by Vera Roberts
Sydney felt weird prying into such a private and sensitive topic but she felt compelled to know. “Someone you personally knew?”
Dean took a gulp of beer and stared straight ahead. “My dad.” He paused again. “He battled cancer for the past several years and we all knew this was going to be his final year so we made the most of it.”
“I’m so sorry.” She grabbed his arm and rubbed it. “I’m sorry if I intruded.”
“Nah, nah.” He brushed it off. “It’s all over the media so it’s not a secret.”
“All over the media?” Sydney asked. “Was he famous?”
“No, no, he wasn’t famous.” Dean replied. He paused for a moment and looked over at Sydney. “I hate saying this line but do you know who I am?”
“Not a single clue,” she shook her head. “Am I supposed to know?”
“No.” He smiled. It was refreshing that Sydney wasn’t a groupie or a gold-digger. After several years in the league, it was easy to spot both groups. “I’m glad you don’t.”
“So now that you kinda told me who you are, what is it that you do?” She asked.
“I’m a hockey player.” Dean replied. “I play for the Kings.”
“Oh, that’s cool.”
“Do you follow hockey?”
“I was watching a fight once but a game kept getting in the way.” She winked.
Dean noticed the sparkle in Sydney’s brown eyes when she smiled. It seemingly made her more beautiful. “We do fight but it’s good for both teams. A lot of aggression and pent-up frustration. We need to do something with it.”
“You always have been a hockey player?” She inquired.
“It’s all I know. I can’t imagine doing anything else for the rest of my life.” He shrugged. “So until I can’t play anymore, this is it for life.”
“That is so cool that you’re passionate about something. That sounds a lot more fun than what I do for a living.” She said. “I work in retail.”
“That doesn’t sound too bad. I like to go shopping.” Dean said and Sydney shot him a disbelieving look. “Okay, online shopping.”
“That’s what I thought.” Sydney smiled. She then glanced at her cell phone and noticed she needed to get back to the airport. She needed to find a comfy spot before they were all taken. “Well, I need to go.” She finished her drink. “I have a long night ahead of me.”
“Where are you headed?” He asked.
“Back to the airport. I can’t afford to stay here tonight so I’m going to camp out at the airport until I can leave.” She stated.
“You know you could stay with me,” he offered, “I have a suite I can share.”
“That’s so kind but I’m not in the business of spending the night with a complete stranger…” Sydney remembered her past dalliances. “…Anymore.”
“A reformed bad girl, I like that.” He nodded and quickly darted his lips with his tongue. “But I’m not propositioning you. I have a two-bedroom suite all to myself and I would feel awful if you slept at the airport when you could be in a nice warm bed at a hotel.”
“I wouldn’t be able to pay you back, Dean.” She replied.
“I don’t expect you to. Besides, you don’t know when your flight is going to leave. You might be stuck here for a couple of days. I don’t want you to sleep on the airport floor and risk getting your space and your stuff stolen.”
Sydney gently bit her lip. The offer was too good to be true and that was the problem with it. “I don’t know, Dean. I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”
“I think you know it’s a good idea.” He countered back. “I’m just waiting for you to accept it.”
Sydney slightly gasped. “And what makes you say that? That’s pretty bold and presumptuous.”
“Your hand?”
“What about my hand?”
Dean glanced down at his arm where Sydney’s hand was. “It hasn’t left my arm since you touched it.”
Five
“Well, here it is…” Dean said as they entered the suite and looked around. “Not bad.”
Sydney was convinced she didn’t see the same room Dean did. There were two bedrooms that were separated by the living room, which had plush sofas and a large flat-screen TV. In the corner was a wet bar with a granite countertop. Both rooms had their own queen-sized bed and TV, with a large window that offered a different view of Chicago. The balcony overlooked the Chicago skyline.
Sydney could honestly say that suite was much better than her apartment and that was a sad admittance. “Not bad?”
“It’s pretty nice,” Dean smiled. He walked over to the sofa and plopped down on it. He stretched his legs out and turned on the TV. “You can go ahead and pick which room you want and I’ll get the other one.”
“That’s too kind but I don’t want to take advantage of it,” she replied, “I mean, you’re paying for this so you should have first dibs.”
“Ladies first.” His eyes smiled at her. “Besides, I saw the luggage you have. You need the bigger room.”
“I don’t have that much…” Sydney looked behind her and saw the two heavy suitcases behind her. One bag had street clothes; the other was full of wedding-related stuff that she had half a mind to hold onto, in case she had a surprise wedding number four to attend. “…Okay, so I have a bit of luggage.”
“A bit of luggage.” Dean repeated, enunciating every word. “That’s like being a little pregnant.”
“Shut up!” Sydney laughed and headed to her room. She moved her luggage to the corner and fell on top of the queen-sized bed. She barely kicked off one of her Nikes and stretched out.
What were the odds? Her meeting some famous – yet unknown to her – hockey player and he invites her to share his suite with her. Dangerous? Sure. Stupid? Not the dumbest thing she’s done.
Still, she didn’t feel like she was in danger being around Dean. But for safekeeping, she was going to lock her door when she slept. Okay, she was also going to put a blockade against it. In fact, she should probably sleep with something underneath her pillow just in case.
The last thought convinced Sydney that she should probably stop watching so many Lifetime movies.
****
“Yep, I’m settled in. Got here about an hour or so ago, so I’m fine.” Dean spoke over the phone.
“You know you could’ve came back home. We’re not that far away from the airport.” Melissa offered.
“I don’t want you driving out in that weather. Besides, you weren’t going to get too far with the way it’s coming down.” He briefly looked out the window and saw a thick blanket of white. “I’m fine and safe here. It’s a really nice room and I like it.”
“Okay.” Melissa decided not to argue with her son. Even if he weren’t right, he would argue his point until he was exhausted, causing her to be just as exhausted as well. "I hope your company treats you well.”
“The Kings treat me great, Mom.”
“Dean…” Melissa sternly warned. “…I’m not stupid.”
He chuckled and briefly put the phone against his forehead. He was convinced his mother was a psychic when he was younger. “I didn’t pay for her if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Just make sure all of your stuff is locked up and not stolen.” She suggested. “And for Pete’s sake, do not tell her what you do for a living!”
“Eh, I already did.” Dean thought about Sydney’s reaction when he revealed his occupation. The question in her eyes was something he hadn’t seen in a long time. She truly didn’t know who he was. It was refreshing. “She didn’t care.”
“They always say they don’t care before they hear how much your contract is.” Melissa pointed out.
“Well, I’m not trying to marry her so I’m not worried about that.”
“I wasn’t referring to you marrying her, Dean.” She replied. “Do I need to spell it out?”
“I’m not talking about that, neither!” He hastily said. The last thing Dean wanted to do was talk about his sex l
ife with his mother.
“I’m just saying…childbirth costs around ten thousand, condoms only cost three bucks.”
“Okay, Mom, I need to go. Yeah, I need to go. I’ll talk to you later. Love you. Bye.” He hung up on his mother and shuddered. If he had any libido, his mother effectively killed all of it. He decided to channel his energy to food, since he was getting hungry. “Syd, I’m going to order food service. Tell me what you want.” He yelled out. He was met with silence. “Syd?”
He walked over to her room and found her passed out on top of the bed. She was so tired, she only managed to get one of her shoes off before she gave up on the other one. He took out a blanket and covered her body, softly kissing her forehead before he left the room, closing the door behind him.
He ordered room service for them both and when it arrived, Dean put Sydney’s meal aside for her. As he ate, it was then he realized despite the fame, fortune, and groupies, he was truly alone. It was a sobering thought.
Six
“So let me get this straight…you meet a man who’s a professional hockey player, he invites you to share his suite with him, and he doesn’t make a single move on you at all?” Sydney’s friend, Jane, replied over the phone. “Yeah, that’s believable.”
“I know it sounds crazy but it’s true,” Sydney said between bites of cheeseburger, “he hasn’t made a move on me at all.”
“You have your Mace right? Make sure you drink your own water and your own alcohol!”
Sydney shook her head. She knew her best friend was just trying to look out for her and she couldn’t even be mad at her. She would probably give the same advice to one of her friends if they were doing the same thing. “Believe me, I have taken the proper precautions. No one is going to take advantage of anyone here.”
“Good.” Jane sat back on the couch and stretched her legs. “So tell me about your boo thang? Is he cute?”
Cute? Cute? Puppies were cute. Babies were cute. Dean was…incredible. He had a light beard covering his jawline. He wore his brown hair into a loose, messy bun. And his physique, Sydney determined, was the reason why artists created statues. “He’s not bad looking.” Sydney replied.
“Does he have all of his teeth?”
Dean had one of the most beautiful and charming smiles Sydney had ever seen. “I believe so.”
“His eyes are okay? You know those hockey players have funky eyes from being on the ice so long.”
Dean’s eyes sparkled whenever he talked, like he was truly passionate about life. “I think so.”
“What did you say his name was?” Jane asked again.
“Dean Winchester,” Sydney shrugged. “I guess it’s spelled the way it’s pronounced.”
“I’ll have Mike do some research on him and I’ll call you back as soon as I know something.” Jane wondered aloud. “I wonder if he’s been on TMZ lately.”
Sydney shook her head. Jane was the gossip columnist amongst her friends. If it wasn’t for the fact she went into medical research, Jane had a lifelong calling in reporting the latest celebrity news. It seemed she knew everything about everyone, even people Sydney didn’t know who they were. “Please spare me the details.” Sydney looked up and saw a grinning Dean stare back at her. He was wearing a white tank top and blue jeans that perfectly held onto his sculpted figure. Sydney almost choked on a French fry. “Jane, listen. I need to go. I’ll talk to you later.” She quickly hung up.
“Is everything okay?” Dean asked. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“No, no, no, no, no. Everything’s fine!” She quickly gulped some soda and wiped her mouth. “I was just checking in with a friend. She couldn’t believe what happened to me so expect my phone to go over a few more times tonight to make sure I’m okay.”
“Understandable,” Dean nodded, “she’s a good friend.”
“Meh. She has her moments.”
“Was she one of the three this year?”
“Yep.” Sydney nodded. “She’s actually a pretty nice person when she’s not planning a wedding.”
“Ouch.” Dean took a seat at the dining table, across from Sydney. “And you’re still friends with her?”
“I told you I was insane.”
Dean slightly nodded to Sydney. “How’s your burger? I didn’t know what to order for you so I just went with a staple.”
“It’s really, really good.” She wiped her mouth. “Did you eat anything?”
“I ate earlier so I’m good.” He yawned. “I just woke up from a nap myself.”
“How long was I passed out for?”
“You were asleep for a while. I closed the door so I wouldn’t disturb you.” That was a half-truth. He closed the door so he would stop staring at her. She looked like an angel when she slept. Her long brown hair lay softly across the pillow and Dean had to stop himself from reaching and touching it.
“I guess wedding stuff finally caught up with me.” She briefly thought about Jane’s wedding. It was a non-stop affair from the time she arrived in Chicago to when she finally made it back to her hotel room. She probably slept for a total 16 hours within four days.
“Well, make sure you get your rest. I’ll leave you alone so you can sleep.”
“No, I’m awake now.” She shrugged. “I’ll probably be up for a while.”
“Awesome,” Dean leaned in, “what would you like to do?”
Missionary, first. Then I’ll be on top. “What about a movie?” Sydney smiled.
Seven
“Good Morning, sleepyhead.” Dean greeted Sydney as she emerged from her bedroom. “How did you sleep?”
Sexually frustrated was the answer Sydney wanted to give. After going back and forth on what movie to watch for a better part of 30 minutes, they finally settled on a comedy. They sat far from each other on the couch, probably out of respect for her, Sydney assumed.
That was the frustrating part. She knew Dean was on his best behavior and she appreciated that he went out of his way to make sure she didn’t feel uncomfortable. But it would’ve been nice if he made a slight move on her. Maybe he could accidentally reach over and cop a feel? Hmm, probably not. Maybe he could mention how beautiful her full lips were and how he wished, he could feel them? Hmm…that sounded aggressive and possibly scary.
No, Dean was the perfect gentleman. He was on his p’s and q’s the entire night and did nothing to suggest he was remotely interested in Sydney. Maybe that was the real reason. She wasn’t his type, whatever his type was.
Was it possible to hate a guy for being so damn nice and respectful? “I slept pretty well. Thanks for asking.” She smiled. “How did you sleep?”
It was a loaded question. He wondered how her sweet her brown skin tasted. He wanted to look down and see her brown hair covering his thighs as she pleasured him. He imagined what her ‘O’ face looked like. Dean spent most of his night thinking of the different positions Sydney would be in and briefly wondered how flexible her body was.
No, no, no!
She was a sweet girl and not a groupie. She didn’t know who he was and he was sure if she found out how much money he was really worth, he would’ve seen the ubiquitous dollar signs flashing in her brown eyes.
So he did what any respectful and decent man would do in his position – he masturbated a lot. Maybe too much for his liking, if there was such a thing. He needed to keep his hands to himself and any sexual remarks silent. Who knew how long they were going to be snowed in and the last thing Dean needed was a bogus rape claim from some chick because he merely complimented her tight sweater.
Except Sydney wasn’t some chick.
He fell in like – not in love – with the whole package: her smarts, her dancing smile, and her self-depreciating humor. She knew how to have a good time. She was open and honest about everything, and it didn’t seem to hold back on how she really felt. He wanted to get to know her – her background, why she ended up in retail, what she wanted out of life, and what was her true passion.
It w
asn’t insta-love and Dean didn’t think if he actually believed in that notion. Sure, it worked for other people and it was the sole reason why romantic comedies were so popular but it never worked for him. He didn’t expect them to become a couple – at least not yet – but he wouldn’t mind having a friend he could call on and talk to every so often.
Though Dean could admit, he didn’t like how friend sounded when he thought about Sydney. “I slept pretty good.” He replied. “Did you want me to call for room service?”
“I can help pay for it,” Sydney offered, “I know how expensive room service can be.”
Dean shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. Your money is no good with me.”
Sydney knew Dean was a modern-day Prince Charming. Most her dates required she went Dutch. She should’ve known then they were cheap asses. “You’re too kind,” she smiled.
It was almost as if the room lit up with her smile alone. Dean was convinced her smile could compete with the brightest stars. “It’s no thing.”
Sydney perused over the menu. She was so used to the bland oatmeal she ate every morning for breakfast, she was feeling overwhelmed by the extravagant breakfast options. Some of the food had words she couldn’t even pronounce even if she sounded them out. “So what did you want to do today?”
Dean walked over to the window and looked out. The city was completely covered in white and it probably wasn’t a stretch of his imagination to figure out the airport was completely snowed in. There was only one thing he wanted to do with Sydney that didn’t involve sweaty and sticky sexual positions.
“Let’s make a snowman.”
****
Sydney knew she was not meant for frigid cold weather. There was a reason why she lived in San Francisco and gladly stayed there. Sure, San Francisco got pretty chilly at times; she could recall a time when it dropped down to 23 degrees. But that was still above zero.
In Chicago, she was pretty sure it was some insane degree below zero and she didn’t dare to think how far below it was. Just feeling her teeth clack inside her mouth told her plenty about the weather.
