by Mia Moon
I exhaled through chattering teeth, my breath forming a puff of white fog. I stared at my sneakers and hopped three times to warm up. It was March, but still pretty cold here. Colder than I was used to. Maybe I needed a man to stoke the fires…
“Violet?” a deep voice called.
Glancing up I saw two men walking towards me. One I didn’t recognize but the other I would’ve known while sleepwalking. His long legs ate the distance between us. I held out my hand expecting a handshake, but he lifted me easily at the waist and twirled me around in a fierce hug.
“It’s so great to see you,” he said against my ear.
His tone was so low and sensual that for a moment I wondered if he’d mistaken me for someone else. Like maybe an ex-girlfriend. What if he’d had a concussion? Did I miss a collision or something on the ice?
“Ken?” I squeezed his shoulders and he set me down. I stared into his wide smile. “Hey. Are you okay?”
“Yeah? Why?” He smoothed my hair back and the touch was thrilling and intimate.
“Oh. I mean, we’ve never, um, hugged before.”
He laughed. "Well, I guess it was overdue." His hand slid to my lower back and he turned me to face the man standing there, watching us. "This is my teammate Alex."
I smiled, but my brain was completely focused on Ken’s hand on my back. It didn’t seem like a friend-zone touch, especially since we’d only talked online. I hadn’t seen him in person since he crashed my high school graduation, in fact.
The touch didn’t bother me, but it surprised me to the point where I couldn’t function. Him holding me with this sort of familiarity was a dream come true.
“Violet?”
I blinked. Alex was watching me intently and holding out his hand. I shook it. “Hi, nice to meet you. Umm. You’re stiff?”
He looked down at himself then back up. “I don’t think so,” he said carefully, then chuckled. “Stiff?”
My hand shot over my mouth and I spoke through it. “Oh, no! I meant on the ice, like your legs. Right? Yeah. I don’t—just don’t mind me.”
"Huh. You noticed that?" Alex asked. His brown eyes darted to Ken. "I thought Ken said you weren't into sports or was it that obvious?"
“The guy next to me pointed it out,” I explained. More guys streamed out of the building and I saw Nathan chatting with one of them. “Actually, he’s right over there.”
I pointed, and Alex looked over his shoulder. “Fuckin’ Smith. Of course.”
“Hunh?” I sensed something was up, but felt a few paces behind, as if I’d missed the first ten minutes of a movie. As I watched, Nathan and the man he was talking to headed over.
“Nate Smith.” Ken cocked his head toward him. “The guy you pointed at. Used to play with us.”
Nodding, I watched him approach. For some reason I hadn’t automatically gathered that when Nathan said he used to play, he meant with this team. Now his knowledge and easy familiarity with the game made all the sense in the world. I took a quick glance at the men around me, vaguely recognizing them from group photos with Ken.
I’d always noted how hot his friends were in those pictures online. I couldn’t believe I didn’t remember Nathan’s sexy grin, but then it hit me: that’s why he seemed so familiar when he first sat next to me. He smiled and stood next to Alex, who was saying something about his muscles. They all seemed extraordinarily muscular. Or maybe I was simply used to working around skinny tech geeks.
I stepped back, feeling out of place. Ken grabbed my hand.
“Hey. This is Josh, and apparently, you already met Nate. Everyone this is Violet," he said.
I grinned at the handsome faces now focused on me. I already knew Ken and Nathan were sexy as hell, and now I noticed that Alex and Josh were equally stunning. I felt like a kid in a candy store, if the candy store was stocked with hot hockey players.
“Hi,” I said softly, giving them a little wave.
Alex shoved his hands in his pockets and looked around, his brown curls dancing in the breeze. “Wings?”
“Yeah,” the rest chimed.
Nathan groaned. “You should eat better.”
“Chicken is lean protein,” Ken reasoned.
“Not when it’s smothered in barbecue sauce,” Nathan replied.
“You said you’d have dinner. That hasn’t changed, right?” Ken asked me.
I’m good to go.” Granted, when he said we could hang out after his practice I thought he meant just us, but I didn’t see the harm in getting to know some of his teammates. They seemed nice enough, and I was intrigued. What was the real life of a pro hockey player like? Plus, hanging out with four gorgeous, nice guys for a night wasn’t something I did, well, ever.
And probably wouldn’t do again in this lifetime or the next. I’d made a promise to myself when I moved here that I’d try new things.
“Wings, then?” I raised an eyebrow.
Ken slung his arm around my shoulder, which sent a little rifle of pleasure through me. “Yeah. There’s a place right around the corner. We’ll walk.”
“You didn’t get my messages?” Ken asked. He crunched on a carrot stick. “I’m glad you weren’t waiting outside that whole time.”
“Yeah,” I murmured. I’d forgotten that although I had the messenger app installed on my phone, the notifications were turned off. Unless I opened the app, I didn’t see a thing. “I’m not out often, so I forget to check my cell.”
“I’ll put my number in your phone then.”
It seemed like no big deal, the way he said it. It was a big deal to me.
I sipped my sweet tea and pushed away my small basket of mango chipotle wings. They’d been spicier than I expected, and after three I thought I was going to spontaneously combust. Beads of sweat formed on my upper lip, and I tried to wipe my mouth daintily with a napkin, hoping I didn’t appear as though I had a sweat mustache.
“Trade?” Josh asked, holding out his basket. “These are plain honey barbecue.”
“Sure.” We swapped baskets. “They’re great but I guess I’ll have to work my way up to that heat level. I’m a spice wuss.”
Josh laughed. “The hotter the better, for me. Keeps me from eating too many.”
Nathan took a swig of beer and tossed a celery stick in front of Josh. “Just make sure you have enough veggies to balance it out.”
I settled back in the booth, swishing my cold soda around my scorched tongue while eyeing the food and the men.
What really surprised me was that only Nathan was drinking. I’d assumed that big, burly hockey guys who fought on the ice would also tear it up in real life. But apparently they were sober during the season, which meant their current rowdiness was purely their personalities.
They had so much energy it crackled along my skin. It was easy to joke and chat with them as if their enthusiasm was a current in the very air we breathed.
Stranger still was the way I somehow fit in with them. At first, I was felt terrified, even a little shaky on the inside. This much testosterone wasn't something I was used to. They told dirty jokes, called each other names, and often lapsed into talking about hockey to a degree I couldn't comprehend. It was almost like a different language, all the terms and plays and stats. Still, after the first half hour, I felt almost like one of the guys.
“Your soda isn’t going to help with the burn.” Alex pointed at my glass. He dipped one of my wings into the creamy white sauce I’d so far ignored, then held it to my mouth. “Lick this.”
I stared at him, wide-eyed.
“Trust me,” he laughed. “It’s just blue cheese dip.”
I took the wing from his hand and nibbled at the dipped end while staring at his handsome face. As he’d promised, my tongue was instantly soothed. “Oh, thanks.”
“My pleasure.”
There was something in the way he said it and the way his expression watched my every reaction that seemed to tease, but I let it go. Ken was pressed to my side in the booth, and my high school butt
erflies were back with a vengeance. Which didn’t surprise me at all.
Apparently, he’d told his teammates all about me, about how I always said he’d succeed in life and how supportive I was. I didn’t exactly remember it the same way, but I nodded and smiled.
But since they all knew bits and pieces about me, they seemed to treat me like I’d always been around. It was strange, but I loved it. And yeah, it was unusual the way all of the guys seemed to flirt lightly with me, but I assumed this was a guy thing. Or a professional athlete thing. Or maybe they were just being polite because they respected Ken
After all, I was the only girl around except our waitress. It was probably just their nature to act this way around women. They were incredibly attractive guys. Flirting was probably like breathing to them.
Nothing wrong with soaking up their attention while it lasted.
The door closed behind us with a soft snick. I shook as the cold seeped through my coat. Bouncing on my toes, I spun around, trying to remember where we were. I was still pretty new in this city, and sometimes still became disoriented.
“This way.” Ken pointed to his right.
He wrapped his arm around my shoulder as we walked back to the parking lot of the arena. Alex and Josh walked ahead of us, leaning close and discussing hockey — what else? Nathan had ducked out early.
It had been an incredible time, and night was only just falling. I didn’t want to say goodbye just yet, but I didn’t know what else to say. Could I invite him back to my place? That seemed forward, and my earlier shyness returned.
“Do you have to get some work done tonight?” Ken asked.
I shook my head. “We’re changing priorities for the project, so until I get an update tomorrow, I’m free.”
“Do you want to come over and watch a movie? I can’t stay up too late tonight. But it’s been forever, and I think we still have catching up to do.”
His words made my heart beat faster. We stopped at my Jeep. I looked at Alex and Josh.
“We have to pick up some things across town,” Josh said.
"Oh. Well, it was nice meeting you both," I said honestly.
“Could you give me a ride to my place? I came with those guys,” Ken explained.
“Of course.”
Alex walked up and gave me a quick hug. “Are you coming to our game tomorrow?”
“Ah, I can’t, sorry.”
“Damn. Next one, then. I play best when I’ve got a pretty girl cheering for me,” he teased.
“Yeah, when you’re not too stiff,” Josh nearly shouted.
I blushed and fiddled with my keys as Alex headed to Josh’s SUV. Josh tossed me a playful salute. “Later, Violet.”
“Later,” I said with a wave.
They climbed into their car as I unlocked mine. Ken slid into the passenger side, and I rubbed my hands together as my Jeep warmed up. “Your friends are really cool.”
“Yeah,” he agreed. “They’re more like brothers. We do everything together.”
I envied that sort of connection. “So where am I heading?”
Ken’s house was hidden in a dark neighborhood. It was on the outskirts of the city, which I appreciated for its privacy and quiet. My apartment was near a busy intersection downtown. If traffic didn’t keep me awake, it was my upstairs neighbors and their two crazy dogs that sounded more like elephants.
I pulled into his driveway and he led us to the door around the side. I couldn’t tell how big the house was, but the living room was large, yet cozy. Nothing like what I’d expect from some rich pro athletes. The furniture was clearly expensive, but the vibe was down to earth and casual. I liked it immediately.
“Wow. If you weren’t playing in the games, I guess this is where you could all hang out and watch them on TV.” I pointed to the massive flat-screen.
“It happens, yeah. Did you want something to drink? Water? Beer?”
I slung my coat over the back to the sofa and followed him into the kitchen. “I thought you weren’t supposed to be drinking.”
“I’m not. I just know there are exactly two beers in the back of the fridge. If you drink them, you’’’ be saving me from temptation.”
I leaned back against his counter and debated. I’d avoided drinking at the restaurant since I knew I’d be driving, and I was already a ball of nerves. Being in the warmth of his living room made me relaxed now. A beer over the course of a movie sounded like an excellent idea.
“I’ll take the beer then. For your sake, of course. Taking one for the team.”
“The team thanks you.” He leaned into the fridge and pulled out a dark bottle. Handing it to me, he looked into my eyes and my breath caught at the intensity of his blue-eyed stare. “I’m really glad we’re doing this. I missed you.”
“Oh.” I took the beer and shifted on my feet, unsure how to take his serious expression.
“I always thought you were one of my best friends.”
“Really? We didn’t… I mean, it’s not like we hung out back then,” I twisted the top off my bottle.
He shrugged. “We should have. But it’s easier now, right?”
“I guess.”
“Yeah. Now that there are no teachers keeping us apart.” He opened the cabinet door near my head. “Popcorn?”
“What do you mean by that?” I asked.
He pulled a flat package out and walked to the microwave. As he stuck the bag in and punched the keypad, he shook his head. “I can’t remember his name. Calc. Mr… Crackle? Crueller?”
“Mr. Crawley?” I asked.
“Yeah. He made a big deal of us hanging out outside of tutoring. He said it was inappropriate. At the time I didn’t know his deal. I think he assumed I was taking advantage of you somehow. He thought I was cheating and using you to do it.”
“What? I never knew that.” This came as a total shock. “You didn’t cheat. We just worked hard, and you were amazing. The only reason you even needed a tutor was because he sucked at teaching!”
Ken nodded. "Yeah. That guy was nuts. Always on my case though, and had everyone watching my every move like I was a predator."
I cupped my beer in both hands and sifted through my memories. I couldn’t believe that Ken had wanted to be my friend. Was he serious?
“Why didn’t you say something?”
He frowned and turned to the microwave. “Dunno. Who knows why we did half the things we did back then.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to apologize. School was weird. Honestly, I’m sorry I didn’t keep in touch.”
“Well, you made it to my graduation. That was sweet.”
He grinned and started to say something, but the corn started popping. He waited until the noise died down. “Yeah. And now here we are.”
I sipped my beer and grinned. “Yeah. Here we are.”
He licked his lips and the smell of popcorn permeated the air. “Do you like superhero movies?”
3
“What did you think?” Ken asked.
As the credits rolled, I smiled.
“Yeah, that was awesome.” I wasn’t lying. In the past few years I could count the number of movies I’d watched on one hand, and now I wondered what was wrong with me. I seemed to spend my entire life behind a computer screen. “Now I guess I should go watch the three that came before it.”
“I’d watch them with you. It’s an impressive set.”
He leaned over and sipped his water. The movie had been good, but half the time I was paranoid about our position on the couch. Sharing popcorn meant sitting close. Sitting close meant I could smell his spicy-citrusy cologne and feel the heat coming from his body.
Ken’s muscular form took up a lot of space, and after he’d grabbed the second beer for me halfway through the movie, he’d half-snuggled against me, draping his arm across the back of the sofa. While I watched the heroes take out the villains I’d wondered what to do with my hand, which was wedged between us against my thigh.
During the romantic side plot, I noticed that his weight made the couch dip and over time I slid against him further, as if the furniture intended to roll me easily into his lap.
If I thought this would go anywhere, I’d be tossing caution to the wind. But he’d said we were friends, and I was okay with that. All signs pointed to Ken being a flirt. His friends were the same way.
Be cool, Violet.
I stood, arching my back. It was officially time to go, wasn’t it? I didn’t want to overstay my welcome and he said he couldn’t stay up late.
He took my hand, which made me glance down at him. His expression was unreadable in the dim room. Only the light of the TV danced around us, and it didn’t reveal much.
He tugged my hand and I let the motion bring me down, his swift motions maneuvering me onto his lap. Before I could say a word, his hand was tangled in my hair and his lips were brushing over mine.
“Violet,” he breathed.
This was a shocking development, and a little gasp escaped my lips. “Ye-yes?”
“I’ve been wanting to do this forever.”
Was I dreaming? Was I hearing things? Hallucinating, maybe?
His tongue parted my lips and drew me into a kiss I must have fantasized about a million times before. My rambling thoughts stilled. My body moved on autopilot, melting against him, grabbing his shirt to yank him closer.
He tasted like salt and lust and I couldn’t get enough. Even if I’d imagined this moment before, I wasn’t prepared. It was infinitely better than my imagination. No kiss I’d experienced before had ever set me aflame like this, like I needed to rip off my clothing this instant.
I pulled back to catch my breath. He moved to my neck, licking and sucking and nibbling. He made a little groaning noise that tugged at something deep inside me. God, he was sensuous in every way.
“Ken, I—” I what? I didn’t know how to finish the sentence. What was I about to say? My mind went blank when I inhaled his scent. It reminded me of snow and ice, of crisp winter air and intensity.
