“Do you mind?” she asked, giving his arm a tug. “I can use my cane if that’s easier.” Naomi didn’t want Ryan to feel like he had to help her. She never needed someone to help. Like with the driving, Naomi found that she trusted Ryan.
Ryan covered her hand with his, squeezing reassuringly. “I really don’t,” he promised. “I flatter myself that you’d want to take my arm, even if you had Dougie here.” Again, Naomi was sure he was smiling. His cockiness appeared in flashes, and always with enough of a teasing edge that Naomi didn’t think he was arrogant.
“I’ll take you to my favorite ice cream place,” he promised. “It’s not far.” He kept her close as they walked, which Naomi felt sure had more to do with their chemistry than her inability to see where they were going.
“Is there anything else you’ve wanted to do, like driving?” Ryan asked.
“Like fly a plane or boat a boat?” she teased. When Ryan laughed at her description of driving a boat, Naomi grinned. “It’s the technical term,” she informed him. She shook her head. “There’s always going to be things I can’t do, but I don’t feel like I’m missing out.” Driving a go-kart had definitely been a great deal of fun. But it was spending time with Ryan that Naomi truly enjoyed the most.
“Well, I’ve never flown a plane, either,” Ryan assured her. “We can be together on that one. I’m not sure I’d trust myself in something that could just fall out of the sky.” His description made Naomi laugh, as she felt it had been meant to do.
Ryan led her through a door. “What’s your favorite -” He began, then was cut off by an excited squeal.
“Ohmygod! You’re Ryan Newell,” came a voice from Ryan’s other side. “You’re amazing. Can I have a selfie?”
Naomi felt Ryan’s arm tense briefly. She wasn’t quite sure why. This could hardly be the first time fans had approached him. Though, perhaps it wasn’t a very fun thing if it happened a lot. In any case, Naomi untangled her hand from Ryan’s. She reached to find her cane in her bag so she could unfold it.
“Oh! We’re so sorry, we didn’t realize you were busy doing charity,” one of the girls apologized.
It wasn’t... a great feeling. But it also wasn’t something that Naomi hadn’t heard before. There were a lot of people who, upon realizing she was blind, instantly assumed she was somehow incapable.
“I wasn’t.” Ryan’s voice was flatter than Naomi had ever heard it. There was a pause, then Ryan sighed. “It’s fine,” he said. While he didn’t sound happy about it, Naomi felt that he was trying. “I’m on a date, not doing charity, but I have time for a selfie,” he offered.
The girls cooed, insisting on snapping several pictures because one or other of their eyes were closed. It took long enough that Naomi felt awkward just standing there.
Finally, Ryan returned to her side, touching her arm to let her know he was back. “I hope Ashley appreciates that I didn’t tell them all to bug off,” he muttered.
Naomi gave a small shrug. It felt quite off even to her. She didn’t quite want to assure Ryan that it was fine. It wasn’t his fault, of course. Naomi suddenly felt self-conscious. Normally, she found it fairly easy to dismiss random comments. She’d lived with blindness her whole life. Naomi had developed a pretty thick skin.
“Well, that was awkward,” she said trying to break up the actual awkwardness she felt. “Sorry, I... I suppose I’m not used to people stopping to ask my dates for selfies.” At least that was certainly true. It was the first time Naomi had gone on a date with someone who got such requests.
“You didn’t do anything wrong,” Ryan pointed out without hesitation. “They’re the ones who should be sorry. It’s alright when it’s just me, I guess, but they could see I was busy.” He offered Naomi his arm again. She appreciated that he gave her the chance to take it, rather than simply assuming that she would.
Ryan shifted, his free hand fussing with the front of his jacket. “Ashley’s been getting at me, about my public image being a problem for the team, so I’ve been trying to be better,” he explained. He didn’t exactly sound happy about it.
“No, it alright,” Naomi said shaking her head. “I don’t mind that you have to stop for the fans. It’s part of your job.” Sure, it was a bit weird, but Naomi understood it was just what it was. Perhaps it’d be easier if she didn’t have to stand to one side so awkwardly. Ryan was definitely not at fault there.
Naomi gave his arm a squeeze. “I guess I’ll just have to get used to you being such a famous person,” she teased.
Ryan didn’t quite laugh, but he did squeeze back, his fingers brushing against Naomi’s hand. “Next time, I’ll warn you if we’re coming somewhere busy,” he promised. “I hadn’t really thought about what it would mean.”
He helped Naomi to the front, asking what her favorite ice cream flavor was so that he could assure her it was one that they carried.
Once they’d settled at a table, a little way away from all the noise, Ryan picked up the thread of conversation. “I bet if I asked her, Ashley could teach me a nice way to tell people when it’s not a good time,” he said, sounding brighter. “She’s dating Connor, so I guess she’ll probably be sympathetic.”
“Connor Lewis, right?” Naomi recalled. “Like I said, my dad’s a fan of Howlers. I’ve even been to a few games with him. I suspect it’s because then we can get better seats,” she laughed. It probably wasn’t true. She knew her dad liked when Naomi came to a hockey game with him even if she couldn’t see it.
In general, Naomi preferred not to sit too close to the ice. All the noise sometimes got a bit much. She had been startled by a body-slam more than once.
“Yeah,” Ryan confirmed. “They got together a while ago now.” Ryan was quiet. Maybe he was just eating, but Naomi felt that there was something more on his mind. Before she could ask about it, he shrugged. “He’s gotten a lot better at dealing with interviews and press conferences,” he carried on. “Obviously, Ashley would love it if I were nicer, but I don’t think she’d want me to tolerate those girls being rude to you.”
It was the second time Ryan brought it up, if not even the third. Naomi wasn’t sure what his press-facing persona was like. It was almost difficult to imagine Ryan not being pleasant. Except, of course, Naomi had heard about the dick pic. As far as she was aware, it had very much been a ‘last straw’ sort of thing.
“So what stops you from asking?” Naomi wondered. “You’ve said a few times how Ashley would like this, or how she could do that. Why don’t you just ask her for some PR lessons? Or someone else in the PR team?” Presumably, Ashley wasn’t the only person on it, even if she did seem to be the only one Ryan mentioned.
Ryan shifted, his chair scraping against the parlor floor. “I just don’t want it to matter,” he answered. “I play great hockey. That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.” Naomi smiled. Ryan’s total faith in his own abilities was strangely endearing.
“It’s not that I’ve got anything against being nice to strangers,” he carried on. “Mom did her best to teach me manners.” His fingers brushed hers, warm despite the ice cream they were eating. “It frustrates me that some manufactured image of who I am is more important than the real person.”
“Is it, though?” Naomi challenged.
She kind of understood where Ryan was coming from. At the same time, from what Naomi understood, the public image that Ryan’s team wanted him to portray was... well, not a guy who sent pictures of his cock to people. Naomi might not have known Ryan for very long, but that didn’t seem to her all that he was.
“Who are you? The real person you.”
Ryan didn’t answer immediately. His spoon clinked against the glass. He didn’t seem to be lifting it to actually eat. “I know I’m not just someone who’s good at hockey,” he finally said. “If I were, I still think that should be enough. It shouldn’t matter what I’m like off the ice.”
He sighed. “Which doesn’t answer your question.” She could tell he was smiling again, perh
aps trying to cheer himself up. “I’m a pretty good son, and a pretty good brother. And, I hope, a pretty good date.” He laughed.
“You are a pretty good date,” Naomi told him easily. Ryan was a good date. Naomi wondered if he actually realized how good he was. She could tell that he tried, that he thought about her and how she felt. Maybe not all the time. But then, no one did. What mattered was that Ryan cared.
Naomi ate another spoonful of her ice cream as she thought carefully about what to say next. “Everything you listed was something you’re good at in relation to someone else. Apart from hockey.” A good son - to his mom, a good brother - to his sister, a good date - to Naomi.
“You seem pretty nice. Thoughtful. Maybe rash and at times definitely arrogant, but not in a way that feels too much. So what makes it so hard to be like that ‘in the public eye’ or whatever they call it?”
Ryan groaned, lifting a hand to rub over his face. “I don’t know. I suppose I don’t really try.” He leaned back, the warmth and bulk of his body receding to a less intimate distance. “I like you,” he said. “I want to be thoughtful to you. I don’t always bother with everyone else.” Despite the tense subject, Naomi felt a flutter of pleasure. She liked Ryan too.
“This whole thing started because I wanted to get laid, and I sent this woman I’d chatted with a nude. Not out of the blue,” he rushed to clarify. “We were texting already, she was out town.” He waved a hand, dismissing the finer details. “It got into the press. Now it looks like I’m some creep or something. That’s why Ashley’s got me volunteering.”
“Perhaps it’s an opportunity, hey?” Naomi offered. “A chance to get better at PR.” She didn’t really get why Ryan hated it so much. He’d been good with the fans, he’d been good at the charity event. Naomi could easily see him being good with the press in general. Yet, Ryan didn’t seem all that convinced.
“And,” she said, with a small grin. “You definitely don’t need to ever send me nudes. I’m much more into things I can touch.” Naomi had definitely enjoyed touching Ryan. She raised her foot under the table so she could bump it against Ryan’s leg, as if to illustrate what a touch was.
He laughed. Naomi loved how delighted it sounded. “I hadn’t thought of that,” he agreed. “You’re making it a lot harder for me to get in trouble.” He shifted, making Naomi’s foot slide higher over his calf.
“Your place, this time?” he asked. “After we’ve finished our ice cream, obviously.”
It was Naomi’s turn to laugh. She nodded. “Yeah.” Naomi wanted Ryan to come home with her, wanted to show him just how much she liked touching him. If she ate her ice cream a little bit faster, then there was no shame in that.
After that, the frequency of their dates increased. They saw each other a few times a week. Sometimes it was less and sometimes more. Naomi got busy with work or Ryan was away for games. Other than that, they seemed pretty good at sticking to some sort of a schedule.
Dougie was starting to adore Ryan. Naomi could hardly blame him. Every time she thought about Ryan, a smile settled on her lips. He made Naomi’s stomach turn into butterflies in a way no one had in a very long time. It made her want to spend more time with him, to get to know him better.
When Ryan had invited Naomi out for drink with his team, she had eagerly accepted. In the weeks they had been dating, Naomi had heard a lot about the Howlers. Hockey was incredibly important to Ryan. So was his team. It made Naomi want to get to know them.
She hadn’t brought Dougie with her, not wanting him to get accidentally trampled on if the bar was busy. Thankfully, Ryan met her just outside, letting her link her arm through his so he could walk them in.
While Ryan took the time to introduce Naomi to all of the players there, she doubted she’d be able to remember who was whom. No one seemed to mind when she pointed that out, which seemed like a good start.
“So you can’t see anything?” One of the guys asked.
“That must help with dating Ryan and his ugly face,” someone chirped.
Naomi was sure it was meant to be good-natured. It still made her shift slightly uncomfortably.
“You’re one to talk, Lev,” Ryan chirped back, unphased.
“Oh, great comeback.” The sarcasm was so heavy in Lev’s voice that Naomi could almost hear him rolling his eyes. Ryan leaned a little closer to her, his arm warm and solid around the back of the booth behind her.
“I promise, I’m very handsome,” he assured her, with the arrogance she was getting used to.
“But really,” Lev pressed. “Would it matter if he weren’t? I mean, do you have a sense of what a nice face feels like?”
Naomi hadn’t quite expected the conversation to carry on. If she was perfectly honest, it made her a bit curious about Lev. There was an accent to his voice that Naomi assumed was Russian. Maybe that accounted for the bluntness of the question.
“I do somewhat,” she answered honestly. “I can feel how symmetrical a face is. I know that people find symmetrical faces more attractive than those that aren’t.” To be fair to Lev and his question, he did sound genuinely interested in her answer if the hum he gave in response was any indication.
Naomi reached up to brush her hand over Ryan’s face, giving a small grin. “Ryan’s face isn’t very symmetrical, but I am inclined to take his word for being very handsome. I can certainly tell how fit the rest of his body is,” she added with a smirk.
It earned quite a few wolf whistles, which pleased Naomi.
Ryan ran a hand over Naomi’s knee, his fingers just barely brushing the skin under the hem of her skirt. Naomi couldn’t tell whether anyone else could see it. She trusted Ryan to know what was and wasn’t appropriate. She didn’t push his hand away.
“I’m going to have to check my face in a mirror now,” he said, making the others around the table laugh. “I didn’t know I wasn’t symmetrical.”
He shifted, turning more towards Naomi. “Your face looks pretty symmetrical to me,” he told her, leaning in to press a kiss to the corner of her lips. “I guess that means you’re the more attractive of us.”
“Oh, she definitely is,” someone called out, making Naomi laugh. She didn’t quite get the type of banter that the group shared. She thought she was slowly learning. It helped to have Ryan right there, pressed into her side.
“Ryan was telling us that you have a greenhouse,” someone said on Naomi’s other side. “From the way he described it, it sounds pretty elaborate.” It made Naomi smile to think that Ryan had been excited enough about her garden to tell his team about it. Those weren’t the kinds of post-date details she imagined athletes sharing in the locker room.
“Remy’s just jealous because his garden is literally paved over,” Ryan informed her. “Which is great for barbeques, but probably not so good for growing things.”
“Probably?” Remy asked, making Ryan snort. “I’m not jealous. I was just going to ask if it takes a lot of time?”
“It depends what you want to be doing,” Naomi answered truthfully. “If you want to garden, you don’t need a backyard that’s soil, you could install a greenhouse and have it in pots,” she explained. Naomi’s own garden was a mix of both. She viewed gardening as a hobby, something she wanted to spend time on. If Remy wanted to just try a bit of gardening, she’d definitely recommend a small greenhouse.
“So what do you grow?” James asked. Naomi recognized his voice from when he’d introduced himself to her.
“Vegetables mostly. Carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers.” The list was much longer than that. Naomi knew the interest was mostly polite. Gardening wasn’t the sort of conversation you had with the Madison Howlers at a bar.
Maybe even ever.
Turning into Ryan more, Naomi smiled. “You want to dance?”
“Hell yeah,” Ryan answered, causing more whistling around the table. Naomi let him lead the way as they squeezed out of their booth, if only because Ryan’s bulk made people move a lot more easily than she could.
Once they found the dance floor, Ryan pulled Naomi close, one hand on her hip and the other warm against the small of her back. “I’m not usually the one dancing when I come out with the team,” he admitted. His hips swayed, nudging against Naomi’s more or less in time to the music.
“It’s nice,” he added. “I’ve never really introduced a girl I was dating to everyone.”
“Yeah?” she asked with a smile. It made Naomi feel good to know that she might be the first woman Ryan had wanted to introduce to his teammates. She swayed with the music, arms wrapped around Ryan’s neck.
“They seem nice,” she commented. “Mostly. I’m not really used to the way they joke around.” Which Naomi felt a little bad about. She knew that she was taking things too personally. It didn’t help that she couldn’t read people’s facial expressions.
Under the throb of the bass, she heard Ryan hum. “It’s just the way we are with each other,” he said, shrugging one shoulder under Naomi’s hand. “It’s… bonding, I guess. I can see how it might be weird if you’re not used to it.”
Ryan rested his cheek against Naomi’s hair, his fingers spanning out to cover more of her back. “They wouldn’t chirp you,” he promised. “At least, not at first. It’s just me through you. They haven’t really had the chance to tease me about a girl before. Maybe they’re trying to get their shots in while they can.”
“And you’re okay with it?” Naomi checked. She could kind of see what he meant by it being bonding. If this was what people who played professional team sports did, then that was fine. It wasn’t the sort of work environment Naomi could imagine herself in. Unlike Ryan, she hadn’t grown up in it.
It didn’t seem like Ryan had taken any offense to their teasing. Naomi didn’t get the impression that he thought himself particularly unattractive. And yet, somewhere deep down, it did bother her that she was the butt of that particular joke. “Date a blind girl so she can’t see how you look?” Naomi commented.
“That’s not why I’m dating you,” Ryan pointed out. Naomi hadn’t thought it was. That wasn’t really the point. “No one thinks that’s why. If they genuinely did, it wouldn’t be something that they’d chirp me about.” He swayed against Naomi, still close enough that she could feel the warmth that radiated from his chest.
Empty Net (Madison Howlers Book 3) Page 7