Chapter 12
Sarah
Holy hell, he was about to kiss me.
Before his stupid teammates came rushing down and ruined our moment.
Saying I feel conflicted is an understatement.
Part of me longs for that man and his kiss. I know it would be explosive and incredible. It might scare me, but damn, maybe it’s worth the risk.
Alexander sure seems like a man who can handle anything I throw his way.
The other part of me is thankful Aaron and the others showed up because what was I thinking, urging the team captain to kiss me in the middle of the hallway at the arena?
So reckless.
I don’t even know what this whole thing between us is.
Am I his next candidate to be used to vent his frustrations?
Is this his next conquest?
When he’s had his fill, he’ll move on to someone else.
I’m sure the sex would be amazing, but then comes the after part.
I still have 7 months left on this team, and I’d need to meet with him regularly and interact with him professionally.
Suddenly, I understand the whole Liam and Samantha situation a little better.
But then again, I’ve had sexual flings with guys before and parted on friendly terms.
Sure, sometimes they’ve wanted more, but we’ve always reached a pleasant conclusion without too much awkwardness.
Maybe I could do the same with Alexander—have some great sex, feel the chemistry burning between us, and then move on with my life.
He’s become the star of my every wet dream and fantasy. After my first failure to orgasm without thinking about him, I’ve given in more times than I can count.
I may not call him his name to his face, but it’s his name that slips from my lips every time I come.
Maybe I should suggest a deal to him—a friends-with-benefits arrangement that benefits both of us.
That way, my frustrations, and apparently his as well, would be satisfied, and I could stop hiding from him.
Once again, he called me out on my bullshit.
I’ve been hiding from him.
The feelings he stirs in me scare me. Not just the sexual stuff, but the way he listens, notices small details, and remembers.
Then there’s my precious control, which I always rely on.
Alexander rips that control straight from my hands, takes the lead, and pushes my limits. Even though it ignites something in me, having a man share some of my burdens and fears also terrifies me because I worry about how dependent I might become on someone like him.
I know he would be completely different from all the guys before him.
Not that I’ve had many, but still. He would take care of me, and as someone who has taken care of herself for so many years, I’m scared.
I head toward the entrance of the building, where I’ll meet my dad, who’s coming to his first game since I started my internship.
Experiencing the arena’s atmosphere gives me a rush of excitement, and I can’t wait to share this moment with him.
We’ve been to countless games together over the years, but I’ve never been one of the people working behind the scenes—until now.
His pride shines in his eyes when I see him outside. I rush over and give him a long hug.
“You made it, dad! I’m so excited for this.” He wraps his arm around me as we head inside.
“I’m so proud of you, Sarah. Look at this arena, and you’re fitting right in.” I feel my chest swell at his praise.
I do fit in here, and I love it here.
We discuss my internship and the latest league updates as we check in with Clarissa at the front desk.
One perk of the internship is the chance to bring friends and family to home games.
We stop briefly in the PR department, where I show him our office before heading to the rink.
Like me, he wants to experience the game from the arena’s grandstands rather than a VIP box. I lead him to our seats before I go down to finish the last bit of content creation before the game begins.
～
“Your dad made it here, okay?” Samantha asks me as I finish a video for Benjamin’s profile.
“Yeah, we’ll watch the game from the stands. There’s just something special about that,” I tell her.
I feel a prickling sensation at the back of my neck, sensing that he’s near or at least watching me.
I fight the urge to turn around, knowing he’s probably going to give me a smug smile, aware of the effect he has on me.
“Is there a reason McGregor is looking at you like you’re his next meal? Did something happen between you two?” Samantha nudges my side, keeping her voice low.
I roll my shoulders but keep my eyes focused straight ahead, determined not to meet his gaze.
“We might have almost kissed, but his teammates made an appearance in the last second,” I say, and Samantha chuckles beside me.
“No wonder you’re wound even tighter than usual.” No point in denying that.
“Can we talk about this later? Preferably, never, maybe?” I say with a small smile.
“We’re definitely talking about your almost-kiss later. I’m not letting you off the hook on this one.”
We gather our stuff, and at the last moment, I cave and glance his way.
Just like Samantha told me, he’s looking at me with so much hunger in his eyes that I feel like I could catch fire right here in this cold rink.
“Jeez, it’s like watching porn, with a lot of longing and foreplay before the good parts,” Samantha snickers beside me.
She’s not wrong.
I feel myself burning up under his gaze.
I have to get a grip; I can’t be lusting after the captain right now. I’m watching the game with my dad, for Christ’s sake.
I manage to calm my racing heart and make my way to my dad, who’s sitting with a big popcorn and soda in his hand.
“All ready, Dad?” I ask as I sit down beside him.
“Couldn’t be more ready.”
The game is intense as the guys struggle.
Each time they have an opportunity to score, they miss out by a minor mishap or mistake. It’s like they’re not in sync the way they usually are.
It’s tough watching their struggle, but they manage to secure a tie.
Not ideal, but better than a loss.
The atmosphere in the arena has fluctuated with the quality of the game. The fans will be their biggest supporters whenever they win, but they can also be the strictest critics when they struggle.
I feel bad for the guys, but I’m confident they’ll bounce back from this.
When the final whistle blows, I ask Dad if he wants to meet some of the players. They might not be in the most social moods, but I told them my dad was coming to the game today, and it would mean a lot if they took a moment to say hello.
As we make our way down, some players are already doing interviews, probably hoping to get it over with so they can head home quickly.
Several of the guys, including Benjamin, Liam, and Aaron, stop by to say hello to my dad. Even though I can tell they’re feeling down, they put on smiles and are the perfect entertainment for the old NHL player.
Dad, having played before, also puts the guys at ease. He isn’t the typical fanboy, but rather an older man with extensive experience in the game.
Some of them seem not only to enjoy but also to appreciate his advice.
I finish my duties for the day quickly because few of the guys are eager to create content after a game like this.
Just as we’re about to leave, we run into none other than the captain himself.
After the game, he was busy with interviews, grilled about his team and his role as captain in a game like this.
What went wrong?
What could he have done differently?
Is he the right person to lead this team moving forward?
I felt bad for him; it’s not like this is entirely his fault. Alexander was one of the few players who didn’t perform too badly. Not great either, but he didn’t make any major mistakes like others.
Still, he’s the top target for criticism, along with the coach, whenever they have a bad game.
Part of me hopes he won’t stop to talk with us, but, of course, being the gentleman he is, he stops and gives me a small smile before turning his gaze to my dad.
He’s waiting for me to introduce them, and I realize I’ll lose our precious game. All because of my father.
Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.