11. Abby
ABBY
“What do you think, Abby?”
“Huh?” I yank my gaze away from where I’ve been staring at Kane and Dash at the other end of the ice and try to focus on what my boss is saying.
I realize I didn’t hear a single word she said.
“Could you repeat that please, Karina?”
Karina looks annoyed with me. “We’ll need at least six players to agree to help out. Do you think that’s do-able?”
“Oh, I think there are definitely six do-able players,” my co-worker Thomas mutters.
I press my lips together to keep from laughing. Then I nod at Karina. “Yes, I will coordinate that.”
Thomas has not been helpful when it comes to focusing today. We’re at the arena to work, but it’s already difficult with the Mutts practicing while we meet. Thomas is enjoying it as much as I am.
“Thomas, you’ll be in charge of coordinating with the kids then?” Karina asks my co-worker. “We can have more kids than players, right? We’ll just rotate them.”
Halfway through, I lose track of what she’s saying when I hear Kane give a whoop of excitement.
I glance over and see he’s landed a puck in the net.
Dash isn’t goaltending. He’s actually over by the bench talking to the coach.
Even after only knowing him for twenty-four hours I can hear the rumble of Dash’s voice in my head, imagine what he’s saying.
He has a strong, growly voice that does strange things to my insides…
“It might be chaotic, but I think we can accommodate about sixteen kids,” Thomas says.
I did it again. My mind wandered when someone was talking.
This time I nod so emphatically to prove that I’m paying attention I nearly give myself whiplash. “Yes. Absolutely. As many kids as possible. I completely agree.”
I love this event. I’ve poured my heart and soul into being the Community Outreach Coordinator for Stick It To Cancer.
I absolutely want this to be a huge success for our parent organization but most of all for the kids who get to attend for free.
Knowing that they’ll be experiencing a super fun afternoon where they can forget about all their illness means the world to me.
But my goodness, I’m distracted.
By two good looking hockey players who seem hell bent on both dating me.
Along with Benjamin—who thankfully is nowhere to be found right now because if he was here as well, I don’t think I could string two words together.
As it is, goosebumps run up and down my arms when Kane skates in a big loop, pushing the puck around with his stick. He winks at me with a grin when he passes by.
He’s not even that close to me but a delicious shiver rolls over me.
I can’t believe he wants to date me. Be my boyfriend. I watch him skate back over to the other players, trying to imagine how this could work because I want nothing more than to…
“Abby! Hello.”
Shit. I drifted again. I turn to find Thomas clapping his hands together twice to get my attention.
My cheeks burn from mortification.
“Look, we all want to be taken to the cottage by one of those guys,” Thomas says, pushing his glasses up his nose. “But we’re here for the children.” He gives me a wink, though, confirming he’s teasing me.
But Karina nods.
I feel the sudden urge to giggle. Is she nodding because of the kids or because she wants to be taken to the cottage?
She’s only a year out from retirement, as she tells us daily.
Thomas is just a year or two older than me.
It’s safe to say, we probably all want to be taken to a remote location by a hot hockey player and have him fuck our brains out. Or in my case, have them fuck my brains out.
I clap my hand over my mouth, so I don’t let out the slightly hysterical laugh I’m holding back.
I want Kane, Dash, and Benjamin to all fuck my brains out.
And they’d offered to do just that.
But…can I actually handle that?
When Karina turns to point toward the ramp that we can have the kids escorted down, Thomas loops his arm through mine.
“Just so you know, we can absolutely think about the kids and simultaneously lust after cute hockey players. I was just throwing you under the bus to look good in front of Karina.”
That makes me laugh. If Thomas wasn’t so honest, he’d be annoying. But I can’t ever be mad at him. After Sadie, he would be the first one to show up with a bottle of wine if I was having a bad day. I’ve only known him a year, but we’ve become good friends.
“Um, can I tell you something?” I whisper. “Kane Meyer asked me out. He wants to date me. With Dash Donovan. And Kane’s older brother, Benjamin.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Thomas says. “That’s pure fantasy come to life.”
Amen.
“Can I do that though? Is that even a thing?” I bite my lip as I glance back over at the Mutts players practicing. Dash is on his knees on the ice now, doing stretches that make my mouth go dry.
“Date three hot men at the same time? Yes, absolutely. Please do. Then tell me everything about it.”
“Thomas, do you mind?” Karina shoots him a dirty look over her shoulder. “Patsy and Rosie are going over the details for the split lottery and silent auction, and we should all know what’s happening with all of this.”
Thomas lets go of my arm and straightens up a little, adjusting his tie.
“Sorry,” I murmur to him as I try desperately to concentrate on what Patsy is saying.
She’s a mumbler to begin with and on top of that, I can see that Kane is skating toward us again.
It makes my skin feel like it’s on fire.
Every time I think about this morning and his “proposal” my whole body goes up in flames.
Now he skates straight toward me.
I stop walking, positive if I try to walk on the ice at the same time I’m talking to Kane, I will lose my balance and hit the ice even harder than I did yesterday.
“Hi,” he says, his face splitting into a grin.
“Hi.”
Before I can think of anything else to say, he rips his gloves off and holds his hand out to Karina. “I’m Kane Meyer, team captain. All of us players are so excited to be working with Stick It To Cancer to host an awesome afternoon for these brave kids.”
That makes my heart squeeze. Kane doesn’t even know why this is so important to me. I haven’t told any of them about my ALL.
But I think Kane just genuinely cares about other people.
Karina morphs from annoyed to preening. “Oh, well, we are too. I’m Karina, head of the outreach department at Stick It To Cancer. We highly value our continued partnership with the Racketeers and now the Malamutes.”
“Abby was telling me how important this is to your fundraising,” Kane says.
The way he says my name, so familiar, so territorial, sends yet another shiver up my spine.
He takes the opportunity to reach out with his bare hand and brush his fingers over the back of my hand. Then he laces his fingers through mine and squeezes briefly.
I freeze.
Not only because Kane’s touch flips my stomach upside down but because Karina and Patsy are watching us with naked curiosity.
“Oh, you’ve spoken to Abby?” Karina asks. There’s an edge to her voice.
“Of course. She’s my girlfriend,” Kane says. He leans over and kisses me on the temple.
My entire work team seems to let out a collective gasp.
For a second, I’m actually offended. Is it so impossible to believe that a hockey player would want to date me?
“She never said a word,” Karina marvels.
I realize then it’s not meant as an insult to me. They would all be shouting it from the rooftops if they were in my shoes. Little do they know I just met Kane yesterday. He’s making it sound like we’ve been together for a while.
“Oh. My. God,” Rosie breathes. She’s a year younger than me and she seems a little star-struck.
“You make a delightful couple,” is Patsy’s opinion.
For once her words are spoken with crystal clarity.
I wonder how she can possibly conclude we make a good couple but I’m not going to question her on it.
“She didn’t want it to be any sort of conflict of interest.” Kane cocks his head when the coach roars his name from the other side of the rink. “Gotta go. Nice to meet you all. See you after practice, Lollipop.” He runs his finger down my forearm and then skates away.
“Lollipop?” Thomas asks, with a wide grin.
“It’s a nickname,” I say, pointing out the obvious. I’m just not sure what else to say in a moment like this. I’m not even exactly sure where the nickname came from, but I can take a stab in the dark.
Lickable is the word that comes to mind.
Kane thinks I’m lickable.
I really want that to happen.
But I’m still very unsure how a relationship—or even just sex— with these men could actually work in reality.
“Here comes another one,” Rosie comments, smoothing her hand down over her braids and discreetly pointing to the right.
It’s Dash.
He’s going to say something as well. I know it. He can’t let Kane publicly stake a claim without also staking his own. They don’t seem to be jealous of each other. They just aren’t going to let the other get a leg up on them.
It’s incredibly hot and flattering.
When I’m not standing with my boss.
Now I’m just holding my breath and praying I get through this without melting into a puddle on the ice.
Or getting fired.
I widen my eyes and shake my head ever so slightly when Dash skates up to us.
I hope he gets the message that he needs to play it cool. Or at least cooler than Kane did.
Karina would suddenly decide this is a conflict of interest if I’m dating two players. Or just messy. While I doubt she would actually fire me, she might remove me from the team for this event, and I would be devastated if she did.
Dash smiles at me. It’s a slow, subtle, devastating smile, where the corner of his mouth lifts as his eyebrows go up and down.
It’s more effective even than Kane’s easy grin.
My inner thighs feel hot.
My nipples are tight.
My mind goes blank.
“Can I help you with anything?” he asks. “I’m happy to be of service.”
He runs his tongue over his bottom lip and rubs his jaw.
I have a sudden image of what he could do with that tongue…
“That’s so generous of you,” Karina beams. “What a great crop of players the Mutts have this year.”
Dash rips his gaze away from me and focuses on my boss. “I can sign autographs or anything else you need.”
Then he nods his head and scoots past me. “See you at home,” he murmurs so close to my ear only I can hear.
Or at least I hope like hell only I can hear.
“You have a lot to tell us over drinks soon,” Rosie says quietly.
Okay, oops, I guess I wasn’t the only one, but at least Karina doesn’t seem to have overheard Dash. I give Rosie what is probably a sheepish smile.
“Did you say Legal was coming out to talk to us?” Karina asks Patsy.
“Yes, I believe this is the team attorney now. Benjamin Clark.”
Yanking my eyes off of Dash’s muscular and bulky frame as he skates away, I turn and see that Benjamin is striding toward us on the ice.
Almost losing my balance, I reach out and grab the wall. Why are we even doing this on the ice? I’d much prefer solid footing.
I saw him just this morning dressed in this blue suit for work, but it still stuns me how commanding and professional he looks. He reaches up and straightens his tie before holding his hand out to Karina.
They exchange pleasantries and he looks at something Patsy has on her phone. Thomas has joined the conversation. There are words being exchanged but I don’t hear any of them.
I just concentrate on clinging to the wall and staying upright.
While glancing over to Dash and Kane multiple times.
Eventually, everyone exits the ice and starts down the ramp to the exterior hallway. No one notices me or asks me if I’m coming.
Except for Benjamin.
As I’m inching along the wall, feet still unsteady, he approaches me. “You okay?” he asks. “This is all a lot, isn’t it?”
I nod. “It is, but I’m okay. I’m just…thinking.”
When we reach the concrete, Benjamin holds his hand out to help me off the ice.
His grip is warm, firm. A little jolt of sexual tension sparks between us.
I look up at his warm brown eyes and remember that kiss last night.
How natural it felt.
“Abby, have those waivers been sent to the Mutts?” Karina asks. “That should have been done this morning.”
It should have.
But this morning I was staring into space at my desk contemplating a future that involves three gorgeous men fucking me at the same time.
“I…well…”
“Yes, she did,” Benjamin says, readily. “I got them.”
No, he didn’t.
But I’m grateful that he’s covering for me.
“Are you coming down with something?” Patsy asks me, trying to discreetly shift away from me as I walk up the ramp with the team. “You seem off today.”
“I am feeling a bit feverish,” I admit.
It’s not a lie.
“We’re done for today so you can head on out,” Karina says. “I hope you feel better.”
“Do you need a ride home?” Benjamin asks.
“I was going to wait for Kane to be done with practice.”
“Then you can wait in my office.” Benjamin’s expression is filled with mischief when he turns toward me. “I have a couch.”
“How perfect,” Karina declares.
Yes. Perfect.
If I wasn’t feeling hot before, I sure in the hell am now.