed and did my best to smile knowing full well she’d see nothing in the dark. “Everything’s great. How are you feeling?”

  Her response was to take me by the arm and pull me into the bed with her. She snuggled in close to my side, nuzzling at my arm like a lost kitten. It wasn’t the kind of affection I was used to, maybe even deserved.

  “Can you stay here tonight, with me?” she asked, the sleep straining her voice.

  I shifted so she could place her leg over me, so I could feel more of her warm, welcome body against mine. We were clothed and I was okay with that, because this was… well… It was pretty fucking nice.

  She gave a stifled yawn against my arm. “So, so tired.”

  “It’s alright,” I told her. “You go back to sleep now. I’m not going anywhere.”

  Another yawn followed, and then, “I think I’m in love with you.”

  It took a second for that to sink in. I opened my mouth to ask her to repeat that, to tell her I think the same, but she was already snoring — not a blow-your-house-down ggggggrrrruuuumpph, but a slow purr every time she drew air in that was the most adorable fucking sound I’d ever heard.

  I stared up at the dark ceiling with Rae against me and smiled openly to myself, my tussle with Wanda forgotten.

  I love you too.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  RAE

  My head had cleared when I woke. There was a lingering tenderness from the hit I took when I opened my eyes, but apart from that I seemed to be functioning as normal — functioning extremely well when I noticed I was curled up against Scott. He was watching me with a curious kind of satisfaction in those opal eyes of his. “Good morning. Feeling better?”

  I yawned and stretched. “You know, I am.”

  I placed my hand on his shirt and picked at his buttons. “We have practice today, don’t we?”

  Scott took a moment to compose his answer. “Technically, we do, yes, but there’s no way I’m letting you gear up and join the others in the rink. You’re recovering from a pretty hard knock to the head. I’m not about to see further damage done.”

  As sensible as being sidelined was, I was still peeved I wouldn’t be able to get out there. “But I am coming,” I shot back. “And you can’t stop me.”

  “Stop you?” Scott laughed, pulling me into the crook of his arm. “I don’t think an army could stop you doing what you want. Fine, come, but like I said, no gearing up.”

  “Yes, Coach,” I purred, popping a button open.

  *

  Although I was still thinking of ways to get onto the ice, the drive to the rink was surprisingly wholesome. It seemed we’d reached a point where we both knew this relationship was inevitable, that there was no use trying to suppress our feelings for one another. We hadn’t exactly stated this aloud to each other, but the general mood was more intimate than before.

  Scott pulled into the park labelled ‘Reserved for Scott Bausch, Head Coach’ and switched off the engine. “You sure you want to come in?”

  I simply dipped my head a little. “They could have lopped my head clean off and I’d still be coming inside.”

  Scott had to laugh at that. “Alright then. Let’s go.”

  This time we walked down the tunnel together. No one seemed to notice as we emerged except for Wanda, who was standing with her arms crossed and delivering me such stink-eye I was expecting lasers to beam from her head.

  “What’s with her?” I whispered to Scott, nudging him to look in Wanda’s direction.

  He sighed and kept walking. “Don’t worry about it. It’s something between me and her. It doesn’t concern you.”

  “You sure?” I asked. “Because it really doesn’t look like she’s making a friendship bracelet for me over there.”

  Scott rounded in front of me and took my shoulders. “Like I said, it’s nothing for you to worry about. Now, I’ve got to head into the office for a bit. You’ll be right out here with the guys?”

  I dipped my head.

  “Okay,” he said. “I’ll be right out.”

  I watched him walk away before marching over to the team, who was busy getting ready by the barrier.

  Conversation cut off immediately. There was no doubting I was the center of attention.

  Screw this, I thought.

  I made sure to proudly march up until I was standing right in front of them.

  Wanda was still watching on in the distance.

  Fine.

  I levelled my gaze at the main offenders, unsurprisingly clustered together on the bench. “You going to tell me what’s with all this boorish alpha BS, or do I have to pull out my crystal ball?”

  There was a slight murmur as they looked at one another.

  Who was going to step up to the plate?

  Liam kicked off proceedings. “Look, you had game out there yesterday, I’ll give you that. I don’t know what kind of glitter shit you had to sprinkle around to pull it off, but yeah, we were on our toes.”

  I threw my arms out wide? “Sooooooo, what gives? You still don’t think I can contribute to this team? Is that it?”

  He exhaled long and hard looking for support but finding only barren, stony faces amongst his brethren. “Alright. Here’s the simple truth: You are not strong enough. And that’s science.”

  I resisted the urge to go full DEFCON One. “I’m not strong enough, am I?”

  Liam nodded. “Yeah, that about sums it up, princess.”

  Oh, boy, and if I already didn’t want to claw his eyes out…

  I began to formulate a plan. “Alright,” I started, doing my best to level with him, “why don’t we put it to the test?”

  “You want a fucking arm wrestle?” Liam laughed, some of the others beginning to join in, the frat pack finally coming together.

  “I’ll concede,” I continued, “I’m not as physically strong as you guys, but I have something much, much more valuable up my sleeve.”
r />   That shut them up.

  I let a second pass for dramatic effect. “I have skill and speed, the only s-words that matter.”

  Liam was still shaking his head. “If you say so.”

  Time to take him out. “Let’s have a skate-off then, you and me. Hell, let’s make it the entire team. Lane shuttling. Last standing.”

  He was surprised at this sudden challenge. “What, now?”

  “You got a better time in mind?”

  Again, Liam looked to his team mates, but they were all cornered here. They’d have to agree.

  Liam spat onto the floor, speaking for them. “Fine, but it’s your fucking funeral.”

  I smiled. “See you boys on the ice.”

  By the time I got my skates on Scott was back at the barrier. He tried to block me. “They told me what’s going on. This is not a good idea, Rae. I won’t allow it.”

  “I’m not gearing up. There’s not going to be any contact.”

  Scott refused to move. “I have final say here.”

  “Let her skate,” Cormac called, winking at me.

  “Yeah, let her skate,” some of the others chirped in.

  Reluctantly, Scott stepped aside, pointing at me. “This is on you.”

  I lowered my voice, stopping beside him. “I can handle it. I need to do this.”

  Scott called out to the others, shaking his head. “You know the drill. To the end of your lane and back as quick as you can. If you drop intensity, you’re out.”

  I closed the barrier gate and skated out to where Liam and the others were waiting in the End Zone.

  Liam was nodding at me, his shaggy blond hair wagging along. He looked more like a Point Break reject than an ice hockey star. “You’re going down, Walsh,” he warned.

  “Not on you,” I laughed. “Not on any of you, not in your god damn dreams.”

  That didn’t get the response I wanted, but I wasn’t here for a comedy show. I was here to skate.

  We set up in our respective lanes, eyeballing each other until Scott gave a single blast of the whistle to signal the start of the drill.

  I quickly checked the large digital clock to the right of the scoreboard, made a mental note to check it every five minutes and pace myself.