Chapter 23
We are playing the L.A. Spartans tonight, who are one of our biggest rivals. It seems like every game we play against them, some sort of shit goes down. And I’m ready for it. I tend to not be a super aggressive player. I’m here to do a job and get the puck to the net. However, I’m still a hockey player and some would say we are all pretty hot-headed. Which is why I’d never turn down a fight.
Plus, I’m fired up, I feel different after my night with Audrey, which seems cliché, but whatever, it’s true. I can’t believe I actually had sex with her, and not that I have much to compare it to, but it was easily the best sex of my life.
She’s just…she’s amazing.
I could tell something was up with her though, after we both woke up this morning. She didn’t say much as we went about our normal day like our dynamic hasn’t changed. I guess to her it really hasn’t. Having sex was a massive deal to me, but I guess not to her.
Which is fine.
I’m still trying to convince myself of that.
I do think Audrey is afraid of anything resembling more than just sex. Even though I haven’t said anything, I guess cuddling in her bed all night wasn’t exactly screaming a one-night stand.
Maybe because I don’t want a one-night stand.
Once I get to the arena for the game the tensions are high in the locker room as we all get suited up and focus on our pregame rituals. I, on the other hand, am having a hard time focusing when I don’t know if a certain someone will be at the game. I haven’t seen her since we left the bed this morning. After the night we had, and the potential of her freaking out has me holding back on texting her.
Instead, I nudge Collee, “Hey, is Chandler bringing Audrey tonight?”
What I like about Collee is he doesn’t pry. He respects privacy, which means, unlike when I ask Dumont, he doesn’t get on my ass about the why. Plus, he’s a smart guy, I’m sure he assumes.
“Yeah, and be warned that we had to promise Chandler that if we won tonight, we could go out and celebrate before heading back on the road.”
I nod, “Thanks.”
That doesn’t necessarily mean Audrey will want to join in going out, but if she is then I will be there too.
The game is brutal,just as I expected it to be. Both teams have taken several penalties. Most of which have been roughing, ever escalating into full blown fights since the refs step in.
I even got a cross checking call during the second period because this player was being extra pushy with me, and I got annoyed so I pushed back pretty hard and of course it got called. Unfortunately, L.A. scored on the power play, so I was even more annoyed when I got out of the box.
We are tied with less than ten minutes left in the third and tensions are high. Which is probably why Collee ends up in a fight against some guy I’m not familiar with. Collee rarely fights so I’m both impressed and shocked. He’s a tall ass guy, six-foot-six, and the guy he’s fighting, who I see is named “Wheeler” is a couple inches shorter than him. Despite the height difference, they seem pretty evenly matched with the blows that go back and forth. Both their helmets are knocked off and all of my teammates are tapping our sticks on the boards.
Collee gets Wheeler onto the ground and that’s when the refs jump in to pull the guys apart. They both skate toward their respective penalty boxes, but the chirping doesn’t stop. Wheeler’s nose is bleeding, and Collee has a cut on his eyebrow, but it doesn’t seem to bother either of them.
“It’s weird you play hockey since you’re such a pussy,” Wheeler calls after Collee. I roll my eyes at the insult that would make more sense for some junior league, not full-on adults.
Collee doesn’t even respond, and I know he won’t. That’s not his style. Neither is fighting, really, but I know he stands up to others when he needs to, but he won’t hurl insults at anyone.
With the fighting penalty call, both players get five minutes, and we resume the game.
I stopped paying attention to the time, but I know we must be close to the end of the game, and I do not want to go into overtime. I take advantage of one of the Spartans losing control of the puck, stealing it for myself on a breakaway and racing toward their zone. They don’t have any defenders on me, and I use this to my advantage with a slap shot, sending the puck into the net.
The buzzer goes off signaling my goal and I’m pushed over slightly by the force of my teammates congratulating me. I look up at the clock to see we have less than ten seconds left. After winning the face off, we have control of the puck and drain the clock.
We won.
Because I gotthe game winning goal, I’m stuck doing post-game interviews yet again. At least this one is more upbeat than the one after we lost. But I still don’t want to be here. I want to leave and see Audrey. I’m trying not to seem too eager to end the interviews, but I’m sure the reporters notice.
As soon as they are done, I jump into the shower and wash myself quickly before getting back into my suit and head out toward the garage. In my attempt to make a hasty exit I almost miss the small group standing in the hallway. Fortunately for me, the gorgeous woman with black hair and glasses catches my attention. That’s when I notice she’s standing with Chandler, Dumont, Collee, and McQuaid.
“There he is, the MVP of the night,” Dumont announces proudly as I approach.
“What’s going on?” I ask, my eyes catching on Audrey’s, but she looks away. I can’t help my slight irritation at that.
“We promised Chandler we would go out for a win, but decided you should get to pick where,” Dumont says, drawing my attention back to him.
I shrug, “I don’t care, Chandler you can pick.”
“You sure?” she asks brightly.
I nod and look at Audrey again to see if she will look at me, but she won’t.
“Brightit is, let’s roll out!” Chandler exclaims, grabbing Audrey’s arm and pulling her along as she walks toward the garage like she knows the rest of us will follow her.
Of course, her boyfriends do. I, on the other hand, think about a way to try and get Audrey to ride with me instead. I jog ahead to catch up with everyone, but Chandler and Audrey moved quickly and are already climbing into Chandler’s car. I huff out my irritation but get into my car and head toward the club.
We all arrive around the same time and go inside together with Chandler and Audrey leading all of us with their arms linked together. I’m biding my time until I can get her alone and ask if something is wrong.
Immediately, we are led to the VIP area that is roped off and has tables surrounded by soft booths varying in color. I assume they are playing off the name because despite the low lighting in here, the colors of the booths are extremely bright.
There’s a bar over here that the girls go get drinks at immediately. I don’t plan on drinking more than a single beer since I’m driving. I think my teammates feel similarly, and there’s three of them that can drive Chandler home if she needs it. And I can drive Audrey home.
The girls join us at the table, Audrey is sitting on the other side of Chandler which is as far away from me as possible. My irritation kicks up a notch, especially when I lean over and open my mouth to say something. Before anything comes out, Audrey hops up and turns to Chandler.
“Let’s go dance,” she says to her friend.
Chandler apparently doesn’t need to be asked twice. She takes a big swallow from her drink, turns and kisses Collee who’s next to her on the cheek, before being pulled out of the VIP area onto the dance floor.
McQuaid is sitting next to me and also seems to also be annoyed for some reason.
“What’s your problem?” I ask him, hoping to distract myself.
“Chandler is fucking with me. What else is new.”
“Do I even want to know?”
I probably don’t.
He shrugs, “I told her I deserved a blowjob for the win, but she said I didn’t get a goal, so I don’t get to make demands like that.”
“Yeah, I didn’t want to know that. And definitely don’t want to know more.”
I go up to the bar to get my one beer, but as I turn around to see if I can find Audrey in the crowd, I do. And she’s not dancing with Chandler. My blood instantly boils at the guy that has his hands on her waist from behind while she moves her body against him.
Dumont has joined me at the bar, and notices where I’m looking. “Oh shit,” he mumbles, taking a sip from his beer before walking back to the table.
I don’t even bother picking up the drink before storming toward Audrey. I have never been jealous because I’ve never had a reason to. Even watching her on cam, it never made me jealous because no one else was touching her. But this has me ready to lose my mind. We may not have a label on whatever we are doing, but I just know that seeing this asshole’s hands touching her and her body touching his has me ready to lose my fucking mind.
I’m standing in front of her, out of place since I’m not dancing, but nothing else matters right now.
“I need to talk to you,” I say, loud enough for her to hear.
She opens her eyes to glare at me. It reminds me of the first night we sort of met. She intimated me then, and still kind of does right now, but I’m also pissed off that she’s ignored me all night and is now dancing with this douche looking motherfucker.
“Back off, man, we are having a good time,” the guy replies, pulling Audrey even harder against him. I catch her annoyance at the possessive move by him.
“You don’t speak for her. Run along and find someone else to harass,” I stand my full height to look down at him. He’s not tall, but he’s bulky.
“Who the fuck do you–” Audrey cuts him off, turning around and placing her hand on his chest. I see red at the touch and want to burn his skin that has felt any part of her.
Jesus this is a weird feeling.
“Go get a drink,” she tells him. I notice that she doesn’t promise to wait here or meet up with him. He must too because he looks at me, sizing me up before turning away with a pissed off noise.
Audrey grabs my hand and drags me off the dance floor. I don’t have time to enjoy the feeling of her hand in mine because when we reach the dark, quiet corner in a hallway that leads to the bathrooms, she drops me instantly and is staring daggers at me.
“What is your deal?” she snaps.
“I should ask you the same thing. Why are you ignoring me?”
“I’m not?”
I raise my eyebrow at her as if to say, you sure about that?
“Look, I don’t,” she runs her hand through her hair, “I don’t do relationships, Charlie. And last night felt close to that so I…I freaked out a little bit. I don’t want to lead you on.”
I deflate slightly. She’s not saying anything I didn’t expect, but it still kind of hurts for some reason. I try to cover it up.
“I don’t remember telling you I wanted to be serious,” I attempt to sound nonchalant.
“I mean, no, you didn’t. It just felt that way I guess.”
“And if I tell you I’m fine with whatever we are doing? Just the way it is. Will you stop freaking out and ignoring me?”
She seems to think for a moment before sighing, “I guess, but you going all caveman out there does not feel like that.”
I scoff, “What? Like you were going to go home with that guy or something?”
“And if I was?”
“You weren’t.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I know that he couldn’t give you what you like. What you need.”
Control. I don’t say it, and neither does she, but we both know it’s true. She likes telling me what to do just as much, if not more than she enjoys me telling her what to do sexually. And a guy like that would not be open to it and we both know that.
She straightens, leaning back against the wall behind her when a slow smile creeps across her face and she tilts her head, looking me up and down.
“And you can?”
I sense the challenge in her voice. I step forward, invading her space and she can’t back away from me like this. I cage her in with my hands resting on either side of her head. Leaning in, so our faces are only inches apart. Her eyes flare with desire and she can try to fight it, act like she wants someone else, but I know she wants me.
“I can give you everything you need, pretty girl.”
She thumps her head back against the wall, her hooded eyes almost looking down at me even though I’m almost a foot taller than she is.
“Prove it,” she grabs my hand and brings it to the waistband of her jeans. “Make me come right here and prove it.”
“Whatever you say,” I pop the button undone quickly and lower the zipper of her pants to push my hand in, there’s not a lot of room, but she said right here. There’s no way I’m getting her naked, but I know this is what she wants. She’s a bit of an exhibitionist, and the thought of being caught excites her.
I know my girl.
The possessive thought catches me off guard but doesn’t hinder what I’m doing. She may not be officially mine, but she is in this way. At least for right now. I press my body against hers, trapping my hand that is shoved in her panties between us. I bring my forehead down to hers, our eyes locked while I swipe my finger through her slit.
“You’re so wet already,” I rasp, my mouth lingering just barely above hers. “Was it because of that asshole you were dancing with? Or because you’re back here with me and the thought of getting caught has you hot?”
She moans quietly as I move my hand lower, pressing the tip of my finger into her, just barely, just enough to tease.
“Maybe it’s from you doing exactly what I told you to do,” she says, rubbing herself on my hand, trying to get me to push my finger further inside her.
“You do like bossing me around, don’t you, pretty girl?”
“Yes,” she moans as I push my finger all the way into her tight heat. “Maybe it’s because I liked seeing you a little jealous.”
I lean forward, brushing my lips against her ear while pumping the single digit in and out of her, “I like you telling me what to do.” She moans at that. “But I do not like feeling jealous.”
“Then you better make damn sure you make me come, or I’m going to find that guy and go home with him instead.”
She’s goading me and it’s totally working. I plunge a second finger in along with the first at the same moment I latch my teeth onto the place where her neck meets her shoulders. Her hands fly up to grip my biceps, digging her nails into the fabric of my shirt.
“You wouldn’t. I’m going to make you come on my hand just like you want, then you’re going to come home with me and come on wherever I want you to,” I pump my hand harder, making sure to rub my palm against her clit.
Audrey yanks my mouth to hers in a frenzy while I feel her clench around me, and I know she’s close. Our kiss is aggressive, tongues lashing at each other’s while she pulls at my hair and I work my hand just the way she needs to send her flying over the edge.
“You’re so close, pretty girl. Give it to me,” I nip her bottom lip and she retaliates by shoving her tongue into my mouth and pulling at my hair so hard it’s almost painful, but I like the bite of pain she’s giving along with the pleasure of her kiss. And the hot as fuck way she’s fucking herself on my hand.
Her moans are muffled by our mouths sealed together and I know she’s there, rubbing even harder against me when the orgasm takes over her body. She cries out against my lips, but I try to swallow her noises to avoid drawing any attention over to us. The club is loud, but this hallway isn’t. She tightens around me, and I remember how it felt around my cock, which jumps at the thought of potentially getting to feel that again.
I work her through her release, kissing her while she comes down. We part, just barely to catch our breaths and I finally remove my hand from her pants. I stand up to my full height, which puts more distance between us. Because I can’t help it, I take the hand that I just used to get her off and bring my two middle fingers that were just inside her into my mouth.
Audrey looks up at me like it’s the hottest thing she’s ever seen and is thinking about jumping on my dick right this second. I lick her taste off my fingers, enjoying the sweet musky taste of her while she stares at me.
“Fucking delicious,” I say once I pop my fingers from my mouth.
She regards me for a moment before leveling me with a smile, “Maybe you’re not such a good boy after all.”