Backcheck Heart: An L.A. Crush Hockey Novella (Nashvellas & Novels)

Chapter 16

Life with Morganhas settled in nicely. The Crush are off to a great start in the season, and I am playing better than ever. After initially learning about her, Andre tried to convince me that a relationship would be a distraction and that this was a ‘crucial year in my career.’ If anything, Morgan has been grounding. Having something to focus on other than hockey twenty-four seven has been great for my mental game and kept me from overanalyzing every play when I am off the ice.

Instead, I spend that time between Morgan’s thighs. Who can think about forechecks when your girl is falling apart against your tongue?

As much as I enjoy our physical connection, I love the emotional one even more. Having her around brings me peace that I didn”t know I was missing. I would spend a million nights on the couch watching her crochet mini aliens and kittens. Lately, she’s been working on beanies for Tabby and me.

I’m glad the two women connected. I get the impression that most of Morgan’s friendships are surface-level. It took a few times hanging out for her to buy into Tabby’s genuine affection and enthusiasm, but she is flourishing with a true friend by her side. I also think it helps that the friend has several hockey seasons under her belt. As Fitz college sweetheart, Tabby has been through it all.

The girls got together at Fitz’s to watch our first away game. As much as I love knowing she is having fun, I hate that I don’t have her greeting me postgame. Not that she has been to many more Crush games. She has only come to one other game and opted to sit in the stands with her brother’s girlfriend. Andre has been harping on me to get her back into the suite for ‘appearances,’ but I don’t want her there if it makes her uncomfortable.

After a grueling road win in Baltimore, I trudge into my hotel room, shrugging off my suit jacket as soon as I enter. With a heavy sigh, I walk toward the bathroom to get ready for bed before calling my girl. Saucy minx has been sending me naughty texts all day.

As I flick on the light, I glance in the mirror, where I am met with an unwelcome sight: a naked woman stretched across my pillows.

“Who the fuck are you?” I bellow.

“Ashley,” she purrs, sitting up on her knees.

“You need to leave. Now!”

“You don’t mean that.” She trails her hands up her exposed body before toying with her breasts.

“I can assure you, I do.”

Realizing I’m in over my head, I grab my phone and dial the front desk. As much of an asshole as I am, I won’t physically throw a naked woman in the hall. That’s a job for security.

“Hello? Yes, this is room 7235. There is an intruder in my room. I need her removed immediately. I don’t know how she knew what room was mine or how she got in here, but I need that rectified. Thank you.”

“Come on, Ralphie,” she pouts. “I’ll let you wreck me however you want. He told me what you like.”

“Don’t call me that,” I bite out. Hearing Morgan’s nickname coming from someone else’s lips makes my stomach churn. No one gets to call me that but her. I don’t have time to ask who ‘he’ is because security arrives at the same time a few of my teammates are headed into their rooms. Danvers and Mikelson watch the scene unfold.

Ashley, haphazardly dressed in a robe, screams and fights as they drag her down the hall. Mikelson looks amused, while Danvers is pensive.

“Waiting for you in your room?” Mikelson questions.

“Yeah,” I sigh, exasperated.

“But you have Morgan,” our goalie states matter-of-factly. “It was all over social media.”

I took Morgan to a charity function last weekend, and pictures of us exploded all over the internet. It is the first time I’ve been seen publicly with a woman. They followed us to brunch the next morning, and I had some colorful words with the paparazzi. They still photographed us, but they maintained a respectable distance. Apparently, pictures of me watching my girlfriend eat an omelet are hot sellers.

Morgan was anxious about it at first, but fucking her against my living room windows that overlook the beach was enough to convince her I didn’t give a fuck who knew about us. She is planning our “hard launch” as soon as I return now that she has told her family about us.

“That’s probably why he got Naked Manned. Now that they know it”s possible to land on his arm or in his bed, all bets are off.”

“What”s the Naked Man?” Danvers asks. I don’t get the reference either, but I don’t care at this point.

“You two are helpless,” Mikelson huffs when he sees my lack of recognition.

“That’s rude,” Danvers grumbles.

“It is,” I reply. “I’m going to call my girl before she hears about this somewhere else. See you on the bus tomorrow.”

Back in my room, I click on Morgan’s contact and settle into bed as the video call connects. She looks beautiful in a t-shirt falling off one shoulder and no makeup. Knowing she is comfortable enough to be on video with me when dressed down fills my chest with pride.

“Hi, baby.”

“Hi.” She beams. “You played amazing tonight.”

“Thank you. Did you have fun with Tabby?”

“Yeah, she’s a little crazy, but in the best way. She’s already planning a trip for the four of us postseason. I told her that was premature, but she ignored me.”

“Let her plan. We can always change the details later. It will all depend on how far we get in the playoffs anyway.”

“You’re going all the way. My psychic told me.”

“I’m glad you’re confident.” As much as I’m enjoying the carefree conversation, I know I need to break the news of my intruder before it hits the media. I hope security will be discreet, but the way the woman was screaming my name all but guarantees some story will hit the internet, and I need to get ahead of it.

“There is something I need to tell you.”

“What’s that?” she asks apprehensively.

“When I got to my room tonight, someone was in it.”

“They gave someone else your room?”

“Not exactly.” Even though I did nothing wrong, this is harder to admit than I thought. I might as well rip off the Band-Aid. “There was a woman. A naked woman who had broken into my room to wait for me.” My heart clenches at the way her face drops.

“I had her removed immediately, but I wanted to tell you before the story or some version of it got picked up anywhere.”

She worries her bottom lip as she searches my face for deceit. She won’t find any. I’ve never lied to her and don’t plan to start today.

“Does this happen often?”

“First time for me, but it has happened to a few other guys at one time or another.”

“This woman showed up in your room and assumed you’d fuck her?” I can see hurt in her eyes, but her tone is schooled. “Why would she think that if it wasn’t something you’ve done before?”

“She was delusional. No sane person breaks into a stranger”s hotel room and thinks anything but trespassing charges will happen. You have nothing to worry about, Zlatí?ko. No one exists in my world but you.”

Her shoulders drop at my admission. “Sorry,” she mutters.

“It’s okay. One day, you’ll trust me implicitly. Until then, I’ll be right here reassuring you of my devotion.” That melts away her remaining doubt. We spend the next hour talking about her evening with Tabby and the crazy bachelorette party she served at Two-One-Oh last night. By the time the call ends, I’m counting the minutes until I’m wheels down in LA with my girl.

As I lay down to sleep, I wonder how Ashley knew which room was mine. Only a select group of personnel have access to the team’s room numbers, and the list of those who can request access is even smaller. I am inclined to think it is an inside job by the hotel, but the way she said, ‘He told her what I like,’ is weird.