Chapter 31
Ash
The next night in Winnipeg, Kelsier, Fig, Mack, and I clink beer bottles to toast our win after the game. It wasn’t my most brilliant performance, but I scored one of our two goals and managed not to implode when the Jets started chirping at me.
I used some of the techniques Gray’s been teaching me to defuse my temper.
Weeks back she advised me to collect a cache of happy memories I could draw on to help manage my anger, and I did just that.
When players started getting on me, I remembered what it felt like to finally be inside her, and the thought did wonders to lighten my mood.
Granted I was half-hard the entire third period, but whatever it takes at this point.
My phone chimes with an incoming text, and I immediately swipe it open. As hoped, it’s Gray.
Gray
Congrats on the win and your goal tonight.
I smile and type.
Ash
You were watching?
Gray
Of course. Gotta keep an eye on my star student.
My dick twitches at the reference. Ever since Kelsier mentioned roleplaying the student-teacher thing, I’ve been running through possible scenarios in my mind, and it’s driving me crazy.
I never had a hot-for-teacher experience like he did in college, but that doesn’t mean I can’t imagine the fantasy very vividly.
It helps that Gray is a little older than me. It emphasizes her authority, which is the crux of the student-teacher fantasy. I’ve always been a dom in the bedroom, but part of me is ready to hand the keys to the handcuffs over to Gray and see what she’d do with the power.
Fig’s voice pulls me back from the daydream.
“You were like a new man out there tonight, Gunny,” he says. “You get laid recently or something?”
I nearly choke on my beer, but I keep it down without spitting it across the table at him. I meet Fig’s eyes, and there’s a wicked gleam in them as his mouth turns up in a knowing smirk. He’s remembering the equipment room.
“Yeah,” I say. “Your mom almost made me late to catch the plane because she wouldn’t let me get dressed.”
Mack and Kelsier roar with laughter at the comment as Fig glares at me. I met his mother once and liked her a lot, so part of me feels bad for dragging her into this, but he started it.
“Fuck that. Out with it, Gunny,” Fig says. “I know what I saw that day. Don’t tell me you haven’t fucked the doc yet.”
“Keep your voice down,” I hiss. “First of all, as far as anyone knows, I am fucking her since we’re supposed to be dating. You questioning it in public doesn’t help.”
Fig presses his lips together, conceding the point. “Fine,” he says, his voice lower. “But something tells me the two of you have taken the ruse farther than you need to.”
I wave my bottle dismissively at him. “You have no idea what you’re talking about,” I say before I take a sip.
“Bullshit,” he counters. He turns his attention to Kelsier, who’s a little too late hiding the faint smile turning up his lips. “Spill it, Kels. What do you know?”
Kelsier holds up his hands. “Don’t look at me. Gunny and I don’t kiss and tell. I have no idea where his dick’s been, and I prefer it that way.”
Fig throws up a frustrated hand. “You’re both full of shit. Mack, what do you think?”
Mack rests his chin on his hand and strokes it like he’s contemplating me. His eyes narrow as I raise a brow at him.
“Oh yeah, he’s definitely fucked her,” Mack says, leaning back. “We just need to find out when so we know who won the pool.”
I growl at him. “Both of you need to get laid yourselves and stop worrying about my love life…or lack thereof,” I add when Fig looks like he’s about to ‘Gotcha’ me.
“Ask and the universe provides,” Mack says, and I look toward the door of the bar where his attention is now.
Several women, all dressed in tight clothes and done up like Barbies, just walked in. They take in the tables of hockey players sitting around the place and whisper to each other.
I groan inwardly. Bunnies.
Don’t get me wrong. In my rookie season, plus a few after that, the arrival of bunnies always got me going. As I look around the bar, in fact, our current crop of new bloods seems to sit up straighter and look toward the women.
The last few years, though, the allure of taking a random stranger to bed has lost its luster. I’m not sure when the hell I became an adult and started wanting a relationship instead, but that shit snuck up on me.
I pull out my phone, wanting nothing more than to text chat with Gray. Well, really I want to see her, but this is the best I can have for now.
Ash
You going to sleep soon?
I don’t want to keep her up if she’s tired, but I just need a little more of her before I let go for the night.
Gray
Just finishing up my syllabus for next week. Almost done.
The woman really doesn’t stop working. In exchange for not teaching her large lecture class this spring, her department head roped her into teaching a short winter session class, so instead of having most of January off like usual, Gray starts teaching again next week.
Gray
How about you?
I feel guilty for being out while she’s home working, but I type out a response.
Ash
At a bar with the guys celebrating the win. Not staying long.
Gray
Have a beer for me.
I smile and type out a reply.
Ash
You don’t drink beer.
Gray
Then have a glass of 2019 Chateau Lafite Rothschild for me.
I chuckle to myself.
Ash
Beer it is.
Her laughing emoji comes in just before Fig pulls the phone from me.
“Sexting with the doc?” he asks. He tries to look at the screen as I grab for the phone.
“What the fuck, Fig!” I yell as I reach for it while he holds it away. “Give it back.”
“What the hell is a Chat-o La-fight Rothschild?” Fig asks, butchering the pronunciation.
Kelsier grabs the phone out of his hand and passes it back to me. I give him a nod of thanks.
“The two of you talking nerd to each other or something?” Fig asks.
“Satisfied that we’re not sleeping together now?” I say.
Fig scoffs. “Nope. More convinced of it than ever. You’re just not being obvious about it.”
My retort is cut off by the appearance of two bunnies at our table.
“Hi guys,” the blonde one says. “Mind if we join you?”
She drapes an arm over my shoulder, and her perfume shoves itself up my nose. Jesus Christ. Did she bathe in it?
I try not to gag on the overpowering aroma as I push my phone back in my pocket.
The other bunny, a taller woman with light brown hair sidles up between Kelsier and Mack. A year or two ago, she would’ve been just my type, but she looks way too done up now, too…artificial.
Blondes were never my type until Gray. Technically they still aren’t. The blonde hanging on me doesn’t appeal to me at all, and maybe that’s because I can’t help comparing her to Gray and finding her lacking by just about every measure I can think of.
I meet Kelsier’s eyes, and I can tell he’s ready to leave. He’s single, but I don’t think I’ve seen him take a bunny home yet. I know enough about him that he’s not above a one-night stand, but he doesn’t seem to care much for low-hanging fruit.
Mack, on the other hand, has his arm around the brunette’s waist.
“Buy me a drink,” the blonde says, and her forwardness annoys me. I’ve gotten too used to Gray resisting me. Like Kelsier, I think I enjoy the chase a little too much.
I point to Fig. “He’ll buy you a drink,” I say. “I don’t think my girlfriend would appreciate me buying you one.”
The blonde frowns and runs her hand down the side of my cheek. This close, I can see every imperfection in her makeup, like her lashes clumped together by mascara and the small smudge of dark pink lipstick on her teeth.
“I heard you were dating someone,” she says, “but I thought that was bullshit. At least, that’s the word in my circles.”
I blink at that bit of news before hot anger rises in my gut. Her circles. The bunnies don’t believe I’m dating Gray. It also doesn’t escape my notice that she knows exactly who I am.
“It’s not bullshit,” I snap at her. “I have a girlfriend.”
My pique doesn’t phase her. She only pushes closer so her breasts press against my arm. I take another sip of my beer and set the bottle down harder than I intended. The loud clunk makes her jump.
“But isn’t that woman, like…old, or something?” the blonde asks. I’d guess she’s maybe twenty-two herself.
The swear that jumps to the edge of my lips teeters back before it can plummet off. Why the fuck is everyone so obsessed with Gray’s age? She’s a whole three God-damn years older than me. If she were three years younger, it would be a complete non-issue.
I audition a number of responses to her absurd observation but dismiss every one.
‘She’s mature, not old.’
‘She’s only older by three years.’
‘Fuck off, bitch.’
They all sound defensive, and, ultimately, I don’t owe this woman an explanation. Instead, I pull out my phone and text Gray. I don’t bother hiding the screen from the blonde as she reads over my shoulder.
Ash
Heading back to the hotel now, baby. I need you to send me a pic of that beautiful body of yours so I have something to give me sweet dreams tonight.
I catch the soft whimper of the blonde as I put my phone away. Two birds, one stone. I’ve shut her up, and – if I’m lucky – I’ll have a pic of Gray to jerk off to when I get back.
I stand, and the blonde’s arm slides off me. “I’m heading out.”
Kelsier stands too. “I’ll walk you back. Don’t want you to get lost.”
“Nice to meet you ladies,” I say politely.
The brunette barely acknowledges me, since Mack has his arms around her and is whispering in her ear. The blonde looks extremely put out, but Fig takes her wrist and pulls her gently toward him.
“There now,” he tells her. “Let me buy you that drink and explain why Gunny is an idiot for passing you up.”
He gives me a quick wink.
Fig rarely takes bunnies home either, but he’ll likely make out with her, then go back to his hotel room and get reacquainted with his hand like I plan to do. Of the four of us, only Mack is getting laid tonight.
The blonde reluctantly lets Fig pull her over as Kelsier and I head for the door. She still doesn’t look happy, but Fig will keep her distracted.
The cold blasts me in the face when we step outside, and I pull my hat out of my pocket to tug it down low over my head.
I know I play a sport on ice, but I got too used to living in Florida and haven’t acclimated to really cold weather just yet.
I’m grateful I was only traded as far north as New England.
Dealing with Canadian winters would kill me.
“I assume that was Gray you were texting,” Kelsier says. “The blonde didn’t seem happy about it.”
I grunt an all-purpose affirmation to both questions.
“And you’re really not going to tell the rest of the team about you and her yet?” he asks.
“If it was just about them, I would,” I say. “I wanted to stand up on that plane yesterday and announce to everyone that she’s mine, but it’s Kaladin I’m worried about.”
He nods. “Right.”
My phone chimes with an incoming text, and my blood pumps faster.
Kelsier glances at me. “You need to look at that?”
I shake my head. “If it’s what I hope it is, it’s not something I should open in public.”
He chuckles. “Forget I asked. Are you always this way with women you date?”
I shake my head again. “Nope. It took me a little while to realize I wanted Gray, but now that I have, something about her completely short circuits my brain and automatically reroutes blood flow to my dick.”
“Yeah, well, you know my theory on that,” he says.
I pull my coat tighter around me at the shiver I’m not entirely sure has anything to do with the cold. “You think I’m in love with her.”
“It doesn’t matter what I think,” he says. “What do you think?”
I don’t answer right away. I let the idea rattle around in my head for a few seconds before I turn to him. Whatever I was going to say flies out of my head when I realize he’s not wearing a hat.
“Dude, it’s like below zero out here,” I say. “How can you stand not wearing a hat?”
He shrugs. “I grew up in Alaska.”
I fall silent, letting his question about how I feel for Gray go unanswered. We’ve got two more games before we head home, so I have some time to consider just how deep my feelings for her go. I know I like her a lot. A lot. But am I ready to use the other L word yet?
I haven’t known her that long, but does that matter? If you know, you know, right? But do I know?
The only thing I know right now is that my phone is burning a hole in my pocket as I walk. I want to see what Gray sent me.
My steps feel lighter as we head toward the hotel.
I want Gray, and it’s fine if lust is the driving force behind our relationship at the moment.
I’m not going to put pressure on myself or her to make it more.
There’s no reason to heap expectations and questions on top of what we have. It’s okay to just…enjoy each other.
There will be time to worry about the bigger stuff later.
Much, much later.