PUCK (A BAD BOY HOCKEY ROMANCE)

by Marx, Jessica

  When Ryan and I are home at the same time, we usually hang out together. We’ll watch a movie, grab some food, or go out for a drink. Ryan will come in and hang out while I’m bartending on occasion, which he’s done in the past, but it’s nice that he can walk me home now. Sometimes just the two of us, and sometimes we have a friend or two join. We are really enjoying our new home and being in the heart of all the action. Our jobs are here, our friends, the studio, the theaters—it’s all right here.

  My stepfather has finally settled more with the idea of me and Ryan living together. I can’t say he’s happy about it, but I think he realizes nothing is going on. I made a couple of trips back to have dinner with my parents, and they see how happy I am. I know they miss having me home, but I’m sure they don’t mind having the house all to themselves.

  I’m working tonight, and know it’s going to get very busy. It’s a Saturday, and we are getting close to holiday season, which is our craziest time of year. Ryan is rarely off on a weekend and mentions he may stop in with Tony, since he’s not working. I’m glad he’s coming with a friend, because I don’t know if I will be able to hang out while he is there. I quickly say goodbye while putting my coat on over a skimpy bartending outfit.

  “Damn, girl. You looking for extra tips tonight? You might need your own bodyguard, looking like that,” Ryan comments as I walk out the door.

  “Fuck off,” I say with a laugh.

  “Seriously, Eve. You look hot,” he replies.

  “Whatever,” I answer and leave before he can see me blushing.

  I smile to myself as I stride down the stairs. I know I look good, but it’s nice to hear it once in a while from a man who’s not trying to get in my pants.

  I exit the building and pull my coat closed to protect myself from the cold. I quickly walk the short distance to the bar and shake the cold off as I walk in. It’s not crowded yet, but it’s still early. In an hour, we will be four or five people deep at the bar. I put my things away and step behind the bar to settle in for a long night.

  As predicted, we get busy pretty fast. People seem to pile in all at once. I notice a group of girls that must be at a bachelorette party. They’re always easy to spot, because they’re usually dressed like whores and drink from penis-shaped straws. The dead giveaway is the girl with the “Bride to Be” tiara. I know it’s all in good fun, but they immediately annoy me.

  I’m mixing and pouring nonstop for what I’m sure is over an hour before I notice Ryan and Tony are here. They are patiently waiting for me to notice them and get their drinks.

  “Hey, guys,” I greet them hastily. “What’s up? What can I get for you?”

  “Just a couple of beers,” Ryan replies.

  “And maybe one of those chicks,” Tony adds, pointing to the group with the bachelorette.

  “Yeah. No problem. I’m sure there are a couple of them looking for a one-nighter to mark the special occasion. Pretty sure you won't need my help there,” I sneer as I get Ryan’s and Tony’s beers from the cooler.

  “Come on, Eve. Don’t get all jelly,” Tony jokes. “You’re way hotter than any of them—especially in that outfit,” he adds, looking me up and down.

  “Shut up, Tony,” I answer in a friendly tone, handing them their drinks.

  “Cut me some slack. It’s hard picking up chicks when you’re hanging out with this guy,” he replies, nodding at Ryan and paying for the round of drinks.

  “Yeah, he’s got you outclassed, doesn’t he,” I quip with a wink and go to help someone else, but not before glancing back at Ryan.

  Ryan does look gorgeous tonight. His top is fitted in such a way that it’s not tight, but you can clearly see the definition of his body underneath. When he turns to find a place to stand, I get a glimpse of his backside, which is also very appealing. Even living together, we have managed to stay out of each other’s way when it comes to bathing and dressing. I don’t want things to get weird—not that they would, but his body is very nice to look at and I don’t want to stare.

  I continue serving an endless line of people. The music is pumping and the drinks are flowing, which is great for me. I don’t like to think of it as whoring myself out, but my tips are noticeably better when I show a little skin. With the holidays coming, I don’t mind some extra cash in my pockets.

  I take a quick break to run to the ladies’ room. I see the bachelorette and her crew in a tight circle on the dance floor. I also notice a couple of them standing by the wall, talking to Tony and Ryan. A twinge of jealousy rushes through me, but I let it pass. What is there to be envious of? I’m not looking to hook-up—especially not with either of those guys.

  When I emerge from the ladies’ room, I glance over at them again. They look like they’re getting closer. I hope these sluts aren’t coming back to my place tonight, although if they are, I will have to deal with it—that’s part of the deal with having a male roomie.

  I get back to my spot behind the bar and try not to think about them or the nagging feeling I have. The crowd still hasn’t thinned out at all, and I am in full swing behind the bar. Tony nudges his way to the front of the bar and across from me. He signals that he needs a fresh round of beers. I reach into the cooler, pop them open, and hand them across the bar.

  “You were right. These girls are DTF! That’s what I’m talking about!” Tony says, slurring slightly. He gets very overconfident when he drinks.

  “Have fun,” I reply.

  “Hope you weren’t planning on sleeping tonight. The one Ryan’s gonna take home seems like a screamer,” he says, laughing as he takes the beers and walks back to the corner.

  Shit. I don’t want to do this tonight. Ryan hasn’t brought a girl home yet, so I’m not sure what will happen, but I feel like it’s going to be strange. I don't care who’s in his bedroom, but it’s our home. I guess I don’t have a say who he’s with, but those girls got under my skin the minute they walked in here. This should be interesting.

  The crowd begins to thin out about an hour later. The drink orders are slowing down and people are stumbling their way out the door. I have a clear view of my friends and their slutty sidekicks as I begin to clean up my end of the bar, although I’m trying not to stare. Tony has his tongue down one of their throats and his hands all over her ass. He might as well stick it up her skirt, at this point. They are being far from discreet.

  Ryan has his back against the wall. The other girl is pressed up against him, almost pinning him there. No doubt he’s enjoying it. I’ve seen him in action a couple of times, and he always plays hard to get, and the girls eat it up. I can’t see her hands, but I’m assuming they’re on his ass, unless she’s bold enough to be holding his package in front of everyone. I wouldn’t be that surprised—I’ve seen that and worse in my time as a bartender.

  Ryan glances over my way and our eyes meet for an instant. I quickly look away and get back to wiping the bar top. I need to stop looking at him. What is he doing, looking at me when he’s got some slut trying to dry hump him, anyway? I don’t bother looking back over there again. I don’t want to see, and I definitely don’t want him to see me looking.

  I keep cleaning and the crowd continues to diminish. The bachelorette’s group leaves, but the two girls attached to Ryan and Tony are still here—great.

  The four of them make their way to the bar. I look up and smile.

  “Can I get you all something?” I ask kindly, though I feel very bitter.

  “No. We’re good,” Ryan replies.

  “Yeah. Real good,” Tony adds, smacking his girl on the ass. He’s such a pig. I take a moment to be thankful he has his own place to go home to.

  “Just a heads up—I might have some company when you get home,” Ryan informs me.

  “Cool. I’ll be quiet,” I answer with a smile.

  “Okay. See you later then?” Ryan says hesitantly.

  “Yup. Have fun,” I reply and try to look busy again. They walk outside, and I’m relieved I don’t have to watch anym
ore. Now I just have to figure out how to sneak into my own home and quietly disappear.

  Chapter 5

  Just over an hour later, the bar is closing. I take my time cleaning up and putting things away. I’m procrastinating because I don’t want to go home at all. It doesn’t take long before I run out of things to do and they want to lock up. I get my coat and walk out into the cold. There are still some people lingering out in the streets as I make my way back to the apartment. I walk slowly but I know inevitably I am going to walk into something I don’t want to be a part of.

  I walk up the steps to the third floor landing as slow as I possibly can. I hear a cackling laugh as I turn my key in the lock and brace myself for whatever I’m about to see.

  Luckily, their clothes are on. The two of them are sitting on the couch, enjoying another cocktail, and her hands are all over Ryan. I already feel like a third wheel and I haven’t even taken off my coat. Ryan stands up when I close the door and looks nervous like he’s doing something wrong—which he totally is not.

  “Hey, Eve,” he says awkwardly. “This is Jamie.”

  Jamie stands up and teeters slightly. She is cute. I have no good reason to be jealous so I play nice.

  “Nice to meet you, Eve. Hope you don’t mind that I’m here,” she says, trying to sound friendly.

  “Not at all,” I lie. “I’m going to get to bed, though. I had a long night, and I can’t wait to go to sleep.” I know there is no way I’m going to sleep any time soon.

  I walk to the bathroom and close the door. I take some deep breaths as I wash off my makeup and jump in the shower. I rinse off, put on the bathrobe I leave hanging on the back of the door, and prepare to walk back through the small living room. Hopefully, this will be the last time I have to see Jamie.

  They are still fully clothed, but Ryan is sitting on the couch and Jamie in on his lap, straddling him. It appears she is trying to inhale his face, but I’m not really looking. I rush past them into my room and quickly shut the door.

  What the hell? I’ve heard Ryan talk about many girls in the time we’ve been friends. He’s not really a player, but he has his share of women. I’ve never gotten jealous, or felt any emotion about any of his conquests. What is happening?

  I hear some more giggling and roll my eyes. I need to go to sleep and pretend this is not happening—not just the actual situation in my living room, but the thoughts in my head.

  I lay in bed, trying to focus on the television. I make it louder than usual, but it doesn’t matter. I’m sadistically trying to listen through my makeshift wall to what’s happening on the other side. It’s almost like I feel the need to punish myself for having these feelings. I hear a lot of movement and realize they must be changing venues to the bedroom. I freeze like a deer in headlights, like they know I’m listening to their every move. It’s silly, because they are surely not thinking about me at all right now.

  I hear light music and assume Ryan must have put on to drown out the noise they will be making. I try focusing again on whatever show is on the television. Maybe it will be boring enough to lull me to sleep.

  No such luck.

  It’s not long before I start hearing moans. They are making it impossible for me to ignore. It’s not loud, but my wall is thin and our apartment is small. The sounds are coming from Ryan, so in the scenario I concoct to further torture myself, Jamie is on her knees, giving him a blowjob right out of a porn video.

  I get up to find my headphones, purposely banging a couple of drawers closed. I lay down in bed with my phone and plug the headphones in. Before I get them in my ears, I hear the repeated creaking of Ryan’s bed.

  I don’t know what the hell is wrong with me, but I found myself letting a hand drift low on my tummy, slipping beneath the sheets. The music blasted from my headphones was not quite loud enough to mask the sounds coming from the other side of the wall. My fingertip brushed up against my delicate folds, already wet with desire. Pleasure rolled through me as I listened intently, a scene playing out in my head. With my eyes closed, I could almost see Ryan over me, his muscles straining, his huge cock plunging so deep it would test my limits.

  My fingertips were insistent now. They drove me higher and higher as the cries of pleasure poured through the wall. I plunged one inside me to try and fill the void, but it wasn’t enough. I bit my lip to keep myself quiet and reached over the edge of the mattress, pulling my vibrator free from its hiding place and flipping the little switch. It hummed to life as I held my breath, my body screaming for release.

  “Ooh….” I gasp as I bring the tip against my clit. “Ryan… Yes…” I whispered, careful to keep my voice down. “Please…”

  I guided the vibrator down every so slightly, driving it deep. It’s not enough, the slim device only partially satisfying my need. Despite its lacking girth, I still loved the way it was filling my body with the mad thrumming sensation. Every nerve ending screamed for more as I drove it deep. “Fuck me Ryan, oh God yes,” I squeal, clamping my free hand down over my mouth as I begin to pump the vibrator in and out of my willful body.

  I could stop myself. I could open my eyes and pretend this never happened. Oh God I need to stop myself! The cries of passion from beyond the wall seem to go on forever as I bring myself higher and higher. There was nothing I could do. My body demands release. I need this. The last of my restraint evaporates as an incredible orgasm tears through my body with the kind of force I’ve never experienced before.

  * * *

  My vision draws into tunnel vision as I arch my back and enjoy the waves of pleasure sweeping through my flesh. In my mind, Ryan is standing over me… And he’s smiling.

  Chapter 6

  I wake up with music still playing through my headphones. It takes me a few minutes to recall what was happening last night, and I immediately get annoyed. I don’t want to walk out of my bedroom and see her in my apartment. She’s in my territory, so technically, I shouldn’t care, but I have no desire to make conversation with her this morning. I shouldn’t have to—I’m not the one who fucked her.

  I lay motionless in my bed until I can’t wait any longer. I really have to pee, and it’s my apartment, so I shouldn’t be the one hiding in bed. I slowly pull the headphones off and listen for any sound from the rest of the apartment, but I don’t hear anything. Hopefully, they’re still sleeping so I can use the bathroom and clean myself up. I tiptoe to the door, quietly open it, and walk out toward the bathroom.

  “Where are you sneaking off to?” I hear Ryan say from the kitchen.

  I turn toward him and breathe a sigh of relief when I see he is alone. “Thought you were sleeping, so I didn’t want to wake you,” I answer.

  “Nah. Been up over an hour already. Coffee?” he offers, holding up a mug.

  “Sure, thanks. I’ll be out in a minute,” I reply and walk into the bathroom.

  Damn. I shouldn’t have agreed to coffee. What if she is still here? I didn’t even ask. I don’t know what to say to Ryan. Suddenly, I feel like I’m the one doing the walk of shame.

  I come out of the bathroom and take a few strides to the kitchen. Ryan is sitting at the table, reading something on his phone and drinking coffee.

  “Is she still sleeping?” I ask, thinking that sounds better than asking if that girl is still lurking somewhere.

  “Jamie?” Ryan asks, looking up. “No. She left early this morning, or late last night, depending on how you look at it.”

  “Oh, she didn't want to stay?” I ask, matching his relaxed manner. I pour some coffee now that I know I can sit and enjoy it.

  “She didn’t,” Ryan replies.

  “That wasn’t nice,” I say with a smirk. “You two seemed to be having a good time...”

  “Nah. I don’t think so,” he answers, placing his phone down and looking at me. “I think she was just looking to hook up for the night.”

  “You seemed pretty into her, from the look of things,” I reply with a short laugh, trying to sound indifferent. “A
nd from the sounds.”

  “Were you spying on me?” Ryan asks, feigning shock.

  “We have some very thin walls. Trust me, I tried not to hear,” I reply.

  “Noted,” he says sarcastically. “What’s your plan today?”

  “Not sure. Probably just gonna chill, maybe run a couple of errands. You?”

  “Same.” Then he gives me a weird look, pursing his lips, head cocked. “Hey, are we cool?”

  I fidget a little, shooting him a version of that same look. “What do you mean?”

  “You just don’t seem like yourself. I don’t know,” Ryan says, averting his gaze with a frown. “If this is going to make you uncomfortable...”

  I laugh. “Dude, please. We’re roommates. You can bring home as many sluts as you want.” It sounds good, but I’m cringing inwardly. He is not cheating on me. Ryan is doing nothing wrong. Hell, I know full well we can’t be together...

  Deep down, I know I’m lying through my teeth.

  “Yeah, I guess you’re right. It was just weird having you in one room and her in the other, you know?” he asks.

  Yes, I know exactly what you mean, I think to myself. “It’s just different now, Ryan. You used to just tell me when you hooked up. Now I’m here witnessing it. I’ll get used to it.”

  “Okay, Eve,” Ryan concedes. “As long as you’re cool, I’m cool.”

  “Yup, we’re good,” I reply, “I’m going to shower and try to get something done, I guess.” I want to get away, be anywhere but in the room with Ryan right now. There are way too many questions and strange feelings making my head spin.

  “I’m going to go for a run,” Ryan informs me. “Maybe we can hook up later?”

  “I’ll see where the day takes me,” I reply with a smile and walk to the bathroom to take a shower.