Poke Checking

by Kristen Echo

“No. I can’t,” he said, pressing the elevator call button.

  “What?” She let go of his hand.

  “I’ve got to get sleep tonight. I’ve got an early morning skate I can’t miss. If we stay here, we both know there won’t be any sleep happening.”

  “So, you’re asking me to come up for sex and nothing more?” She thought they were past the meaningless sex. But obviously she’d been wrong about his intentions.

  “I’m asking you to come with me, on me… any way you slice it, angel.” He arched his brow playfully, oblivious to her irritation. This man wasn’t interested in a relationship; he wanted to get laid.

  She’d been trying to figure out how this amazing guy was still single, and she had her answer. Nicolas Ivarsson was a player. The whole day had probably been one long drawn out game to get between her legs. But why go through the hassle?

  “You know if all you’re after was sex, you could have said so. You didn’t have to lay it on so thick today. We could have stayed in your room and been rabbits.” Her voice shook as she finished her sentence, and the tears threatened.

  Nico took her hands, holding her hostage so she couldn’t run away. “What’s this about? Tell me why you sound pissed off and look about ready to throttle me.” He wasn’t wrong. If he released her hands, they would have landed against his cheek.

  She scoffed at his question. “It’s not your problem, it’s mine. I convinced myself you were looking for a girlfriend, but that was my mistake. I sent you mixed signals earlier, asking you to keep the room, but I thought we were… nothing. For all—”

  “Caroline, stop.”

  “Let go of me, and I’ll be on my way,” she talked over him. “I’m not interested in being your sex toy tonight. Go find yourself another bimbo to ram your extra-large cock into. I—”

  He pressed his mouth over hers, muffling her words. She struggled to pull away, but ended up melting into him and his stupid soft lips.

  “Are you done?” He asked, resting his forehead against hers.

  “Yes, we’re done. Have a nice life, you douche—” Her mouth was once again covered.

  “You are feisty and I like it. Let me clear the air because I think you’ve misunderstood. I’d be honored if you’d come upstairs with me because I like you, and I want to spend more time with you. Yes, I’d like to spend some of our night buried inside you, but if all you want to do is talk, then that’s what we’ll do.” He pressed his finger over her lips when she went to interrupt. “I am not looking for a cheap thrill and never thought of you in that way. After tonight, I planned to call you again. I plan to see you again. Am I making myself clear?”

  Her tantrum left her cheeks feeling an even brighter shade of red. “Crystal,” she said, knowing the passion between them was at a boiling point. She was seconds away from ripping his clothes off in the lobby and humping him in front of the Christmas tree that hadn’t been taken down yet.

  “If I don’t get inside you in the next few minutes, I might explode in my pants.” The doors opened, and he walked her backwards inside the elevator. She offered no resistance and their eyes remained locked the entire time. Half a dozen people crowded the elevator, and Nico tucked her body against his.

  “Your little outburst earned you a spanking,” he whispered into her ear. Caroline whimpered as moisture pooled between her thighs. “You like it rough and you have seen nothing yet. The things I will do to you for the next few hours will leave you sore for weeks. Are you ready for that?”

  Her nipples hardened at the sultry tone of his voice. She wasn’t equipped to deal with Nico, but she was prepared to try. “Yes.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  T hey went at each other like savages tearing meat from a bone from the second the hotel room door closed until the clock struck midnight. Then Mr. Ivarsson turned into a hockey pumpkin and said he needed his beauty rest. She would have given him more grief if she hadn’t been so exhausted. Caroline respected the way he took his sport and job seriously. When she collapsed on her bed at home, she was all smiles and tight muscles.

  She'd sent a text to her best friend when she sat down in the taxi, but Maddy hadn’t responded. The night hawk never slept before three am. Maddison Albright was made for the rock-and-roll lifestyle. Caroline didn’t mind the late hours, but she loved mornings.

  Finally, the phone vibrated in her hand. “Did you know?” Caroline had been wrestling with the idea that Maddison knew Nico was a hockey player and let her kiss him anyways. She hoped that wasn’t the case, but she trusted her gut.

  “Happy New Year, whore!” Maddy said with a giggle.

  “Back at ya, except there are no whores on the line. Unless you took a side job I’m unaware of?” The irritation in her voice dissipated at the sound of her friend’s laughter. They’d been friends too long to stay mad for long. “So, did you know the man I kissed played hockey for the NHL?”

  A loud sigh crossed the line. “Not one hundred percent when you kissed him, but I knew before you stayed at the hotel to be with him.”

  “Maddy, why didn’t you tell me? I mean, what if my dad had seen us together?” She shuddered to think how ballistic he might have gone. Raising two girls by himself had caused her father to become strict in many ways.

  “He didn’t see you, so don’t get your panties in a twist. I meant to tell you, then everything happened with Brody and it slipped my mind. Your guy’s a thug. Brody’s face looks like he was hit by a semi-truck. It is kinda badass, but I wouldn’t tell him that. That boy’s ego does not need massaging.” That last bit couldn’t be truer. He used his good looks to act any way he pleased, even kissing people he shouldn’t.

  “Nico defended me after he saw Brody force a kiss on me. If he’s got a shiner, it’s deserved.” But a bruised face might mean he no longer wanted to be around her, and that would crush her. “Do you think he’ll kick me out of the band over that? Did he say anything to the others?”

  Caroline twisted her fingers. She had considered trying to go solo, but she liked being surrounded by like-minded musicians and the collaboration of a group. Starting a career alone didn’t appeal; she was more of a team player. Besides, working every day with her best friend was the highlight of her day.

  Another sigh came through which she didn’t take as a good sign. “He wasn’t impressed, but we voted. And—”

  “What? That creep tried to kick me out. What the heck!” Caroline wanted to track him down and pummel him. One bruise wasn’t enough.

  “Stop! For starters he’s not an asshole, and it didn’t go down like that. He defended you when Nathan said it might not be worth the hassle if there’s drama on your first show. We all agreed that you nailed it and that it was a crazy misunderstanding. We voted unanimously to keep you. You’re one of us, whore. Get used to the craziness.”

  The shriek pierced her own ears as she bounced on her bed and the pillows went flying in all directions. “I’m so happy. And I take it back, he’s not a creep. I didn’t appreciate the kiss, but I set him straight and we’re good. At least I think we are, but what’s the deal between you and Brody. I noticed he grabbed your ass. You mentioned nothing but I get the feeling there’s something more there.”

  “No mixing business with pleasure, right? I love him… as a musician. He’s the best drummer in the city and we’re tight.”

  “There’s more than that. I saw the dreamy, bedroom eyes you sent him. How did I miss it? Maddison, you have a crush on him.” Caroline had listened to Maddy rave about the guy for the last year, but she honestly thought it was all platonic. She’d bragged about all the guys in the band, therefore, she hadn’t connected the dots.

  “Whore, shut your mouth. He’s hot. He’s well aware of it and there’s isn’t room for anything else. Like ever.”

  “Okay, I’ll drop it because I can hear your frustration loud and clear. Just believe you can do better than a manwhore like Brody. And you’re right, if you two hooked up and it didn’t work out what will happen to the band?
”

  “The band is good and we’re picking up gigs. We got like ten referrals from New Year’s. Plus, we’re still ironing out the deal that fell through when dickwad, Grant, ditched us. Enough about work, what happened between you and the thug? I got your text; thanks for bailing on me today by the way. You left me alone to deal with a hung over and useless Nathan, a too chipper Peter, and a sulking Brody. Not exactly how I hoped to start my new year.”

  She laughed at her friend’s over dramatization of events. “Oh Maddy… he’s incredible.”

  “Oh shit. Don’t fall in love with this one. He’s like your employee and does he know who you are?”

  It was as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped on her head and her entire body shivered. “No, we didn’t talk about how my father owns the team or the fact I’ll technically be an owner one day. I don’t want to have anything to do with that business, so it’s not a big deal.”

  “Tell your father that. He’s the one hell bent on you taking over in a few years. He thinks you’ll get this music out of your system now and then go run the Northcote Empire. It’s your destiny, Caroline,” she boomed the last words.

  “Funny, you sound just like him. And I won’t ever get the music out of my system. It’s not a phase. And I’m not in love, at least not yet. But he’s so amazing. The sex is out of this world. He’s funny and makes me laugh. Better yet, he thinks I’m funny. It’s like we’ve known each other our entire lives and—”

  “Wow, you’re already too far gone to see it. Caroline, you told me to reign you in the next time you fall in love too fast. You’re doing it again. This guy doesn’t walk on water. He’s got issues like they all do. Before you go giving him your heart, ask the tough questions and find out more about him, not just how great his dick is.”

  “Crass much?” Wow, she expected her friend to be the voice of reason, but that was harsh. Maddison had a pragmatic approach to life, which Caroline admired most days.

  “Ha! Is there any other way to be?” Her laughter grated on Caroline’s ears. “You’re in love with falling in love. You believe every guy who shows you attention is amazing. Then you either run them off with your I love you within a week shit or they hang in there because of your net worth.”

  She couldn’t sit any longer. “This is different, and that only happened once.” Caroline walked circles in her room.

  A few months ago, she’d called Stephen the one. They met at University and he said all the right things. He was smart and handsome. At first, he treated her like an equal until he stopped paying for anything and bought expensive things, expecting her to foot the bill. It turned out he was using her and it took a car dealership asking for her credit information to get the big picture. This wouldn’t end up anything like that because Nico had his own money.

  “He’s nothing like the boys I’ve dated. Nico’s a man with a good head on his shoulders. Plus, he’s been very honest about himself, and he’s interested in a relationship. It’s refreshing.” If she believed her own words, then why was she pacing? Her feet almost burned a hole through the cream-colored area rug.

  “It’s also not worth a damn because he doesn’t know who you are. It’s one thing to keep that shit hidden from random strangers, but he might want to know he’s shagging his boss, or at the very least the boss’s daughter. This could have a major impact on his career when your dad finds out.”

  She’d thought of all of that before she spent the day with him; before she fell for him. Now she was too selfish to give him up. “I’m just seeing where things go and there’s no point in my father knowing anything if it goes nowhere. For all I know, I may never talk to him again.” The lie slipped out. Caroline had already received two messages since they parted ways. This wasn’t over; not even close.

  “Well, don’t say I didn’t warn you. If you see him again, you should tell him who you are so he can decide if you’re worth losing his career over. Once your dad gets a whiff of it that guy is as good as traded or worse. And this year the team has a real shot at the cup. The entire city might hate you for messing that up, Caroline.”

  “None of that would ever happen, Drama Queen. Daddy would punish me, and I’ll deal with that when and if I have to. When did you start following hockey?” She closed her eyes and let the reality sink in. Maddy hadn’t intended to deflate her balloon, but it happened all the same.

  “In case you didn’t notice, the players are hot. Plus, someone will have to help you out when you take over the empire.”

  She let out a small laugh, but it didn’t lighten her mood. “If I see Nicolas again, I’ll tell him. I don’t want secrets between us.” After that decision, Caroline operated on autopilot for the rest of the conversation.

  When she closed her eyes, she saw Nico’s face. His mischievous half smile and the way he spoke her name right before he came, haunted her thoughts. She gave up on sleep and stared at the message he’d sent earlier.

  “Thanks for rocking my world. I can’t wait to see you again in a few days. Don’t miss me too much.” He even sent a wink emoji.

  She hadn’t responded, but her fingers itched to reply. Tossing and turning didn’t ease the guilt swamping her system. She should have told him her real name. She could have walked away and never looked back. A million should’ve, would’ve, could have’s marched through her mind, but none of them brought her closer to a resolution.

  Morning dawned, and she had no answers, but when his next message arrived her heart leapt into her throat. If something felt so great, how could it be wrong?

  “I can’t get you out of my head, and I’m thinking that’s a good thing.”

  The right thing would have been to ignore him, but she didn’t want to do that. Her fingers flew across the screen. She glanced at the clock; it wasn’t eight yet. “It’s a very good thing. I’m tired and sore; you wore me out.”

  “LOL. Did you sleep well?”

  She rolled onto her stomach, picturing him in all his gear laughing. “It’s barely morning, so no, I haven’t slept much yet.”

  “I’m afraid you won’t get much sleep when I’m around. Does that scare you?”

  Nothing about him frightened her, but it should have. Being with him had the potential to do so much harm, yet she kept responding to his messages. “No. What’s your biggest fear?”

  “Getting injured. Not sure what I’ll do if my hockey career ends before I’m ready. Every time a guy goes down it’s a reminder of how close I am to having my dream taken away. Fucking scary shit, so I play like every game could be my last.”

  “Every pro athlete must have that same fear. For singers like me, it would be getting sick and being unable to perform.” She ran her hand over her throat.

  “That’s not your biggest fear. I told you mine, come on, fess up.”

  “I’m afraid the people I love will disappear. Like here one minute and gone the next. I don’t let that fear rule my life either, but it’s something I think about way more than I should.”

  “Yeah. I know what that feels like all too well.”

  A few minutes of silence followed, giving their fears more weight. Caroline didn’t want that to dampen their day. “What’s your biggest turn on?”

  “You. The way you smell after sex. An erotic combination of you, me, sweat and lust all rolled into a perfect fragrance with a hint of honey. The scent of an angel.”

  Her core quivered, and she wanted to see his face. A quick glance at the mirror on her dresser revealed the state of her pillow creased face. Then again, it was best they texted. “Nice answer, but I’m serious.” She shifted on her bed, wishing he was there.

  “I am serious. You make me so hard. What makes you so wet you’re dripping, angel?”

  Caroline wanted to use his own words back at him because it was the truth. He turned her on. Everything about him did it for her. She was getting in way over her head. “Aren’t you at practice?”

  “Yeah, about to hit the ice and then we’re flying out this afternoon
. It will be close to a week before I can see you again. Can you behave while I’m away?”

  Caroline giggled. “Can you?” They hadn’t said they were in a committed relationship or anything like that, but she got the impression he was fishing for something. She chewed her nails, waiting for his response.

  “Touché. Is it too soon to ask you to wear panties the whole time I’m gone?”

  This time she laughed out loud. “I’ll only take them off for you. If you only take yours off for me?” This was the naughtiest way anyone had ever asked her to go steady, and it was so him.

  “I will never wear panties. And you’ve got a deal, angel.” Again, he sent the wink emoji and Caroline beamed as she read and reread his texts.

  They were moving ahead like a normal couple; two people falling in love. It didn’t matter he was a famous hockey player, and she was the daughter of the owner. That’s what she told herself. Only deep down, she knew it could all fall apart once the secrets came out. She had one week to convince Nico that she was worth the risk. Then she’d deal with her father. There had to be a way to bend the rules.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  T he next three weeks raced by as Caroline floated in a happiness bubble. Every day Nico called or texted and she responded with cute flirty messages. It was stupid to get attached to someone who might walk away, but she couldn’t help herself. The morose man who refused to share was replaced by a man who said all the right things to make a girl blush and laugh at the same time. Each day she fell more in love with him.

  She wondered more than once why he was single, but she never asked. The limited time they carved out to be together hadn’t been wasted with idle chat. They hadn’t seen each other for more than a few hours since their first night. Nico insisted on taking her out on dates. This meant they’d had sex in three different restaurant bathrooms, twice in her car, his truck once, and a lot of heavy petting at the movie theaters. Not the most romantic settings, but both of their schedules were insane. Hockey took up most of his time and when he was home and not at the rink, she was playing music.