Heart of a Fighter (Sable Creek Saints #2)
CHAPTER 1
NEW BEGINNINGS
***
Lauren
After a torturously competitive game, I follow the medical team to the locker room lagging behind the group of doctors and therapists with a serious case of first-day jitters. Usually, I watch the Saints play from a private booth with Mom, courtesy of the team captain, my brother, Zach Brooks. But also, thanks to Zach, I had a reserved seat alongside the team’s crucial staff tonight, spending my first game observing as an official medical intern. After many bruises, gashes, and stitches, the Saints pulled through, winning the game by a solitary goal.
The locker room pulses with energy post-game, the air thick with the earthy scent of sweat and eucalyptus from liniment oils. Laughter and chatter fill the air as the team rides an adrenaline high, exchanging playful jabs while recounting key moments from tonight’s win. Graves, a familiar face, throws a towel over his shoulder, then animatedly mimics a particularly dramatic goal celebration, drawing a round of hearty laughs from his teammates. Another player against a locker, sweat dripping from his brow. He wipes his forehead, then quickly bobs right and left, reenacting a close call with the opposing team’s defense.
Amid the commotion, a few players focus on recovery, stretching sore muscles on foam rollers and submerging themselves in ice baths, easing their aches and pains. Another lies face down on a portable massage table, his ass loosely covered by a towel as a therapist rubs oils into his shoulders and back muscles.
Running water hisses in the background, washing away the blood and sweat from a well-fought battle. Steam wafts from the showers, lurking ghost-like across the ceiling. I’ve lived and breathed hockey through Zach’s eyes for years, but standing amid the post-game chaos as part of the team’s inner circle sends a thrill rippling through me. The entire experience is surreal and intense, yet lighthearted.
Doctor Evans, the team’s chief medical practitioner, clears his throat, garnering the room’s attention. After a few congratulatory remarks, he turns his attention to me. My stomach lurches, and I do my best to look anywhere but at the half-naked men in front of me. Especially avoiding Zach’s eyes and those of his best friend, Granger.
“Many of you already know Lauren Brooks.” Dr. Evans gives Zach a brief nod in case anyone has a lapse in memory. Mom, Zach, and I were guests of honor at one of the Saints’ fundraisers several years ago, shortly after we received the news of her cancer. “Lauren’s helping us out for the next eight to ten weeks as part of her nursing training. I expect everyone to keep things professional and respectful, mindful that there’s a female in the den.”
My cheeks flush warm, and my nerves tingle. It isn’t like this is the first time I’ve seen a male body. I’ve seen plenty of skin during my training, but none of that prepared me for the physically fit men in various stages of undress before me now. My gaze sweeps over the room––broad shoulders, six-pack abs, and muscles flexing as they change. The tinge of heat rising in my chest has less to do with their physicality and more with the athletes’ sheer presence and power in their testosterone laden element.
Eventually, my gaze lands on Granger, leaning casually against a locker like he hasn’t a care in the world. His confident demeanor draws me in as it has from the day I met him. Our eyes meet briefly, and butterflies erupt in my tummy. Instantly, my heart races and a flutter of excitement and nerves courses through my veins. His presence is magnetic, enticing me despite the surroundings. The playful spark in his eyes sends a jolt straight to my core, the kind of electric energy that makes everything else fade into the background. When he shoots me a playful grin, I quickly look away as more warmth rises to my cheeks.
Heat blooms from my chest, rushing swiftly up my neck. I’m suddenly hyper-aware of myself and the men staring in my direction, reading the emotion etched on my face. My stomach flip-flops, and I can’t shake the feeling that my thoughts are on full display.
I force myself to look elsewhere, trying to compose my thoughts, but the magnetic pull lingers, leaving me acutely aware of the charged atmosphere and the undeniable connection simmering beneath the surface every time I look at Granger.
My eyes flit to Zach, and I’m mortified. The realization hits hard as embarrassment and caution thread through me, unraveling the temporary thrill from Granger’s smoldering eyes. It’s one thing to feel the way I do about Granger, but it’s an entirely different feeling to have my brother’s watchful eyes on me while I girl-crush on his best friend.
“Not just a female.” Zach’s voice cuts through the room’s clatter. “My little sister’s in the room.”
Zach’s firm, unsubtle warning causes the commotion in the room to pause momentarily. The seriousness in his voice holds sway over his teammates, and all eyes shift to him–all but Granger’s, whose eyes meet mine and pin me in place. The room buzzes as players murmur and nod their assent. It only takes a brief moment for the room to once again break into lighthearted banter.
“Yes, sir!” Graves grins ear-to-ear as he stands to salute Zach. He clutches a towel to his groin, the only thing shielding what lies beneath.
A towel snaps on the other side of the room, causing more chuckles.
“We’ll treat her like family,” a voice rings out. “Like third cousins twice removed.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Zach takes the joke in stride, accepting a playful punch to the arm by a teammate sitting close by.
My hands sweat as my pulse raps wildly at my breastbone. A mix of emotions whirls in my gut. Zach’s only looking out for me, but I am more than his little sister. I’m a professional. The ice is my brother’s realm, but this medical internship is my opportunity to practice what I’ve learned and add practical knowledge to my skill set.
Dr. Evans clears his throat again. “Think of Lauren as family while she’s here. Keep it clean and treat her like a sister.” He nods toward me, reinforcing the message. “I don’t believe we’ll have any problems with undue fraternization with one of our own on the team.”
A playful smirk plays across Granger’s lips. His eyes find mine once again. A glint of mischief twinkles in them, a silent acknowledgment that the rules mean little to him. It’s clear he’s a rule breaker. That awareness sends another wave of heat cascading through me, this time lower with thoughts that are anything but professional.
I shouldn’t lust after him. His reputation as a heartbreaker is well-known, and his trysts have been documented ad nauseam in the tabloids. But the magnetic pull he wields over me is undeniable. My heart races, caught between excitement and a nagging sense of caution. Despite everything, the attraction simmers like a low flame, licking at my insides until I’m feverish with want. If I don’t ignore it, nothing but trouble lies ahead.
I can’t let anything derail me now. I’ve worked hard to reach my goal, and Zach put his faith in me by recommending me for this position. I won’t let him down or give him any reason to regret it, even if it means avoiding Granger at all costs and denying what my heart aches for. I’m determined to focus on my role here and soak up as much knowledge as possible.
“Lauren, why don’t you start by patching up Granger?” The doctor turns to me, a look of irritation on his face. “I’m sure he’s tired of me sewing him up.”
My heart skips a beat. So much for staying clear of the man who lights up my insides like the Fourth of July.
“Um, sure. I’m on it.” I try to keep my voice steady, but the thought of having my hands on Granger sends another wave of tingly nerves shooting through me.
“And Lauren,” Dr. Evans' expression softens. “You can come to me if anyone gives you any hassle. We have two unbreakable rules for medical staff and patients around here. There’s no personal involvement with players, and medical personnel are not allowed to treat family members outside of an emergency situation.” He places a reassuring hand on my shoulder. “Zach’s in good hands. Leave his medical care to the rest of us.”
I nod in understanding. What the good doctor doesn’t know won’t hurt him. I’ve patched Zach up plenty of times when he’s popped a stitch or worse. I’ve been a nursemaid to Mom and my brother for more years than I can count. I guess that makes me a rule breaker, too.
I glance at Granger again, his eyes meeting mine with a playful glint that only adds flame to the fire in my belly. Despite the nervous eddy swirling inside me, I’m prepared to ignore it all and do the job I’ve trained for.
***
Granger
As Lauren approaches with her gear bag, the usual commotion in the locker room fades to gray–the laughter, the clatter of gear, and the stern cadence in the doc’s not-so-subtle reprimand. He’s right. I am tired of his bedside manner. I’ve heard his spiel about my temper and keeping my private life out of the tabloids a thousand times. He’s a broken record, just like my father. I don’t need life advice from either one of them.
Lauren, on the other hand, is a welcome change from the norm. There’s always been something special about her. I knew it the first time I laid eyes on her years ago. But–there were a lot of buts back then. She was too young. She had her hands full caring for her mom and her brother, Zach.
Zach was hardly more than a kid when he got drafted––young, fresh-faced and unsure of his standing on the team. His mom’s cancer diagnosis and care were foremost in his mind. He doubted himself and whether he deserved to be a Saint. We’re a lot alike in that regard. It’s what drew us to form a strong friendship through the years. Though, since he became team captain, things between us have changed. He’s taken on more responsibility off the ice, handing down directives from the big man upstairs.
My dad, Sable Creek Saints’ owner.
“Guess I’m your first patient,” I tease as Lauren sets her bag on the bench.
My heartbeat quickens with a steady rhythm of anticipation with a side helping of nerves. The familiar adrenaline from the game shifts to something more charged. It’s more than familiarity and desire. It’s magnetic, an electric connection I’ve never experienced with another woman. The blush on Lauren’s cheeks tells me she feels it, too. But there’s nothing I can do or say about it here.
It isn’t the doctor’s reiteration of the no fraternizing rule that keeps me from showing my hand. It’s the potential rift it would cause with Zach. I can’t afford to risk our friendship or put his role on the team in jeopardy with my dad.
“Lucky me,” Lauren replies. She offers a small smile, her voice calm despite it being her first official day working with the team. “Now what kind of mess have you gotten yourself into this time, Granger?”
As her fingers brush against my skin, preparing to clean my cuts, a jolt of electricity shoots through me faster than a puck headed straight for the goal. I don’t even mind her little jab about my reputation for stirring up trouble. I’ll take a tongue lashing from her pert little mouth any ole day of the week and then some.
“You should see the other guy,” I joke.
She wipes a cotton ball soaked in antiseptic over the wound on my jaw. The liquid stings as it seeps into the cut, but I can’t take my eyes off her. Everything about her is gentle and inviting. Her sapphire eyes, rosy cheeks, and the smooth caress of her fingers on my skin are a sharp contrast with the usual clinical detachment I’m accustomed to with Doc Evans and his assistant, Daniel.
“I did. He’ll probably need stitches.” Her bright blue, sparkling eyes flit to mine. Her fingertips stroke softly over my chin. “This cut isn’t too deep. I can apply a butterfly bandage unless you’re worried about a scar.”
A subtle stinging sensation, like static electricity, courses through my veins, making my skin sensitive to her touch. A powerful undercurrent draws me to her, an intriguing and undeniable attraction, that sparks more than mere curiosity. I’ve kept her at arm’s length for the entire time I’ve known her, never breaching the invisible wall that separates friends from potential lovers. There’s a line friends don’t cross, especially when that line’s guarded by a six foot, three inch, two hundred ten pound center that happens to be her brother.
“I do have a reputation to uphold,” I chuckle, resisting the urge to place my hands on her hips and draw her in between my knees.
“Hold still, or I won’t get a straight set on this,” she reprimands soothingly. Her eyes dart to Doc Evans, who’s currently seeing to a teammate’s ankle. “You’re not the only one who has a reputation to uphold. I need to make a good impression here, and your laughing isn’t helping.”
I reign in my smirk and put on my most convincing straight face. “This better?”
“Much.” She grins, pulling my skin taut as she smooths the sterile bandage.
“You’re good at this.” I catch the shimmer in her blue eyes and hold her gaze longer than necessary. There’s something undeniably captivating about her that almost makes me throw caution out the door–almost. I suppress the urge, respecting her precarious position, proving herself as a professional in a man’s world.
“Thanks,” she replies, a hint of blush rising in her cheeks. She shifts slightly, her body discreetly aligning with mine. A playful glint sparks in her eyes. “Try not to make this a habit.”
“Can’t make any promises.” I lean in slightly, the air charged between us. Heat warms the space, lulling my heart into a rhythmic, hypnotic pace.
My reputation for being a hothead and a playboy looms heavy in my gut, a constant reminder of past mistakes and the pressure to prove myself. Now isn’t the time or place to press boundaries, no matter how much I want to reach out and touch her. I know the difference between right and wrong, and whatever this surface flirtation is, it’s a hard no with Zach and a locker room full of prying eyes.
My demons’ whispering taunts dare me to throw caution out the door. But no matter the pull toward old habits, I’ve got to keep my guard up and tamp down the desire swirling in my gut.
Yet I can’t help but wonder if being drawn to Lauren is more than my body’s physical response. She’s all that’s good and right in this world. Could she be the key to proving I’m a better man than my reputation gives me credit for?