Winning it All (Men of the Ice Book 3)

by Michele Shriver

  “Would you like to guess?”

  “Okay, but I need a hint.” Trevor began to stroke his erection. “What are you wearing?”

  Dani’s playful laugh filled the line. “Is this like that insurance commercial?”

  “I hope not... are you going to say khakis?”

  More laughter. Oh, how he loved that laugh. “No. If you must know, I’m not wearing anything. And I have a vibrator in my hand.”

  Christ. Trevor hadn’t thought it was possible to get harder, but his throbbing organ proved him wrong. “Are you finished?” he asked. “Please, don’t tell me you’re already finished.”

  “No. I was just getting started when you called,” Dani said. “I almost didn’t answer, but I hoped maybe you could help me.”

  Trevor sucked in a breath. “Only if you can help me, too.” He set his phone to speaker and placed it on the nightstand. He’d need both hands for this.

  “I’ll do my best,” Dani said. “Are you hard?”

  “I think you know the answer to that already. But yes, I’m very, very hard.” Using both hands, Trevor stroked himself. “Are you touching yourself? Where are your hands?”

  “One’s on my left breast. The other is rubbing my clit.”

  Trevor closed his eyes, the image filling his mind, and stroked harder. At this rate, he’d find his release soon. But first, he wanted to hear her come. “Are you wet?”

  “Yes.”

  “Put one of your fingers inside yourself,” he instructed. “How does that feel?”

  “Slick. Wet.” Dani’s voice was breathless. “I’m so hot, Trev.”

  “So am I, baby, so am I.” Trevor used his left hand to caress his balls, and with his right played with the head of his penis. A drop of pre-cum squirted out. It wouldn’t be long now. “I’m about to come, baby, but I want you to come first, and I want to listen. Turn the vibrator on,” he instructed. “I want to hear it.”

  A second later, Trevor heard its buzzing sound. “That’s good, baby,” he said. “Are you wet enough to put it inside you?”

  “I have lube,” Dani said. “And I’m very wet.”

  So she was experienced at pleasuring herself. Trevor wondered how long it had been since she’d had a man in her bed. Not that it mattered, as long he’d be the one joining her, and soon. The sound of the vibrator became muffled, meaning it must be inside her. “How does that feel?”

  “Good. So good.” The words came out in pants.

  “Harder, faster,” Trevor urged. “Come for me.” He was barely holding on himself now, as he wrung his hands over his shaft. “You can do it, baby.” He bit his lip as he continued his own motion, willing himself to hold on until he heard Dani’s screams of pleasure over the line, before finally surrendering to his own climax.

  ***

  Dani sank back against the pillow, sated, as she listened to Trevor’s cries as he reached orgasm himself. Whoa. Had she really just done that? Yes. Yes, she had. And it felt damn good, too. Over the past couple years, as she’d dealt with Kaylen’s illness, Dani had grown skilled at pleasuring herself. She viewed it as necessary. She still had urges and desires and she couldn’t completely suppress them, nor did she want to. One thing she’d never done before, though, was have phone sex. Well, there was a first for everything. Hopefully this wouldn’t be the last time, although the real thing would undoubtedly be even better.

  “Dani? You still there?” Trevor sounded out of breath.

  She smiled. “Yes, I’m still here.” She picked up the phone and turned it off speaker, holding it to her ear. “How are you?”

  “Better now than when I called,” he said. “Thank you.”

  “No. Thank you. I needed that, more than you know.”

  “Then I’m glad I could help,” Trevor said. “I should probably go now. I’ve got a bit of a mess to clean up here.”

  Dani suppressed a chuckle. “Okay. I have to get some sleep, anyway,” she said. “You’re flying to Los Angeles tomorrow, right?”

  “’Fraid so. Back-to-back against the Kings and the Ducks.”

  “Good luck,” Dani said. “You’ll call me, right?”

  “After tonight? Yeah, you can bet I’ll call you,” Trevor said. “Night, Dani. Give Kaylen a hug for me.”

  “I sure will. Night, Trev.” Dani tapped the screen to end the call and set the phone on the nightstand. She should get out of bed and clean up a little, too, but at the moment she was too tired to move. Instead, she closed her eyes and let thoughts of Trevor take her into her slumber.

  Chapter Eight

  Like virtually all hockey players he knew, Trevor was anxious to get back on the ice after a tough loss, even if the Generals’ next two games involved a back-to-back against Los Angeles an Anaheim, which meant the team wouldn’t be back in San Antonio until the wee hours of Tuesday morning. He met the other players and coaching staff at the team facility Saturday morning for a meeting before their chartered flight to Los Angeles. They’d have a practice once they got there, in anticipation of the game against the Kings Sunday afternoon. As far as road trips went, it wasn’t a particularly grueling one, with minimal travel and only a few days away from home, but suddenly Trevor understood what some of the married guys, or those in serious relationships, went through every time the team left on a road trip. It was a long time to go without seeing Dani again, especially after what happened the previous night. On the other hand, it gave him a lot to look forward to when they did see each other again. Maybe that was silly and presumptuous. Since when did great phone sex equal a relationship?

  Sure, he knew he wanted to rekindle their relationship, but other than agreeing to have dinner with him the previous night, and what transpired after dinner, Dani hadn’t given much indication that she wanted the same thing. Still, a guy could dream.

  “You look like you’re in a good mood,” Nik observed as he sat down next to Trevor for the meeting..

  “Yeah?” Trev asked. “How so? Do I have a goofy grin on my face or something?” It wouldn’t surprise him if he did. His life had certainly changed dramatically since that brutal day eleven months before when the Hurricanes bought out his contract. With his NHL future suddenly very much in doubt, Trevor was forced to admit he had a problem, and subsequently voluntarily entered Stage II of the league’s substance abuse and behavioral health program. From there, he’d been referred by the league’s doctors to an inpatient treatment facility in upstate New York, where he spent sixty days. After graduating from treatment, he enrolled in aftercare programming and began the process of trying to rebuild the hockey career he’d almost thrown away.

  Trevor was eternally grateful to the team’s General Manager, Daryl Morris, and team owner Richard Johnson for taking a chance on him. He loved being back in San Antonio, and wanted it to be the last city he played in. He’d made that decision even before his path crossed with Dani’s again. But since it did, he had to wonder if it was fate.

  “Not that goofy,” Nik assured him. “You look happy, though.” His teammate smiled. “Does this have anything to with a certain woman you mentioned the other day.”

  He might be young, but Nik was certainly wise in the ways of the world. “Yeah, maybe a little,” Trevor admitted. Or a lot. “I think we’re reconnecting.”

  “That’s great,” Nik said. “And I have some news that might help with that.”

  “Oh yeah? What’s that?” Maybe Nik had figured out a way that the team might be able to assist Dani and Kaylen with hospital expenses.

  “I talked to Meryl, as I promised I would. She remembers meeting Kaylen at the hospital when we were all there, and she’d like to do something that might benefit her and the other patients,” Nik explained. “Perhaps some sort of fundraiser. We didn’t get as far as details, but when we get back from California, she’ll set up a meeting for you with Ms. Simmons, and something can be figured out with the foundation.”

  It was more than Trevor could have hoped for. “Wow, thanks, man,” he said. “I
really appreciate that, and I know Dani will, too.” He couldn’t wait to give her the news.

  “You’re welcome,” Nik said. “Seeing those sick kids affected me as well. It will be nice to be able to help them out in some way.”

  ***

  Dani refused to feel any guilt over what she’d done the night before. She was a single mother with a very sick child who worked long hours and was under a lot of stress, but she still had needs and desires. At least last night, she’d been able to satisfy those desires, even if it had left her wanting more. And preferably not over the phone.

  So much for keeping her distance from Trevor. She should have known those efforts would be futile. This was dangerous territory, though, letting him back into her life, and into Kaylen’s as well. Sooner or later, he’d find out the truth, and then he’d hate her.

  Dani hurried to the hospital in the morning, anxious to check on her daughter and see if the results of the blood smear were back. Hopefully the test wouldn’t show any increased abnormalities, and a bone marrow aspiration and biopsy wouldn’t even be necessary. Those hopes were dashed almost as soon as she stepped off the elevator on Kaylen’s floor and saw a nurse leaving her room.

  “Oh, good, I’m glad you’re here, Ms. Greer,” she said, rushing over to her. “Let me page Dr. Russell. He wanted me to let him know as soon as you got here.”

  “Is something wrong? Is Kaylen okay?” Since no one had called her, she had to figure she was. At least as ‘okay’ as a twelve year old with cancer could be.

  “She stable,” Janean said. “No change from yesterday. The doctor just wants to discuss the results of the blood smear with you.”

  Dani nodded. “Okay. I’ll be in with her. He can find me there.”

  Stable and no change might have meant no worse, but it also meant no better, and thus was no comfort to Dani. Finding her daughter in the same listless state as the day before broke Dani’s heart and filled her with fear. She’d thought Kaylen had beat this horrible disease, but it came back, and even though it did no good, Dani still asked ‘why.’ Why her child? Why such a good, sweet little girl? She was sure all the other parents of children in the pediatric cancer ward asked the same questions, though, and got the same lack of answers. Life could be so cruel.

  “Hi, Special Kay,” Dani said, realizing as soon as the words were out that she’d used Trevor’s nickname for her. “How are you feeling?” she asked, even though she already knew the answer.

  “The same,” Kaylen answered. “I just want to sleep.”

  She didn’t want to read, play games on her tablet, or talk about hockey. Definitely not a good sign. “Then sleep, honey.” Dani blinked, trying to keep from crying. “Your body needs the rest.” Just make sure you wake up, okay? That remained Dani’s biggest fear. That the treatments would fail, and Kaylen’s frail little body would lose the fight. That one day she’d fall asleep and not wake up.

  No, don’t go there. Dani wiped her eyes and turned toward the door as the doctor walked in. “Hi. Janean said you have the test results?”

  Dr. Russell nodded. “Of the blood smear, yes.” He looked from her, to Kaylen, whose eyes were now closed, and back to Dani. “Perhaps we should go to one of the conference rooms and talk more.”

  Although Kaylen looked to be asleep again and probably wouldn’t hear anything they said anyway, Dani figured it was for the best, and followed the doctor to a small conference down the hall. He’d no sooner closed the door when she said, “Okay, so give me the news. It’s not good, is it?”

  She already expected as much, and appreciated that he didn’t dance around the issue. “I’m afraid not,” he said. “The CBC results yesterday gave me some concern, along with Kaylen’s overall demeanor, which is why I wanted the blood smear. Unfortunately, it showed what I expected. An increased number of cell abnormalities.”

  “So the treatment isn’t working, is that what you’re saying?” Dani sank into a chair. This would probably be a conversation better had sitting down.

  “It would appear that way, yes,” Dr. Russell said. “I want to go ahead with the bone marrow aspiration and biopsy later today, just to be sure, but my worry is that the treatments have lost effectiveness. Given how weak and tired she appears to be, I think we need to stop the chemo treatments for now.”

  “What? So we’re just giving up?” Sitting down wasn’t helping. Dani wanted to pace. But that wouldn’t help, either, and the room was too small.

  “No, Ms. Greer.” Dr. Russell’s tone was firm as he shook his head from side to side. “I don’t ever ‘give up’ on my patients. But right now, her little body is too weak for the chemotherapy, and it’s not helping anymore, anyway. It’ll take a couple days to get the biopsy results back, but if it shows what I fear it will, then it’s time to start talking about a bone marrow transplant.”

  ***

  The flight to L.A. and subsequent practice left Trevor tired, and as soon as the team dinner was finished, he retired to his hotel room. He wanted to ensure he got plenty of rest before the game the next afternoon, and he was anxious to call Dani. Maybe she’d up for a repeat of the night before. That would be nice, but he’d settle for simply hearing her voice.

  Thankfully, she answered on the second ring. “Hey, Trevor,” she greeted him.

  “Hey, yourself.” He loved the sweet sound of her voice. “How was your day?”

  There was a pause before Dani answered. “Difficult.”

  Trevor frowned. “Is something wrong? Something with Kaylen?” He hoped not, especially when he’d been feeling so hopeful a few hours ago, thinking that the team might be able organize an event to help her.

  “She’s still not feeling well,” Dani said. “We’re waiting on one of the test results, but the doctors are concerned her treatments might have lost effectiveness.”

  Trevor’s heart sank. He may have only known the girl for a short time, but already he felt a connection with her, and he didn’t know why. Maybe it was because she had the same striking blue eyes as her mother, who still held a big piece of Trevor’s heart. Kaylen had to be okay. She just had to.

  “Do you want to talk about it?” he asked cautiously.

  “No,” Dani answered without hesitation. “I want to talk about anything but that, if it’s okay. I really need some time to just absorb it all,” she said. “If that makes sense.”

  “Perfect sense,” Trevor said. He wouldn’t push. He only hoped that maybe after she’s had a chance to process everything, she’d feel more like opening up to him. Trevor wanted Dani to feel as if she could trust him. He may have disappointed her in the past, but he was a different man now, and he’d be there for her when she needed him to be. “So what should we talk about instead?”

  “How’s L.A?”

  Of all the possible topics of conversation, she picked the city of angels? “Typical L.A. Traffic, smog and pretentious people,” Trevor said. “Fortunately, I mainly just see our hotel and the practice rink.”

  “And you’re not out with your teammates? The game’s not until tomorrow.”

  “No, but Coach Moreau keeps us on a pretty tight curfew on road trips.” Some of the guys thought it was too tight, and complained of team staff babysitting them, but Trevor appreciated it. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust his willpower, because he did. But he’d been on teams with little discipline and knew it had, at least in some way, contributed to his downfall. “Team dinner, and we’re in for the night,” he explained. “I may get together with Rollins in a little while and watch a movie, but I’m not much of a night owl and kind of a loner on the team.”

  “Is that on purpose?” Dani asked. “Because of what happened... before?”

  Trevor exhaled. “Yes.”

  “Do you want to talk about it? What happened in North Carolina?”

  “Not really, no.” The truth was he hated to talk about it, and tried to avoid the subject at all costs. There were very few people who knew the whole sordid details of his downfall. “We can, thou
gh.” Maybe it would do him some good.

  “It’s up to you. I don’t want to pry.”

  Trevor appreciated that. “No... it’s okay. Things finally fell apart in Carolina. I was already spinning out of control when I signed there, and it was supposed to be my last chance.” How many last chances did one guy get, anyway?

  “I talked a good game about learning from my mistakes, turning things around, focusing only on hockey and being a good teammate.” It’d just been talk, though. Trevor realized now that he needed to hit rock bottom in order to finally acknowledge he had a problem and seek help for it. “And I must have been convincing, because I got a three year contract at 3.5 million per year. Not too bad for a thirty-one year old with a coke habit, huh?”

  “Go on,” was all Dani said.

  Trevor walked over to the sliding glass door that led to the balcony of his hotel room and stepped outside. Maybe the fresh air would help keep his thoughts from getting too jumbled. “I was using regularly, but I thought I’d figured out the system for drug screens. Cocaine only stays in your system for a couple of days, so it’s easier to beat the tests than with a lot of other drugs.” And how sad was it that he knew this? “I wasn’t as smart as I thought I was, though. I slipped up during the All-Star break, and tested positive. Since it’s a recreational drug, and not performance enhancing, it didn’t trigger an automatic suspension. It just landed me in Stage I of the league’s program.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “No suspension, no loss of pay, no public acknowledgement. I just had to do some evaluations and classes and stay out of further trouble, and no one would ever know.” Trevor let out a dry laugh. “So much for that. Sure, I tried to walk the straight and narrow for the rest of the season, and mostly succeeded. Then four days after our last game of the season, I got pulled over for speeding just outside of Raleigh with an eight ball in my pocket.”