CHAPTER 14 #3
That made me think of Sasha. Oh, how I wanted to be in bed with him.
Not even fucking, just holding on to each other.
There was a way he looked at me that made me feel beautiful and fun at the same time.
He didn't mind my sarcasm, my bossy mouth.
In fact, I think he liked that about me most. The relief it made me feel was overwhelming.
And the further away from Dr Lynn's conversation I got, the better about it all I felt.
The buzzer went off and Nina shot up, clapping and searching the ice.
"How long was I out?” She yawned again.
“About five minutes.”
“Plenty, I'm awake now.”
The period went on in a rush. Jonesy, the rookie, skated with footwork I had never seen before.
It was obvious that the game had advanced since I watched with my father.
The kid's speed, his agility, his stick handling was masterful to watch.
I was sitting on the edge of my seat. The opposing team almost didn't know what to do with him.
I feared roughing him up was their next option.
They were checking harder into the boards and I could tell by Sasha's body language he was noticing it.
He looked like a mamma bear protecting her young.
His head darted back and forth, always watching Jonesy and Reed's and Colton's and Murph's back.
He cut people off and intercepted big hits.
He skated with a speed I never expected from a man his size.
And fortunately, or unfortunately, his power made my dirty mind think of other things.
I flushed at the thought of his hard cock.
The way it strained as he stood in the tub, all soapy and soft skinned.
I wanted him inside me, powerful, like he was on the ice.
He looked unstoppable, conditioned, a beast enforcing against how rough the game was getting.
“This is what happens about now.” Nina could tell I could sense the change and I was happy she broke my thoughts before steam started to come out of my ears in a public place.
“Half way into the game one team or another starts to realize who is the better and they either take it or fight against it. These guys can get dirty.”
I took a deep breath. The game felt a lot different when your man was the one cleaning up the dirt.
“He'll be OK. That is why they brought The Sarge here. He handles the shit. But I'm sure he already told you that.”
“We don't really talk much hockey. We talk about everything else.”
“That's good. Keep it that way as long as possible.” Nina patted my knee.
My heart started to speed up as Sasha pointed his finger at someone after giving him a good shove.
I could see his lips moving, but without the television close up, I couldn't tell what he was saying.
In that moment the arena started to hum.
Nina started to rub her hands like she could feel what was going to happen.
I wish the beer guy or the hot dog guy would come back so I could drown the nerves in my stomach with alcohol or processed meats. My insides bubbled. The muscles at the back of my neck tensed. It felt like the moment you heard tires squeal on the road before a crash.
Then there it was. A collective “ooo” came over the crowd. I scanned frantically towards where Reeds had the puck after a rebound. The clank on the net reverberated over the voices. But I saw no fighting.
Nina tapped me on the shoulder and pointed at the opposite side of the rink. My head turned just in time to see one of the other players use his stick to smack Sasha in the face.
Sasha's neck snapped back, Reeds scored, everyone waited for the fight.
I stopped breathing at the sight of Sasha's blood on the ice. His helmet spun in circles ten feet away and before the refs could get to him his hands were on the guys shirt. All I could see was the back of #96 and over his shoulder Sasha's face with red pouring down the left side.
Sasha had dropped the gloves, grabbed the guy and waited.
Waited for him to drop his gloves so he could beat the shit out of him for such a dirty hit.
He should be pummeling, hell, it took me all I had to still be in my seat and not jumping over the glass to bloody my knuckles on the man's face.
I couldn't imagine how Sasha could just wait.
But the asshole didn't drop the gloves. He just smiled and held up his hands.
“That's gonna need, five, no three stitches tonight. The head always bleeds more than you would think.” Nina squinted her eyes to see the damage from so far away.
The refs got in between the two of them and skated #96 to the penalty box and Sasha to the tunnel. The crowd went ballistic, screaming and waving as he walked in the tunnel. A manager holding a white towel to his face as he disappeared into darkness.
The game resumed. The second period buzzer sounded. I finally took a breath.
“Fuck.” I sat back down in my seat, sweat formed on my upper lip.
“You OK?” Nina patted my shoulder.
“Yeah, I think so. I don't know what I'm feeling right now.” I pulled at the neck of Sasha's shirt for air.
“Fear?” She motioned to the hot dog guy when she saw him and bought two more hot dogs.
“Rage.”