The D-Man

by Stephanie Julian

  “Vivi, you’re early! That’s great.” Jess hustled toward her in heels and a pencil skirt, her white blouse a beacon in the dark hall. “The guys are about to come off the ice and we need to catch them after they take showers and before they can leave.”

  Vivi was used to thinking on her feet, but with Jess bearing down on her like a freight train, she froze like a deer in the headlights.

  No. No way. This was happening. She absolutely could do this.

  Nodding, she forced herself to take the first few steps and the rest came naturally.

  Jess grabbed Vivi’s outstretched hand and practically dragged her down the hall.

  “It’s kind of a game,” Jess continued as they headed back the wide hall. “Most of the guys hate having their pictures taken, especially for the promo stuff. They practically run when they see me coming with a camera in my hand. Mostly because I make them look like crap. I’ve wanted to redo the promo videos and their head shots for weeks but I just haven’t had the time.”

  From the second Jess had started to talk, Vivi’s racing heart had started to calm. She’d dressed for an interview so she was wearing black pants and a pink blouse that complemented her hair. She’d toned down the overly bright hues the last time she’d touched up her color, but she still had streaks of blue, green, pink, and purple throughout her naturally honey-blonde hair.

  She hadn’t wanted to admit it, even to herself, but she’d been worried. She hadn’t let herself want this job. It’d seemed too good to be true, especially since it had practically fallen into her lap.

  And she still wasn’t sure Justin hadn’t gotten the damn thing for her. But those were all things she’d work through later.

  Right now, she actually had a job to do. A job that required her to use her creativity and not just a pinned-on smile. The smile she wore now was real.

  “So what exactly am I doing?”

  Jess gave her an almost shark-like grin. “Right now, you’re the bait. Most of them know you and they all like you, so I’m hoping that makes this photo shoot go a little easier.”

  “I’ve already got the screen set up in the green room so I’m just going to have Coach send them back when they’re ready and I’m going to stand guard near the exit so some of the more stubborn ones don’t try to sneak out.”

  Jess stopped at one of the doors along the hallway. Vivi heard the sound of skates on ice much more clearly now, but Jess opened the door and waved her into a large room. Several couches had been moved to one side of the room and a white screen had been set up on the far wall.

  “I’ve got a couple of cameras for you to use, but the Canon is better for video.” Jess stepped over to the laptop sitting on a low table in front of the couches and popped open the cover. “I’m really sorry to throw you into this with so little time to prepare but these...” she pointed at the screen, “are some of the best promo shots in the league. A few of the teams have an entire staff to do this stuff. We do have a group who does all the video work for the team and I get game footage from them when I need it, but basically I’ve been the one doing the promotional stuff. And now I have you. If I don’t scare you away before you even start.”

  Jess grinned hopefully at her and Vivi just laughed.

  “You have to do a lot more than ask me to photograph hot guys to scare me away. Let me take a look at the videos and come up with some ideas.”

  “If they’re as good as those shots you took of Justin, this should be a cakewalk.”

  Vivi grinned. “He was asleep for most of those, you know.”

  “I have no doubt you’ll be able to work your magic with an entire team of slightly grumpy, mostly tired men. Just please don’t hate me an hour from now.”

  *****

  Two hours later, Vivi’s nerves had vanished and her face hurt from smiling.

  That wasn’t a bad thing, because this time her smiles had been genuine. There’d been nights after working a six-hour shift at one of the bars or restaurants where it’d taken every ounce of control to keep a smile on her face and not want to bite people because they were assholes.

  This... This was fun.

  For the most part, the guys had been happy to see her and they’d been receptive to whatever she’d asked them to do. Even Coach Cary had let her try different things.

  The previous intern’s attempts at videos had been mostly unusable, from what she could tell. Only Jess’s marketing skills had been able to salvage some of them. Vivi knew she could give Jess better.

  And when the last guy finally shuffled into the room for his turn, Jess was feeling pretty confident.

  Until Justin walked in.

  And her heart began to race, this time with a mix of desire and a weird sense of trepidation.

  “I thought you had today off. Did you drive yourself here?”

  She checked him over with a critical eye, noting the lines of pain around his mouth.

  “I do, but Jess said you were taking team photos and since I need to have these done, I figured I’d come in and save you the hassle of having to set this all up again.”

  Vivi bit her tongue before she said anything. He was a grown man and she wasn’t his wife, just the girl he was having sex with.

  Stifling a wince at her own bitchiness, she wondered where the hell that had come from. They’d only been seeing each other for a couple of weeks, although they’d known each other for months now. And every little thing she learned about him made her like him more.

  And that was...frightening.

  That’s what that other emotion she felt was—fear.

  The realization shook her to her core.

  “Viv?”

  “Yeah, sorry. A lot on my mind right now.”

  He nodded and she could tell his mind had drifted to something else, something that was bothering him. She wanted him to tell her what was going on, wanted him to confide in her. Of course, if she couldn’t open up, why would he feel the need?

  Then he shook his head and that crooked grin of his reemerged. And she wanted to grab her camera and start shooting. But that’s not what she was there for. This was a job, a job she found herself wanting badly.

  And she didn’t want to screw it up. But she didn’t want to screw up her relationship with Justin, either.

  Grr.

  “Come over and stand here for me. You already have your jersey—”

  “Sweater. We call them sweaters.”

  “Okay, put your sweater on then come stand over here in front of the screen.”

  He did what she’d asked without another word then stood awkwardly in front of the screen.

  She went through the same routine she’d gone through with the other guys but, right away, she knew it wasn’t going to work. She’d watched Justin’s video footage from before and had felt embarrassed on his behalf. He’d been painfully uncomfortable and it’d showed.

  She hadn’t expected him to be difficult and it left her a little frustrated. Which he picked up on, of course.

  “Sorry.” He shook his head and dropped his head as he took a deep breath. “I’m not trying to be difficult.”

  “Is something wrong? Other than the pain you’re in.”

  “No, nothing’s wrong.” He huffed out a sigh as he raised his gaze to meet hers. “I’ve just always hated this stuff. It makes me feel awkward and stupid. I know it comes with the job but they don’t teach you how to handle this stuff in juniors, you know?”

  “But it’s me. You know me.” She teased him with a smile. “You know me pretty well. I won’t let you look stupid.”

  “I know. I just don’t want to...disappoint you.”

  Her lips parted for a second before she released her own breathless little sigh. How did he manage to take her breath away with a few words and a look?

  Walking over to stand in front of him, she looked up into his eyes. “Will it help if you imagine me naked? Because I am damn sure imagining you without a stitch of clothing right now. I can’t wait to get my hands on
you again.”

  There was the smile she wanted. The one that made her realize she’d do just about anything to make him smile.

  Just about anything.

  *****

  “So you quit? Just walked in and told him you were done?”

  “Yep.” Vivi shrugged as she sat on the couch next to Justin in her living room. “I just figured, with this new job, it was time.”

  The look of relief on Justin’s face was there and gone in a flash, but she knew she’d seen it. Of course, he was too polite to say anything other than, “I’m glad you’re out of there.”

  Vivi figured she probably shouldn’t mention the fact that Al, the owner of the Bomb Shelter, had told the all-female waitstaff that if they wanted to earn a little extra money, he’d convert the unused back room for “private parties.”

  The waitresses had looked at each other and rolled their eyes. Two had quit on the spot simply by taking off their aprons and walking out the door.

  Vivi had at least waited until the end of her shift before telling Al she was finished, and she’d be by to pick up her check at the end of the week.

  By that time, Al had been backpedaling fast and hard, telling them it was entirely up to them if they wanted to earn “a little extra.” But as soon as she’d announced she was leaving, Vivi had known she’d made the right decision.

  She’d always be able to find another job waitressing if she needed to. Besides, she had a job.

  “No offense but that place was a hole.”

  He wasn’t wrong, but there was still a little voice inside her that wanted to argue, that wanted to tell him it was her life and who was he to tell her how to live it.

  For so long, that’s all she’d done. She’d argued with her parents who wanted her to do things their way. She’d argued with her teachers who wanted her to do things a specific way.

  The one person she hadn’t argued with had been Jamie.

  And look how that’d turned out.

  But, for like the thousandth time, she told herself Justin wasn’t Jamie. He was nothing like her ex.

  So instead of fighting, she straddled his lap and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

  “You are totally right. That place was a shithole. But I don’t want to talk about that. We’re celebrating tonight.”

  His eyes brightened. “Oh yeah? What are we celebrating?”

  “Jess came through with an offer today.”

  It’d been a week since Vivi had started freelancing for the team but she’d known after the first day that she wanted it.

  Just as she knew his smile lit all sorts of sparks inside her.

  “And?” he asked.

  “And I’m taking it.”

  “That’s great, Viv. I’m really glad for you.”

  “Thank you. I’m really enjoying it. I wasn’t sure at first. Some of the stuff Jess has me doing wasn’t anything I ever thought I’d be interested in doing, but I like a challenge.”

  His gaze heated. “I guess that’s one thing we have in common.”

  “Oh yeah? What are the other things?”

  It’d been a week since they’d had sex. Well, it’d been a week since they’d had full penetration sex. She’d insisted he concentrate on healing, not on screwing around with her. She didn’t want to be responsible in any way for his not being able to play. And their sex life was surprisingly acrobatic.

  But now...

  His hands fell on her hips as she shimmied a little closer. On her knees above him, she smiled down into his eyes. He made her so damn happy, it was a little scary.

  “Well, we both like pepperoni on our pizza.”

  Her smile widened as his hands tugged her hips closer to his erection, which she could just barely sense between her legs. Opening her legs a little wider, she settled herself over the hard ridge and watched his eyelids lower.

  “That’s true.” She started a slow grind on his cock, separated by his sweats and her yoga pants. She’d soon be wet through her underwear and her pants. And she didn’t care a bit. “What else do we both like?”

  His breath deepened and his voice did, as well. “I think we both like when I make you come.”

  She shuddered at the desire in his voice, a rough edge that stroked along every single one of her nerve endings.

  “I think you’re right.”

  One of his hands slipped from her hip down her thigh then back up to cup her between her legs. He caught her clit beneath the heel of his hand and pressed, making her fight back a moan at the wonderful ache he stoked.

  “And I think,” she added, “that I like when you fuck me hard and fast.”

  He groaned as his lips crashed against hers, kissing her so hard she forgot to breathe for several seconds.

  When he pulled away, she sucked in air and followed him back to kiss him this time.

  While she was still worried about his ribs, she knew he’d been back to practice and had played both games the past weekend.

  So she could probably stop worrying about his injuries and...

  As if they could read each other’s minds, he worked her pants down her legs while she pushed his sweatpants down to his thighs.

  With her mouth plastered against his, she shifted forward, rubbing her labia against his cock. He was holding it away from his body, wetting the tip in the moisture coating her sex, teasing the hell out of both of them.

  She wanted to sink down and ride him until they both exploded but she also wanted to drag it out.

  Then again, slow and easy was overrated.

  Fitting herself to him, she took him inside, moaning at the burn as sank down.

  When she had him completely inside her, she sat there, enjoying the sensation of having him inside her.

  Hers.

  “Come on, Viv. Ride me.”

  Since she couldn’t seem to deny him anything, she did.

  Chapter Ten

  “Coach said you wanted to see me.”

  Turning toward the door to what she’d come to think of as her office, Vivi plastered a smile on her face for the player walking in.

  “Hi, Tony. I need to get some video and stills of you for promo. You weren’t here when we did them last week but I’m putting these shots together and I need you.”

  Tony had been the only player she hadn’t been able to catch. She would’ve thought he was deliberately avoiding her except Jess had told her Coach had given him emergency leave for something. Something no one knew anything about. Come to think of it, she hadn’t seen Tony’s girlfriend, Mia, at the last several games.

  Mia was a mouse, quiet and shy, never speaking unless spoken to first. Vivi had wondered if there was something going on between Mia and Tony that might verge on abuse, and she’d said something to Sophie about it once.

  But Sophie had shaken her head, saying several of the girlfriends had talked to her privately and Mia had never once said anything bad about Tony, and none of them had gotten the vibe that she was lying. Hell, Sophie had said, the woman actually seemed to think the guy walked on water.

  “You can have me for whatever you want.”

  But Vivi heard the undertone in Tony’s voice now and couldn’t help but roll her eyes. The guy might sincerely love Mia but he was definitely a creep. He made the room seem a little smaller and made her feel a little vulnerable.

  It didn’t help that he weighed at least two-twenty-five and stood six-four.

  “Well, I just need you for a few minutes for photos then you can get back to practice.”

  He shrugged, obviously not worried about missing practice or in a hurry to get back to it.

  Justin hated being late for practice, his work ethic never in question. Same for every other player on the team. They practiced hard, played hard, and got up the next day and did it again. Sure, they bitched and groaned but she could tell it was all for show.

  Tony didn’t give off the same vibe. He acted like he deserved more and this team was just a stop on the way to bigger and better that was m
eant to be his.

  Or maybe she just didn’t like the guy and she was reading him totally wrong.

  Either way, didn’t matter, she had a job to do.

  And just thinking about it made her smile.

  Which made Tony’s not-ugly features pull into a grin.

  “So where do you want me?”

  Again, she didn’t miss the innuendo in his voice and hoped to hell she got this done fast.

  This time her smile was completely professional. “Against the screen, please.”

  Tony took his time walking across the room, but as she took him through the various poses and motions for the camera, he behaved like a professional.

  It wasn’t until she was almost finished that Tony’s dick side reappeared.

  “You sure you got everything you need? You don’t need me to take off my clothes and lie on the couch?”

  Apparently, the entire team had seen the pictures she’d taken of Justin.

  “No, I got everything I need.”

  He dipped his head but didn’t leave.

  “Perry mentioned you got a job here. Nice to have a boyfriend who can help you out like that.”

  Her teeth gritted in an effort to hold back the snarky reply that wanted to escape. She knew she shouldn’t say anything. Knew she should just let it go. But that wasn’t how she was made. At least her job at the Bomb Shelter had taught her how to deal with assholes like this.

  “Justin’s great. But I didn’t ask him to get me this job. As a matter of fact, I told him not to interfere. I know it sounds impossible, but women don’t need men to get jobs for them. Amazing but true.”

  He shrugged, his mouth curved in a slight sneer. “Didn’t mean to get your panties in a twist.” He raised his hands in mock surrender. “Just something I heard. Those photos of Perry were kinda kinky. I liked ’em. Maybe you can set up a shoot for me.”

  She wanted to tell him no. Just wanted to shove it in his face and tell him to fuck off.

  But that wasn’t going to happen. He wasn’t worth the aggravation if he decided to complain to management. So she pulled on her big-girl panties and looked him in the eyes.

  “Sorry, not taking freelance jobs right now.”