CHAPTER 9
SASHA
She didn't know I was coming. I didn't know I was coming.
But I couldn't stay away from her any longer.
The picture of her in a Pucks jersey sent me over the edge.
The fact that she chose her nephews game over a date with me made me like her even more.
Her lip was healed and I needed it in my mouth.
I needed her in my arms, wrapped up in my body. Hell, I just wanted to hold her hand.
I had googled where Paulie's rink was after remembering the name of his team when he was a chatterbox during the meet and greet and came straight from the plane.
But I was running late. It was already seven p.m. and I had plans.
I couldn't get something she said out of my head the first night we met.
“I've always wanted to go fast on the ice, but my heart won't allow it.” It stuck in my throat. I wanted to fix that.
But I didn't want to distract anything away from Paulie. This was his first game and that is an important memory. I put a face mask on and a hat hoping no one would recognize me. I changed out of my suit into some black sweats and a hoodie and tried to keep my head down.
The lobby was pretty quiet as everyone was watching the game. A young blond was at the concession stand making hot dogs and hot chocolate, flustered at all the young kids yelling at her to move faster.
I waited for my turn in line.
“What can I get for you today?” She didn't look up at me, just waited for me to order so she could punch it into the tablet register.
“Can I speak to the manager?” I kept my voice low even if no one was listening.
That got her attention. She lifted her gaze and put her hand on her hip. “Is the toilet clogged in the bathroom again?”
“What? No!” I got embarrassed. How would I know if it's clogged? Do I look like a guy who clogs toilets? “I just have some questions I need answered immediately.”
She looked me up and down, annoyed. “Jerry! Some guy wants to talk to you!”
“Is the toilet clogged? Why can't people shit at home?” A short balding man came out into the lobby from a room in the back, annoyance in his voice. He knew who I was instantly. I could tell by the way his jaw hung slack.
“Sarge?”
I placed my finger to my lips because I really wanted to go incognito. “Can we talk in private?”
Jerry nodded and escorted me to his office. He pushed papers into a waste basket and quickly organized the random bits of clothes hung over the chair in front of his desk. He was sweating. He was confused. I probably should have called first.
But Jerry was a great guy. I told him my plans and he agree immediately. The thousand dollars I threw his way didn't hurt either.
I hung back and watched the game at the doors for a while.
I scanned the crowd, looking for Lucy, but was unable to find her in the sea of screaming parents.
I saw Paulie on the ice and was genuinely impressed with his stick control for such a young guy.
There was a little scuffle, everyone was cheering, except her.
I had finally found her. She was watching nervously as a fight broke out around Paulie.
Well, I wouldn't call it a fight. Some kid puffed his chest after being tripped by an opponent.
I didn't want her to see me. I don't know why I didn't want her to see me.
I just wanted to watch her. I moved to the other side of the rink and climbed the stairs so I was behind her and Sarah.
I was the asshole making everyone stand so I could get by just to move closer to her.
By the time I sat I was four rows away, but directly behind her.
I swear I could smell her. She looked tired and messy and cute as shit.
She was shoving a sandwich in her mouth and giving her sister nasty looks, but Sarah was giving them back.
Their love language was sarcasm and, man, did it make me hard.
If Lucy looked at me like that, I didn't know what I would do.
By the third period it was tied. When I wasn't staring at Lucy I was enjoying the game.
Sure, there was unnecessary shit talking in the crowd from the adults, but there was also a lot of support.
The parents put in a lot of effort for the sport.
I only thought of my mother when I saw all their faces happy for a goal and stressed out as the time went down.
There was ten seconds left and Paulie had the puck.
I had never been so nervous at a hockey game in my life.
But I found myself watching Lucy watch him.
Sarah had her by the scruff of the hoodie as Paulie made his charge.
I flicked my eyes to him the moment he shot.
And as it went in, and the crowd went crazy, I couldn't take my eyes from Lucy.
Sarah was jumping and screaming, but Lucy, she did something that struck me. She howled. She howled like a feral wolf, cupping her hands around her mouth and pointing it up over the glass so Paulie could hear her.
I sat back down in my seat, people standing all around me.
Chaos irrupted like we were at an NHL game.
I had never wanted anything more. I wanted Lucy to howl for me.
On the ice, in the bedroom. I wanted her to go wild at my touch and snarl and thrash at me and take what she wanted.
She wasn't coy, she told me herself. Damn, did I want her to prove it.
I rushed out of the stadium while the celebration was still going on. I didn't want anyone to see me, even if the evidence of me being there would be on Instagram later that night thanks to Jerry. I ran to my car and locked it. My breath was heaving at the thought of her.
I was falling in love with her and I don't know where it came from. I met beautiful women all the time. What was so special about Lucy? I couldn't put my finger on it. I hadn't even kissed the girl and yet she was all I wanted.
The parking lot took a while to clear out. I nodded off a few times and was woken by kids screaming in victory. My car almost got hit by a someone learning how to drive and I swear a couple was having sex in the back of their truck.
But finally, there she was. She parked next to Sarah's mini van in a little beat up Subaru.
She looked good in a pair of black sweats, so good.
I stared at her body as she walked. Tall and curvy.
She wasn't thin, that's for sure. She had meat on her bones and I wanted to bite every inch of her.
Over the table, over the couch, in the shower, on the ice.
The whole family was walking together, smiles on their faces with Paulie's big win. And Paulie himself looked like he was floating. He carried his hockey bag, slung over his shoulder, like a cool kid. He had the swagger. He knew the drill. Hockey came with a certain pride.
I remembered that feeling. I couldn't say it was the same now a days.
Today hockey is a job. But back in the day, it was my only passion.
I lived and breathed hockey and all its perks.
Girls loved a hockey player. I could get at anyone I wanted.
And the boys of my line, I still talk to them now.
We were inseparable, a force to be reckoned with.
I only hope Paulie has it as good as I did.
They all got real close to my car as I rolled down the window. “Good job tonight, Paulie.”
Lucy gasped and clutched her heart. She also spun away and covered her messy bun with her arms and hid behind her sister.
“Sarge!” Paulie came up to my window and I gave him a pound. “Did you see me?”
“I did. You have some nice stick skills. Congrats on the win.”
“What are you doing here?” Sarah looked at me, then looked at Lucy. A unmistakable smirk on her face.
“Well, I missed your sister. Thought I would surprise her when I got back, but she doesn't seem too happy to see me.”
Lucy was hiding on the other side of the mini van. Little puffs of white air snarled from her mouth as her chest heaved.
“She is in her emergency sweat pants after spilling shit all over herself at work and looks like a hot mess. Good to see you, Sarge.” Sarah tapped on my window sill and turned to her children.
“You too, Sarah.”
“Alright everyone in the van! Helen, stop kicking your sister, Peggy, kick her back or else she'll never stop!
Paulie, I'm not lifting that heavy bag into the car now get it and let's go.
We have an hour to do homework, have dinner and get in bed before I lose my mind.
Lucy, get out from behind my car he has seen you already, it's too late.”
But Lucy didn't move. She stood there until Sarah sped off and there was no longer a car between us. Her back was too me, her arms wrapped in front of her. Her head looked up at the starts in the night sky.
There were still some people lingering in the parking lot, but I didn't care. I got out of my car and walked over to her. I wanted to pull her in close and never let her go, but there were a few things we had to do first.
“Am I in trouble for surprising you?” I was an arms length away.
She still didn't look at me. “Penalty for sure. Five minutes in the naughty box.” She turned then, held out her arm and pointed to herself.
“This is embarrassing. I was finishing a table and knocked over a can of poly all over my work clothes and I had to go to my doctors and this was the only thing I could change into.”
“How did the doctors go?”
“I had to get an ultrasound but it isn't serious. But don't you care about what I look like?”
“I think you look cute, like we just fuc–” I shut my mouth real quick. I couldn't believe I was going to say it out loud. I just felt so comfortable with Lucy I was going to speak before I should.
She caught it real quick.
“Like we just what?” The side of her mouth perked up and she couldn't contain the way her expressive eyes damn near sparkled at me.
I looked off to the side, unable to look at her.
“Like we just what?” She prodded again.
“Like we just cuddled and you borrowed my sweats, its cute , OK? Now shut up and come on. I have something planned for us.” I pulled her hand as she giggled behind me.
“What do you have planned? Aren't you exhausted?”
I stopped short and she lightly crashed into me. I pulled her in close and the look of terror widened her eyes. I should kiss her. Right here in front of everyone. I should replace her giggling with moans with my tongue in her mouth.
“Oh, Shit! It's the Sarge.” Shouted across the parking lot.
Damn. I let out an exhausted huff.
Some teenage boys ran over to us. Lucy stepped away smoothly as I was asked for autographs and selfies.
They laughed and shook my hand and complimented me on the game we just won.
I kept making eye contact with Lucy as she stood at the doors of the ice rink while I signed helmets and skates and gloves with a silver sharpie one kid had in his bag, making sure she didn't dip out this time.
“Alright guys, you all have a good night, OK? Keep skating.” I clapped them on the back.
“Thanks, Sarge.”
“Yeah, you're the best.”
“This is so cool.”
They ran off as I walked to Lucy and tucked her into the building. She scuttled along behind me, still giggling, not angry we were interrupted.
“Sorry about that.” The need to apologize for the inconveniences of my life was thick. There were so many perks, but other things I had no control over.
“Don't be sorry some kids idolize you. It means they appreciate all your hard work.”
“I'm sorry they interrupted us.” I pushed her towards the ice. My hand at the small of her back, lingering just low enough to feel where the curve of her backside started. The sweats were so soft and so easy to take off. My mind wandered.
“We are in public. If they did that while we were in bed, then I'd be pissed.”
“Lucifer.” I growled in her ear and rubbed at my chest because it was the safest thing to touch. Sometimes the things she said surged straight from my ears to my dick. Revved me up like she was my personal cup of smelling salts.
“What, I'm serious. What are we doing here?” Suddenly she realized where we were.
The ice was empty, but the lights were on. Her body, just a moment ago so relaxed, was stiff as a board.
“I'm fixing something.” I pulled her to the box.
“No. Um, No. I don't want you to teach me to skate.” Her chest started to heave. She was panicking.
“Hey, hey.” I rubbed her shoulders. “I'm not going to teach you how to skate. I'm going to help you go fast.”
She looked up at me, her face softening. “What do you mean?”
I took her hand in mine, her soft, smooth hand, and walked her to where my bag was near the ice.
I sat her on the bench then sat next to her.
I kicked off my shoes and laced up my skates, then stood next to her and held out my hand.
She stood next to me and for the first time there was a large height difference.
I really liked how tall she was, but she was still cute from this perspective.
“Stand up on the bench.” I told her and she did.
Then I stood in front of her, my back to her front and placed her hands on my shoulders.
“What are you doing?” Her voice shook.
I backed all the way up then pulled at her knees so she understood I wanted her on my back.
“I am too heavy to be riding you like a horse.”
“Hop on.” I held out my arms for her.
“Fuck it.” She said before gingerly wrapping her legs around my waist and her arms around my neck.
The feel of Lucy touching me, of holding on to me, nearly made me lose my balance.
“Are you on tight? Feeling good?” I asked her.
She just nodded her head against my ear. Her lips were so close it took all that was in me not to throw her to the front of me and fuck her on the ice. But I reminded myself what I was here for, for Lucy.
“OK. Let's go.”
I stepped out on the ice. My ankles felt fine with her extra weight, even if my legs wouldn't last twenty minutes. As soon as my blade scraped she tensed up, her head hiding in my shoulder, her breathing shallow.
“Oh fuck.” She gasped as I skated faster.
“Relax, I'm not going to drop you.”
“You better fucking not.” She giggled.
“Ready for a turn?” I smiled, the air hitting me in the face with the speed of my skates.
“Not really.” She whimpered.
“Want me to stop?” I asked.
“No.” She gasped.
“Good.” My hands caressed her arms and then moved back to hold only her thighs. They were good and strong and held me so tightly.
She sucked in air as we turned but let it out on the straight away. I went faster and faster and by the time my legs were about spent she was laughing. Her sass and sarcasm was great, the best. But her laughter was everything.