by Cher Carson
After a disappointing loss, Chase and some of his teammates decided to stop at the hotel bar to commiserate over a beer before hitting the sack. Half a dozen players crowded the round table, analyzing the game, the opposing team’s strategy, and devising a new plan of attack to present to their irate coach at practice the following day.
Chase had a different goal in mind. To get drunk, so inebriated he couldn’t remember Taylor’s name. He raised his hand to catch the attention of the cute little blonde waitress assigned to their table.
She sauntered up to the table, her thigh high boots clicking against the tile floor with each step she took.
Chase allowed his hot gaze to travel over her trim little body, from the short black skirt to the hint of midriff peeking out from below her pierced belly button. “A shot of Jack and keep ‘em coming, sweetheart.”
She winked. “You got it, honey.” She looked around the table, her eyes resting on each of the men in turn. “How ‘bout the rest of you guys? What can I get you?”
Mark chuckled. “How ‘bout your number?”
Her dark eyes drifted to Chase. “Why don’t we see how the night shapes up, boys?”
Mark rolled his eyes as he raised his beer bottle. “Refills all around.”
“You got it.” She approached the bartender with a subtle swing that made her tight little ass sway from side to side, drawing the attention of every man at the table.
One of the married players, Todd Braxton, sighed. “Ah, what I wouldn’t give to be single again.”
Chase cracked his knuckles, needing an outlet for his frustration. He’d change his marital status in a heartbeat if Taylor would give him the chance. Just the word divorced irked him. “It’s not all it’s cracked up to be, Brax.”
His friend shot him a side-long glance. “Oh oh, does that mean you’ve joined the ranks of the newly divorced?”
The waitress reappeared with his drink, leaning over the table long enough to treat him to an eyeful of mouth-watering cleavage. Not that she compared to Taylor. No one would ever be able to compare to her, but he had to think about moving on with his life or risk hurtling down the slippery slope to insanity.
“Can I get you anything else?” she asked, standing up slowly so their faces were mere inches apart. She licked her lips as though she were expecting him to move in for a kiss.
He cleared his throat and looked down at the shot glass. A couple of drinks weren’t enough to make him forget the sweet taste of Taylor’s lips. It would take a dozen or more to obliterate that memory from his consciousness. “No, I’m good.” His eyes drifted to the nametag affixed to her tight black button down shirt. “Thanks, Sara.”
Her hand glided down his shoulder to his bicep. “Let me know if you need anything else, anything at all.” She looked down at him, her eyes hooded by long, dark lashes. “I’m more than happy to oblige.”
Mark waited for her to walk away, then groaned and shifted in his seat, as though his pants were suddenly two sizes too small. “What the hell? I’m sitting right here. I’m single, rich, good-looking...”
Todd slapped him on the back. “And modest, don’t forget modest.”
The guys chuckled, trading barbs as Chase downed another shot. He raised his hand to draw Sara’s attention.
She walked purposefully across the room, her eyes never leaving his. “Did ya miss me?”
He grinned, wondering how long it had been since he’d flirted with a beautiful woman. “How’d you know?”
“Because I missed you.” She licked her lips and nodded up to the TV screen mounted above the bar. “You played a good game tonight.”
He shrugged, knowing he’d drawn more penalty minutes than he should have, but satisfied with his defensive play nonetheless. Too bad he hadn’t been on the ice during the last shift, when the opposing team scored the goal that cost them the game. “You win some, you lose some, right?”
She drew her bottom lip between straight white teeth. “I have a feeling you win more than you lose. You know, just ‘cause you lost the game, that doesn’t mean the night has to be a total loss. I get off in half an hour, we could...” She let the suggestion hang in the air, intensifying the sexual tension.
He nodded to his empty shot glass. “Why don’t you set me up with a few more of these and we’ll see if I’m still able to stand in half an hour.”
She set her pen between her teeth, regarding him carefully. “Don’t worry; you can be flat on your back for what I have in mind, sweetheart.”
The table erupted with laughter, whistles, catcalls, and backslapping. They all ogled her ass as she walked away from the table.
Mark shook his head. “Man, that is one sweet piece of ass. You’d have to be crazy not to do her.”
The thought of meaningless sex with a complete stranger did little to temper his aggravation. He wanted his wife; hers was the only hot little body he wanted to slide into at the end of a long day. “She’s not Taylor,” he muttered.
Mark raised his glass. “No, she’s not Taylor, but Taylor isn’t here and she is. Here’s to fucking a gift horse when you have the chance.”
The guys all laughed and raised their glasses.
Everyone except Chase appreciated the crass joke. Maybe he needed to lighten up. Could be Mark was right, and he needed a distraction to take his mind off Taylor and the divorce.
“Maybe I’ll take her up on her offer,” Chase said quietly, thinking through the implications in his mind. It had been too many years since he even thought about having sex with another woman, but for all he knew, his soon-to-be ex was tearing up the sheets with her lawyer boyfriend. The image made Chase reach for the beer chaser he’d ordered earlier; anything to wash away the bitter taste in his mouth.
“You sure you want to do that?” Steve asked, taking a sip of his beer. “If I were you, I’d turn in early and focus on helping your team get through the play-offs. Worry about your situation with Taylor during the off-season.”
“There is no situation with Taylor.” Chase gripped his beer bottle. “She doesn’t want me anymore. Time for me to move on.”
Sara returned with a tray of drinks, setting them down on the table one by one. “Looks like I got here just in time then.”
Chase slid his hand up her bare thigh. “I think you did, sweetness. When did you say you were getting off?”
She checked her slim gold wristwatch. “Twenty minutes and counting,” she whispered, her eyes drifting closed as his hand glided higher, until it was resting just below the swell of her ass.
“I’ll be waiting.”
“I’m counting the minutes.”
He watched her walk away and knew it would take at least half a dozen more shots before he could lose himself in her. She was beautiful, but last night with Taylor had served as a bitter reminder that sex with any other woman would be nothing more than two bodies coming together for the purpose of mutual satisfaction. There was only one woman he could make love to, only one woman who could turn him inside out.
Steve rubbed his eyes, looking tired and defeated. “Are you sure you wanna do this, Hudson?”
Chase threw back another shot, savouring the harsh burn as it slid down his throat. “Got to get back in the game sometime, right?”
Steve frowned. “I think you should talk to Taylor before you make a stupid mistake that you’ll live to regret.”
Chase leaned forward, feeling the pleasant buzz of alcohol affecting his peripheral vision as he brought another shot glass to his lips. “She doesn’t want me. She’s divorcing me, remember?”
Steve shrugged. “It’s your call, man. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Taylor was able to locate the hotel where Chase was staying and his room number without tipping him off that she planned to pay him a surprise visit, thanks to her brother-in-law. A wink, hefty tip, and proof that she was indeed his wife earned her a key card from the bemused desk clerk. Now all she had to do was wait and pray that he wouldn’t send her packing.
She stared at her reflection in the full-length mirror. On the surface, she looked like a strong, confident, sexy woman set on seducing her man, but under the carefully applied make-up, sexy lingerie, and spiked heels, she was an emotional basket case.
A lifetime of being rejected by her peers solidified her belief that she wasn’t worthy of love and acceptance. It wasn’t until Chase came into her life that she allowed herself to believe that another person could learn to love her for the person she was on the inside. If only she’d had enough faith in her husband and her marriage to let him see that side of her. To expose her shame and secrets and give him the opportunity to love her in spite of her inadequacies.
That’s what tonight was about for her, full disclosure, taking a risk, being vulnerable, and trusting her husband enough to believe that he would love her unconditionally. Only when she finally believed that could they begin to repair their shattered marriage and re-build their lives from a solid foundation of honesty and trust.
She took a sip of the expensive champagne she’d ordered and slipped between the sheets. She closed her eyes, trying to visualize Chase’s reaction when he found her in his bed. Would he be happy, relieved, shocked...
She heard the key card in the door and took a deep, steadying breath. This was the moment she’d been waiting for, the moment of truth. She heard stumbling and Chase’s laughter, followed by feminine laughter and the rumbling of low voices.
The bed was situated just inside of the small entranceway and clearly visible in the reflection of the full-length mirror hanging on the wall. Taylor watched in horror as Chase stumbled into the room, a beautiful blonde, not more than twenty years old, tearing at his clothes. She heard the distinct sounds of clothes tearing, buttons bouncing off the tile floor, and Chase’s laughter.
“Let me go down on you,” the girl whispered. “I can make you feel so good.”
He chuckled. “I bet you can, baby.”
Taylor watched the girl loosen his belt as she caressed his tight abdomen. She dropped to her knees in front of him as Taylor threw her champagne flute, narrowing missing her husband’s shoulder. The contents of the glass dripped down his chest, soaking the front of his shirt. “You lying son of a bitch!” she shouted.
“What the hell?” Chase hit the light switch by his shoulder, illuminating the room. When he saw Taylor, his face immediately drained of color. “Oh my God, what’re you doing here?”
The girl got up off her knees and glared at Taylor. “Who’s she?”
“My wife,” Chase whispered.
“I thought you were getting a divorce.”
“I am. I mean, I thought I was...”
“You are, you worthless bastard,” Taylor said, sobbing as she picked up her clothes from the chair by the bed. “I can’t believe I was stupid enough to think you were being honest with me.” She thrust her legs into her skinny black pants. “I believed you when you told me you were faithful to me.”
He walked across the room, closing the distance between them in a few steps. “I was, baby, I was faithful to you. You gotta believe me.” He gestured to the girl still standing in the doorway. “This has never happened before.” He grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him. “Taylor, honey, please tell me you believe me.”
She shook with the effort it took to suppress her rage and humiliation. She looked at his handsome face, his mouth smeared with lipstick, and his shirt and belt hanging open. “I hate you, I hate you for making me believe we still had a chance.” She slapped him across the face, causing his head to snap back.
He stood still, slowly turning back to face her. “I deserved that.”
She shoved him hard, causing him to stumble backward. “You’re damn right you did, you lying sack of shit. You fucked me last night, and tonight you’re with this...” She looked at the girl in question. “My God, is she even legal, Chase?”
He gripped her waist, trying to pull her toward him. “Taylor, come on. You know me better than that.”
She looked at him through her tears. “I don’t know you at all anymore.”
“Please, don’t do this,” he said when she pushed him away. “Let’s talk about this. Tell me why you’re here.”
Even from a foot away she could smell the stench of alcohol combined with the lingering scent of another woman’s perfume, and it made her want to wretch. “You wanna know why I’m here?” she cried. “I came here to tell you that I love you, that I was sorry. I thought I’d made a mistake telling you I wanted to end our marriage. It looks like the only mistake I made was coming here tonight.”
“Baby, please,” he said, when she thrust her arms into her shirtsleeves. “Don’t go, don’t leave like this. You’ve gotta know how much I love you.”
Her mouth fell open at his audacious declaration. “Is this how you prove your love to me?” She pointed towards the girl still standing in the entrance. “James was right about you, wasn’t he? How many other women have there been? Dozens, hundreds?”
He gripped her shoulders. “None! I swear I haven’t touched another woman in all the years we’ve been together, Taylor. Not even the past year we’ve been separated.”
“You expect me to believe that after what I just witnessed? What kind of fool do you take me for?”
The girl in the corner laughed. “You expect a guy that looks like that to sit around waiting for you to make up your mind, honey? Give your head a shake. He could have any woman he wants.” She popped a button to reveal an impressive amount of cleavage. “Including me.”
Taylor took a step toward the other woman, intent on knocking that smug smirk off her face, but Chase grabbed her by the waist, restraining her.
“Go, Sara,” he said. “Please, just go, now.”
She offered him a pretty pout. “But you promised me that we’d...”
“Not gonna happen, sweetheart,” he said quickly. “You need to go.”
Taylor turned on him. “Don’t send her away on my account. We’re getting a divorce, remember?”
“Like hell we are,” he growled. “You came here tonight because you still love me. You really think I’m gonna let you leave now?”
“You don’t have a choice. There’s nothing you could do or say to convince me to stay married to you now.” She tried to wriggle out of his grasp, but he held her tight against his chest.
“You’re hurt, you’re pissed, I get that,” he muttered, locking his hands around her waist. “But I was destroyed after last night, Taylor. I told you I wanted to make a baby, and you told me you wanted a divorce. You left the wedding with your boyfriend. I thought...”
“Are you serious?” Sara asked. “You have a boyfriend, and you have the nerve to be mad at him for getting busy with me?” She snorted. “That’s a little hypocritical, don’t ya think?”
Taylor glared over her shoulder. “I don’t have a boyfriend, not that it’s any of your business.”
“You don’t?” Chase asked. “What happened to James?”
She pushed against his bare chest, trying to put some distance between them. “I broke up with him because I’m still in love with my husband.” She glanced at Sara. “Or at least I thought I was, until tonight.”
He dropped his head. “Don’t say that, baby. Shit, I made a mistake, okay? I’m sorry.” His hands slid up her back, under her shirt. “What do you want me to do, get down on my knees and beg you to take me back, to give us another chance?”
She shook her head. “No, it doesn’t matter what you say or do because I don’t trust you anymore. If I don’t trust you, I can’t be your wife.”
The shock rendered him momentarily speechless, and he eased his grip on her waist. “Don’t say that; you don’t mean it.”
She took a step back, reaching for her purse and overnight bag. “I meant every word of it.”
“My God, nothing happened,” he shouted. “I didn’t even sleep with her.”
“But you would have if I hadn’t been here.” She paused to look
him in the eye and saw the truth. “You can’t even deny it, can you?”
He grabbed her wrist. “Baby, please don’t go. Not like this. Listen, we can go to counselling…”
She walked toward the door, pushing past her husband’s new puck bunny. “Too little, too late.”
She settled her purse on her shoulder. “You should be hearing from my lawyer in a day or two to finalize the details of the divorce.” She opened the door and stepped out into the hallway.
“Wait,” he shouted. He ran down the hall after her. “Goddammit, wait.”
Taylor pushed the button for the elevator and waited, praying she wouldn’t start crying again before the elevator arrived.
Chase grabbed her wrist as the elevator doors opened and his teammates stepped off.
Mark grinned. “Hey, Taylor, I didn’t know you were here.” He bent to kiss her cheek. “You look fantastic.”
Chase’s grip on her wrist tightened. “Fuck off, Atwell.”
She flashed him a smile. “Thanks, Mark, it’s good to see you.”
Mark glanced down the hall.
Sara stood in Chase’s doorway, watching the scene unfold.
“Uh, I take it you were just leaving?” Mark asked.
“Yes.”
“No,” Chase said at the same time.
She glared at him. “Take your hands off me or I’m calling hotel security.”
He sighed and released her. “Taylor, come on. We need to talk about this.”
“I’ve said everything I have to say to you.” She smiled at the remaining players, who were huddled together by the bank of elevators, looking uncomfortable. “Nice to see you guys. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a plane to catch.”
“Let me walk you out,” Mark said, slipping his arm around her waist.
Chase grabbed the back of his shirt. “Atwell, I’m warning you...”
Steve stepped up, putting his arm around Chase’s shoulders and turning him away from the elevator. “We need to talk, buddy.” He glanced down to the end of the hall to where an older couple stood watching their group. “We’re making a scene. You don’t want this to end up in the newspapers tomorrow, do you?”
