Chapter Sixteen Bennett
CHAPTER SIXTEEN: BENNETT
A fter heading into the locker room for tonight’s game, I did my usual superstitious tap down of the four corners of my wooden stall. While I might not have a sex-specific superstition like Theo and Grayson, I still had my own quirky routine to ensure victory. Besides the stall shakedown, I also kissed one puck from warmups and tossed it to a fan with my left hand.
Part of me wondered why I even bothered with superstitions. Lately, it felt like I was just going through the motions in all aspects of my life, not just hockey. And I knew the exact reason why.
It was all because of Vivian.
I missed her more than I liked to let on, especially in front of the guys. While they were silent on the subject of Vivian, I knew something had gone down between them. When I’d asked when they would be seeing her again, I’d been shocked to hear they weren’t. From the complete and total ass Theo had been the last month. I imagined Vivian had cut things off.
Since I didn’t have the opportunity to run into her with the guys, I found myself walking by the library more than I should have. It took everything within me not to go inside to talk to her.
Of course, I didn’t know what I would say. Hey, s ince you’re not doing the superstition threesome thing with the guys anymore, do you think I could take you out for dinner sometime?
Yeah, that wasn’t happening.
My longing for Vivian had been so bad that I’d even skipped my usual hookup with the lacrosse guy. All I could do was think about her smile, her scent, and her sweet pussy.
Losing Vivian was a double blow because it also cut off the physical connection I’d finally experienced with Theo. My chest clenched agonizingly tight as I thought about what had happened between us after Vivian had left that morning. After my shower, I’d come into the kitchen to find him alone. As I started to grab my cup of coffee, he cleared his throat.“So, um, about last night.”
“What about it?” I’d asked.
He’d rubbed the back of his neck furiously. “I, uh, just wanted you to know it was just a one-time thing.”
As I felt like I’d been sucker punched in the gut, I replied, “With me joining in on your superstition threesomes?”
“Yeah, that and well, having our sticks cross.”
“Don’t you and Grayson do DVP?”
His eyes bulged. “Fuck no.”
My heart had broken into a gallop because I’d shared something with him that even Grayson hadn’t. “Yeah, fine, whatever,” I had forced myself to say.
With the weight of the memory on my shoulders, I dropped my bag to the floor. After ripping my T-shirt over my head, I stuffed it into my warm-up bag. It was then that a growl came from behind me.
When I glanced to my right, Theo glared at me. “Would you get your fucking gear out of my way?”
I looked down to see my bag was about an inch over the line separating my stall from Theo’s. Theo continued glowering as I eased my bag slightly to the left with my foot. “Better?”
“Whatever.”
“You know, you could’ve just moved it yourself.”
“Fuck off.”
“Jesus, you’re such a grump. Maybe you should get laid,” I suggested to which Theo grunted.
Grayson snorted to my left. “He can’t. He has a Vivian-specific pussy desire.”
While I chuckled, Theo tried annihilating us with a death glare. “I can assure you that’s not it.”
Clapping my palm on his shoulder, I said in a low voice, “You know, it’s okay to admit that you wish you could see her again.”
“That’s bullshit.”
With a shrug, I replied, “Fine. If you won’t admit it, I will. After gettin’ a taste, I wish I could’ve spent more time with her.” Winking at him, I added, “Both in and out of the bedroom.”
Theo stared incredulously at me. “You’re serious?”
“I sure as hell am.”
“But you’ve been solely on dick for the past year and a half,” Theo argued.
“Good of you to notice,” I mused.
He huffed a frustrated breath out of his nose. “My point is how can one pussy possibly be enough to turn you off dick?”
“I never said I was turned off of it. Just that I missed Vivian.”
Theo shook his head. “You’re crazy.”
“Maybe I am.” I tugged my uniform top over my head. “But not too insane to realize somethin’ fuckin’ phenomenal when I see it.” I gave him a pointed look. “And it wasn’t just Vivian’s pussy that was phenomenal. She was fuckin’phenomenal.”
Raising his fist in the air, Grayson replied, “Preach it, brother.”
“How can you say that when you barely spent any time with her?” Theo asked.
I shrugged. “What time I had with her was special. It was also enough to show me just how different she was.”
“Both of you are crazy,” Theo grumbled.
With a roll of his eyes, Grayson replied, “Yeah, well, you’re being a prick about Vivian.”
“I am not.”
“Bro, get some self-awareness,” Grayson replied. He rose off the stool to come stand before Theo. “You’ve been stewing the last month. You’re pissed that she turned us down on a repeat superstition performance. You’re Theo Novak, and women don’t tell you no.”
With a withering look, Theo countered, “Way to make it sound like I’m a jackass who doesn’t honor consent.”
“You know what I mean. It’s all your alpha bullshit. You wanted to be the one to turn her down, not vice versa.”
“If I’m pissed, it’s because it’s a pain in the ass trying to find another older woman for the season.”
“Considerin’ our last two victories, it doesn’t look like you need to,” I argued.
“With everything at stake, we can never be too careful.”
Crossing my arms over my just, I suggested, “You know, you could just go and beg Vivian for a second chance.”
“Absofuckinglutelynot,” Theo grunted as he hopped into his pants.
“And why not?”
“Because she made it very clear she didn’t want to keep on with our arrangement.”
“You could at least tell him why,” Grayson said.
After shooting Grayson a scowl, Theo said, “Fine. She was afraid of catching feelings if we continued.”
Winching, I replied, “Oh, man, that’s the worst.”
“Tell me about it,” Theo grunted as he wriggled on his chest protector.
“At the same time, I can’t say I’m surprised.”
Theo paused. “Why do you say that?”
“Vivian is different. Of course, she’s not goin’ to be just down with fuckin’.”
“A lot of the other girls weren’t either,” he argued.
“That’s because they wanted to say they were datin’ a player. They would have cared less about you as a person–it was all status.” Shaking my head, I replied, “But that’s not Vivian. She truly wants to feel somethin’ with the person she’s with.”
“No, it isn’t,” Theo murmured. After appearing momentarily contemplative, he shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. She made her choice.”
“We could always try for more,” I offered.
Grayson and Theo froze. “What are you saying, Bennie? That the three of us could try dating her?” Theo asked.
Shrugging, I replied, “I mean, we wouldn’t have to do it all at one time. We could each take her out.”
Shaking his head, Theo replied, “That might work for you two, but I’m not interested in a relationship.”
“Me either,” Grayson replied.
“Not even with Vivian?”
Rubbing his chin in thought, Grayson replied, “If anyone could lasso me into a relationship, it would be her.”
“Speak for yourself. No one is tying me down,” Theo replied.
His words caused an ache deep in my chest. They reiterated once again just how unattainable he was. Pushing those thoughts from my mind, I once again focused on Vivian. “Well, if you two don’t mind, maybe I will ask her out.”
Considering how they’d just spoken, I expected them to quickly give their consent. Especially Theo. But both of them kept their mouths shut. Before I could repeat my request, it was time to go out to warm-ups.
If they thought I wouldn’t press the issue, they were wrong. As we made our way through the tunnel to the rink, I noticed that neither Theo nor Grayson were talking. They were uncharacteristically quiet.
The moment I hit the ice a strange sense of awareness pricked over my skin. It was a feeling I only got when someone I cared about was close by. Had my mother finally come to see me play? My eyes began frantically scanning the crowd for her. Or maybe Hannah had snuck off and flown up to see me.
But when my gaze fell on flame-red hair in the front row, my heart shuddered to a stop. A gasp wheezed out of me as I tried catching my breath. “Holy shit,” I muttered.
After I remained frozen to the spot, Theo knocked my shoulder with his. “What’s your problem?”
“Vivian.”
“Not that bullshit again.”
“No. She’s here,” I replied, pointing to her spot in the stands.
Theo stiffened beside me. “Fuck,” he muttered.
Grayson skated over to us. “Why the hell are you two standing around like statues?”
“Vivian’s here,” I repeated.
His face lit up. “Seriously? Where?”
As I pointed her out, Vivian must’ve sensed our eyes on her because she looked up to stare straight at us. Happiness ricocheted through me, and I threw up my hand in greeting.
When she waved back, my feet moved of their own accord. Or I guess I should say my skates did. As I got closer to her, Vivian's face lit up in a smile. She popped out of her seat and moved in front of the plexiglass.
My cheeks hurt from grinning as I said, “Hey, Pretty Woman.”
“Hey, Bennett.”
“I can’t believe you’re here.”
“Me either.”
Grayson skated up then. “Holy shit, Viv! Is it really you?”
She giggled. “Yes, it’s me.”
“Man, it’s so good to see you.”
She grinned at his enthusiasm. “I’m glad to see you, too.” Her gaze bounced back over to mine. “And you.”
But then her smile faded when she saw that Theo wasn’t skating over. He gave a brief wave before heading over to the goal. “I guess he’s still upset with me for breaking things off, huh?” Vivian said.
“Don’t worry about the stick up his ass,” Grayson reasoned.
“I’ll try not to,” Vivian replied in an amused tone.
As a puck skidded in front of us, I leaned over and grabbed it. After kissing it, I held it up to the glass. “This is for you, okay?”
“Really?”
Nodding, I tossed it over with my left hand. Some of the kids and guys in the seats around Vivian started to rush forward to try and grab it, but my death glare had them sitting back down.
When Vivian caught it, Grayson and I shouted our approval. Grinning, Vivian waved it at me. “Thanks, Bennett.”
“Now you’re part of B’s hockey superstition,” Grayson remarked with a grin.
Vivian’s brows shot up in surprise. “I am?”
“Yep. I always kiss a puck and throw it before a game.”
She grinned. “That’s more of a G-rated superstition than Theo and Grayson’s.”
Gray and I laughed. “Very much so.”
At the sight of Coach giving me and Grayson a look, I grimaced. “Listen, we gotta start warmin’ up.”
Nibbling her lip, Vivian said, “Can I talk to you guys after the game?”
“Sure. How about you wait for us outside the locker room?” Grayson suggested.
“You want me to stand outside the men’s locker room like a puck bunny? Vivian questioned incredulously.
While Grayson grimaced, I protested, “Hey, there’s nothin’ wrong with being a puck bunny.”
“Seriously?”
“They’re just sexually liberated women who are going after what they want, right?”
Vivian gave me a sheepish look. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have judged.”
With a wink, I replied, “It’s okay. I was just giving you a hard time.”
“You did a good job at it,” she mused.
“There are some benches down the hall from the locker room. A lot of the girlfriends and parents wait for their guys down there, so they don't get tangled up with the puck bunnies.”
“I’m not the only woman who has an issue with them, huh?”
I laughed. “No, you’re not.”
“Okay, I’ll wait for you there.”
“See you soon.”
“Good luck!”
“Thanks,” Grayson and I called.
When we turned away to start warming up, Grayson practically bounced on the balls of his feet in his skates. “I can’t fucking believe she came back.”
“Me either.”
A grin stretched on his face. “We’re going to have one hell of a post-game celebration tonight, aren’t we?”
“I hope so.”
Tilting his head at me, Grayson countered, “You don’t think Vivian’s a sure thing?”
“She should be.”
“Dude, where is your confidence?”
“I dunno. Somethin’ just seemed off with her.”
“Maybe she wants to come back to us, but she’ll need some coaxing?”
“That could be it.”
“Collins, Reed, quit flapping your jaws and warm up!” Coach blared.
Since we didn’t want Coach on our asses, we started stretching. While Grayson happily hummed through his adductor rocks for his hips, I found myself even more tense from feeling like the other shoe was about to drop.