by Grey, S. R.
“Oh, yeah,” I mumbled disinterestedly, “where was she before?”
I didn’t keep fucking tabs on these kinds of things.
“D.C., apparently,” Dylan replied. “At college, I guess.”
“Oh, really?” I perked up. So she was young, hmm… “You say she’s back in Vegas?” I said.
“Yep.”
I then asked a very pertinent question, “Is she hot?”
Dylan laughed. “Dude, Coach already has it out for you. I’m telling you, he’d annihilate your ass if you ever tapped his precious daughter.”
Ignoring the warning, I replied, “What’s her name?”
“Eliza.”
“Eliza, eh?”
I liked the way it rolled off my tongue. Better yet, this could be my chance to exact revenge on Coach T for treating me like a pariah.
“What does this Eliza look like?” I asked Dylan. I didn’t want to hit on the wrong girl.
“Not sure,” he replied. “I’ve never met her. Since her dad doesn’t want her around any hockey players, I don’t think she’s ever been here at the arena.”
But then Jaxon Holland, a second-line center, jumped in and said, “I’ve met her.”
“And…?” I queried.
He let out a low whistle. “She’s a hot piece of ass, just your type, Perry. A tiny, little thing…” He outlined an hourglass shape with his hands, and I was salivating by the time he got to “…curvy as fuck, too.”
“That’s it. I have to meet this Eliza,” I declared.
“Go for it.” Holland laughed.
He could be a real dog like me, as demonstrated when he went on to say, “There’s nothing better than drilling a chick with hips like that. You can really grab on and go to town.”
When he mimicked a fucking motion, we all cracked up.
Except for Brent Oliver, captain of our team, who was frowning as he said, “You better stay away from Eliza, Benny. Dylan’s right. Coach T is crazy protective of her. He despises the idea of his daughter dating a hockey player.”
“Huh, I wonder why that is?” I mused.
Brent shrugged. “I don’t know, but weren’t you here the day he told us she was off-limits?”
I thought about it and couldn’t recall. “I must’ve been running late that day,” I concluded.
“Probably busy buying a chocolate donut,” someone yelled.
I swung my head around to see who the smartass was. Probably one of the younger guys, as the rookies always had commentary.
“Who said that?” I wanted to know. No one fessed up, and I mumbled, “Pussies.”
“Anyway,” Brent resumed, “Coach T made a big point of telling us to stay the fuck away from her. He promised there’d be consequences if any of the players asked her out.”
“Ha, ask her out? Who said I wanted to date her?” I volleyed back, mimicking, slow and easy, the same fucking motion Jaxon had a few minutes ago.
Everyone lost it then, including Brent. Though I did hear him mutter under his breath, “It’s your funeral, man.”
It’ll be worth it, I thought.
I liked that Eliza was off-limits. What a stellar way to get back at Coach for riding me so hard and unnecessarily lately.
And shit, fate must’ve been on my side. Or it was like I was predestined to meet her or something. Why else would it happen that, not ten fucking minutes later, Nolan—who’d been in the showers and missed the whole Eliza discussion—asked if I’d like to join him, Lainey, and the coach’s daughter for lunch that afternoon.
I almost lost it right there. But, playing it cool, I casually replied, “Sure, why not? I have nothing better to do.”
Nolan breathed a sigh of relief, like he was counting on me saying yes.
Apparently he was, seeing as he blew out a breath and flat-out stated, “Thank fucking God. Now I won’t be forced to listen to fashion and makeup talk the entire time I’m eating Cobb salad.”
Nolan, who incidentally loved Cobb salad, was making it sound like the whole lunch date was an annoyance.
Shit, I knew better. It was all an act. Dude couldn’t wait to see Lainey. That girl had my friend by the balls. And I suspected he secretly loved it.
I sometimes wondered what was really going on between them. Why they didn’t just come out as a couple, I had no clue. It was like they were engaging in some kind of weird mating ritual.
Well, whatever. It wasn’t my place to judge. I had my own mating ritual to work on—fucking Coach’s daughter.
I got right to work on that an hour later when we met up with Eliza and Lainey at the restaurant. Shit, the boys had been right—Eliza Townsend was sexy as fuck. Better still, she knew a lot about hockey and was fun to be around.
Seducing her was going to be a piece of cake.
I flirted with her a bunch, and she was receptive as fuck. She was wearing this sexy sundress that was giving me a boner. The thing was cut real low and showcased her plump, juicy tits to perfection.
Every time she laughed over some silly thing I’d purposely said, they jiggled enticingly. I couldn’t help but sneak in many peeks. And though I was subtle about it, she caught me a time or two.
Instead of glaring at me like she was offended, she smiled encouragingly.
Fuck, I was so in.
She kept right on smiling and giggling at my jokes, even the not-so-funny ones, all through lunch. I liked this chick, and it seemed she liked me. She was innocence and sin, my favorite combination.
There was something about her milky skin, big green eyes, and reddish-blonde hair. Girl was just rocking a super-sexy vibe, making me conclude that Coach’s daughter was one of those girls who looked pure, but was anything but.
I wanted to put my sexing-her-up plan into action, and I wanted to do it right away. But to succeed in a way Coach would never suspect, I had to be clever. That’s why when I asked her to the game that night, I was sure to include Lainey.
Nolan gave me a funny look, like he was wondering what I was up to. But he ended up agreeing it was a nice idea.
Nice, my ass.
I made sure Eliza knew the invitation was really all for her. That’s why I gave her a sneaky wink.
“What do you think?” I asked her then. “You up for watching us play tonight?”
“I’d love to go,” she replied, along with a sly wink of her own.
Fuck, this was so on.
Coach T wanted to ride my ass for no good reason? Well, I was about to give him something to really whine about.
I planned to do whatever it took to get sexy Eliza Townsend on my cock.
Pureed Sweet Potato Delight
At the lunch date Lainey set up so I could meet her sort-of boyfriend, Nolan, Benny came along.
Yay!
My spirits soared when I saw him walking into the restaurant with Nolan. I’d been angling to meet him, and here, finally, was my chance.
What a chance it turned out to be!
Benny was awesome. He was as adorable off the ice as he was on.
By the time our entrees had arrived, I decided I really liked him. I couldn’t help it. Benny was witty and funny and charming as all get-out. He was so damn handsome, too. Way better up close than from far away. He and Nolan had worn suits, and Benny was rocking his to the nth degree.
His bangin’ body made me want him so badly. His perfect face did, too. He had his dark blond mane slicked back, highlighting his amazing bone structure and eyes.
Oh, those eyes, a girl could get lost in them. They were amazing, a much deeper and richer shade of green than my own.
I just liked him, okay?
And I wanted him in all sorts of ways.
Benny seemed into me, too. I caught him ogling my boobs a number of times, and I totally didn’t care. I wanted him to be as attracted to me as I was to him. That’s why I was thrilled when he invited me—well, and Lainey—to the game that night.
Flying high and feeling more desirable than I had in a long time, I returned h
ome to Ava. My mom informed me she’d been good, but was fussier than usual while I was out.
I went to her and let her nurse, even though she was pretty much weaned over to formula. Occasionally, though, at times like these, we both found it to be a comfort.
As I held Ava close to me, I told her all about my lunch with Benny, snickering when I got to the part about how I’d noticed him staring at my chest.
“He’s clearly a boob man, Ava,” I said. “I caught him sneaking a peek at least a half dozen times.”
A completely uninterested Ava peered up at me, nursing away.
“He was gazing at these things almost as hungrily as you do sometimes,” I went on.
I left out that it wasn’t nourishment Benny was after. He wanted me. And that was a good thing since I was lusting after him harder than ever.
Still, I knew I’d have to take things slowly. No jumping into bed with a hot hockey player, not like the last time. Maybe some messing around, but no fucking.
“I have to think of you now,” I declared.
Ava made a gurgle noise of assent.
Lightly touching my daughter’s dark hair and marveling at how it had grown in so thickly—a deep, rich brown like her absentee father’s—I softly added, “My former recklessness is how you got here. But, sweetie,”—I held onto her, my heart bursting with love—“I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Despite the fact that Ava made me feel a kind of love that was deeper and stronger than any I’d ever known, one baby was enough for now. Hell, people still didn’t know I had a child, thanks to her jerky dad.
No one at school had any idea, and certainly no one who played for the Wolves knew anything. Not even Lainey was aware of Ava.
It was my own damn fault, and I didn’t know how to fix it now. I’d allowed Ava’s father to dictate my life when he wasn’t even a part of it. I hated this hole I’d dug for myself. I’d never intended for it to go on so long, but I could see no easy way out. It’d gone on long enough that people were bound to be angry with me. And they had every right.
“What should I do?” I asked Ava. “I’m sure in a mess.”
Of course she had no answer, so I decided to do nothing for now. I simply stowed away my concerns for another day.
At the game that night, I was decked out in full Wolves regalia. And I’d put my worries behind me. I was having way too much fun anyway, watching Benny play fantastic hockey.
He smiled up at me once, gave me a thumbs up even.
Damn, I couldn’t believe my crush was attracted to me. How often does that dream come true?
Flying high, I leaned over to Lainey and gushed, “Benny is just so good at playing hockey.”
“Nolan, too,” she replied, a little dreamily herself. “They’re both amazing players.”
“Mmm-hmm,” I concurred.
Nolan scored then on a highlight reel-worthy pass from Benny.
Lainey and I high-fived, and she said, “I love when we’re right.”
I laughed, noting, “For sure.”
Cocking her head and peering over at me intently, she stated, “You know what?”
“What?”
“You and Benjamin Perry would make a really cute couple.”
“You think so?” I replied, acting clueless.
“I don’t think so, Eliza. I know so.”
She went on to inform me that her new mission was going to be to hook us up. That sounded good to me, obviously.
I used that moment to get the goods on Benny, and Lainey had fantastic news—there was no girlfriend in his life.
“There hasn’t been one for ages,” she informed me.
“Great,” I replied.
But then there was some bad news, as well. “Benny has a reputation for being a bit of a player. So be careful, Eliza.”
Crap.
“I will,” I assured her.
I reminded myself—and her—of something I believed to be true. “Bad boys fall in love, too, you know?”
“Yes, they do,” she softly agreed, though I was pretty sure she was thinking of Nolan on that one.
When the game ended, Lainey sent a text to Nolan, asking if he and Benny were up for a late-night dinner with us.
“I’m sure they’ll say yes,” she said confidently as she hit Send.
But dinner was a no-go, to both our dismay.
“Shit, that sucks,” I said.
Lainey sent another text to Nolan, this time fishing for a reason why they couldn’t go.
He was really evasive in his reply, and that made me suspect—rightly so—that their mystery destination might be a strip club that had recently opened.
“I heard about it from my dad,” I informed Lainey. “He was bitching about how it was just down the road from the arena and that could be a problem.”
Lainey quickly came up with a plan to crash what had to be the boys’ destination. Since it involved potentially spending time with Benny, albeit not in the most conducive atmosphere for getting to know one another, I was in.
Things didn’t go quite as planned, though. I ended up not seeing Benny at all, even though he was at the club and in the audience. Problem was Lainey and I only made it to the back of the joint. Where my crazy friend got roped into dancing—like, on a pole, on the stage, in front of all the guys.
That’s a whole other story.
Anyway, I wasn’t brave enough to get in on the dancing thing, so I waited backstage. At least I did until a grumpy bouncer booted me out. I had no choice then but to leave.
As I drove home, I felt sad that my opportunity to spend more time with Benny hadn’t worked out.
Ah, but fate was on my side.
A week after the game and the fateful strip club outing, I ran into Benny, at, of all places, a local supermarket.
“Oh, sorry, miss,” he mumbled distractedly when he rounded the corner and almost crashed his cart into mine.
He was peering down at his phone, the cause for his distraction and near-collision, and didn’t realize it was me he’d nearly careened into.
“Hey, Benny,” I said nonchalantly.
His head shot up. “Shit, Eliza. What are you doing here?”
“Just getting in a little shopping,” I replied.
“Yeah, me, too,” he said.
We were both a little nervous, which made me chuckle. We could be goobers together.
Curious as to what Benny was buying, I glanced in his cart.
Huh, it’s loaded with lots of healthy stuff, like fresh fruits and vegetables.
No surprise there. But what did surprise me was the box of donuts buried under a pack of boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
I didn’t want to bust him on his sneaky indulgence, as we all knew I had bigger secrets of my own. So, to be safe, I focused on the chicken, blurting out without thinking, “Wow, those breasts look really good.”
That comment brought his attention to my own prominently displayed boobage. I was rocking a bright yellow tee that was tight as hell.
Benny, eyeing me up unabashedly, murmured, “Yeah, they sure do.”
“Definitely a breast man,” I whispered under my breath.
“What was that, Eliza? I didn’t hear you.”
He wasn’t supposed to, so I waved him off. “Oh, it was nothing.”
I should’ve kept the focus on my boobs. Maybe squeezed them together, or jumped up and down. Anything to keep him from turning his attention to what I happened to have in my cart.
Too late.
Like we were in some slo-mo video, his eyes drifted to the contents of my cart. I peered down at the same time, to see what he was seeing, and shit, it wasn’t good. There were several jars of pureed baby food piled high, my Gerber selections in full and prominent view.
Crap, Ava had recently started on pureed baby food and freakin’ loved the sweet potato ones. There were at least a dozen of those alone.
You better think fast, Eliza.
“What’s with all the baby food?”
Benny’s eyes drifted up to me, narrowing in suspicion.
“Do you mean that stuff in the jars?”
“Yes. That stuff in the jars, Eliza. It’s baby food, right?”
“Indeed it is.” I giggled nervously, swishing my hand around, buying time, as I scrambled for a believable explanation.
I finally came up with one, though it was a stretch.
“Believe it or not,” I began, very serious-like, “the baby food is for me.”
He looked confused. “For you?”
“Yes, for me. Mmm, mmm, good.” I rubbed my tummy. God, kill me now, I just can’t stop. “Baby food just happens to be an integral part of a new diet I’m trying. I just love the creamy taste.”
I thanked God in that moment that I hadn’t reached the diaper aisle. How would I have ever explained having diapers in my cart?
Brow furrowed, he said, “Really? I’ve never heard of any diet like that. Is there a name for it?”
“Why, it’s the baby food diet, Benny.”
“Huh, interesting. I hear about a lot of crazy diets from the guys, but I’ve never once heard of any baby food ones.”
“You’re kidding.” I feigned shock. “You haven’t? This one is, like, all the rage.”
He shook his head. “Nope, haven’t heard of it.”
Laughing nervously, I kept digging that hole. You know the one, the one full of secrets and lies, the one that kept getting bigger and bigger.
“It’s pretty new,” I said. “That’s probably why.”
Still wary, he said, “Yeah, I guess.”
I should’ve come clean then, but I was too caught up to stop.
“It’s a really great plan,” I blathered on. “Works wonders, I swear.”
“I can see that,” he said appreciatively as his gaze traveled up my body.
Well, this was a positive turn.
I was wearing bummy old jeans and that tight yellow tee. Nothing fancy, but with the way Benny was staring at me I felt like a star.
I moved right up to superstar status when he went on to say, “Really, Eliza, you don’t need to be on any diet. You look amazing just as you are.”
I swooned at that. “Wow, thanks.”
“So,” he continued, back on his game as he crossed his big beefy arms, covered in tats, over his massive chest. “Does this baby food diet mean you’ve sworn off all adult food?”
