by Piper Rayne
Oh my god, I screwed Aiden Drake from the Florida Fury. Although to me, he just feels like Aiden.
I wake up to a phone buzzing, and I stir in Aiden’s arms. At some point we must have fallen asleep. For a man who played an entire game of hockey, he had more stamina than I expected.
“It’s mine,” he says and gets out of bed to look for his slacks.
I sprawl out on my stomach, my head on the pillow, and glance at the clock. It’s just after midnight, so we haven’t been asleep long.
He answers his phone. “What?”
There’s a short pause.
“You’re kidding me. What time is it?”
Another pause.
“Don’t worry about where I am.”
Another pause.
“How the fuck did he let this happen? Jesus Christ. Give me ten.”
He hangs up and crawls back up on the bed. “I have to go.” He swipes my hair away from my face and kisses the nape of my neck. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Where do you have to go?” I ask, turning around to face him. I open my arms and he slides on top of me, the sheet the only barrier between us.
“Ford got in trouble,” he says. “I forgot this is his hometown. Some woman is accusing him of fathering her child.”
My eyes open in surprise. “Woah!”
“It’s probably not true. You know how many guys I know who have been told they’re gonna be daddies only to find out surprise, it’s not theirs?” The bitterness in his tone grates on my nerves slightly. “But Ford has a hard time keeping it in his pants, so who knows.” He dips down and kisses me softly. “I’ll try to be back soon though.”
“Okay.” I rise up and kiss him one more time. It’s addicting now that I know what his lips feel like. One kiss is like eating only one fun-size candy bar—never going to happen that it’s enough.
“I’m going to turn on the light to find some clothes in my suitcase.”
“Okay.” I roll over.
His weight is soon off the bed, the bathroom light on, and I hear the zipper of his suitcase. I somehow move in and out of sleep while he gets ready, but with one last kiss, he’s out the door and I fall back asleep.
I’m awoken with light streaming in through the curtains and my phone ringing on the nightstand.
“You little puck bunny!” Tedi screeches in my ear when I answer.
I sit up in bed, pulling the sheet to cover myself. “What are you talking about?”
“You really need to be more discreet.”
“Back up about ten paces and start over. You’ve lost me.”
“It’s funny, I thought Aiden was a smart guy, but turns out he doesn’t realize that the elevators in the hotel are glass… meaning people can see through them.”
My mind travels back to last night on the elevator. There’s no way anyone saw anything. We were packed like sardines.
“His lips on your neck and hands up your shirt ring a bell?”
“What?” I clutch the sheet to my chest tighter.
“Some paps got a video and you’ve been outed. They’ve already figured out who you are.”
I get up off the bed and grab my laptop. “OMG, Tedi!”
I put her on speaker and move out of my phone app to search Aiden’s social media because surely someone would comment on there or tag him in the video.
“You’re not the first,” Tedi says.
But I don’t find anything, which is odd. Plus, wouldn’t Aiden have figured that out already and called me? Then I realize who I’m dealing with.
“This is a joke. Tweetie saw and told you, didn’t he?”
“Yep. But it should make you more cautious, my dear.” She laughs manically. “But way to go on boning Aiden Drake. Finally! Now. Give me all the details.”
“All you need to know is yes, he’s good, which I’m sure you expected.” I head into my texts to see if there’s anything there and find one from Aiden from the middle of the night.
I guess he’s still helping to clear things up with Ford’s parents and their PR rep, putting a plan together. He and Maksim are staying for moral support because Ford’s dad is being an asshole, but he’ll come by afterward.
“Well, I’m sure he’s no Tweetie, but I’m glad you finally got some. Where is he? Lying next to you? Please don’t tell me his head is between your legs right now.”
“Tedi! Get your mind out of the gutter. He had to run out.”
“Oh.” The excitement in her voice fades.
“What does that mean?”
“Like, after you had sex with him, he had to run out?”
I get what she’s saying, but she has it all wrong. “He told me why, I just can’t tell you. It’s legit. Not for cigarettes or something.”
“Unless it was for more condoms, his ass should be in that bed with you.”
If I could tell Tedi, she’d understand, but I can’t at this point. It’s Ford’s business. “Let it go.”
“I don’t like it,” she says.
“You don’t have to. I do.”
She sighs. “Anyway, I hate to be the bearer of bad news here, but what exactly did you tell him? Doesn’t he think you’re still dating Joran?”
Oh shit.
“Um…” I completely forgot about that.
She laughs again. “I love this. Your love life is always better than mine.”
“I’ll just tell him it’s over and that will be it.”
“Okay, and on your way back from fairy tale land, can you grab some of Rapunzel’s hair so I can remain youthful?”
“I gotta go,” I tell her and hang up because her sarcastic attitude isn’t helping, plus she’s putting doubts in my head about Aiden.
I try to shake it off, hoping Aiden returns soon. The longer he’s away, the more I’m starting to feel like an actual puck bunny.
“I finally get her, and you drag me out of bed for this.” I slide into Ford’s car outside the hotel. He’s obviously been home since he’s driving his Aston Martin.
Maksim’s in the back, looking about as comfortable as an elephant on a life raft.
“You do know you’re a fucking hockey player, right? Couldn’t you buy something that fits your size?” I try to stretch out my legs but there’s not enough room.
I don’t even have my seat belt on before Ford slams on the gas. “My dad’s ready to have my ass and make me work for the family business. This is the last straw. If this is legit and I have a public pregnancy with some one-night stand.” He shakes his head.
“I told you condoms are your friends,” Maksim says from the back seat.
All I can think about is how I just had sex without a condom with Saige, a woman I’ve only known for a couple of months. But then I relax because this is Saige I’m talking about. I trust her.
“We’ve all been here, right?” Ford says, needing to make himself feel better.
Ford lives his life with reckless abandon. He doesn’t think of consequences and lives in the moment. Sometimes I think it’s because he was born wanting nothing except a hockey career. Once he got that, it almost made him feel untouchable.
“Can’t say I have. You, Mak?”
Maksim groans. “Can we please just get there? I can’t feel my fucking legs.”
“Come on, guys. What am I gonna do? A baby?” Ford’s hands tighten on the steering wheel.
I shrug. “Hey, I might not change diapers, but I’m here for you. We’ll get this figured out. First line of business is making sure it’s yours.”
Ford nods as though it sounds like a good plan, then he zooms into the parking garage of the condo building where his parents’ penthouse is. “Thanks for coming. You know my dad won’t go nearly as ballistic with you two here.”
“You owe me big. Like, give me this car big,” I say.
He parks in his designated spot and we all file out, Maksim stretching and limping.
“So tell us what happened with Saige?” Maksim asks.
“I’m
not kissing and telling,” I say as we head toward the elevator doors.
We can go right from the parking garage to the penthouse with Ford’s special key card. The minute the elevator doors open into the foyer of his parents’ penthouse, his dad’s voice can be heard.
As though he heard the ding of the elevator over his yelling, Ford’s dad walks out into the foyer, his slippers clicking on the marble floor. “Oh look, it’s the three musketeers.” He throws up his hands.
Ford’s mom comes around the corner and smiles at us. “Boys. Come in.” She hugs Maksim and me, ignoring Ford.
“No hug, Mom?” Ford says.
She turns and smacks him on the back of the head. “How’s that for a hug? I lecture you and lecture you about safe sex. And what good did that do? You get some girl pregnant.”
Ford scowls. “Jesus. I always use condoms.”
“Well, I also tell you to keep it in your pants, but you don’t listen.” She focuses back on us. “Want something to eat, boys? Great game tonight.”
“I’m fine,” I say at the same time Maksim says, “What do you have?”
It’s the fucking Jacobs. They have anything you want, and if not, they’ll send someone out to get it, even in the middle of the night.
“Aiden.” Mr. Jacobs nods as we pass. “Maksim.”
“Hi, Mr. Jacobs,” we mumble like high school kids who just got caught smoking pot.
“In my office, Ford. Now!”
Maksim and I scurry away. I’m not even sure why we’re here. I think this time Mr. Jacobs won’t hide his true feelings.
Following Mrs. Jacobs into the kitchen, I see that the chef’s been awoken to feed us. What a life. I can’t even imagine.
“Anything you want, boys,” Mrs. Jacobs says.
“Boys.” Imogen, Ford’s younger sister, comes in and sits on a stool at the breakfast bar. Her pajamas are way too short and revealing, so I look away.
“Congrats, auntie,” Maksim says over his bite of sandwich, holding it up to the chef in an appreciative gesture.
She rolls her eyes. “Oh please, do you really think it’s his?”
This is the problem. What I said to Saige before I left isn’t wrong. I’ve never been through it, but I’ve heard stories, seen careers ruined by someone saying it’s their baby. On the flip side, I’ve seen plenty of athletes shuck their responsibilities and not take care of their children. But I know Ford will take care of the baby if it’s his.
“Only a paternity test will tell us for certain,” Mrs. Jacobs says.
Imogen rounds the corner of the large island and grabs an orange juice out of the fridge. “Helluva game tonight, Shamrock.”
“Hey, what about me?” Maksim says. “Without me blocking, he’d never have gotten that point in the second period.” He turns to the chef. “Do you have any chips?”
“Did you not eat dinner?” I ask him.
“I did, but I’m a growing boy.” He pats his flat stomach.
Imogen laughs.
The elevator dings again, and a minute later, we hear Ford yell, “What the hell is she doing here?”
“I think Lena just arrived.” Imogen holds up her finger.
We all laugh. Lena is the Jacobs’ family PR rep, but pretty much her sole responsibility is Ford because he’s always “fucking up,” as Mr. Jacobs puts it.
I pull out my phone. “I gotta make a phone call.”
“Who to?” Imogen asks.
“Drake’s got a girlfriend,” Maksim says with a chuckle.
I crinkle my nose. “Yeah, she wears my letterman jacket and everything.” I shake my head at Maksim.
“I thought she wore Joran’s,” Maksim hammers back—fuck, how did I forget about Joran?
Shit. Shit. Shit.
“Forgot about him, didn’t you?”
“I’ll be back.”
I walk into the Jacobs’ formal living room, which, if I had to describe it, I would say looks like an antique store. With a grand piano. Always the grand piano in places like this. I don’t even think any of the Jacobses play piano.
I decide that I don’t want to wake Saige, so I opt for a quick text to tell her where I am and that I’ll hopefully return to the room soon. Mr. Jacobs’ yelling and Ford’s talking back make me feel as though maybe I’m lying.
As I’m about to rejoin them in the kitchen, Mrs. Jacobs walks into the room. She’s in her pajamas and she sits on the couch, looking over a dark Central Park and the New York skyline.
“I’m going to be a grandmother,” she says. “I never dreamed it would happen at this age, but I suppose you boys are getting older now.”
I sit down in a chair. “This girl could be lying, or it could be someone else’s.”
She shakes her head and rests her hand on her stomach. “I’ve always trusted my gut, and my gut tells me this is it. Something had to happen before those two would rip each other’s heads off.” She nods toward the hallway that leads to the office where we can still hear Ford and his dad going at each other.
“How will a baby improve that?”
She smiles. “Because a baby bonds people. Doesn’t always keep them together, but it bonds them. Mr. Jacobs might seem harsh, but once he lays his eyes on his grandchild, their happiness will supersede all else.”
“Still, I’m not sure you should get your hopes up.”
“Oh, Aiden.” She leans forward and pats my leg. “Sometimes the best things happen as a result of the worst things you could imagine.”
I don’t know why the next words leave my mouth except that I need to talk to someone because I fucked up. But I don’t want to look at anything between Saige and me as a fuckup. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Always.”
“I’ve been falling for this woman, but she’s seeing my agent. I don’t think it’s serious between them or anything, but I slept with her tonight.” I throw my head back because all I saw was her and I forgot about Joran. I’m a total douchebag.
She pats my leg again. “You boys… the first question you need to answer is how much she means to you.”
“A lot. I haven’t felt this way—ever.”
“Then you challenge him to a duel.” She chuckles.
“A duel?”
“You fight for her. Your story is as old as time. Two men falling for the same woman. If she means that much to you and you honestly believe you’re the better one for her, then you need to fight for her. And just to clarify, I’m not talking about fists.”
I chuckle now. “I know.”
“Well, forgive me, but you know my son.”
I laugh and stand, knowing what I need to do. “I gotta go.” I kiss her cheek. “Thank you for the advice.”
“Any time, son, and please help Ford through this. He’s capable, but he’s going to believe he isn’t. Show him he is for me.”
“Definitely.”
I go into the kitchen to tell Maksim I’m leaving, and I say goodbye to Imogen.
Once I’m in a taxi, I text the first person I need to make it right with.
Me: Are you home or traveling?
Three dots appear just as I figured they would. He’s never without his phone.
Joran: Home. What happened? Is there something I need to know?
Me: No, just curious. I’ll talk to you in the morning.
Joran: You sure?
Me: Positive.
My next stop is the airport.
I figure seven o’clock in the morning is a respectable time to knock on Joran’s door. He’s probably been up for hours anyway.
He opens the door wearing silk boxers. “Okay, now I’m freaking out. What the hell is going on?” He ushers me in as though the police are looking for me and I’m a criminal.
“We need to talk.”
We walk through the kitchen toward the back patio by the pool and something in red catches my eye. A brunette in skimpy red lingerie is pulling apart an orange at the kitchen table.
“Viola, say hello to Aiden. A
iden, this is Viola.”
I stop in my tracks and tilt my head, making sure I understand the situation. “New roommate?”
Joran laughs. “Sure, man, come on.” He slaps me on the back to go outside.
Once we’re away from Viola, I don’t take a seat like Joran does. “Who is she really?”
“Have you been out of the game that long? Why do you think she’s here?”
“I think you’re fucking her.”
“Give the man a prize.” He claps. “Now sit your ass down.”
“You son of a bitch. How could you?” Before I can think better of it, I punch him in the mouth.
He holds his bloody lip, eyeing me. “Why the hell would you do that?” He stands. “Do you know her? Is she someone else’s?”
I point inside the house. “I don’t know who she is, and it doesn’t matter. What about Saige? You’re fucking around on her.”
He grabs a napkin and heads inside before coming back with some ice. I pace in front of the pool, my fists clenching at my sides.
“You’re gonna have to start from the beginning,” Joran says.
“You and Saige and now you and Viola. Did you tell Saige? Or are you just fucking around behind her back like always?”
He shakes his head. “Aiden, I’m not with Saige.”
I still and look at him.
He tries to hold both his hands in the air, but one hand is still holding his ice pack. “I’m not. I swear.”
“But she said…”
“She broke it off with me weeks ago. We’re very different people who want different things. I don’t have time for a girlfriend, and frankly, I don’t think she even wanted to be my girlfriend anyway.”
I crouch down and bury my head in my hands. “She lied?”
“I’m completely lost. Is this why you’re here so early? Because you thought I was messing around on her?” Joran sits down and holds the ice to his lip.
I blow out a breath. “I’m here to win her from you.”
He laughs. “And you thought I was going to fight you for her? Hell, you know whatever is mine is yours.”
I wince at his words. “I like her, Joran. But to be honest, I’m not sure she feels the same way. She’s been telling me you were together this entire time.”
