HAT TRICK

CARRIE GRAY

CORALEE JUNE

Hat Trick

Copyright © 2021 by June Publishing

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Editing by Helayna Trask with Polished Perfection

Photography by Marx Chavez

Cover Model: Leo Nobre

Created with Vellum

To glitter. You bring a bit of sparkle and revenge to our lives, and we love you for it.

CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Epilogue

About the Author

Also by Carrie Gray and CoraLee June

CHAPTER ONE

“I can’t believe you’re doing this. Do you know how much this car costs? It’s eighty grand. What if he presses charges? Why don’t we just listen to a Carrie Underwood song and imagine ourselves ruining his ride instead of actually doing it? Oh fuck. No, don’t do it—”

I picked up the gigantic box of glitter and dumped it in the front seat of my cheating boyfriend’s Range Rover while cackling. I was running on pure rage and adrenaline as my best friend had a fucking panic attack. “Oh gosh. This is bad. This is very bad.” Danielle watched me in horror as I scooped up a handful of pink glitter and tossed it in the air vents.

“He deserves it,” I growled. I knew that anyone walking by would see a woman on the edge. Chad was lucky that the sight of blood made me queasy, or I would have gone A Nightmare on Elm Street on his ass. Stabby. I felt stabby. And a bit weepy. But he wasn’t worth the tears.

“I know you’re upset. I’m just worried about you,” Danielle whispered. Even though this went against every pacifist bone in her slender body, she stood watch over the darkened street as I glitter bombed Chad’s car.

“Three women were in that video, Danielle,” I cursed. “I quit my job for this man. My dream job. I moved across the country and put up with his insane schedule because I thought he was the one. And then he had the audacity to pull a Hat Trick with three puck bunnies while on the road? I thought we were going to get married!” I screamed into the night sky.

Pulling a tube of red lipstick out of my purse, I wrote the word Cheater on his windshield. He used to love this shade of red on me. He particularly liked it when I gave him blowjobs while wearing it. Never again.

“Oh shit. I should probably get tested for STDs,” I whispered. “What if this has been going on forever and I now have every disease under the sun?” I started to hyperventilate and debated on ripping apart the leather seats with my bare hands.

“Well, it’s a good thing your best friend is also your gynecologist then, hmm?” Danielle replied, trying to placate me. “Why don’t we stop destroying his car and go get some wine? You can come to the office tomorrow, and I’ll run some tests.”

I slumped my shoulders in defeat. Fucking Chad. Why couldn’t he just keep his hockey stick in his pants? I knew dating the best player in the league would have its downfalls. He was too damn hot for his own good. I just never imagined it would come to this.

Danielle inched toward me like an expert hostage negotiator, one hand out and ready to disarm me of the glitter. I knew she was right, I really shouldn’t be destroying a car that was worth two years of my salary. At least, two years of my salary before this twat waffle convinced me to quit my job and move in with him. He said he would take care of me while I looked for a new job. A perfect job. He claimed that I would be better off with him. What was I thinking? Now I’m homeless, unemployed, and single. I should have known better than to trust him.

Danielle was only a foot away from me, arm half outstretched. No doubt she intended to use it to guide me away from the car, but thinking about my job sent a new surge of anger through me. I pulled away and flung my purse to the ground. Danielle’s eyes were as wide as saucers while I frantically dug through my ridiculously oversized bag.

“Peyton, what are y—” Danielle started to ask. My manic giggles cut her off as I found the little bottle of hairspray I kept in my purse in case of flyaway emergencies. I ran to the front of the car and aimed the aerosol can at the steering wheel. Slamming my finger down on the trigger, I unloaded the entire bottle of wet, sticky spray.

“Good luck bringing the bunnies home with you now, motherpucker!” I yelled at the mess in front of me, satisfied that he would be finding glitter for months. Oh, to be a fly on the wall when he had to explain where all the glitter came from to his new girlfriend.

Douche canoe.

“Ok, sweetie, time to go,” Danielle cooed as she grabbed my hand. “Practice is almost over, and I really don’t want to be here when Chad finds out his most prized possession has been turned into a disco ball.”

I didn’t have any more fight left in me anyway, so I let her lead me away from the scene of my super cliché crime. I never thought I would be that girl. The crazy ex-girlfriend who goes over the edge and ends up with a country song written about her. But here we were.

“Can I stay with you for a few days?” I asked Danielle as we made our way back to her minivan. “Or at least until I find a new job and a place to live.” I sniffled. This morning when my mother sent me the video trending on Pornhub (I didn’t even want to think about why my mother was casually browsing Pornhub.), I had a full-blown breakdown. It was taken last week in Atlanta after his team won a championship. I must be a masochist, because I watched the entire thing. The entire. Fucking. Thing. It was a two-hour video full of fucking and sucking and drunken dirty talk. It would have been kind of hot if it didn’t feel like my heart was being ripped from my chest.

Once I was done watching, I grabbed a trash bag and threw all my belongings into it, then called Danielle to come pick me up. Because, oh yeah, I didn’t have a car, either. He was going to buy me a new one since my old Honda barely made the move here.

“You know you can stay with me as long as you’d like. Is it going to be weird having the team members at the house though? Brock doesn’t like Chad, but he’s team captain…” Danielle replied nervously. My best friend was married to one of the best forwards in the league, it’s how we met.

“It’ll just be for a few days. I have a nest egg saved up for emergencies. And hopefully it won’t take too long to find a new job. I do have a kick-ass resume, you know,” I replied with a smile. “And to answer your other question, no, it won’t be awkward. Just because your charming husband works with my cheating ex doesn’t mean that I’ll suddenly stop talking to you. Introducing me to you was probably the only good thing Chad ever did for me.”

Danielle beamed and let out a sigh of relief. “Okay, good. ’Cause you’re like my only source of human interaction since having the triplets, and I think I’d be devastated if you stopped talking to me.”

“Never,” I promised as she put her minivan in drive and headed toward the wine bar. “My job is just so niche. I might not be able to stay in Boston,” I admitted. “I’ll have to go wherever the work is.”

Danielle pouted. “I know, a job working in team event management is hard to find. Maybe Brock can put in a good word for you here with the Bruins?”

“So I can spend every day making travel arrangements for my famous cheating ex? No, thank you,” I replied with a laugh. “I’m just going to have to keep an open mind. Maybe network with some other teams in the league. I could call the Flyers back in Philadelphia. I left on good terms, and even though it would be embarrassing as fuck, I’m sure they would put in a good word. Hell, I’d go back if they hadn’t already replaced me.”

“The NHL is hosting a conference in Chicago in a couple of weeks,” Danielle offered. “I can’t go, because I have three moms about to go into labor and I’ll be on call, but Brock can take you! You can reconnect with some industry professionals and players and see if there are any job openings. I mean, you haven’t been here all that long. I’m sure you haven’t been forgotten. Before, you had a list of teams dying to work with the best coordinator in the business.” A pang of sadness hit me in the chest. I really was the best—the best of the best. I couldn’t believe I gave that all up for fucking Chad.

I forced a smile. “That would be great. Seriously? Brock wouldn’t mind?” I asked.

“You know Brock thinks of you like a sister. He’d be happy to help.”

“He’s the best,” I cried, my eyes watering. “I’m going to be okay, right? Like, it’s okay. Even if Chad gave me some nasty STD and I can’t find work and my life is ruined.”

Danielle pulled into the wine bar’s parking lot. “Should we get prosecco? I think this is a prosecco day.”

“Get me the merlot,” I sobbed, snot trailing down my face. I was full-blown ugly crying. Danielle, who was obviously uncomfortable from my depressing display of tears, quickly grabbed her designer handbag and practically ran to the front door of our usual wine spot.

What the fuck had I done? I knew better than this. I was living my best life, managing events and travel for one of the hottest teams in the league when I met Chad. Six months. Six months was all it took his magic dick to trick me into quitting my job and moving to Boston. I allowed myself to get bewitched by his cock and oral skills. He asked me to move with him to Boston, and I said yes. I dropped everything and followed him here. And for what? Another six months with a cheating asshole and nothing to my name. A year of my life wasted. What was I going to do?

My phone started ringing, and I glared at the caller ID.

Chad Baby Honeybuns Snookums was his name on my phone. It was a joke between us when we first started dating, but now it made me sick. I debated for a long moment before answering the call. “You asshole,” I cried out the second I answered. “A Hat Trick porno? I moved across the country for you, Chad!”

“What the fuck did you do to my car?” He sounded hysterical.

Good.

“Oh? You like it?” I snapped. “Fuck your car. Where is my apology? You should be begging for my forgiveness right now, not worrying about your fucking car. Grovel like your dick depends on it.”

I imagined Chad sitting in his glitter bomb Range Rover and felt a smidge better.

“I’m sorry, Peyton. I didn’t think you’d ever find out. It was just some harmless fun. One of the girls uploaded it on Pornhub. My agent is pissed.” I wanted to punch him in the dick for sounding so nonchalant.

I scoffed. “Your agent is pissed? What about me?” I shouted. “And it wasn’t harmless fun. You cheated on me, Chad.”

“I’m sorry, baby. I just didn’t think it was that big of a deal. It was just one time. It’s not like we’re married.”

How the fuck did I not know how shitty of a person he was before today? “We were in a committed relationship, Chad. I moved in with you. How could you be so selfish? How could you be such a prick? How did it take so long for me to realize how fucking shitty of a human you are!”

“You need to calm down,” Chad argued. “Just come home, we can talk about things.”

I sputtered. “I don’t want to talk. I don’t want to even look at you. Thanks for the orgasms, Chad, but I deserve better. I’m done. Fuck you. Fuck your fucking asshole fucking fuck face fucking life, you fucker.” I was most definitely screaming nonsense now. I was so mad I just wanted to tell him to fuck off on repeat. “I hope you have a terrible life. I hope you get early male pattern baldness and erectile dysfunction disorder! And for the record, I think you’re a gigantic steaming pile of shit!”

I hung up the phone and clenched my fists. Fuck Chad. Fuck him to fucking fuck hell. I was so done. I’d get my life back if it killed me.

CHAPTER TWO

“Manning,” I answered when the well-dressed man at the front desk asked for the name on my reservation. I squinted my eyes to read his name. Dennis was printed on the name tag pinned neatly to his suit jacket.

“Is that for Peyton?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes,” I tried not to groan. “I knowwww. I share a name with one of the most famous football players in the world,” I said in a bored tone. “I really should have gotten into team management for the NFL. Too bad I ended up in hockey.”

“Oh, are you here for the NHL conference this weekend?” Dennis’s face lit up, temporarily forgetting his amusement with my name. “I’m a huge fan of the Hawks. They toured the Stanley Cup all over the city after their last win in twenty-fifteen, and I got to touch it!”

I had been to this hotel many times over my career, as it was the closest one to the United Center. The seasoned staff members were used to seeing players, reporters, and recruiters. They didn’t even bat an eye anymore. Dennis must be new here to be getting so excited. Especially over homeless, unemployed, single, but STD-free (thank fuck) me.

“She sure is,” Brock answered for me. “Peyton is here as my guest and should get VIP treatment,” he said with a wink. I was grateful that Brock was here moving things along. He was already checked in since he didn’t have to waste five minutes explaining his name.

“Yes, sir,” Dennis said, straightening up. He definitely recognized Brock. I could tell he was fighting the urge to ask for an autograph. After a moment of tapping away at the keyboard, Dennis handed me a room key.

“Thank you, Dennis,” I said with a smile, secretly hoping that Brock’s team captain status just scored me a room upgrade.

Dennis directed us to an elevator and let us know we could put our breakfast orders in until ten the next morning. We made our way over to the area he had gestured to, and as soon as we were out of sight, Brock swiped my room key. “Twenty-second floor, not bad.”

“What did you get?” I asked, grabbing my key card back.

“Twenty-third. One whole floor higher,” he teased, stepping into the elevator. “Don’t tell my wife, but I am so thrilled to have a full night’s sleep. The triplets are teething, and I love the little crotch goblins, but their nonstop cries are something out of a horror movie. I don’t know how Danielle does it.”

Brock shook his head. My best friend’s husband was like a brother to me. He was a beefy dude with a missing front tooth. Bald, pale, and strong as hell. He was good at his job but even better at being a husband to my best friend. The dude was kind, caring, and funny. I was glad that Danielle had a man like him, and watching them both raise their three boys was adorable. It reinforced that I wanted that for myself.

Fucking Chad.

“How are you holding up?” Brock asked.

“Okay. Ish. You already asked me that this morning while I was cooking breakfast.”

Brock’s face twisted up in an expression I didn’t recognize. “Yeah. About that,” he said.

My eyes thinned to slits. “About what?”

“You really don’t have to feel bad about staying with us. I know you want to help, but please stop cooking for us. I really miss my wife’s cooking.”

I tilted my head back and laughed. “You didn’t like my burnt cinnamon rolls?”

“Our dog wouldn’t even eat them,” he deadpanned. “Look. You’re seriously welcome for as long as you need. You’re family, Peyton. Chad is a dick, and I hate that he did this to you, but my wife loves you. I care about you, too. Just please, for the love of hockey, stop trying to make us food, because we’re all starving. Danielle had me sneak out at four a.m. for some McDonald’s a few days ago.”

“When I made my chicken parmesan? You both ate your entire plate!” I exclaimed.

“We tossed it when you weren’t looking,” he admitted sheepishly. “You already help so much with the triplets. You really don’t need to help in the kitchen.”

I rolled my eyes. “Fair enough. I won’t subject you to my terrible cooking anymore.”

When the elevator stopped at my floor and the doors opened, I wheeled my stupidly big suitcase out, waving goodbye to Brock. I managed to call out, “But I did get this new recipe for lasagna I’ve been dying to try!” before the doors closed.

I found my room and held the key up to the black pad by the handle. When the electronic click and flashing green light signaled that I could enter, I turned the handle and went inside.

Holy. Crap. I definitely got an upgrade.

The floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the Chicago skyline made me slightly less sick about having to use my credit card for the room. Danielle had offered to pay for the entire trip, but I couldn’t let her do that. I needed to do this on my own, and I definitely needed to feel like I was capable of handling my own future. Chad really fucked me up in the head. My pride was wounded. I wanted to prove that I could pick myself up off the floor and not let what happened to me derail everything that I’d worked so hard to achieve. I was embarrassed. I was depressed. I was—

My phone started ringing. I glanced at the caller ID and saw Chad’s name. I immediately rejected the call.

I was pissed.

He was probably going to be at the event, and I refused to let him see me looking anything less than fucking perfect. I was going to get a job. I was going to look so damn delicious that he’d regret ever cheating on me. I was going to pick up the pieces of my shattered heart and slit his throat with the jagged edges.

Okay. Too far. Maybe I needed to chill a bit.

After showering and getting ready for the event, I unpacked the sexy dress I’d brought from my garment bag and hung it up. It was time to make Chad pay. Unzipping the bag, I ran my fingers over the black slinky material that hugged my curves perfectly. Slipping the dress over my head, I smiled at the plunging neckline that went to my ribcage. My tits were on full display, and they looked amazing. Chad could eat his fucking heart out.

I reached back to pull up the zipper, and it wouldn’t budge. I sucked in my stomach and tried again, but it was no use, the dress was too tight. My killer little black dress didn’t fit. Maybe it was all the donuts I’d eaten over the last two weeks, but what was once my normal fuck-me dress of choice was now my what the fuck have I been eating for the last month dress of shame.

I quickly dialed Danielle’s number and resisted the urge to cry.

“Danielle, I can’t wear this!” I screeched into my phone while twirling in the full-length mirror in my hotel room. I didn’t even give her a chance to say hello. My pale blonde hair was perfect, and the smoky makeup I applied? Flawless. It complimented my tan skin beautifully. My oversized boobs were spilling out of my bra, and I had shaved every inch of my body from the neck down. The only problem was that my size four evening gown needed to be a generous size six.

“You just need a safety pin to hold the top of the zipper together, some Spanx, and a jacket maybe?” Danielle smiled politely from the video chat. Not even the poor internet connection could hide her smile turning into a slight grimace as she helpfully offered, “I told you to try it on before you left.”

“That doesn’t help me now,” I whined. “And I don’t have any Spanx.”

“Brock has saran wrap. He uses it to ice his knees and brings it with him wherever he goes. Just run to his room real quick and grab some.”

“You want me to wrap myself up like yesterday’s lunch?” I deadpanned.

“You don’t really have any other options. The gala starts in less than an hour,” Danielle replied.

“Fine,” I said with a curse. “You call him and let him know I’m on my way. I don’t have time to explain why I need an ice arena’s worth of saran wrap.”

If I hadn’t just spent hours on my makeup, I would have been wallowing in self-pity as I opened my hotel door and started sprinting to the elevators. To my horror, the steel doors on the only working elevator in our twenty-something-floor wing of the hotel started to close. In my desperation, I threw myself in their way, praying that this was one of those elevators with automatic sensors and not one of the ones that would crush me to death.

After two terrifying seconds of the doors squeezing me enough to actually fit into my dress, the pressure eased and the doors opened back up. “Not today, Satan!” I yelled triumphantly as I fell the rest of the way into the elevator, right into a wall of solid muscle.

“Ummmph,” the rock-hard abs moaned.

I looked up to see Noah Heartland, left-wing forward for the Dallas Stars.

Holy guacamole.

Noah was the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome. His dark brown hair was tousled, and his warm eyes glinted with amusement as he stared back down at me and asked, “What floor?”

“Huh?” I asked, caught up in a fantasy involving licking chocolate off of his chiseled jawline.

“Oh, umm, twenty-three!” I stammered as I realized that my hands were still on his chest, bracing myself from my fall on the way in. Giggling awkwardly, I removed them and turned to face the elevator panel, pushing the button.

“Unfortunately, it’s going to be a minute. You caught me on my way back from the gym. I’m on the third floor, so you’re stuck with me.” Oh darn. My previous frenzied need to get to Brock’s room as soon as possible was completely forgotten. “So, what’s on the twenty-third floor that’s worth throwing yourself into an elevator for?”

“Saran wrap,” I choked out before instantly regretting my answer.

“Oh? Got some leftovers that need saving?”

I looked Noah up and down once more. He had a small chip in his front tooth and a twinkle in his eye that drew me in.

No fucking way. No way. I’d already dated one hockey star, and look where that got me. You couldn’t pay me to do that again. I suppose it didn’t matter if I was honest with him or not. I didn’t give a flying flip what Noah thought of me.

“Actually, I need to wrap it around my stomach so this dress actually fits,” I replied while smoothing the material over my stomach. “I’ve had like a bazillion sprinkled donuts in the last two weeks, and my poor dress can’t handle the recent weight gain.”

Noah’s smoldering eyes looked me up and down in a slow, lingering sort of way that had my vagina crying. “It looks like it fits you perfectly in my opinion.”

I swallowed while shifting my weight between my feet and nervously twirling my hair. “Oh. Thank you.” Noah grinned, and the sight of his sexy smile made me drop my hotel key on the ground. “Shittlesticks,” I cursed before bending down to pick it up.

Big. Mistake.

I heard the sound of my dress ripping before I felt the cool breeze at my side. The tear went from my ribcage all the way to my hip, and my side boob was on full display.

I tried to grab the fabric, but it was no use. Noah didn’t even bother to hide the fact that he was staring. When our eyes met, his mouth was gaping open, his brows raised in shock. “Shittlesticks is right,” he echoed while licking his lips. It took us both a good ten seconds to act. The elevator chimed, signifying that the doors were going to open again, and he quickly shrugged out of his hoodie and tossed it to me. I put it on in two seconds flat, and the material swallowed me whole but covered me up.

An older man stepped into the car, and I hugged the sweatshirt tightly around my chest. The man smiled and started jovially talking about the weather. It was more like shouting. I think he was trying to tell the entire hotel about how much he was enjoying the warm weather. He and his wife thought it would be much colder, and they had bought matching windbreakers for their big trip to the Windy City.

I smiled politely and triple-checked that my nipples were safely tucked inside Noah’s zip-up hoodie. There was a faint scent of Axe body spray and lingering sweat from Noah’s workout clinging to the sweatshirt, and strangely, I didn’t hate it. My mind instantly compared Noah to Chad. Chad’s clothes always smelled like straight-up ballsack after a workout.

The elevator dinged again, the doors slowly opening to Noah’s floor. He slipped his arm around my waist and attempted to guide me out with him. I didn’t budge. “This isn’t my floor.”

“I know.” He leaned in close and asked in a low raspy whisper, “But would you rather give me back my hoodie here or in the privacy of my hotel room?”

I pressed my lips together into a fine line and appraised him. Asshole. “I can leave it at the front desk,” I said through clenched teeth.

“I have a sewing kit in my room. I can have your dress fixed within the hour. With a little ingenuity, I can even take it out a half inch to give you more breathing room.”

My mouth dropped open. “You sew?”

“Are you getting off on this floor?” the loud man asked, his voice booming around me.

“I once did a Petersham Peek Seam in ten minutes flat.”

I had no fucking clue what a Petersham Peek Seam was, but it sounded important and impressive. “Fine,” I snapped back. “Lead the way.”

We exited the elevator, and Noah kept his large hand at the base of my back, leading me toward a room at the far end of the hall. “I’m bunking with one of my teammates. I’m going to knock first to make sure he’s not masturbating.” I stumbled at the careless way Noah tossed out that little bit of information. Upon seeing my bewildered expression, Noah laughed. “We have a rule about masturbating while the other person is gone. He lives in a constant state of sexual frustration, so I made a big production of extending my morning workout so he could have the space to himself.”

“You’re a good friend,” I teased.

Noah clasped his chest. “It’s the least I could do.”

Noah knocked and whistled to himself, giving whoever was on the other side of the door time to—uh—finish. People had different coping mechanisms. I hadn’t even looked at my vibrator since Chad fucked me over. Some people got off, some people ate donuts and grew two dress sizes.

“Come in,” a deep voice boomed from the other side.

“You dressed? I’ve got someone with me.”

I stared at the floor and waited some more as shuffling could be heard. “Yep. I’m good.”

Noah smiled at me encouragingly before holding his key card up to the electronic lock and twisting the knob.

Holy cannoli.

The man on the other side of the door had gray sweatpants slung low on his body, showing off the most defined Adonis belt I’d ever seen in my life. He was shirtless, his dark hair tousled and wild. His lips were shiny, as if he’d just applied some Chapstick, and the light dusting of facial hair on his jaw gave him a rugged look. I eyed him up and down, my cheeks growing hot. “Hey, I’m Joni.” He stretched out his hand to shake mine, and I swallowed while staring at it. All of a sudden, I wondered if that was the hand. As in, the hand that he was using to stroke his junk into therapeutic oblivion.

Sensing my unease, Joni turned to look at Noah. “Did you tell her about our masturbation agreement? Why do you always tell girls about that?” He turned to me. “I washed my hands, you know. I’m hygienic for fuck’s sake. I wouldn’t polish the banister without washing up afterward.”

I giggled, mostly because I was uncomfortable, before deciding to shake his hand. Yep. This wasn’t awkward at all. I wasn’t wearing Noah’s sweatshirt as my poor dress hung on by a thread. I wasn’t jobless. Single. My eyes watered. “It’s nice to meet you,” I said with a sniffle.

Joni’s eyes widened, and he looked at Noah. “Uh. Is she okay?”

“I’m great. I’m fine. I’m just ready to get my dress fixed so I can finish getting ready,” I replied. At my words, Joni looked me up and down, suddenly realizing that I was wearing a moist sweatshirt over an evening gown. “I met Noah in the elevator just now. My dress ripped, and poor Noah had to see my tits go rogue,” I explained. Face, meet palm.

“Oh? Lucky Noah.” Joni licked his lips and stepped closer. There was a smolder in his cerulean eyes that made me tremble.

Noah, who had remained quiet during our exchange, started to laugh. “Why don’t we get your dress fixed, hmm? And why don’t you go workout or something, Joni?” Noah added, his voice holding more force than necessary.

“I already worked out today. I think I’d like to stay here and see—I’m sorry, what was your name, beautiful?”

“Peyton,” I said. “Peyton Manning.”

He and Noah exchanged looks, but both men had the good sense not to comment on my ridiculous name. Damn my name for producing famous athletes. Joni continued, “I’ll just stay here and make sure Peyton doesn’t need anything.”

“I’m sure she doesn’t want you leering at her while I fix her dress,” Noah replied. “Besides, I need you to go pick up our suits from the dry cleaner down the street.”

Joni frowned. “Fine.” The large man turned to me. “Let me buy you a drink tonight at the event?”

I smiled. “I never say no to free drinks.”

Joni licked his lips. “It’s a date.”

CHAPTER THREE

“So, what did you do wrong that you only got the third floor? Did you yell at Dennis at the front desk?” I asked, using my hands to cover my nipples while Noah sized up the damage to my poor, overworked dress. We were standing in the living room of his impressive suite. I was in front of the full-length mirror, Say Yes to the Dress style, while Noah circled me with needle and thread in hand.

“Nothing,” he said with a shrug. “I prefer being closer to the ground. That way I don’t have to wait on elevators. Unless, of course, the hotel decides to put the gym on a higher floor.”

“Of course,” I echoed. Like that was a problem I was faced with constantly.

My phone started buzzing. Shit, it was probably Brock wondering where I was after getting an SOS call from Danielle. I was supposed to be in his room, wrapping myself in an entire roll of saran wrap. I was trying to work out how to answer my phone without flashing Noah the goods again when he picked it up and answered it for me.

He was saving my dress and keeping my calls from going to voicemail? My hero. “Peyton Manning’s phone, may I ask who is calling?”

Wow. He had a great phone voice. If his multi-million dollar career playing hockey ever fell through, he could totally be a receptionist.

I waited with a smile. Brock was probably confused as hell. Noah’s brow creased as he looked at me. “Chad Northwood?”

My heart fell out of my ass. Why the hell was Chad calling? And why did Noah have to answer? Forgetting my nipples, I shot my hand out to grab the phone. Noah’s eyes landed on me, and I blushed. Forgetting the call, his dark, hungry gaze locked onto my tit like my boob was made of pure gold.

“No. This is Noah Heartland. Peyton didn’t mention a boyfriend?”

I grabbed the cellphone and started talking, modesty be damned. “Stop calling me, Chad. We broke up.”

Chad’s voice was an angry growl. “Why are you with the Dallas Stars’ team captain, Peyton? Is this your way of getting back at me? You’re such a fucking whore. Him? Really? You’re fucking him?”

Anger clouded my judgment, and I started yelling into the receiver. “You don’t get a say in who I fuck anymore, Chad. You cheated on me, remember? And yes. I’m currently in Noah Heartland’s hotel room, getting my pussy eaten like it’s the best damn meal of his life, so fuck off. Stop calling me. And for the record, I’ll be at the event tonight. You better stay away from me, or I’ll make what I did to your precious car look like child’s play.”

I hung up, chest heaving. It wasn’t until Noah cleared his throat that I realized what I’d done. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I was just so angry with him I—”

“Best damn meal of my life, hmm?”

“Sometimes my mouth works faster than my brain,” I said, feeling heat reach the tips of my ears as they turned red. “Can we pretend that I didn’t just lie about riding your face to get back at my ex?”

Noah looked me over again slowly. “Or…we could take advantage of having the room to ourselves. I mean, we wouldn’t want to make a liar out of you, now would we?”

Noah’s eyes clouded with pure lust, and my clit lit up like the Fourth of July at the prospect of getting licked. Calm down, girl, I mentally told my throbbing nub. We don’t have time for this.

“I can give you the best orgasm of your life and fix your dress in twenty minutes flat,” he rasped. Damn, he was like a sexy, punctual mind reader.

“We probably shouldn’t,” I said, though I didn’t mean it. It felt like what you were supposed to say before you did something reckless. I wasn’t here to get laid. I was here to find a new job.

“Why shouldn’t we?” Noah asked.

“Because the welcome gala starts in less than an hour…and because I just met you?” The subtle lift in my tone made my statement sound like a question. I was trying to talk myself out of this and failing miserably. “I hardly know you.”

“What better way to get acquainted?” he replied smoothly. My legs trembled. He took a step closer.

“I literally just got out of a relationship.”

“With Chad, no less. I hate that guy.”

I laughed nervously. “That makes two of us.”

“Something we have in common!” Noah replied. “We both hate Chad. You know what they say…”

My breath hitched. “Oh?”

“You should fuck the enemy of your enemy,” Noah replied before running his hand down his abs.

“I, uh, I’m not sure that’s how the phrase goes.”

Noah smiled, his blinding grin devious and mischievous. “I like my version better.”

I knew this was a bad idea, but Noah looked like the kind of man you shouldn’t pass up on. The stamina alone would—

No. I really shouldn’t. I just got out of a terrible relationship, and I—

But what if this was what I needed? A quick fuck to get off and get over Chad once and for all. Plus, Noah hates the Boston Bruins. It would be the perfect payback.

Plus, there were worse rebound fucks than a hockey god.

“You promise to still fix my dress?” I asked, my head cocked to the side as I appraised him for a moment longer.

“I swear it,” Noah rushed out like an eager teen about to see tits for the first time.

Fuck it, I thought. I let go of my dress, letting it drop to the floor. The split decision made my heart gallop wildly in my chest. What the fuck was I doing?

“And this is just a quick no-strings fuck? As you can tell, I’m a hot mess right now, and I don’t need anything complicated.”

Crazy. I was going crazy. This wasn’t me. I didn’t fuck random guys fifteen minutes after meeting them. I needed to be focused, right? Get a fucking job and—

“No complications. Got it.”

Before I could change my mind, Noah stripped out of his pants and closed the gap between us, his lips slamming onto mine. His tongue parted the seam and found mine, taking control. It had been a long time since I had been kissed like this; Chad’s tongue was more like a limp noodle. A predictable limp noodle, at that. He would rotate his tongue three times to the left, three times to the right, then run it along my bottom lip and repeat.

I really needed to stop thinking about Chad. I should be focused on the tall, dark, and handsome man who currently had his masterful tongue inside my mouth.

Noah slid his hands up and down my body, letting them roam. After exploring the curves of my hips and smacking my ass, he moved up to tease my nipple.

“This is what I wanted to do in the elevator,” he said, bending down and covering my breast with his mouth. His teeth grazed my pebbled nipple, and I moaned, my back arching reflexively. I had almost forgotten how good this felt.

Noah lifted me, extra ten pounds and all, and carried me easily to one of the beds in the room. He laid me down before ripping off his T-shirt, revealing perfectly sculpted abs. If I wasn’t lying right in front of him, I would have thought they were airbrushed.

“Why do hockey players have the best bodies?” I pouted. I was a sucker for hockey players.

Noah grinned and started kissing me up and down my body, his lips soft but demanding. “Stop talking,” he ordered. “And take off your panties.”

His fingers hooked around the waistband of my black thong, and I lifted my hips up so he could ease them off of me. Noah tossed them across the room, and I writhed as he kissed the inside of my thigh. His large hands, calloused from holding a stick all the time, pried my legs apart. Using my elbows to prop myself up, I craned my neck to look down at Noah. “Remember, twenty minutes. I don’t want to be late.”

I cringed at my own comment. What the fuck was wrong with me? There was a god of a man in between my legs, and I was trying to micromanage his sexy time schedule.

“Seriously, Peyton. Stop talking.” He flashed me a grin that would have melted my panties off if they hadn’t already been tossed all the way across the room. His head dipped down out of my sight, and I eased my head back onto the pillow.

Noah resumed trailing kisses along the inside of my thigh, and he stopped just before my apex. Switching to the other side, he teased a path of wet, hot kisses with his tongue. My burning need for his mouth to be on me no longer had anything to do with the time.

“Noah, please,” I whimpered, my clit throbbing for him. My swollen folds begged for his touch as his tongue and hands roamed everywhere on my body except for the part of me sending out the siren’s call.

My hips thrust forward, and I let out a moan of relief as his tongue found my nub. Noah held my thighs open as I squirmed beneath him. He traced my slit, flicking his tongue as he went. Holy hell, this motherpucker knew what he was doing.

Releasing one of my thighs, Noah slid his hand up toward my center and slipped his fingers inside of my slick, wet heat. My hips rocked back and forth against his mouth, matching the rhythm of his fingers inside.

The hotel room melted away around me as Noah expertly drew an orgasm from me. My muscles tightened and nothing mattered except the feeling of Noah’s tongue and fingers working together to achieve my bliss.

The waves of pleasure slowed to a gentle ripple, and my body collapsed against the soft white sheets. Noah crawled up from under the covers and laid beside me, while the sheet above him formed an impressive tent.

He stared at me with a shit-eating grin. Normally, my brain would be working and could form thoughts and words to wipe that smug look right off of his face, but I was complete mush. Besides, after that, he deserved to wear that grin. Hell, maybe I would even buy him a medal.

“Fuck,” I cursed. Noah was damn good. Every thought about my chaotic life slipped away. It was like his dick had the power to wipe my memories.

“Oh,” Noah panted before licking his lips, “I’m not done with you yet.”

Noah moved over me and positioned himself between my thighs. “Condom!” I blurted out. I refused to have rebound sex with a complete stranger that resulted in a pregnancy or one of those gifts that keeps on giving.

Noah reached into the nightstand and grabbed a magnum condom. And then he did the sexy move. He tore the foil wrapper with his teeth and rolled the condom on with one hand, all while keeping his eyes locked on me. There was something about safe sex that really turned me on. Hell yes, Noah Heartland. Sheath that dick, you sex fiend.

Noah pressed his forehead to mine and pressed at my entrance. “You ready, gorgeous?”

Fuck yeah, I was ready. I grabbed his ass and squeezed. “Fuck me,” I pleaded, not even caring how desperate I sounded. Needing no further instruction, Noah slid inside of my slick channel with ease. He flexed his abs and started thrusting wildly, his muscular and athletic body perfectly timed. His thick dick filled me up and touched the most sensitive parts of me.

“Fuck, you have such a tight pussy,” he groaned.

I wrapped my legs around him and let him thrust like his life depended on it. The muscle control, the way he bit his lip. It was poetic.

It was the best rebound sex I’d ever had.

And when he came, he didn’t let out a girlish whine like Chad. No. He growled like a motherfucking man. I rode the waves of bliss, and he collapsed on top of me. We both lay there while trying to catch our breaths. But not for long.

“Alright. I promised to fix your dress,” Noah said before getting up and tossing the used condom in the trash.

I was almost surprised at how efficiently he switched from fucking my brains out to fixing my poor evening gown.

I sat up and held the sheets across my chest. Thanks for the orgasms, Noah Hartland.

My heart suddenly felt about fifteen percent less broken.

CHAPTER FOUR

Noah was a god. I wasn’t just saying that because he managed to pull three orgasms from me in less than fifteen minutes, but his handiwork with my dress saved the day. He watched me admire the dress on my body in the full-length mirror, his shirt still off and his skin glistening with sweat. “This is amazing. Thank you, Noah. For, uh, everything. Where did you learn how to sew?”

“My mother was a seamstress. I was sitting on the floor of her workshop while she patched clothes before I could walk.” I smiled at that little bit of information. It made the fuck-and-run I was about to do feel a little less…impersonal. He ran his thumb over his bottom lip before putting away his needle and thread. “We could skip the gala and stay here…” he offered.

“I really wish I could. You have a magic dick, Noah.” He chuckled at my statement. I was shocked at how easy this was. There wasn’t any awkwardness. I didn’t feel attached. I was a one-night-stand professional. “But I’m here on business. I’m actually looking for a job.”

“Oh?” He tilted his head and looked at me with genuine interest. “Why are you looking for a new job?”

“I quit my last position with the Flyers to move to Boston to be with Chad. I’m sure you know how that worked out for me now that his Pornhub orgy video has gone viral. I seriously need to find a new job so I can stop sleeping on Brock and Danielle’s couch.”

Noah nodded. “I see. Well, there should be a lot of people at the gala tonight who could help you with that. Let me know if you want me to make any introductions. I would be happy to hook you up. Again,” he smirked.

“That would be great!” I said, ignoring his teasing. Unable to keep the bubbly excitement out of my voice, I continued, “Like, really great. Thank you!”

“No problem,” he said, still smiling.

“Um, okay. So, bye!” I said awkwardly and headed for the door, ready to get the party that was my new beginning started. Before I could even reach for the handle, I heard the familiar click of the door unlocking, and seconds later it swung open.

“Good timing, Joni,” I told the momentarily startled hockey player. I guess he wasn’t expecting anyone to be right on the other side of his hotel room door. He recovered quickly and flashed me an award-winning grin.

“Oh, yeah?” he asked, quirking an eyebrow.

“I’m sure Noah will fill you in,” I answered before turning back to Noah. “I guess I’ll see you around,” I said, not totally sure what the appropriate etiquette was for leaving a one-night stand, and skirted behind Joni into the hallway.

“Dude, you’re supposed to knock,” I heard Noah chastising Joni as the door closed behind me.

After a super formally dressed walk of shame back to my own room to quickly fix my hair and makeup, I went up to Brock’s so we could go down together. I hated going to these things alone.

Brock answered the door on the second rap, like he had been waiting by the door. He looked like a million bucks in his charcoal gray suit and matching striped tie. His eyes were full of concern as he held up a box of saran wrap, offering it to me. “Here’s the saran wrap. Danielle said you were having some kind of dress emergency?” he said, confused. “I was expecting you forty-five minutes ago. Is everything okay?”

“Everything is perfect,” I replied with a grin. I had that post-orgasmic glow going on and could barely hide it. Brock didn’t look convinced.

“Did you take something? Xanax?”

I blushed. “No. I, uh, just met someone.”

“You met someone?” he asked skeptically, arching a brow. “Did you just have a hookup?”

My mouth dropped open. “How did you know?”

Brock reached out with a laugh and pushed my wavy hair to the side. “You’ve got a hickey on your neck. And as gross as it is to admit, you’re like, glowing.” He shivered in disgust.

I slapped my palm over my skin and looked at him in horror. “Shit.”

“Just tell me that it wasn’t Chad. Anyone but Chad. Please tell me you didn’t make up with him,” Brock pleaded. “I know he is here and easy, but you’re better than that.”

I had half a mind to be angry that Brock even suggested it. “No. Absolutely not,” I snapped back. “Actually, it was Noah Heartland. We met in the elevator, and bam, fifteen minutes later... It’s like I’m in college again…hey, what are you doing?”

Brock pulled out his cellphone. “I need to call Danielle,” he said, his tone concerned and dejected. I cocked a brow at him.

“Why?”

He held it up to his ear. “My wife told me to call if you did anything stupid. And sleeping with a rival team’s captain fifteen minutes after meeting him is pretty fucking stupid. You’re not a puck bunny, Peyton.”

“One hookup does not a puck bunny make,” I said, snatching the phone out of his hand and hanging up. I didn’t want to tell Danielle just yet what I’d done. Having your best friend as your gynecologist made sharing your sexcapades a little more difficult. Her first question would be, Did you use protection? Then she’d remind me of all the diseases I could get. Then she’d high-five me for being a strong, independent woman.

“Don’t sex shame me, bro,” I said while giving Brock a stern look. “Before you fell in love with Danielle, you were fucking your way through all of Boston if I remember correctly.”

He frowned. “Fine. Just be safe. My wife told me to look out for you. You’re like a baby sister to me, Pey. I just want to make sure you’re safe and not doing impulsive things because your ex is an asshole.”

I knew Brock was just looking out for me, but I still didn’t want him killing my post-orgasm buzz. “Let’s go, alright? I’m having fun. I’m safe. And Noah offered to introduce me to some people tonight. I’m excited to get down there and network my heart out. I have some serious wooing to do.”

Brock stared at me with a protective edge for a moment longer before dropping the subject. “Network to your heart’s content, but no wooing. Especially not like you wooed Noah,” he grumbled like the big brother he was.

“Fine, no wooing,” I echoed to placate him before letting him lead me to the ballroom. As soon as he was out of my sight, I was totally going to woo.

I nodded politely as the guy in a cheap suit whose name I couldn’t remember rambled on about hockey statistics. I was going to kill Brock for letting me get cornered by this bag of yawns. Tipping back the glass of wine I was holding, I drained it in one gulp.

“Oops, I’m out.” I smiled at Charlie or Brian or Jerry and waved my empty glass around for him to see. “I’m just going to run to the bar.”

I breathed a sigh of relief when I got far enough away that I could disappear into the crowd without what’s-his-face finding me again. I set my empty glass down on a tray and resisted the urge to grab a fresh one when a perky brunette dressed in black and white offered me one off her tray. I needed to have as many of my wits about me as possible if I was going to schmooze anybody into giving me a job tonight.

The hotel ballroom was dimly lit with a rainbow of strobing party lights, and the DJ was playing the music just loud enough that you couldn’t hold a conversation at a normal volume. I never understood why they would want this kind of atmosphere for an event that was supposed to be about connecting with colleagues, but what do I know? At least nobody thought a fog machine would be a good idea.

I scanned the room looking for Brock when Noah caught my eye. He waved, and I gave him a curt half wave back. I was about to turn away to reinforce my one-time-thing vibe, but he beat me to the punch. Noah lifted his glass, winked, and spun around to talk to someone else.

Perfect. I’m glad I didn’t have a stage-five clinger on my hands. My mother used to tell me to never date a rebound, and I’ve stuck to that methodology all my life. Noah was good at licking clits, but I wasn’t about to take this any further. He fulfilled an orgasmic need for me, but I was still healing.

I scanned the room and grinned like the Cheshire cat when I saw Robert Park, head coach for the Dallas Stars, standing by a buffet table full of food. Bingo.

I started walking toward him with my game face on, prepared to knock his socks off. Well, I was walking. Everything was going great until I slammed into a hard wall of muscle. “Fuck,” he cursed before grabbing my elbows to steady me. “Watch where you’re going.”

I tilted my head up to stare at the rude ass man in front of me. I was watching where I was going. I had eagle eyes zeroed in on Robert Park for fuck’s sake. Rude Man had pale skin, a buzz cut, and a split lip. His icy eyes traveled up and down my body, lingering on my cleavage for a moment before traveling back up to take in my face. He was handsome in a mysterious sort of way. And with our bodies close together, I could feel every hard muscle through the fabric of his expensive suit.

My libido reared its naughty head and preened at the feel of his rough hands on my body. The man was so tall that I had to tilt my head up to see him properly. “Hello,” I whispered, momentarily forgetting that he had been one rude motherfucker to me just seconds ago. His brow dipped in confusion at my breathy voice, but he didn’t let me go. If anything, he managed to pull me closer.

Wait a second…

“You’re Hatch Yavonovich,” I gasped. “Goalie for the Dallas Stars. Top goalie in the league. Like, no one is as fast as you are,” I stammered. I wasn’t really much of a stats girl, as most teams had specialists for that. I mainly just coordinated travel, kept the team organized, and took to social media to celebrate wins, just like any other fan. But Hatch? He had a massive following. It probably had something to do with all the shirtless photos he posted, but whatever.

He relaxed a bit, like he was used to fans undressing him with their eyes. “You a fan?” he asked.

“I used to work for the Flyers,” I explained. Understanding washed over him. “I’m actually walking over to Robert Park over there to see if he’ll hire me on with Dallas. It was really nice meeting you—”

“I can introduce you,” he quickly rushed out. “What’s your name?” He finally let go of my arms and held out his hand for a shake.

I grinned. “Peyton. Peyton Manning.” His brows arched, but he didn’t comment on my name. Ten brownie points for Mr. Yavonovich.

“Nice to meet you, Peyton,” he said, a twinkle of amusement still lingering in his eyes. I extended my hand to meet his, but instead of the universal two pumps and release, Hatch grasped my hand in both of his and held it. “And what can I tell Robert it is that you do?”

My hand tingled with electricity where his skin touched mine. My heart beat faster, sending waves of heat coursing through my body until they reached their final destination between my legs. Holy smokes, what was happening? I went in for a handshake, not some sort of witchcraft foreplay.

Hatch was looking at me like he expected me to say something. I tried to think as my vagina throbbed. Oh right, he asked me a question. “I’m a team coordinator. Some might say the best in the league,” I managed to squeak out.

“Perfect, let’s go.” Hatch dropped one of his hands back down to his side but still held tight with the other. He used it to guide me over to where Robert was standing.

CHAPTER FIVE

“Hatch, it’s good to see you!” Robert barked out, clapping Hatch on the back. “I can trust that you are on your best behavior, right?” He looked me up and down, clearly thinking I was a puck bunny.

“Actually,” Hatch started before I could jump in to correct Robert, “Peyton is here to talk to you.”

“Me?” Robert choked on the mini quiche he had just popped into his mouth. Hatch clearly hadn’t picked up on the bunny vibes.

“Yep, she’s your new assistant. She specializes in team coordination.”

“Is that so?” Robert asked. He had a thick New York accent and kind eyes.

Well, that was bold of Hatch. We’d just met five minutes ago. I wasn’t the type of woman to let a man do all the work for me, though, so I smiled politely at my new companion, then addressed Robert directly. I wasn’t about to let Hatch get me the job because he liked my tits.

“Hi, Mr. Park, I’m Peyton Manning. It’s so nice to meet you. I was hoping that you would have a moment to talk to me about what the Stars are currently doing for team coordination?” I wiggled my hand free from Hatch’s grasp and held it out to Robert.

“Actually, we are between coordinators at the moment. We are searching for a replacement. Aside from the obvious, your name sounds familiar. Have you worked with other teams?” he asked, and I jumped at the opportunity to talk about myself. This was where I stood out as a communications major. I always excelled in interviews.

I went into a quick explanation of my experience, accomplishments and educational background. The conversation was flowing, we were vibing, and all the while Hatch stood at my side, watching me with his inquisitive stare. A few times, I caught the towering man nodding or raising his brows in surprise.

“I bet the Flyers were sorry to lose you. How’d you end up here in Chicago?” Robert asked. It was one question I hadn’t prepared for and definitely wanted to avoid. It was embarrassing that I gave up a successful career and moved halfway across the country for a man who cheated on me.

I squirmed a bit, shifting my weight from one foot to the other while trying to come up with a reasonable excuse that didn't make it sound like I was willing to date players and quit on a dime. Nobody wanted to hire puck bunnies.

“I’m actually not based here in Chicago; I am here as a guest of Brock Lewis tonight,” I stalled. “Right now, I’m doing freelance work in Boston. Before the Flyers, I was in Seattle working with a few minor league hockey and baseball teams.”

“Interesting,” Robert chimed in. “And why are you looking for a new position?”

There it was. The direct question that I couldn’t avoid. Because my ex who convinced me to move to Boston in the first place is a cheating dirtbag, I thought. But of course, I couldn’t say that.

I smiled wide and projected every bit of confidence, real and fake, that I could summon before answering his question.

“I’m ready for a change. I know, I know,” I said, putting my hands up in a mock you caught me gesture. “It seems a little early to already be ready for a change. While I have loved working freelance these past few months, my true passion is with the team. I want to settle in with a team that I can see myself staying with for at least the next five to ten years, if not longer.”

“And you don’t think you could do that in Boston with the Bruins?”

Hell no.

I knew what he was really asking. He wanted to know, if he hired me, if I would just be leaving the Stars in six months too.

“No, unfortunately. I initially thought we would be a good fit, but it just wasn’t magic with the players,” I told him. Technically it was true, he just didn’t need to know all of the nitty-gritty details.

“I’m feeling the magic,” Hatch added enthusiastically. He smiled down at me and nodded encouragingly.

“Honestly, me too,” I said in my best sales voice. Even though I was responding to Hatch, I was looking Robert directly in the eye. “I’ve actually had the opportunity to meet several of your players already, and so far, I’ve connected with all of them.” Some more than others. I could feel my cheeks flush remembering my fifteen minutes of heaven I spent with Noah. “In fact, Noah Heartland is the one who told me I should talk to you.”

“Huh, is that so?” It would seem that Robert was a man of few words.

“Yes, but I don’t want to monopolize your time here. I would love to give you my card and continue this conversation later?” I found my business card holder in my clutch and fished one out for him.

“Thank you, Miss Manning. I will be in touch.” Robert took the card from me with a smile. He spun around and waved down a Canadian player on the other side of the room, and I felt my smile melt from my face. Shit. I hoped I handled that well.

“You did great. I’m impressed,” Hatch said with a sly grin before dipping his head so that we were closer. “So, what’s the real reason you’re looking for work?”

Up close, I could smell his minty breath. My heart did this stupid, chaotic little flutter that made no sense. What on earth was I thinking? “Just as I said. I’m really picky about who I work with. I have to vibe with the players.”

“Are we vibing right now?” he asked in a smoky tone.

I gulped. “Possibly.” He grinned, showing off a smile that didn’t look fucked up by rogue pucks. It was bright and alluring. “However, my vibe has to be strictly professional right now.”

Realization dawned on him. “Which asshole hockey player hurt you?” he asked.

I squinted. “I don’t know what you mean. If you’ll excuse me—”

He reached out and gently grabbed my arm. “I don’t mean to pry. I can just see it on your face. There are a lot of assholes in this sport. They take nice, pretty girls, chew them up, then spit them out. I’ve seen it happen so many times.” I wasn’t planning on fucking crying at this banquet, but for some reason, my allergies decided to hit right then and there. A layer of mist filled my vision, and I clenched my jaw. “Shit. I didn’t mean to upset you.” And like a motherfucking gentleman, he pulled out a legit handkerchief from his breast pocket and handed it to me.

“You just console crying women on the regular, huh?” I asked before dabbing at my tears—I mean allergies.

“My mother raised me right. So professionally speaking, can I buy you a drink and pick your brain about the last team you worked for? My contract ends after this season, and I’m looking at all my options.”

I let out a sigh of relief. It was rare that you met a man willing to respect a firm boundary when you set one. “Yeah. I’d love to. Working for Beth Charleston was the best.”

“Oh? Keep going, I love hearing about how awesome I am,” a familiar voice said at my back. I spun around and stared at my former boss. Not only was she the first female head coach in the sport, she was also the youngest. She was also one of the coolest people I knew.

“Beth!” I exclaimed before wrapping her up in a huge hug. She didn’t flinch. My old boss wasn’t afraid to be affectionate and still be a hard-ass. She was known to babysit for players that needed date nights and still kick their asses at practice the next morning.

I released her from my hug. Beth was muscular, short, and had bright red hair that she always kept in a bun. I rarely saw her out of yoga pants and a sweatshirt, but today she wore a suit—probably to make a statement. She looked stunning. “Did I overhear that you are looking for work?” she asked in typical Beth fashion, getting right to the point. Normally I wasn’t one for small talk either, but I think I would have preferred talking about the unseasonably warm weather to just diving right into what a mistake it was to leave her team.

“Yes,” I replied sheepishly. I felt my cheeks grow slightly warm with the rosy glow of shame.

“Interesting,” she replied while cocking her head to the side. “I wish I was in a position to take you back. You know I would in a heartbeat.” She smiled at me warmly. “Remember that time you found me a private plane at three in the morning during a thunderstorm? I needed to be in New York for a meeting, and not only did you have me there on time, but you had a fresh outfit for my meeting waiting for me at the hotel, dry cleaned and all.”

Yeah. I made the impossible possible. “I do my best,” I hummed.

“Was that Robert Park I saw you talking to?” Beth asked.

“Yes,” I said a little more confidently, my embarrassment melting away thanks to her praise.

Hatch fidgeted with the hem of his shirt and smiled as he looked between Beth and me as we talked. I’m sure it was as uncomfortable for him as it was for me, but he didn’t leave. If the roles had been reversed, I definitely would have faked seeing a colleague and bolted by now.

“I don’t want to overstep, but Robert and I go way back. Our parents were friends growing up. I used to bug the shit out of him. When I was just a little girl, I would beg him to have tea parties with me when he was just trying to be a teenager and look cool in front of his friends or show off for girls. I would be happy to chat with him on your behalf.”

I absolutely wasn’t above using my connections to get ahead. I was desperate for a job. “Beth, that would be amazing! Seriously, thank you so much.” I threw my arms around her again and squeezed. This woman was a godsend; no, she was even better, she was like a fairy godmother. My fairy godmother who was sent to this dark, loud hotel ballroom to zippity-zappity-zoo me a new job.

“Don’t mention it, I’m happy to. You have always worked hard, and you are excellent at what you do. The Stars would be lucky to have you. Now that that’s out of the way, can we talk about a video involving a certain ex-boyfriend of yours?”

“Oh, um, look at the time. Hatch and I were just headed out.” I grabbed Hatch by the hand and tried my best to ignore the jolt of electricity that traveled through my palm where our skin touched. Pulling him away from Beth, I called out over my shoulder to her. “It was great seeing you, I’ll call you tomorrow, maybe we can get lunch? Thank you again, you are a lifesaver!”

Once we were out of the noisy ballroom and in the blissfully quiet lobby, I stopped walking and turned to face Hatch, intending to ask him where he wanted to get that drink.

“Would this certain ex-boyfriend who made a video happen to be the same asshole hockey player who hurt you?” Hatch asked. His tone was half teasing but also curious.

“Have you heard about Chad Northwood’s recent hat trick?” I asked with a frown. His brows raised as he looked at me.

“Oh shit, I heard about that. I might have also watched it. You weren’t in it, were you?”

I let out a sigh. Everyone in this room probably knew about Chad’s latest publicity stunt on Pornhub, so there was no hiding it. I just wished I could pretend it didn’t happen. “No, I was the stupid girlfriend sitting at home, waiting for him while he fucked his way through three puck bunnies.”

“Ouch,” Hatch replied while clutching his chest. “What a dumbass. I’ve hated that dude since the 2018 Championships. He had someone like you, and he just threw it away?” I was flattered by his words.

“Men like Chad are always looking for the next win. It just took me giving up a career and moving across the country to see that,” I admitted.

“It sounds like you need a drink. Can I—” His offer was cut off by a ringing cell phone. “Shit.” Hatch pulled his cell out of the breast pocket of his jacket and checked the caller ID. “I’m so sorry. I have to take this.”

I nodded. “Yeah. Sure, no problem.”

Hatch stared at me for a moment longer before answering his phone. His voice was soft and tender. “Hey, honey, is everything okay?”

My stomach literally dropped. Honey? Was this guy serious? I involuntarily looked at his wedding ring finger and looked for a tan line. He was absolutely flirting with me, and he had a honey on the other line calling him?

They spoke for a minute. He asked her a few questions and even told her sweet dreams. Wow. Every pucking hockey player was the same. By the time he hung up, I had my brow raised. “It was nice chatting with you, Hatch,” I lied before holding my hand out for him to shake. Despite his skeevy intentions, he did provide an introduction to Robert Park for me. I had to be polite and professional, even if I wanted to steal his phone and let Honey know that her man was a cheating, lying sonofabitch.

He looked down at my hand, then back at me. “Oh. I was thinking we could grab a drink?”

“Thank you, but I’ve got more people to meet. I wouldn’t want to get in the way of any of your future phone calls.”

He scowled. “I was literally on the phone for three minutes. You can’t possibly be offended by that.”

Was he seriously so arrogant? Why were all men so clueless?

“Sure I can, Honey,” I said sweetly, really emphasizing that last word. Hatch stared at me, mouth slightly open and confusion etched in his perfectly symmetrical face. Okay, probably not super professional, but we were literally just talking about my dirty, cheating ex when his girlfriend called. I couldn’t believe his nerve, thinking that I would just be okay with that.

I spun on my heel and made a beeline for the elevators, leaving Hatch behind me dumbfounded.

CHAPTER SIX

I was still fuming as I made my way across the lobby and didn’t see Joni until it was too late. I ran right into him at full aggressive power-walking speed. I crashed and burned on impact. Ouch. “Oof, I have to stop running into hockey players like this.”

“Huh?” Joni asked, rubbing the spot on his chest that had taken the brunt of the force.

“Nothing, never mind. I’m sorry. Are you okay?” I looked at his broad chest and found myself happy to have an excuse to stare. These players, man. They were all fucking ripped; it was like they were sculpted out of some top secret man clay by the world’s best artist.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” He grinned, noticing me noticing his impeccable physique. “You sure do pack a punch for such a tiny person.”

Awwww, he thinks I’m tiny.

I giggled like an idiot and sucked my belly in even harder. I pushed back a strand of blonde hair that had fallen loose with my finger, twirling the ends.

Ugh, what was wrong with me? A little bit of attention from a man, and I turned to mush. Nope, not doing it, I snapped myself out of the haze. I was a strong, intelligent woman who did not pander to exceedingly attractive men. Especially the ones who knew that I slept with their roommates.

“Are you heading back to your room? I’m kind of over the gala too. If you’re up for it, maybe I could buy you that drink I promised earlier? It’s barely even nine. You look absolutely gorgeous, and it would be a shame to let that dress go to waste.”

“I would love to,” I answered quickly. I had weighed my options for exactly two seconds. Option one, I could go back to my room and be mad all night or, option two, I could go out and have a ton of fun playing arm candy to this Adonis of a man. It was a no-brainer.

Okay, so maybe I pandered a little.

I let him put his arm around me and take me to the hotel bar while daydreaming about where the night could lead for us—going to his hotel room was not an option. I didn’t want to imagine the look on Noah’s face if he were to walk in and see me doing the horizontal tango with his suitemate.

“This isn’t weird, right?”

“What? The fact that I want to drink from the same stream as my teammate? Nah. Fun is fun,” he replied in a cocky tone.

“That’s a...strange analogy. I just wouldn’t want it to be awkward…”

“Did Noah propose to you?” Joni asked playfully.

“No,” I replied.

“And are you looking to have some zero-strings-attached fun?”

I swallowed. “I just want a distraction,” I admitted.

“I’m good at distractions. Some might even call me an expert.” We dodged people while walking toward the elevators. It probably wasn’t professional to leave with another hockey player for some sexy times, but I was hurting and people did reckless things when they hurt.

I was just about to throw caution to the wind and let Joni show me what he was capable of, but unfortunately, someone stopped me right in my tracks.

“Chad?” I exclaimed incredulously. Chad was wearing a deep navy suit and had a full glass of whiskey clutched in his fist. I noted a bit of glitter on his collar, and it took everything within me not to laugh at the sight of it. His deep brown eyes bore into me, and even though he was in the wrong, for some reason, I instinctively slumped my shoulders. As if he had a right to be angry at me for something.

“What the hell are you doing?” he asked me before glaring at Joni. “You can’t be with me anymore, so you’re just sleeping around with every hockey player you can find?”

Joni growled. I felt like going Murder, She Wrote on Chad’s well-defined, muscular ass. “First of all, in case you forgot, I’m the one who ended the relationship. It’s you that can’t get with me!” I exclaimed while keeping my voice even. There was no way in hell that I was going to let him slut shame me.

“What are you even doing here? You’re not in this industry anymore,” he asked before stomping his foot like an obnoxious, privileged caveman.

“I’m here to find a job. You know, since I gave up my career for you, as you so kindly pointed out. But I figured while I’m here, I should try having my own Hat Trick. You just made it seem like so much fun in the video.”

“I’m very uncomfortable but also slightly turned on,” Joni interrupted. Shit. Fighting with my ex in front of a potential bed partner was bad form. I probably looked like I belonged on a Real Housewives episode. I was just supposed to find a new job while I was here, and now I was...fuck. So dumb.

“Shut up, man. That’s my girlfriend you’re talking about,” Chad blustered as he stepped forward and shoved Joni. I didn’t even have time to let the “what the fuck” escape from my lips before Joni was in Chad's face.

“Your ex-girlfriend, man. Ex,” Joni said in a voice that was far calmer than his body language implied. Joni wasn't much taller than Chad, but his puffed up chest, clenched fists, and don’t fuck with me attitude made Chad shrink away from him. He reminded me of a puppy getting scolded for shitting on the rug. “You fucked up, and now she's free to do whatever and whoever she pleases, got it?”

Fuck. This wasn't good. As hot as it was having Joni defending my honor, the last thing I needed was for one of the players on my potential new team to get arrested for assault on my behalf in the middle of the welcome gala. I had to diffuse this and now.

“Joni, he's not worth it,” I said softly and gently rested my hand on his shoulder. In the middle of an angry cock-measuring contest, I said a silent prayer to the god of hockey players that Joni would back down. He turned to face me, his expression relaxing as the rage left his eyes. He glared back at Chad for another moment before backing down. He stepped back next to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulder, staking his claim.

“Go back to your room and sober up,” I directed toward Chad. “Just because you put your dick in me for a while doesn't mean you own me. I don't want to see you again this weekend. Or ever really.” Not giving Chad the opportunity to respond, I grabbed Joni's hand and started walking back toward the elevators, pulling him behind me.

“Um, the bar is that way,” Joni said, pointing in the other direction.

“Yep, I know. We're not going to the lobby bar. I have a perfectly good minibar in my room,” I huffed, still worked up from our altercation with Chad. The nerve of that man. He convinced me to move across the country, give up my career, life, and friends only to cheat on me with three bunnies and upload it for the world of Pornhub to see. And after all of that, he still expected me to bend over backward for him.

I would bend over backward alright, just not for him.

“So…”

“So…”

Joni and I sat on the edge of my bed, both clutching a ridiculously expensive bottle of beer. Eighteen dollars to drink Coors in my room? Had it really come to this?

“This is awkward, yeah?” I asked before taking a healthy sip. Maybe I shouldn’t have invited Joni up. More than anything, I wanted to strip out of this dress and go to sleep.

“I mean, it doesn’t have to be…” Joni said before standing up. “I actually should probably thank you.”

I cocked an eyebrow as he slowly started unbuttoning his shirt. Each button revealed a sexy inch of his impressive muscles. “Why should you thank me? If anything, I should be thanking you. Chad is a total dick.”

“I’ve hated him for years,” Joni admitted. “And maybe it’s fucked to admit this, but I want him thinking about how hard I made you come the next time we’re playing against each other.”

He finished taking off his shirt and then started to work at his buckle. “So we’re both on the same page then,” I whispered while licking my lips. Joni started easing his pants over his thick thighs, and I nearly swooned. Like, legit classy bitch swooned.

“And what page is that?” he asked seductively while stepping out of his pants.

“We both want to come hard and piss off Chad?” I squealed, my answer sounding more like a question.

Joni grinned before reaching under the waistband of his briefs and pulling out his cock.

And oh my God, what a cock it was.

It was full. Thick. I mean, the circumference of a goddamn Coke can. I suddenly wanted to message all the women he’d ever fucked and ask them if they recovered. Was there a support group on Facebook? Did he write get-well-soon cards after one-night stands?

And the length. The LENGTH. It was like he needed an underwire for his briefs to add some support. His beast of a cock could kiss the tops of his knees. I wished I were kidding.

“Holy shit,” I gasped.

Joni’s cock was the type of purple-helmeted warrior of love that you had to double fist when masturbating. Hell, maybe he called in an entire basketball team to tag team it. Just a long line of people gripping Joni’s shaft and shuffling from side to side. There was no way in hell I was letting him stick that thing inside of me. I wanted to get fucked, not bleed internally.

“I...um…”

“It can be a little intimidating the first time,” he said proudly, the line sounding practiced. I rolled my eyes at his assessment of himself. How many times did he have to convince women that he wasn’t going to completely tear them in half?

“It's not going to fit,” I said, crossing my legs and then squeezing them shut for emphasis. And he could totally forget about anal. Not that it was going to happen anyway, but he better not even think about asking for it. “It's too big to fit anywhere.”

“I promise, it will. And it will be the best orgasm you've ever had,” Joni purred. His cock bobbed excitedly. Oh God, was he getting worked up by his own dirty talk? I watched his massive dick bounce up and down in pure fascination.

“Do they even make condoms big enough?” I squeaked out, wondering how much blood it took to power that thing. It was a miracle he hadn't passed out from lack of blood flow to his brain.

“Yes, I have condoms,” he reassured me. “We'll take it nice and slow and start with just the tip.”

“Just the tip?” I snickered. I had heard that before, but in Joni's case, I'm pretty sure that just the tip would hit all the way up to my ovaries. I took a few seconds to mentally psych myself up. I mean, what's the worst that could happen? Never mind, I didn't actually want to think about that. Joni's dick was the stuff of porn goals. Legendary. Besides, even if something did go wrong, my best friend was my gynecologist, so there was that.

And, I really wanted to touch it.

Were the kids still saying YOLO? ’Cause YOLO! I unclenched my legs and let them fall apart.

Joni picked up on the change in my body language and took that as his cue. He laid one of his strong hands on my thigh and brought the other up to cup the side of my face, drawing me to him. Pressing his lips to mine, he traced my bottom lip with his tongue before taking it between his teeth in a quick nibble. He intensified his kiss, using his tongue to part the seam of my lips and enter my mouth to explore, meeting mine. His tongue moved rhythmically with mine, keeping a fiery, needy pace.

I let my hands wander along his sculpted chest, moving them up over his shoulders and veiny neck to run my fingers through his thick, luscious hair. He let his hands do the same, roaming the curves of my body outlined perfectly by my little black dress.

“You have the type of body a man dreams about,” he whispered between kisses. I liked him better when he wasn’t talking. I mean, he had that raspy voice, but there was something about his cocky, practiced lines that made this feel cheap. One-night stands were supposed to be wild, not sleazy.

“Less talking,” I replied. “More touching.”

He laughed against my lips and helped me out of my dress, taking great care to slip the zipper down and free my soft curves. I reached behind my back and undid my bra, letting the straps slowly fall down my arms. He stopped kissing me to look down at my tits, and I swear his mouth dropped open.

“They’re pretty great, huh?” I asked confidently, a hint of teasing in my tone. The man didn’t even answer me. He just stared like they were the first tits he’d ever seen. “Joni? You can keep going any time now,” I added.

“What?” he replied, snapping out of it some. “You were allowed to gawk at my cock; why can’t I stare at your titties?”

I...wasn’t sure I liked how the word titties sounded when coming from his mouth.

“That’s because you have a freak of nature. My boobs, while lovely, are perfectly average.” I wished I would have stopped there. I should have stopped there. Hookup Rules 101 state that you shouldn’t bring up an ex right before getting dicked down in a four star hotel, but I was a hot, hurting mess. “Chad wanted me to get a boob job.”

Joni gave me a pitied look, which was not helping me find my sexy mood. “Well, he’s a dumbass, ’cause these tits are perfection. And I’m going to fuck them.”

I blanched. “You’re going to what?” I asked.

Joni grabbed my boob and kneaded the flesh, flashing me a wicked grin in the process. “I’m going to titty fuck you, baby. And then I’m going to get you off with my mouth.”

I wasn’t so sure about that. I'd never…

Joni laid me down on the mattress and started climbing up my body, making sure to straddle me. “You’re not really going to—”

Before I could get my words out, Joni picked up his dick and slapped it on my stomach. As if I was a hot grill and he was cooking sausage. “That’s it, baby,” he said while leaning over. I tried not to look horrified, but he then had the audacity to clear his throat and then spit on my chest.

Yes. Fucking spit.

I curled my lip in disgust. He didn’t notice. Soon he was rubbing it in with his cock and sliding his baseball bat between my boobs.

He looked way too happy.

I just sort of lay there, pressing my tits together and wondering how long he wanted to do this. I mean, it wasn’t awful. At least he wasn’t splitting me in half with his monstrosity, but it wasn’t really enjoyable.

“You like that?” he asked.

“Uhh. Sure,” I replied. What a stupid question. I mean, what was I supposed to say? No, actually, hawking a loogie on my breasts before thrusting that leviathan of a penis between them wasn't sexy and kind of creeps me out? That would be an instant mood killer.

Not that actually doing those things wasn't a mood killer, but with every ram of his cock and raspy moan that came out of his lips, I clung on to the promise of what he was going to do to me with his mouth. I wondered how long this was going to last, briefly horrified at the thought that he might be planning to come on my face, when he stopped.

“Is something wrong?” I asked, mentally kicking myself a second later that he might interpret that as me wanting him to continue fucking my breasts.

“No,” he said, staring down at me again. He had a faraway look in his eyes, and that smug half smile seemed like a permanent fixture on his face. “I just had an irresistible urge. Your tits are just so fucking perfect.”

“Oh, yeah?” I hoped that urge had something to do with my clit.

Joni, still straddling me with the weight of his behemoth cock resting on my belly, dipped his head down toward my breasts. It wasn't my clit, but I liked some tongue on nipple action as much as the next girl, so this was definitely turning around.

I arched my back and puffed my chest upward, practically shoving my nipples in his face. His eyes met mine, and I gave him a seductive smile, urging him on. He returned my smile before dropping his head back down and motorboating the fuck out of my tits.

He was motherfucking motorboating me, sound effects and all.

It was then that a series of questions flooded my brain. Was I really this desperate? How could I get out of this without looking like a complete ass? Why did I care how it would make me look if I just got up and left? Did this douche canoe actually graduate college?

Joni finally stopped making fart noises on my poor breasts, which definitely deserved better, and propped himself up on his elbows, resting the weight of his body on mine. His smile faded as he looked at me. I'm sure my face was twisted in horror. I couldn't even force myself to try to be polite and smile back.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his eyebrows raised in concern.

“Joni, how many women have you slept with? That's rhetorical, don't actually answer,” I cut him off as he opened his mouth. “Has a single one of them ever enjoyed that?”

He laughed a proud booming sound that made the entire situation more hysterical. I smiled awkwardly because I didn’t know what else to do.

“I suppose I’ve got to redeem myself,” he finally choked out between laughs after a few more moments. Yeah, okay. I loved a good redemption story. He smirked at me teasingly.

“Or,” I began, “hear me out. We can clean out the minibar and watch trashy television while pretending this never happened.”

“Damn. I shouldn’t have motorboated, eh?”

“You lost me at the titty fuck,” I admitted.

He rolled off of me and lay flat on his back beside me. What did someone do in this sort of situation?

“Fuck it. Let’s get drunk,” he said before sitting up and going to the minibar. Hey! At least he was being cool about it.

He tossed me a bottle of champagne, and I barely caught it. “Cheers,” I said. He looked at me and smiled.

“Cheers.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

My head was pounding, and Thor’s hammer was digging into my back. I had drool on my cheek, my hair was a tangled mess, and Keeping Up with the Kardashians was blaring on the TV.

“Oh God,” I groaned. Joni’s muscular arms were wrapped around my body, and if it weren’t for his hockey stick of a penis between us, I would have been flush with his chest. I was naked but not particularly worried about that. The man had motorboated me. We actually ended up having a pretty fun time last night. We didn’t talk, we didn’t try to attempt to fuck again. We just sat there.

It was nice.

As depressing as it was to admit, I’d been feeling lonely lately. I loved my best friend, but it was the mundane couple shit that I missed the most. I was thankful that Joni didn’t pressure me to finish what we started. And just having him there was really…for lack of a better word…nice.

And even though he was practically stabbing me with his morning wood, Joni was a world-class cuddler. I would have stayed in his arms if it weren’t for my obnoxious cell phone that kept ringing.

“Are you going to answer that?” he grumbled in my ear. I wiggled a bit, arching my back because I was a tease. Everything about the room was too loud. I didn’t want to move. My sensitive eyes refused to open more than a crack, and my hungover body protested the thought of moving.

“I’m too tired to move,” I complained before snuggling into his arms. Was this weird? Maybe. But he was the one holding me. Yeah, it was weird. We didn’t fuck, but I was abusing the privilege of his cuddles.

“This is the third time they’ve called. Answer it, or I’ll throw it against the wall,” he complained before reaching up to cup my boob. I instantly had a flashback to his motorboat adventure and cringed both inwardly and outwardly. Gross.

“You’re such a caveman,” I countered.

“Get up and answer the fucking phone!”

I slipped out of his arms and started blindly patting around the mattress. I could hear my ringtone, but my cell was lost somewhere in the tangled sheets. “Where is it?” I said, not bothering to open my eyes and actually look. My tongue was so dry it practically stuck to the roof of my mouth.

Joni rolled over, groaned, and pulled the comforter over his head in response. I took that to mean he wasn’t going to help me find my phone. I rolled all the way over to the edge of the bed and tipped myself out, my eyes squeezed shut so that I wouldn't see my hotel room spinning around me.

My feet touched the mid-grade blue carpeting, and I felt brave enough to open my eyes. After a brief moment of dizziness, I got to work hunting for my phone, only to realize it had stopped ringing. I guess I wasn't fast enough in my morning-after-the-binge-fest haze.

Oh well. More sleep for me! I climbed back into the bed and laid my head on the pillow. I was reaching over to Joni's side to yank back some of the covers when my obnoxious ringtone started back up again.

“Why isn't your phone on vibrate?” Joni growled from under the pillow he was currently attempting to use as earplugs to drown out the noise.

I bolted straight up and sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. On the second ring, I was able to tell that the noise was actually coming from underneath the bed. As I tried to quickly get up, one of the sheets grabbed hold of my ankle, causing me to fall out of the bed with all of the grace of a baby deer learning how to walk.

Luckily, my face landed right next to my phone, which was currently buzzing and playing an annoyingly loud melody. I slid my phone open to answer before even looking at the Caller ID.

“You've reached Peyton,” I said in a voice that I hoped sounded cool and collected, not crusty.

“Peyton, it's Beth. I've been trying to reach you. Is everything okay?” Beth's actually calm and collected voice came through the receiver.

“Oh, Beth, hi, yes. I'm sorry. I was having trouble finding my phone. Are you calling about lunch?” My words came fast and breathy. I definitely did not want Beth to know that I was hungover and naked with a hockey player.

“No. I would love to have lunch with you, but that's not why I'm calling. I'm calling because I talked to Robert. He's going to be reaching out to you this morning, probably any minute. He wants to chat with you for a few minutes, but the job is basically yours if you want it.”

“Oh, Beth! That's fantastic! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!” I squealed in delight. Joni popped his head out from under the mountain of pillows and blankets he had been buried under moments before. My phone beeped, letting me know that I was getting another call. “I'm getting another call, I think that's Robert. I'll call you later to fill you in. Thank you again!”

I disconnected my call with Beth, cleared my throat, and took a breath before hitting the answer button again. “Hello, you've reached Peyton.”

“Peyton, it's Robert,” his gruff voice greeted me. “I talked to Beth Charleston last night. She was singing your praises. Listen, do you have a few minutes to come down to the lobby to talk to me?”

“Absolutely, I would be happy to meet you,” I said enthusiastically.

“Great, I'll see you in, say, five minutes? There's a coffee shop to the left of the lobby.” The line went dead before I could even respond.

“Oh my God, oh my God!” I shrieked again. “I'm finally getting my life back on track. Holy shit, five minutes. I got this.”

I stood up and did a little dance, not caring that my tits were freeballing and jiggling about. Joni looked at me with a sly smile on his face. “I take it that was a good phone call?” he asked.

I stopped my little dance to realize that I had five minutes to look like I didn't spend all night getting drunk and getting titty fucked. “That was Robert Park. He wants to offer me a job!”

Joni's carefree expression twisted into something I couldn't quite put my finger on. I would've asked him why it looked like he'd swallowed a lemon, but I honestly didn't have the time. I ran to my suitcase and started picking through the various outfits I had brought with me, finally settling on my charcoal gray pantsuit.

“I only know of one opening with the Dallas Stars.” Joni's voice was a dull buzz in the back of my subconscious. I quickly applied some deodorant before getting dressed. And once I had my outfit on, I grabbed a hairband and put up my blonde locks in a tight bun. “What job?” Joni asked, his tone cutting through my frantic energy.

I let out a huff, not really having time to discuss this with him. But I suppose if we were going to work together in the future, I would need to be polite. I would also need to have a conversation with my therapist about these impulsive decisions I kept making. “It's the coordinator job.” My answer was quick and forced. I had two minutes to get downstairs.

Joni cursed. Was he seriously that upset that I would be working with them? I could be professional if he could. “Okay,” I began in a singsong voice. “I'm just gonna go. You can let yourself out. Thanks for the…” I wasn't exactly sure what I was thanking him for. I didn't exactly enjoy last night. I didn't even get off. But I suppose it was better than being alone. And the cuddle was almost good enough to make up for the motorboating.

“Are you going to the lobby?” Joni asked. It was a weird question, and I really needed to get going.

“Yep. Thanks again,” I said before grabbing my tote bag and running out the door. The hotel elevator took forever. I stood in the hallway, tapping my toe on the carpeted floor while trying to sober up. My head was pounding despite the adrenaline flooding my veins. My badass self was so going to rock this. I was so too old to get drunk off the minibar, and I was never drinking again. Especially not with men who liked to motorboat me.

But of course, I wasn’t greeted with an empty elevator. No, the universe liked to play tricks on me. There, inside the elevator was none other than Noah Heartland. He grinned at me the moment our eyes met, and once again I found myself questioning my life choices. What was it about a bad breakup that just made me spiral? And if I got this job, I was going to have to work with these people. Not my finest moment.

“Oh hey, Peyton. Going up or going down?” He lowered his voice about two octaves and waggled his eyebrows at me.

“Uh, down,” I answered and stepped into the elevator, looking at the floor the entire time. I felt my cheeks burn red just at the thought of our time spent together. I refused to look at him. I didn’t want to be any more flustered for my meeting with Robert, but I also didn’t need Noah knowing how much I would love a repeat performance. Especially if we were going to be working together.

“My favorite way to go,” he smirked. At least, I assumed he smirked, I still wasn’t looking at him, but he sounded like he was smirking.

I jabbed the button for the lobby and prayed to the god of elevators that this ride would be over soon or that someone else would get in with us. In fact, if Old Windbreaker Guy could join us again, I would happily listen to him drone on about the weather.

“You look really nice, Peyton,” Noah said.

“Thank you, I’m going to meet Robert for an interview.”

“That’s amazing!” he exclaimed and took a step closer to me. “If you get it, which I just have a feeling you will, we would be working together.”

The scent of his earthy cologne filled the elevator, and my mind flashed back to the weight of him on top of me, how good he felt under me, and how incredible he was with his tongue in between my legs. My vagina was practically begging me to jump him. After what I put her through last night, she definitely deserved some expert attention.

Stop it, Peyton. Stop it right now. You are going to a job interview and not one with a casting couch.

The blessed ding of the elevator reaching the lobby rang out, and I sprinted out of the elevator as soon as the doors opened. “Great talk, I’ll see you later.”

“Good luck!” Noah called out as the doors closed in front of him.

I ducked into the ladies restroom in the lobby to collect myself and do an extremely last-minute mirror check. It wasn’t great but also wasn’t terrible. I didn’t have “nymphomaniac” emblazoned across my face, and the red in my cheeks made me look like I had a healthy glow. My skin would have benefitted from some BB cream and a swipe of mascara, but no point in dwelling on that now.

Taking three deep calming breaths, I smoothed down my hair and reminded myself that I am a badass team coordinator who is insanely good at what she does and that the Stars would be lucky to have me.

I left the restroom feeling confident and ready to impress the pants off of Robert.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Robert Park was twenty-five minutes late. In the time it took him to march his happy ass down to the lobby, I could've had a cup of coffee and applied some makeup. I tried not to be frustrated with him; this was why they were hiring me. I was great with a calendar. I could manage the most complex schedule with the flick of a wrist. And if his tardiness was anything to go by, Robert Park definitely needed someone with my expertise.

When I finally saw him, I plastered a smile on my annoyed face and stood up to shake his hand. “Robert, I'm so excited to talk with you today,” I said in a professional tone. Even though my voice was rough from lack of sleep, I still managed to get my customer service smoothness flowing.

“Let's get down to business,” he said gruffly before sitting down. Determined not to be shaken by his curt tone, I also sat in my chair. I barely had time to settle before he was speaking again. “Look, the rumors about you aren't great.”

I wasn't expecting him to dive in with that confidence-boosting conversation starter, but okay. I could handle this. “I'm sorry, I don't know what you mean,” I replied.

“You left your last job for a player that just starred in his very own porno. That same player lost three games last week, and everyone's blaming his distraction on his recent breakup.”

I flushed with shame and embarrassment. It wasn't my fault Chad couldn't play a damn game. And what's with the double standard? I bet if Chad would've left his team and transferred to Philadelphia, everyone would've praised him for being a family man in love. I'm just the desperate girl who gave up her life's dream for a man who cheated on her.

“Mr. Park,” I began, but he cut me off.

“I owe Beth big time. She seems convinced that you won't do something like that again. I'm willing to hire you with the explicit understanding that my players are off-limits. If I find out that you were talking to them in anything other than a professional capacity, I will be very disappointed. I don't want any soap operas on my team.”

It felt like I was getting scolded by my parents. I was fairly good at handling criticism, but thanks to my wild and reckless night, my shoulders slouched a bit at his demands. Normally, at a job interview, I would talk about my qualifications, and he would go over the benefits package. I wasn’t expecting to be given ultimatums about my sex life.

“Mr. Park,” I said firmly, “I understand your concerns, and I’m glad to have the opportunity to address them.”

My voice came across as authoritative and calm, but I was trembling with rage. My sex life was nobody's business but my own. I didn't know it was possible, but my hatred for Chad grew even more for making it public and putting me in this position. I was doing my best to hold in my anger and not school this man in modern feminism—I really needed this job.

“It's clear that I made a mistake by giving up my career with the Flyers and moving to support Chad. However, he was the one who made the decision to cheat, film it, and post it on the internet. I found out along with the rest of America, and I cannot be held responsible for how his actions have affected him either on or off the ice.” I paused to gauge Robert's reaction. He didn't say anything, but looked at me expectantly. “I'm sure that Beth has told you all about what I was able to accomplish with the Flyers; are there any holes I can fill in for you?”

“No, Miss Manning, I think your skill set is exactly what we are looking for.” I breathed out a sigh of relief and did a mental happy dance. “Oh, look, here's one of my players now. Let me introduce you. Joni!” Robert shouted unnecessarily in the quiet coffee shop. “Joni, come over here for a minute,” he said again and started waving.

Wait, did he just say Joni? I shifted in my seat to look behind me, and sure enough, Joni's muscular silhouette was moving closer. What the actual fuck.

“Hey, Robert. How's it going?” Joni greeted Robert, then turned to look at me. I smiled politely and tried not to fidget in my chair.

“Great,” Robert replied. “This is—”

“Peyton,” Joni interrupted. “I know. I was just coming to find her,” he said, his eyes still locked on mine. “You ran out of the room so fast this morning, I didn't have the opportunity to return these to you.” To my horror, Joni pulled a lacy black thong from his pocket and let it dangle off of his finger. “Noah asked me to give them back.”

Robert looked appalled, and I willed the floor to open up and swallow me whole.

“Those aren’t mine,” I stammered but swiped them off Joni’s finger just to get the panties out of Robert’s face.

“It was nice to see you, Coach,” Joni said and winked at me before turning to walk back the way he came.

“These aren’t mine. I swear,” I quickly added after Robert crossed his arms over his chest and frowned.

Robert held up his hand, forcing me to stop my babbling. How on earth was I going to talk my way out of this? I had just promised him that I could be professional, and Joni had to come down here and hand me my underwear? That was a dick move.

“When I say I owe Beth a favor, I mean that I really, really owe her this favor. I don't know what went on last night, but I expect it to never happen again.”

I nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, of course, Mr. Park.” I quickly shoved the underwear into my purse, my cheeks blazing red with embarrassment and shame. Was I going to let my libido ruin another potential career? I was losing my mind.

“And I don't take Joni too seriously,” Robert added.

“Oh?” I asked, hoping he would elaborate.

Robert Park stood up and adjusted his tie. “Joni's brother was also applying for this job. Something tells me you'll have your work cut out for you with him. Please, please, don't make me regret hiring you.”

I stood up and held out my hand for him to shake, but he merely stared at it in horror. It took me about two seconds to realize it was the same hand that had just been clutching those panties. I quickly pulled my palm back and frowned. “Thank you so much. You won't regret this, I promise!”

“I'll have all the paperwork sent to you in the morning. See you in two weeks.”

And with that, Robert Park spun on his loafers and walked away from me. Two weeks? I had two weeks to pack up my life and move across the country to Dallas, Texas.

Even though I was still embarrassed to all hell about what had happened, I did a little victory dance right there in the lobby. Both fists were raised in the air, pumping the sky like the world was my own nightclub. I wiggled my ass in excitement before moving my hips to an invisible hula hoop.

I had a job. I was going to be doing what I loved—what I was best at. I was going to get away from Chad and all the horrific memories in Boston.

“I take it you got good news?” an amused voice asked at my back. I spun around, nearly tripping over my crossed feet, to see who was speaking to me.

My giddiness dissipated as I slanted my neck looking up to meet his emerald eyes.

“Oh, Hatch. Hi.” I had a hard time keeping the disappointment out of my voice.

“Well, that was certainly an enthusiastic greeting,” he chuckled in return, not the least bit put off by my lack of interest in seeing him.

“I'm sorry, I just wasn't expecting to see you. How are you?” I asked, trying to shake it off. I had to be professional. I was officially the team coordinator for the Stars, which meant I had to at the very least figure out how to get along with all of the players. Including Hatch. The fact that he was trying to woo me while simultaneously taking a call from his girlfriend didn't matter, because Hatch was off the table. No hooking up, no dating, no running my hands through his hair, or licking whipped cream off of the delicious abs I just knew were under his shirt. I wondered if his cock was as big as Joni's.

Oh God, stop it, Peyton. Head in the game.

“I'm good, not ‘happy dance in the lobby’ good, but still good. Do you want to tell me about the reason for your little jig on the way to brunch?” Hatch asked.

Oh shit, brunch. I had completely forgotten about that. Everyone who attended the conference and events over the weekend would be there. It was an opportunity for everyone to visit with colleagues they didn’t get to see very often and get to know new ones. They also announced where the location of next year's conference was going to be. Now that I was going to be attending on the Stars’ dime and not paying for it out of my own pocket, I was really hoping for Hawaii.

“Sure, why not?” I said, subconsciously smoothing down my hair and mentally cursing Robert for only giving me five minutes to get ready.

“I'll take it,” he said with a smile and held out his arm for me.

“As sweet as that is,” I said, staring at his outstretched arm, “I can't give off any image that could be misinterpreted as inappropriate.”

“I'm offering you my arm, not a lap dance,” Hatch said, looking confused.

“I know, but you are looking at the new Team Coordinator for the Dallas Stars,” I told him, the enthusiasm bubbling back up into my voice. “And I'm not exactly starting out on the best foot, so squeaky clean from here on out.”

“Peyton, that's fantastic!” Hatch stepped toward me like he was going to pick me up and twirl me around right here in the lobby. I gave him a look, and he stopped himself before almost putting his hands on my waist. He raised them above his head in surrender instead. “Squeaky clean, scout's honor. By the way,” Hatch began with a sly smile as we walked toward the banquet room. “Are you going to explain why you ran off last night?”

My mood instantly soured. How could I forget? Hatch spent all night flirting with me, then answered a call from his girlfriend. What a tool.

“As if I have to tell you,” I snapped before walking a bit faster. “You were flirting with me, and then your girlfriend called—”

Hatch immediately cut me off. “Girlfriend? I don't have a girlfriend. I barely have time to date. My niece called me last night.”

“Your niece?” I paled. That's one assumption that didn't age well. I guess my situation with Chad was affecting my common sense. I jumped to a conclusion last night instead of just asking him. Sheesh, I was a mess. “I am so sorry,” I replied while stopping. We both turned to face one another, and Hatch grinned.

“Do you want to see a picture of her?” he asked. Before I could even answer him, he was pulling out his cell phone and flipping through photo after photo of a beautiful little girl with bright red hair, blue eyes, and a toothy smile. “She's four. Her dad died last year, so I've been stepping up to help my sister more. I love the little goober.”

There was something really adorable about a man who loved kids. Watching Hatch talk about his niece made me feel even worse for my assumption.

“She's absolutely perfect,” I told him. “I'm so sorry to hear about your sister's husband. They are both very lucky to have you.”

His eyes beamed with pride as he showed me one last picture. It was of Hatch and his niece, who looked a little bit younger, maybe only two or three. Hatch was in his green jersey, holding the Stanley Cup, and his niece had her hands around one of the handles, her smile so big and bright it leapt off the phone screen.

I recognized the backdrop; this was last year when the Stars lost the cup to the Tampa Bay Lightning. But looking at the picture of Hatch and his niece, you would never have guessed that he had just lost the championship.

“What an amazing picture,” I told him. “You both look so happy!” I decided not to add, “Especially since your team just lost the cup.”

“Thank you, this is my favorite picture.” He clicked his phone shut and tucked it back into his pocket. “Alright, are you ready to go to brunch?”

“Let's do it,” I said, my heart absolutely melted by this gorgeous man and his love for his niece. Hatch raised his eyebrows in response and slowly looked me up and down. “Breakfast,” I said firmly. “Let's do breakfast. No funny business!”

“No funny business,” Hatch said in mock seriousness, pantomiming two lines over his chest. “Cross my heart.”

CHAPTER NINE

We walked into the banquet hall along with a steady stream of people. The room looked completely different than it had last night. It was bright and open with brilliantly shining crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

The tables were elegantly set, featuring centerpieces with cream-colored roses and candles emitting a warm glow. Each place setting had a folded card with a name written in gold script. Picking one up, I held it up to Hatch. “I guess it's assigned seating. I hate that, it's going to take me forever to find where I'm supposed to be.”

“Oh man, it feels like grade school all over again. Good luck finding your name, I hope you get a good table,” he said as we parted ways, going from table to table looking for our names. I gave him a wave and got to work hunting down my card.

I don't know who thought this was a good idea, but half of the breakfast was going to be wasted just on people trying to figure out where the hell they were supposed to sit.

“Are you looking for this?” I heard a familiar voice say behind me. My stomach dropped when I turned to see Chad, one table over holding up a card that presumably had my name on it. I recognized the brunette sitting to his left from the Pornhub video. Classy.

Deciding not to give him the pleasure of pissing me off, I rolled my shoulders back and plastered a smile onto my face. “Where did you steal that from?” I asked. Certainly the drama of our breakup had spread like wildfire. Unless someone wanted to grab a few photos for TMZ, there was no way the organizer was cruel enough to sit me next to my ex and his special friend. One of his special friends, anyway.

“It was right here. Next to me,” he said with a shit-eating grin, so pleased with himself that it took everything I had not to take off my heel and toss it at his head. I’d just promised Robert Park that I wouldn’t be a drama llama, and I wasn’t about to break my promise fifteen minutes after getting a job offer.

“There must be a mistake,” I said politely, though there was a burning hell fire of hate simmering under my skin. I wasn’t about to sit next to Chad. Not smelling like motorboated titty fucks with bags under my eyes.

“Nope. Come sit. They’re about to start serving brunch,” Chad replied with a clap of his hands. The girl he was with wrinkled her nose and pulled at her cleavage.

I was about to storm out of there, but my gaze collided with Robert’s annoyed stare. He had one brow raised and was sitting at a nearby table. There seemed to be a challenge in his stare. It was as if he was asking, is there a problem? Lifting my hand, I wiggled my fingers at him with a smile before letting out a harsh exhale and making my way over to the empty seat by Chad. Fucking Chad.

The second I plopped down in my seat, I reached for the glass of mimosa in front of me and downed it whole, stopping only when I realized the coach for Tampa Bay was staring at me, mouth gaping open. I put down my glass and mumbled, “Sorry,” before scooting my chair as far away from Chad as possible, which in turn put me about half an inch away from the goalie with the Vancouver Canucks. The National Hockey League loved to mix and match players and coaches to build community and allow networking to happen organically, but basically it just created a spiderweb of gossip. Everyone at this table was likely going to go talk some mad shit about how I had to sit next to my cheating pornstar ex, and I wanted to make sure that Robert didn’t have a reason to fire me.

“So tell me, babe, how was your night?” Chad asked, his smirk so defined that it brought out his dimple.

Hearing the word babe out of his mouth made me see red. His lady friend didn't miss it either, her face puckering as she let out a huff. The fiery rage inside my soul manifested itself in my cheeks, turning them a deep shade of crimson.

“That good, huh?” Chad asked, trying to keep his tone jovial, but it wasn't hard to pick up on the hint of possessive jealousy. “Did Joni spend the night?” He kept his eyes locked on mine as if demanding an answer.

Who the hell did Chad think he was? He didn't own me, and he certainly wasn't entitled to any information on my sex life. He was literally sitting next to one of the women he publicly cheated on me with, grilling me on my late night activities. In front of a table full of our colleagues, no less.

The entire table was silent. Everyone, except for Chad, was acutely aware of what was happening, and the tension was thicker than J Lo's ass. The leggy brunette had her arms crossed under her ample breasts and was giving Chad a death stare.

“Well”—I smiled warmly—”you won't be seeing it on Pornhub anytime soon.” The Canuck whose lap I was practically sitting on stifled a chuckle. “But I had a lovely evening. Thank you so much for asking.”

“From what I've heard about Joni's fucking skills, the only one who had a good time last night was him,” Chad said smugly.

I was about to say something that surely would have gotten me fired, when Hatch rested a hand on my shoulder and gave me a comforting squeeze. I didn't know why he was here, but I was grateful. His protective presence sent a wave of calm over me.

Chad's eyes narrowed and darkened at the sight of Hatch, the anger brewing underneath like a storm. “Just how many guys are you fucking these days, Peyton?”

“That's rich coming from you, man,” Hatch shot back. “I saw your exclusive on Pornhub. I hope you’re getting paid for the show you put on. But that mole on your ass? You should definitely get that checked...”

I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from laughing. That mole did look suspicious and was oddly shaped like a penis. A micropenis. I happened to know it was something Chad was particularly insecure about.

“Fuck you,” Chad spat.

Chad's date pushed her chair back from the table sharply and stood up. She looked like she was about to burst into tears right there. Instead, she spun on her spiked heel and stormed out of the banquet hall. I almost felt bad for her.

“We’re here to have a nice time,” Hatch replied, unbothered by his words. “Your record hasn’t been that great this season. Maybe you should stop worrying about what isn’t any of your business and work on your game.”

Chad stood up, pushing his chair back in a loud, macho display of alpha assholeness. I wanted to crawl under the table and hide. This was exactly the sort of scene I wanted to avoid. People were staring. “Why don’t you fuck off? The Stars choked last season.”

“We got farther than you’ve ever gone,” Hatch challenged back. They were squaring each other up, and I couldn’t help but swoon over their male posturing.

If this was a dick-measuring contest, then Hatch was packing. Chad might have tricked me into a relationship with his magic cock, but Hatch had confidence that couldn’t be faked. It was ten times sexier than an actual dick-measuring contest.

At least they weren’t talking about me anymore.

Ope. Spoke too soon. Chad turned to look at me. “I can’t believe you fucked this tool.”

“Enough!” I hissed. “For the record, you’re being incredibly unprofessional, Chad. We both know what the coach thought about your Pornhub exclusive, and your stats aren’t good enough for people to overlook your shitty character. Your contract is up in two years, and I know for a fact that there isn’t a team at this event that wants to work with a dramatic diva. And don’t get me started on the misogynistic undertones of your accusations. Don’t be a double standard, Chad. Don’t ruin your career. Do better.”

I wasn’t planning on my little speech to be heard by every nearby table, but apparently we’d gathered quite the audience. “I couldn’t have said it better myself,” Brock said. Oh my goodness, I’d never been so happy to be best friends with the team captain’s wife.

I turned to smile at my brother from another mother, and his furious expression made even me wince. “Hey,” I said awkwardly, not knowing what else to say.

“Chad, I think you should go home. Later, we’ll go over what’s expected of you when you’re representing our team.”

Chad fumed, but he knew as well as everyone else in this room that he had no ground to stand on. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t enjoying this epic showdown moment. Hell yes, karma. Work your magic.

Chad’s cheeks flamed red, and he stormed away, mumbling curse words under his breath.

“You good?” Brock asked me.

“I’m great,” I replied, picking up a pastry from the center of the table and taking a big bite.

“Good, let's try to enjoy the rest of brunch,” he said out loud before leaning close to me and lowering his voice to a whisper. “You might want to try looking just a smidge less gleeful.”

He was probably right, but I couldn't hold back the shit-eating grin that blossomed on my face as soon as Brock walked away. Turns out seeing your cheating ex get his ass handed to him was a natural high.

The cure for that endorphin release happened to come in the form of Robert Park's face as he watched the aftermath of the shit show from four tables away. My grin faded just as quickly as it came on, but I resisted the urge to look down in shame.

I promised myself that I was going to save the drama for my mama and be a one hundred percent poised and polished model employee.

Starting now.

Everyone went back to eating and talking now that we weren't providing anything interesting to look at anymore. Thankfully, Robert got sucked into a conversation with the woman who was sitting next to him, and turned his focus away from me. I wondered what the chances were that he would forget about this whole thing and pretend like it never happened. Probably pretty slim.

“I sure hope he treated you better than that when you were together,” Hatch said, returning to my side. The clean aroma of his lingering bodywash filled the space between us, making me temporarily forget about Robert. The subtle, fresh scent was so good that I wanted to bury my nose into his chest and sniff him for the remainder of breakfast. “But seriously, are you okay?”

“Yes.” A pleasant warmth filled my belly, knowing that Hatch was so concerned about my wellbeing. “I'm okay. How did you know that I needed help?”

“Well, you're not going to be winning any tournaments with your poker face,” Hatch teased. “But I think anybody in your situation would have appreciated a little support.”

“What? You're saying that I have a less than excellent poker face?” I said, playfully pushing his shoulder. “Thank you, though. I wish that I could leave this whole thing in the past and start fresh, but I guess that's not really possible when your ex is famous and a colleague.”

The lights in the hall flashed, signaling everyone to return to their tables for the start of the keynote speaker.

“I’ll see you later, Peyton,” Hatch said before heading back to his own table. “I’m really happy you’re going to be working with us.”

I was really happy too. I stared at his perfectly sculpted butt as he walked away from me and then settled in to listen to the speaker as I daydreamed about my new life in Dallas.

CHAPTER TEN

Ten boxes. My entire life was wrapped up in ten boxes. Danielle and I sat in her minivan in the post office’s parking lot, passing back and forth a Snickers bar she found on the floorboard of her car. “I can’t believe you’re really moving,” she said. “I’m happy for you but also a little sad for me.”

I forced a smile. This was a big step, but I almost felt desensitized. It was just a matter of months ago that I was packing up all my shit and moving here. I was tired of big moves. Tired of feeling unsettled. My dreams were focused on making Dallas my new home, but there was still a lot of anxiety about my new job and the move. There was this nagging thought that kept hounding me: My reputation was ruined before my new job had even started.

“Who knows,” I teased. “I might be back soon.”

Danielle rolled her eyes and shifted in her seat to look at me. “You’re not going to lose this job,” she chastised me. “You’re going to show up and be professional and establish clear boundaries.”

I kind of sort of absolutely regretted my actions at the banquet. Danielle said I needed to have some grace for myself. Despite being heartbroken and a bit on the impulsive side right after my breakup with Chad, I still felt really embarrassed about it all. Thank goodness I didn’t pull a full Hat Trick over the weekend.

“Joni already hates me because I stole his brother’s job,” I whined. “And he titty fucked me. All professionalism goes out the door when your tits get dicked.”

I forced a smile as Danielle full on cackled. “I still can’t believe he did that. And then he motorboated you? Gah. Now that’s something I’d pay Pornhub premium for. You must have looked horrified!”

“You know I can’t hide my emotions,” I replied with a sigh. “I’m very expressive.”

Danielle leaned over the center console and blew a raspberry on my neck. I let out a shrill scream, and she laughed hysterically. And when she pulled away, I felt the remnants of her Snickers bar all over my skin. “You’re ridiculous,” I said while shaking my head. I found a tub of baby wipes in the back seat and started wiping myself down. I eyed the car seats there. “I’m gonna miss you, Brock, and the kiddos. Promise we’ll still video chat?”

Danielle nodded. “Of course. And we have quite a few games. You can always travel with the team here for visits. You aren’t getting rid of me.”

That was a relief. Since following Chad out to Boston, I’d felt this serious loss of identity. Danielle was the only friend I really had. They’d become like family. I wasn’t willing to lose them too. “Should we go to the wine bar one last time?”

Danielle revved her minivan like it was a Nascar winner. I giggled. “Hell yes. Brock is home with the terror triplets, and Mama needs a girls night out!” I cheered as she peeled out of the parking lot.

Within ten minutes, Danielle and I were sitting in our favorite booth, sharing a prosciutto board and sipping wine. While Danielle was sipping wine, I was gulping it down like a frat daddy. If I could have figured out how to shotgun my glass of wine, I would have.

Setting my empty glass back down on the table, I signaled to our Ed Norton look-a-like server that I would love another. I should probably take it easy since I had an early flight tomorrow, but I had no idea when I was going to see my best friend again. Or when I was going to make another friend to drink wine with. Or even if I was going to make another friend to drink wine with.

“Um, Peyton, are you okay?” Danielle asked.

“What if they don't have wine in Dallas?” I asked, the wine settling into a pleasant warmth in my belly.

“Of course they have wine in Dallas,” Danielle giggled.

“I know they have wine in Dallas, but what if nobody in Dallas wants to drink it with me? What if I'm making another huge mistake? I have already gotten off on several wrong feet, and what if I just can't recover? What if I get heat stroke because my thighs look weird in shorts so I have to wear pants all the time? What if I can't find a decent cannoli and I waste away from starvation?” I word vomited all over Danielle.

She looked at me with one eyebrow raised and let out a long stream of air before tackling my insane string of insecurities. “Okay, if you waste away from lack of cannoli, your thighs will look amazing in shorts and you won't have to worry about the heat stroke. But there will be no shortage of cannoli, because I will send you Mike's all the time. Everyone will want to drink wine with you because you have the hookup to hot hockey players.” Danielle paused and reached across the table to grab my hand. She gave it a squeeze before continuing, “In all seriousness, you are not making a mistake. Yes, you have had some unfortunate incidents, but that's not you. Don't let those lapses in judgment define you and bring you down. You are amazing.”

“I'm going to miss you so much,” I choked out, feeling a tear slide down my face.

Oh boy, I could feel Slurricane Peyton coming on.

Our moment was interrupted by the loud buzzing of my cell phone sitting on the table top next to me, the vibrations amplified by the rustic wood. I looked over to see who was calling me on a Sunday night. Noah - Seamster Extraordinaire flashed across the screen.

“Give me just a minute?” I asked, looking up at Danielle, and she nodded, pulling her own phone out no doubt to check on Brock and the babies.

“Seamster Extraordinaire?” I answered.

“I may have programmed my number into your phone while you were trying on your newly repaired dress,” he chuckled.

“You did an amazing job with that dress. I think you earned your spot on my contacts list,” in more ways than one, I thought but refrained from saying out loud. “What's up?”

“Coach told us you were moving down tomorrow, and I thought that you might like some help getting settled in? Maybe I could pick you up from the airport?”

I hiccupped and mulled over his suggestion. “Is that a euphemism for hooking up again?” I blurted before suddenly remembering that I had a professional boundary I needed to respect.

“Was I hoping for more? Yes. But I honestly just wanted to call and see if you needed any help. When I got traded to the Stars, I didn’t have anyone to pick me up, and sometimes you just need a friend, yeah?”

I chewed on my lip for a minute before replying. “That would actually be great. I was literally just drinking myself stupid and word vomiting to my best friend that I wouldn’t have anyone in Dallas.”

Surprisingly enough, I wasn’t embarrassed about sharing this with my Seamster Extraordinaire, because...well...he’d already seen me bust out of my dress in an elevator and he licked my kitty. I didn’t really care about impressing him. It was nice. Maybe he’d be the perfect friend to have there in Dallas.

He laughed. “I’m happy to be of service. I think we could be very good friends.”

“About that…” I slurred. Danielle was staring at me, brow arched. “We can’t fuck again. It was great, but I really can’t lose my job. Robert was very clear about me avoiding any extracurricular activities with his players.”

“Are blow jobs on the table still?” he asked playfully.

“Nope,” I replied.

“So no anal then?”

“No.”

“We can’t do the no pants dance?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Stuff the taco? Thread the needle? Slam the ham?”

“No, nope, and gross.”

“I guess we can be friends. It’s not nearly as fun though,” he said. I could almost picture him pouting on the other end of the line.

“Thanks, buddy. I’ll send you my flight info and see you bright and early. Hope you’re ready to carry my book collection. You’ll get a nice workout in.”

“Can’t wait,” he replied dryly. I hung up the phone and let out a sigh. Maybe this wasn’t going to be too bad after all. At the very least, I had a friend. A sexy friend that was amazing at giving orgasms...a sexy friend that was amazing at giving orgasms and was willing to pick me up from my seven a.m. flight as well as help me move into my new apartment. I’d say that was a pretty damn good friend.

“I just seriously can’t fuck him,” I said out loud.

“Who can’t you fuck?” Danielle asked with a wink. I hadn’t even noticed her listening in to me.

“I can’t fuck, like, anyone,” I answered before eyeing her glass. She followed my line of sight and sighed before handing it to me. I tipped back the glass and took a large gulp. “Anyone,” I repeated once the glass was empty. It was going to be my new affirmation. Every morning right after I woke up, I was going to shout it at my reflection in the mirror.

“I still think it’s a little misogynistic of this Robert Park guy to want to control your sex life. I don’t see him telling his players to not fuck their way through their fan clubs. Yes, maybe you need to take some time to heal from Chad the asshole, but I don’t like any boss already trying to shame you and control your vagina. Not cool,” Danielle said.

“Not. Cool,” I agreed with my friend.

True to his word, Noah was waiting for me at baggage claim. He was wearing a tight T-shirt and jeans that looked like they were made for him, his dark hair stylishly mussed. It was not right that he looked so good before eight a.m., especially when I looked like I got run over by a truck.

In my efforts to be an organized boss bitch and get my life packed, I had forgotten to leave out an outfit for today. I had to rifle through my delicately packed suitcases to find something to wear. In my sleep deprived delirium, I chose a Britney Spears T-shirt, leggings with a rip in the thigh, and two different flats. At least they were both black.

My hair was pulled back into a half-assed ponytail, and there was not enough concealer in the world to cover up my hungover, awake-at-an-ungodly-hour-to-sit-on-a-dry-ass-plane-for-four-hours, under eye bags.

Normally, I would be drinking in the tall glass of water that was Noah Heartland, but my eyes were drawn to what he was holding. A bouquet of white and pink balloons was clutched in one hand, and gorgeous stems of roses were nestled into the crook of his arm. But what drew my attention was the big sign he started waving around like a nut when he saw me walk through the sliding doors.

It didn't take me long to get close enough to see that in big, bold letters, he had written: Peyton Manning, definitely not my fuck buddy.

I brought my palm to my face and tried to stifle a laugh.

“Peyton! Over here! Peyton!” Noah yelled unnecessarily. Baggage claim at Dallas-Fort Worth was pretty small, and he knew I had seen him.

“This is only funny because it’s the asscrack of dawn and there is nobody else here,” I chided.

“For you.” He grinned, extending the hand holding the balloons and flowers to me.

I wasn’t good at accepting gifts, mostly because I couldn’t remember the last time I was given one. Chad’s idea of being thoughtful was going down on me. “Ah, thanks,” I replied awkwardly.

Noah grinned. “You look...tired,” he said.

I scowled. “Don’t you know that you’re not supposed to tell a woman she looks tired?”

“Your shoes don’t match, and I can see your neon underwear through your tights.”

I looked down at my leggings. “These are leggings,” I argued.

“Those are opaque tights,” he replied with a chuckle before pulling at the waistband with his index finger and popping it against my skin.

“Shit.” I spun around and arched my back, trying to look down at just how much I was on display for the world to see. By the time I’d stopped spinning, Noah had already handed me his hoodie. “We have got to stop meeting like this,” I teased before frantically setting down the roses and balloons and putting it on. Thankfully, the hem hit mid-thigh, hiding my undies.

“I happen to like your wardrobe malfunctions,” Noah replied with a wink. “I think they’re fun.”

I squinted at him. “Of course you do.”

We walked over to the baggage conveyor belt and made small talk while waiting for my luggage to arrive. “So, I feel like I should warn you about something…” Noah said after a lull in the conversation.

“Oh?”

Noah winced, as if worried about what he was about to say. “Joni has been talking to a lot of people on the team about you.”

I frowned, already knowing where this was going. I knew that Joni was going to be a problem when he handed me my panties in front of Robert Park.

Groaning, I replied. “What is he saying?”

Noah cringed. “Just that you had a wild night together and you have been blowing up his phone ever since,” he rushed out.

“That bastard!” I yelled. “For the record, I stopped him after he motorboated me. We stayed up drinking and watching trashy television. What a dick!”

Joni was seriously going to fuck everything up. I was not a fan of assholes that kiss and tell. Especially when there wasn’t much to tell.

“Joni’s just mad because the job was supposed to be for his brother,” Noah explained. “He shattered his knee his first season on the ice. I think Joni is just trying to keep him in the sport.”

Well, that added a layer to the story I wasn’t expecting. I could understand wanting to support someone you love, but it wasn’t my fault that Robert Park hired me. I was experienced and incredibly qualified.

And connected, a little voice in the back of my brain whispered. If it hadn't been for Beth, you never would have gotten the job. I shook my head in an attempt to wave off the annoying doubts trying to creep in.

“Oh, I had no idea. That's really awful for his brother,” I said sincerely. “I can't imagine having your whole career disappear because of an injury.”

“Eh.” Noah shrugged. “The vibe I got was that Joni was more into his brother's hockey career than his brother was.”

“Yeah, but that's still a pretty raw deal.” I couldn't believe I was actually feeling bad for that jerk. The conveyor belt whirred to life and started churning out luggage.

“You're not responsible for what Joni wants or what happened to his brother. You got the job, and you are going to crush it. He's just going to have to find a way to deal with it,” Noah said nonchalantly. I wasn't so sure that Joni would find a way to deal with it.

My white suitcases with pink hearts stood out against all of the black and gray ones, and I moved forward to grab them. “Let me guess, yours?” Noah asked, pointing to my colorful bags. I nodded and watched him pluck my luggage off the moving belt like it weighed nothing. “Is this everything?”

“Yep, I mailed a bunch of stuff so I wouldn't have to bring it on the plane.”

“Awesome. So, are you ready to start your new life as a Texan?” Noah asked, making a sweeping gesture in the direction of doors leading out of the airport.

“Sure thing, partner. Y’all come back now, ya hear? Bless your heart,” I joked and tipped an imaginary cowboy hat in his direction.

“Never do that again,” Noah laughed and rolled my bags out of the airport.

I was off to a great start.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Noah held the car door open for me before loading my bags into the back of his black Lincoln Navigator. After wrestling the balloons into the backseat, I noticed two Starbucks cups sitting in the center console.

Oh my God, one of them had my name on it. I snatched it up and took a tentative sip, bracing for the bitterness of black coffee. My eyes practically rolled back into my head as the sweet liquid touched my tongue. He ordered my favorite mocha. To hell with Robert Parks, I was going to marry this man.

“Oh good, you found your coffee,” Noah chuckled, sliding into the driver's seat.

“I think I love you, Noah Heartland,” I told him over the top of my coffee cup.

“I get that a lot.”

“How are you single?” I asked, obliterating any semblance of professional boundaries. “You are gorgeous, you have a great job, you are thoughtful, funny, and you have the tongue of a god,” I ticked off on my fingers.

Noah’s mood changed instantly. His smile faded, and his eyes glazed over. He didn’t answer my question. Oh shit, that was too far.

“I'm sorry, you don't have to answer that. That was really inappropriate for me to ask,” I mumbled. Great, I was already messing up, and I had only been in Texas for twenty minutes. I made a mental note to start actually thinking before just blurting out every thought I had.

“No, it’s fine,” he quickly amended before pausing. I waited for him to explain the sudden shift in his mood, but he simply clutched his steering wheel harder.

“Soooo,” I said.

“So, I hope you don’t mind, but I invited a few of the guys to help you move. I figured it might be good for you to meet the team outside of work.”

Unfortunately, I was just taking another sip of coffee when he said that. I sputtered and had to pound my chest with my palm to get the hot liquid out of my lungs. “Wh-what?” I choked out. “You invited them over? To help me move? They’re going to hate me.”

Noah scoffed before getting onto a large highway that kind of looked like a death trap. Texas roads were intimidating. “No, they won’t! Everyone seemed excited to do it.”

It took every ounce of restraint not to roll my eyes. I’m sure with all the rumors Joni was spreading about me, they were extremely excited to meet me. “False. I intentionally don’t make a lot of friends because I don’t want to be asked to help them move one day. It’s also why I never understood truck owners. It’s basically an invitation for people to ask you to move shit. It’s literally the worst thing to ask a person.”

“And yet here I am...helping you move,” Noah replied with a laugh.

“You once licked my kitty, so there’s different rules involved,” I quickly replied with a snort.

And then I realized I looked like a hot airplane mess.

Well. Great.

My new apartment was in a town called Frisco, Texas, a suburb less than an hour north of Dallas. The team had a practice arena and admin building located there, so it made more sense to have an apartment closer to where I’d be realistically working the most.

“It’s not too late to call everyone and tell them not to show up,” I said as Noah pulled into the parking lot. “I don’t even have that much to move. My boxes won’t be here until the end of the week, and I’m having all my furniture delivered tomorrow.”

“Where will you sleep tonight?” Noah asked. The hopeful excitement on his face made me shiver. Nope. Down, girl. Not happening.

“I have a sleeping bag and an air mattress,” I replied, feeling a little deflated. I’d much rather be on a real mattress with a real man devouring my—

“We’re here!” he said excitedly.

The apartment complex was very upscale and in a part of town that had lots of shopping and parks. There was a huge mall within walking distance and tons of trendy restaurants. My apartment was on the small side, but there was a nice pool and a gym on site. I definitely got lucky snagging an apartment here.

“I’ll just go in and get my keys!” I grabbed my purse and placed my hand on the door. “While I’m doing that, why don’t you call everyone and cancel?” I offered before exiting Noah’s car and waltzing inside.

The apartment clubhouse was nice and neatly decorated. I already knew that they had a game room and movie room for guests to use. The woman at the front desk was typing loudly on the computer when I approached.

“Hello, my name is Peyton Manning, and I’m here to move in.”

The woman’s eyes snapped up to me. “Peyton Manning?” she asked. “We’ve been trying to call you.”

That didn’t sound good. “Oh? Sorry, I was on the plane and haven’t checked my phone yet.” I started digging through my purse.

“Your furniture arrived yesterday,” she then said. “Your apartment wasn’t ready yet, so we had to put it in the complimentary storage unit.”

I frowned. “My furniture wasn’t supposed to arrive until tomorrow.”

“Well, it arrived yesterday. And we need you to move it immediately out of our storage room.”

Shit on a stick.

The pretty blonde woman gave me directions to both the storage unit and my new apartment, with the slightest Southern twang. I handed over the cashier's check for the first month's rent that entirely wiped out my savings account, and she gave me two sets of keys.

“You're very lucky that the storage space was empty,” she reminded me. “Someone reserved it for the rest of the week, starting this afternoon, so I'll need it emptied and the keys back as soon as possible.”

“Yes, of course, thank you.”

I walked out of the air-conditioned office into the ungodly heat of the outdoors. The few short steps back to the SUV were suffocating. How was it already so hot this early in the morning?

“Funny story,” I told Noah, climbing back into his car and twisting the knob for the air-conditioning to full blast. “Turns out my furniture was accidentally delivered early and is sitting in the apartments’ storage but has to be moved in the next couple hours. What time is the team coming?”

“The team you just insisted that I cancel?”

“Yep, that's the one!” I said brightly, ignoring the incredulous look on his face. “How quickly can they get here?”

“They'll be here in about thirty minutes,” he told me, without even picking up his phone.

“You never called them, did you?”

“Nope!” He smiled. “Which way to your new digs?”

I repeated the directions the woman in the office gave me, and in minutes, we were standing in front of a blue door with the number fourteen on it.

Sliding the key into the lock, I held my breath. I hadn't seen the apartment in person, only photos online, and every horror story of bait and switch on Reddit came flooding into my brain. I said a quick prayer to Joanna Gaines that it wasn't a shit hole, and opened the door.

I blew out the air I was holding and screeched.

“Is everything okay?” Noah asked, alarmed. He pushed his way past me to see what was happening.

“It's gorgeous!” I shrieked. “Look at these floors! And the cabinets, and oh my God, the countertops are granite!” I started doing a happy dance in the living room, in my living room, complete with a touchdown spike.

I was still running from room to room, squealing in delight over the walk-in closet, jetted soaking tub, and the in-unit washer and dryer combo when there was a knock on the open door.

“I take it she likes the apartment?” Hatch asked Noah, walking in without waiting to be invited.

Hatch had no business looking as good as he did. Dark jeans sculpted his long, muscular legs. He had on a faded navy T-shirt, and his just-woke-up look was effortless. Our eyes locked, and I felt the heartbeat in my lady basement thud at attention. Damn, he was sexy. And when standing next to Noah, the two of them looked like they could star in one of my alone time mind movies.

“How was your flight?” Hatch asked with a grin.

“It was sexy—I mean short,” I stammered. What was wrong with me?

Noah chuckled. Hatch looked me up and down, heavy heat weighing down his stare. “Thanks for coming,” I quickly amended. “Hope you’re ready to move some heavy furniture.”

He exchanged a look with Noah. “Did you warn her?”

“Warn me about what?”

“Joni is coming.”

I scowled, then shuddered. It felt like my poor traumatized breasts had suddenly gone inverted at the mention of his name. “That’s fine,” I squeaked out my lie. It was kind of embarrassing that Hatch knew there was already some tension between Joni and me. “I’ll be working with all of you closely.”

I just hoped I never got that close to Joni ever again.

“Everyone knows he’s nothing but talk,” Noah scoffed.

I crossed my arms over my chest and looked around my empty apartment that would soon be filled to the brim with sweaty athletes. “I still don’t understand why a bunch of millionaire professional athletes would want to spend their Saturday helping me move.” Speaking of, I really needed to change out of these opaque tights before they started showing up.

Hatch looked confused. Noah smirked. Was I missing something?

“Did I mention that the guys coming lost a bet?” Noah asked mischievously.

I winced. They were totally going to hate me. But I was broke, and free help was free help. “What kind of bet?”

Hatch tipped his head back and laughed like this was a funny story. Noah answered me. “We had a professional figure skater come to practice last week to teach us some moves and help us with balance and flexibility. Some of them didn’t take it seriously, but I did.”

Oh. I had a feeling I knew where this was headed. “Oh?” I offered, encouraging him to continue.

“They bet me that I couldn’t do a double Lutz jump.”

“What’s a Lutz jump?” I asked.

As if prepared for my question, Noah pulled out his phone and clicked on a video he had saved for such occasions. There, he flipped in the air and spun around twice in a way that I wouldn’t know how to technically describe, but he looked great. Not graceful, but still impressive.

I giggled as he bowed. “Have to say, that’s pretty awesome.”

“You should have seen their faces. Hysterical!” Hatch joined in.

The three of us laughed like we were old friends, and for a brief moment, I felt a lot of hope about my new job here. “Thank you for using your hard earned winnings on me,” I finally said after our laughter had died down some.

Noah looked at me, a friendly twinkle in his eye. “Any time.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

My brand new apartment building was swarming with hockey players. There was a constant stream of chiseled bodies walking from one end of the building to the other, because of course the storage unit was on the opposite side of the complex. Some of the guys were actively moving furniture, others were on their way back to get more, and others were just whooping and hollering as they ran around doing God knows what.

We had drawn a crowd. A fucking crowd.

There were men trying to stop the guys to talk shop or get an autograph, and women were hanging out in the courtyard, ogling. Every now and then, I would hear a ripple of tittering laughter and figured out it corresponded to when one of the players would take off their shirt. I considered getting a spray bottle.

A few of my new neighbors dropped by to introduce themselves. All of them looked past me as they told me their names and where their apartments were, scanning the room for their favorite players. One of the women from across the hall poked her head in with a muffin basket and a jug of lemonade.

“Hi, I’m Shannon in number sixteen,” she half-heartedly pointed out the door while looking around my apartment.

“Hi, Shannon, it’s nice to meet you.” I smiled at her and reached out to take the muffins.

“Maybe I’ll just come back in a few minutes?” she suggested. The disappointment etched on her face gave away that she had hoped to drop by when there were more half-naked hockey players around.

“Oh, no need,” I said, practically ripping the basket out of her hands and shooing her out the door. “I’ll make sure the players get these, that was so nice of you to bake them!”

“Okay then. Will we be seeing a lot of them around from now on?” she asked hopefully.

“See you later!” I called out in a singsong voice and closed my door behind her.

At least I was going to get invited to all of the community barbecues.

Almost an hour late and after most of my furniture had already been moved, Joni came skulking in. He looked like he wanted to be here just about as much as I wanted him to be. Even pouting and sullen, Joni was sexy as hell with his perfectly mussed hair and piercing blue eyes.

“Nice of you to show up, mate,” a redheaded player, whose name I learned was Shawn, called out to him. “Couldn’t handle all the heavy lifting and had to leave it to the real men, eh?”

“Whatever, man,” Joni brushed him off. His bad mood radiated off of him like stink lines on Linus.

“Hi, Joni, so glad you could make it,” I said through a big fake smile. I was determined to put a big enough Band-Aid on this relationship that we could at least both be in the same room and pleasant at the same time.

“Here.” He thrust a piece of paper toward me. “This is why I’m late. Coach called me and asked if I could give this to you.”

I took the paper from him and looked it over. It was the team’s schedule for Monday, my first official day. Coach had mentioned that he wanted me to shadow the team for the first week or so to get a feel for how things are done, what could be improved, and to get to know the players better. Not that I was having any trouble with getting to know the players, I had certainly gotten to know some of the players very well.

“Thanks, Joni. I appreciate it!” I smiled and tucked the paper into the pocket of my jeans. “I know the guys are almost done, but stick around and have some pizza. I reserved the box on the top floor.”

Maybe we could work through the awkwardness and be cordial with one another. The fact that he was willing to bring me this schedule was a step in the right direction. If anything could bring people together again, it was pizza and beer.

“Thanks for the invite, but I can’t. My brother is FaceTiming me from his consultation with a new physical therapist,” he replied, his voice distant. “I like to be able to devote my full attention to these doctors visits.”

That nagging sense of guilt and empathy hit me like a ton of bricks. I felt bad for the dude, honestly. “Oh. I hope it goes well for you,” I replied lamely. I didn’t really know what else to say.

Joni shook his head and cleared his throat. “See you Monday at practice. Fair warning? Coach is a stickler for being on time.”

I nodded. “Noted. Thanks.”

My apartment still needed to be unpacked, but there were sexy hockey players to feed, and it was nice getting to know everyone. Even though they were forced to be here, they made the best out of the situation. I got the sense that they really were like a big, smelly band of brothers. They laughed at farts and showed off all day like any other man-sized toddler out there.

One of the things I prided myself on back with the Flyers was how well I worked with the team. It made my job significantly easier the more I learned about them. Their quirks. Needs. Particular tastes. I used to make sure each player had their favorite flavor sport drink available after practice, and if one of the players had kids with after-school activities, I’d arrange for the valet to have their car ready to go and the road cleared so they could make it to their son’s baseball game. The players eat, breathe and sleep hockey, but it’s important for the support staff to advocate for their work-life balance so that they can focus on the game.

I had to charge the pizza to my credit card. It low-key made me sob to feed ten grown ass full adult men. I ordered an ungodly amount of beer and large pies, and we went up to my complex’s clubhouse on the roof.

The wall was lined with flat screen televisions, and the glass sliding doors were open, letting a nice breeze fill the space. Players filled the tables and chairs, and I found an open seat by Hatch and prepared to chat with some of the players.

“Hey, guys,” I began. I was feeling a bit nervous. What if they believed everything Joni said? What if they heard the rumors about Chad? “Thanks again for helping me move. I really do appreciate it.”

A clipped accent cut through the sounds surrounding us. He had a deep, roaring sort of voice that carried. “I'm never betting against Noah again,” a guy with a buzz cut and missing front tooth said with a mouth full of pizza. A few of the other guys laughed. “My name is Serkan. I like seat closest to emergency exit on private jet. Do not sit there, and we’ll be great friends.”

Well, okay then, Serkan. “I can make sure that happens. Any particular reason?”

Serkan looked at me like I was an idiot. His harsh and clipped accent poured from his full mouth. “In case of crash. I travel with parachute and am greatly prepared.”

I smiled politely, because what the hell else was I supposed to do? “A survivalist. I like it!” I playfully replied before praying someone else would interrupt. Serkan was intense. I made a mental note to make sure he always had a seat in the emergency exit row.

“As long as you're taking requests, I would like to have an east-facing room when we travel so that I can wake up with the sun. I also like to have vanilla-scented candles in my bathroom and a bowl of M&M's with all of the blue ones picked out,” another player spouted.

Was this dude for real?

“I'll see what I can do.” It was the safe answer since I couldn't tell if he was serious, but I also didn't want to offend him. Some players were definitely divas. I hadn't personally handled one yet but was up for the challenge.

“Don't pay any attention to Liam,” a player with sandy blond hair interjected. “He's just busting your balls. I'm Owen, and I'll help you move anytime. Your neighbor down the hall is hot as fuck. She slipped me her panties and phone number. So thank you, Peyton, for having hot, easy neighbors.”

Owen took a red lacy thong out of his pocket and twirled it around his finger. There was a round of wolf whistles from the rest of the team. Oh boy, this one was going to be trouble. Thank Buddha I wasn’t his public relations agent.

“Uh, you're welcome. I think.” I really hoped that my neighbor wasn't the crazy kind of hot. I didn't want to walk out one day to find that my car had been keyed overnight by a jealous one-night stand. Once I could actually afford to buy a car, that is.

Hatch leaned over toward me. He was close enough that I could smell his mountain fresh scent. He must have taken a minute to freshen up; there’s no way he could smell this good after moving furniture for hours. He lowered his voice so that only I could hear. “Owen's got a bit of a reputation with the bunnies. Every now and again, one of his one-night stands will show up with a wedding ring or a baseball bat.”

“Are you serious?” I wasn't really one to judge after what I did to Chad's car, but in my defense, I was more than a one-night stand.

“Once, one of his bunnies showed up to practice with a positive pregnancy test. She came onto the ice waving it around and made a huge scene. Nobody knows how she got past security, but it really freaked him out.”

“Oh my God!” I gasped. This was some really juicy gossip. “What happened?” I asked, trying to keep the eagerness out of my voice.

“She strung him along for weeks. All the way up until the first ultrasound. The date on the screen didn't match what she told him. Owen did the math and walked right out. Never heard from her again.”

“I guess it didn't freak him out enough to give up the bunnies.”

“Nope, guess not.” Hatch shrugged. Cool. I was definitely going to have to keep an eye on Owen. “When everyone is done eating, I could show you around the practice rink if you want. It’s only about a five minute walk from here.”

“I would love that,” I said, grinning like an idiot and trying to ignore the heat spreading downward. Hatch was way too handsome for his own good.

“Hey, Peyton, I heard you had a lot of fun at the NHL conference in Chicago,” one of the players called out. I flushed red. “I’d like the same kind of introduction Noah and Joni got, hot stuff!”

If the world could just swallow me up, that would be great.

The guy yelling crude things at me had dark hair and a scruffy beard that looked like pubes growing on his face. Serkan got up and slowly stalked over to him before backhanding the dude. “Don’t be gross,” he growled.

Okay. I liked Serkan. He could have all the emergency seats he wanted. I tried to smile, like my mistakes weren’t on display for everyone to see. I wanted to put my best foot forward, and having the guys tease me about my actions during a vulnerable, stupid weekend made my stomach churn.

I cleared my throat. Might as well nip this in the bud. “I’m really excited to be working with all of you,” I said tentatively. “And even though you had to lose a bet to get here, I still genuinely appreciate your help, and I hope you all learned the valuable lesson of not underestimating Noah’s figure skating skills.”

My teasing earned a few laughs from the players, and Noah did a little bow.

“It’s very important to me that I be a professional ass—asset—to this orgasm—organization!” I was so flustered I kept dropping Freudian slips.

Owen laughed loudly. “To orgasms!” he yelled while holding up his beer.

“To orgasms!” the team echoed.

Great.

I turned to look at Hatch, who was trying to hide his smile. “Not a word,” I growled.

Hatch shook his head as Noah approached. “For the record, I didn’t tell anyone about our seamstress adventure,” he said. “That was all Joni.”

Hatch cleared his throat, and I felt sickening shame. It was embarrassing, and even though I knew nothing could happen between us, I felt like my one-night stand with Noah and my nightmare titty fuck with Joni was going to ruin whatever Hatch and I shared.

“I figured,” I replied with a sigh. “No worries.” I wanted to change the subject pronto. Honestly, I regretted a lot about that night, but most of all, I regretted assuming the worst about Hatch. I let my jaded past get in the way, and I walked away—and right into Joni’s arms. Who knows where the night could have led if I had given Hatch half a chance.

And now I’ll never know.

“I didn’t realize the two of you knew each other so...intimately,” Hatch said while looking Noah up and down.

“I didn’t realize I had to tell you about my intimate friendships,” Noah replied back.

This was starting to feel like a strange pissing contest.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Hatch was uncharacteristically quiet as we walked over to the stadium. He didn't seem mad, but he also hadn't looked me in the eye since we said goodbye to the guys. Even though I hadn't done anything wrong, feelings of guilt crept into the uncomfortable silence between us.

When we reached the brick building with the Dallas Stars logo, Hatch pulled open the heavy door and waited for me to walk through. He nodded to a bored looking security guard before walking over.

“Hey, Ernie. This is Peyton. She's the new team coordinator, so you're going to be seeing a lot of her around here,” Hatch told the man with thinning white hair and a gentle gaze. His tone and body language was completely different talking to Ernie, a stark contrast to the cold shoulder he was giving me.

“Hi, Miss Peyton, it's nice to meet you.” Ernie tipped his hat to me.

“It's nice to meet you too, Ernie.” I smiled.

“I'm just going to give Peyton a quick tour to let her get her bearings before her first day,” Hatch said.

Oh man, just a quick tour. He definitely didn't want to be here. I plastered a big fake smile on my face and pretended to look excited to be shown locker rooms and offices by someone who clearly didn't want to share the same air as me. “How lucky am I to have my own private tour guide?”

“Lucky indeed, Miss Peyton. I hope you like it here.”

“I'm sure I will,” I said, my fake smile turning genuine. Ernie reminded me of my grandfather, and I couldn't help but like him.

“Let's start with the rink,” Hatch said, still not looking at me. “See you later, Ernie.” He motioned for me to follow him as he walked a few paces ahead of me. We had to go through a locked door that Hatch opened with a badge. As we walked, the air grew colder, both from the rink and the vibes rolling off of Hatch. I shivered, my T-shirt not doing much to keep me warm.

“I'm so sorry you found out like that,” I blurted out, not able to take the tension anymore. “I was in a really weird headspace at the gala.” Truthfully, it was probably teetering on the line of unprofessional to even explain myself, but what difference did it make?

Hatch stopped walking and turned to face me. “You don't owe me an apology, Peyton.”

What. The. Hell. I'm pretty sure I hadn't been imagining this man pouting for the last twenty minutes. “Oh, um, okay.”

“We barely know each other. You're not my girlfriend, you don't need to tell me about who you have or have not slept with.”

I felt pretty stupid. Of course he didn't care about me, he hardly even knew me. He was probably just annoyed at being the last on the team to know. I can't believe I'm so narcissistic that I thought he was jealous. My cheeks burned with embarrassment. “So are we good?”

“Yeah, Peyton. We're good.”

I watched him walk for a moment before he abruptly stopped. “Okay, maybe I’m a little jealous. But I swear my mood isn’t because of that. I care about Noah. We’re really close,” Hatch said while staring at me.

Oh shit. Had I completely misread things? Did Hatch have a thing for his teammate? I waited for him to continue before voicing the raving thoughts in my mind.

“Noah is pretty sensitive actually. He’d kill me for telling you this, but he just experienced a bad breakup. I don’t want him getting hurt, you know? He does stupid shit when he’s hurting.”

Ohhhh. Well, damn. I guess Noah and I had something in common. I cleared my throat. “To be honest, I can relate. I went to the banquet for a job and had a fight with my ex and not one but one and a half hookups that almost ruined my chances at a new job—and still could. I was hurting and mad and…” I paused. Hatch was hanging on to every word I said, as if he wanted to know everything about me. “I wanted some sick sense of validation. I wanted to feel desired. And pretty and worthy.”

Hatch tenderly reached up and tucked a strand of blonde hair behind my ear, sending a wave of shivers down my spine. Oh my goodness. He was so handsome and sweet. “You’re beautiful. And I’m so sorry some dumbass made you feel this way.” Hatch pulled back and coughed. “I just don’t want you to think I’m judging. None of us are, really. I’ve heard rumors about Joni that lead me to believe that you didn’t have that great of a time with him. And as far as Noah is concerned, I just want him to be happy. Be careful with him, will you?”

I nodded. I had zero plans to hook up with Noah again, even if he was the most talented bed partner I’d ever had. His tongue was proof that God is a woman and she loves us very much.

“And what about you?” I asked.

Hatch grinned. “I’m excited to show my new friend around.” He then grabbed my hand and pulled me down the hall, showing me the offices, the training facilities, the physical therapy area, the weight rooms, and the conference area. My head was spinning by the end of the tour.

And Hatch was thoughtful, carefully answering my questions and providing insider information that would be useful on the job. I ended up pulling out my notepad and taking notes. He even showed off some handy shortcuts that would help me navigate everything easier.

We said goodbye to Ernie, and like a true Southern gentleman, Hatch had walked me the five stiflingly hot minutes back home. Between the freezing cold ice rink and outside being hotter than Satan's ballsack, I was going to have to start dressing in layers.

“I can’t thank you enough,” I said once we were standing back at my apartment door.

“It was my pleasure,” Hatch said, leaning casually against my doorframe. “If you need anything, I'm only a text or call away. I’ve already added you to my favorites on my phone.”

My brows rose. “I’m already a favorite, huh?” I teased. This friendship was still kind of new, so the comment made me pause, but I was used to being on the players’ speed dial for my job. He probably did this with all the team coordinators.

“You could possibly be the favorite, Peyton,” he murmured reverently before clearing his throat. That was intense. Maybe a little too intense? But maybe he was just a sentimental dude.

“Thanks.” I smiled. “You and the rest of the guys today have already done so much for me. I'm just going to spend the rest of the weekend settling in and psyching myself up for Monday.”

“You're going to be great. Everyone already loves you. You even won over Serkan, and he doesn't like anybody.”

“Well, not everybody. There's still Joni,” I said, wrinkling up my face. “He definitely doesn't love me.”

“From what I've heard from past girlfriends, Joni is the one who should be worried about you not liking him.” I cringed internally at the thought of Hatch knowing that I let Joni titty fuck me. “But don't worry, he will come around.”

“That's what people keep telling me.”

Hatch stood up from against the door and closed the space between us, looking down into my eyes. He brought his arm up to my shoulder and let his hand rest there. My skin tingled at his touch. God, he was sexy.

“I'm really happy you moved here, Peyton,” he said in a soft, low voice.

I was too busy melting into his green eyes and suppressing the urge to invite him back inside to say anything more coherent than the mm-hmmm that escaped my lips. Thankfully, he turned and walked away before I could say or do anything stupid.

I was a little flustered from the sudden shift in intimacy, especially after he was insisting that he didn't care about me like that. I wasn't so caught off guard that I couldn't appreciate watching him until he disappeared around the corner. Just because I couldn't touch didn't mean I couldn't look, and damn did his ass look good in those jeans.

My alarm clock went off bright and early, not that I needed it. The mixture of excitement and nerves of starting a new job had kept me awake for hours. Flinging off my white comforter, I got out of bed and walked to the bathroom.

Mentally, I went through the schedule while brushing my teeth. I had read it and reread it so many times that it was seared into my brain, but it never hurt to go over it again. After staring into the abyss that was my closet, I decided on my favorite power suit: black pants, a white button-down shirt, and a cropped purple blazer that hit right at my natural waist, making me look long and lean. A pair of black heels completed the look, although I waited until the very last minute before putting them on my feet. I knew with complete certainty that I would regret wearing them by the end of the day, but wanted to feel powerful. There was something about that clicking sound on the tile that empowered me.

I was really nervous and could barely eat my whole grain cereal for breakfast. My stomach churned with anxiety. Even though I was confident in my ability to do a good job, there was something about Robert Park that made me incredibly nervous. Not to mention, I felt like I had a bad reputation I needed to fix. Joni might've been helpful Saturday by handing me this schedule, but I still felt like our feud was far from over. Part of me wanted to tell everyone how absolutely terrible he was in bed. The man had a massive dick, but from what I could tell, he didn't know how to use it.

I walked the same path Hatch and I took a couple of days earlier to the stadium, and when I walked through the doors, my anxiety hit a crescendo. There was a different security guard in Ernie’s spot. He looked over my new hire paperwork with a brow arched. He was an older gentleman with an oversized nose and scraggly gray hairs on his chin. “They hired a woman?” he asked in a crude tone.

“I suppose they did,” I replied with a smile.

He handed me back my folder and gave me a lanyard with a pass on it. “This will get you into the building during office hours. If you need to come up here for any reason outside of office hours, call this number and the guard on duty will let you inside.”

I nodded, eager to be on my way. “Thank you!”

The old man scowled. “Now don't you lose this, you hear? These fans can be crazy. They'll steal your access card and run naked through the locker room.”

I couldn't tell if this was a hypothetical situation or if this man was speaking from experience. My mind flashed to the story about Owen's one-night stand storming the rink with her pee stick, and I wondered if this was the same security guard she slipped past.

“I won't lose it, I promise,” I told the grumpy old man with a smile. I would win him over, just like I was going to win over everyone on my growing list of people who weren't completely on board the Peyton train.

“Well, alright then, honey.” I cringed at the pet name but tried to hide it. “Do you know where you're going?”

“I sure do. I got my own little private tour on Saturday.” My smile turned genuine thinking back to that time I spent alone here with Hatch. “I'm Peyton, by the way.”

“Nice to meet you, Peyton. I'm Arthur.” His tone had lightened considerably. At least I was already making progress with one person. “Remember, don't lose your badge.”

I waved goodbye to Arthur and set off toward the first stop on the agenda, the locker room. My heart beat wildly inside my chest, no matter how many deep breaths I took to try and calm it. I'm pretty sure everyone I passed in the halls could hear the erratic thumping, giving away how nervous I was.

Stopping just outside the entryway to the lockers, I smoothed down my blazer and took a few more deep breaths. Even though I already knew what it said, I opened up my folio to read the schedule for the billionth time.

8:00AM - back half of the locker room, post early morning weight training.

Closing my folio and tucking it underneath my arm, I confidently wound my way through the maze of walls leading to the locker room. I was walking quickly and with purpose toward the back of the room, giving myself a mental pep talk until I was startled out of my fake confidence by a shout. And then another. And another.

I looked up to find half of the occupants of the locker room were staring at me, their jaws practically on the floor, and the other half were frantically slinging towels around their hips.

“What the hell are you doing in here?” a player I didn't recognize yelled in my direction. “This is the MEN'S locker room.”

“I...I...I'm the new, um, team coordinator.” I stumbled over my words. I couldn’t help but look. It was like being told not to laugh and then busting out in uncontrollable chuckles. Dicks everywhere.

“I don't care who you are, you don't belong in here,” he growled while trying to cover himself. I forced my intrusive eyes to look up at the ceiling.

My face grew hot and felt like all of the air left my lungs at once. I fumbled with my folio, pulling out the schedule and waving it in his direction. “I have a schedule,” I said lamely.

“Don't mind them,” a fully naked Owen said, smirking and snaking his arm around my shoulder. “Some of the guys, including Dennis here, aren't entirely comfortable with being nude in front of a stranger.”

“Peyton?” a familiar voice said my name. I looked over to see Hatch staring at me with Owen, a look of confusion on his face. “Why are you in the locker room?”

Before I had a chance to answer, Robert appeared. As he got closer, I could see that his left eye was twitching, and a big purple vein throbbed in his neck. I wouldn't have been surprised if steam started pouring out of his ears.

Once he was close enough, he started shouting commands. “Get your ass out of here before I have a sexual harassment lawsuit on my hands.” I nodded while staring at the ceiling and spun on my heels, the entire team laughing as I sprinted to the door and got the fuck out of there.

Naturally, Robert was hot on my heels. “What were you thinking?” he asked, his tone incredulous and laced with fury.

I quickly grabbed the schedule Joni gave me and thrust it into his face. “I was just following the schedule given to me. It said to be here, and I just—”

Robert interrupted me with a huff before yanking the paper out of my fingers. “This is all wrong,” he cursed. “Who gave this to you?”

I knew that in a man’s world, snitches get stitches, but I was not about to lose my job because Joni had a vendetta. I’d sing like a motherfucking canary, thank you very much. “Joni. He brought it by on Saturday when the guys were helping me move into my new apartment.”

Robert's face turned red. “And why, please tell me, were my million-dollar-contract athletes helping my new glorified secretary move into her apartment?”

Okay. So Robert was mad, but that didn’t mean he could belittle my job. Being a team coordinator was a fucking hard job. “Ask your team captain,” I snapped back. “Noah mentioned that they lost a bet. I didn’t arrange anything. They just showed up—”

“And what would have happened if one of them threw out their back moving your furniture, Miss Manning? You do realize we specifically prohibit activities like that during the season, and it’s listed in their contract?”

Shit. Oh shit.

“No?” I replied.

“I’m going to make them skate till they puke,” Robert growled to himself. He looked down at the paper, then back at me. “I’ll have a conversation with Joni about the schedule. I want you to focus on your job, Peyton. You’re not starting off on a good note. I suggest you get your ass to the admin wing, find your desk, and read the employee handbook. Rule one: never do anything to possibly endanger the talent.”

“Yes, sir,” I squeaked out. “I’ll read that right away.”

He let out another huff, but his face wasn’t as red. “Go get me a coffee,” he growled before disappearing back inside the locker room.

Oh fuck. Happy first day, everyone. I wasn’t sure I’d still have this job by the end of the week.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

I stood awkwardly outside the men's locker room, holding Robert's coffee, black with “none of that flavored creamer shit” in one hand and shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other in an attempt to relieve some of the pain that was settling into my feet. I really should have worn flats.

All of the embarrassing details of this morning’s incident were playing on repeat while I waited for Robert. I couldn't believe I fell for Joni's stupid trick. From here on out, I was going to be known as the perv who tried to peep on all the players her first day.

“Manning, what the hell are you doing?” Robert emerged from the locker room and barked at me.

“Here's your coffee,” I said, thrusting the cup in his direction.

Robert took a sip and grimaced. “It's barely even warm. How long have you been standing out here?”

“Not that long. Sorry. I'll just go get you a new one. Where should I bring it?”

“Forget it. Just go to your office. Think you can manage that without any nudity involved?”

“Yes,” I nodded. “Since the schedule I have isn't, um, accurate,” I said, choosing my words carefully, “is there something else I should be following or doing today?” Fucking Joni.

“Just stay in your office until I come and get you,” he said and then disappeared back into the locker room.

The short walk to my office felt more like a ten mile hike. Everyone stared at me, and I swear a couple of the receptionists giggled as I passed their big round desk. News must travel fast around here. I picked up my pace and stared at my shoes until I was safely inside and had closed the door behind me.

I slipped off my heels to give my feet a break and sunk into the black leather chair behind the gray, stained wood desk. There was an employee handbook sitting in the middle of the desk, along with some basic office supplies.

Okay, great. Grounded to my office on my first day. Not even just my first day, my first morning. This was bad. I had no idea how I was going to come back from this.

Taking my phone out of my purse, my fingers automatically went to Danielle's name and clicked dial. I needed to talk to my best friend.

“Peyton?” She answered on the first ring. “What's wrong? Isn't today your first day?”

“Are you busy?” I asked instead of answering her questions.

“You caught me right between exams. I have about five minutes.”

I felt my eyes start to water, and all my embarrassment came to the surface. Wanting to hide, I felt mortified and overwhelmed. Robert thought his new employee was just some perverted horn dog. I was in a new place, alone, and feeling pretty damn vulnerable. The fact that I was crying made me even angrier at the entire situation. I didn’t want to be one of those women who was ruled by her emotions. It was hard enough to be taken seriously in a job like this, but I felt stupid and needed Danielle.

“What am I doing here, Danielle?” I asked. “I had a dream job. Now I am just making an idiot of myself. Everyone here knows me as a girl that got dumped by Chad, then had a stupid sexcapade with a couple of the players. I honestly think I’m losing my mind.”

Danielle let out a lengthy sigh. A slow pause stretched between us, and I prepared myself for the pep talk she was about to give me. “So you went off the deep end for a little bit,” she began. Okay, that wasn’t exactly the pep talk I was looking for. “But it can’t be that bad. It’s your first day. Have some grace for yourself.”

I sniffed. “I accidentally walked into the locker room, and I saw a lot of dicks.”

On the other end of the line, I heard Danielle try to stifle a giggle. “Okay, so being labeled a sexual predator on your first day is pretty bad. You should probably avoid the locker room at all costs in the future.”

“No shit, Sherlock!” I hissed. “The only reason I have this job is because Robert Park owes my old boss a favor. He thinks that I’m just some stupid girl with no thoughts in my head and a crazy vagina that’s out to attack all his players and suck the orgasms out of their souls.”

“That was a truly poetic visual, Peyton,” Danielle replied with a laugh. “But, that’s not who you are. You’re brilliant, organized, professional, hard-working, and one million other things that make you incredibly qualified. So stop talking to me and feeling sorry for yourself and go take the initiative to do what you do best. I know it doesn’t feel like it, but you really do have an opportunity for a clean slate.”

My slate felt like it had been dipped in tar and then feathered. Maybe she was right. Sitting here like a scorned teenager waiting to be told what to do was not really my style. I needed to get up and prove myself worthy. I wasn’t an airhead. And despite my momentary lapse in judgment, I wasn’t ruled by my base needs, either. “Thank you,” I told Danielle. “I needed to hear that.”

“Anytime, perv,” she chuckled. “Gotta go, love you.”

“You're literally rushing me off the phone to go stick your hand up a random woman's vagina, and I'm the perv?”

“Bye, Peyton.” She disconnected the call before I could say anything else. Danielle was always good at telling me exactly what I needed to hear. Now it was up to me to put it into practice.

I put my phone down and buried my face in my hands, allowing myself to wallow in the embarrassment of this morning and everything leading up to it for another minute. I thought about Chad, who was starting to feel more and more like a distant memory, my nightmare of a night with Joni and how he set me up twice now, and lastly, what hooking up with Noah had done to my already flimsy reputation. My actual sexy time with Noah was one hundred percent the only thing I didn't regret.

After reliving my most humiliating moments, I stood up and dusted myself off. Imagining all of the bad karma leaving my soul, I moved my arms in big sweeping motions reaching them up toward the ceiling and slowly bringing them back down the center of my body. I raised and lowered my arms a few more times, letting the stretching exercise relax me.

I sat back down at my desk a brand new woman. Okay, maybe not a whole new woman, but definitely a woman with her shit slightly more together.

Determined to leave my past mistakes behind me, I got to work setting up my office, organizing my supplies and playing with my laptop and monitor until they were in the perfect position. Sweet talking Carol at the front desk about her grandchildren for twenty minutes got me credentials to log in without having to call the IT department first.

I spent the rest of the morning researching all of the players. There would be a lot of things that would be learned on the go, but knowing all of the players' positions and basic backgrounds would be a really good start.

First up was Owen. In addition to the official NHL websites, he had quite the online presence. He had fan clubs, hate clubs, bunny clubs, and social media accounts full of questionable pictures he had been tagged in. No surprises there.

Next, I looked up Noah. His search turned up mostly statistics, game photos, his official Instagram account, and a Facebook account that looked like it hadn't been used in ages. I hovered over the Add Friend button for a second but closed his profile instead; now that I was the smarter, think-before-you-act Peyton, I could see how that might look like fraternization.

I typed Joni Kleason into the search bar next. The Dallas Stars logo popped up and listed his height, birthday, position, time with the team, a little biography and his Stars official photo. But it was the articles that populated underneath that caught my attention.

I clicked the link that read, Jared Kleason's Career-Ending Injury Puts an End to the Family Legacy.

I should have read more, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Feeling sorry for Joni clouded my judgment, and I was already feeling guilty about taking this job using my connections. I quickly closed out of the article and searched Hatch.

Oh, Hatch. His presence online gave off a boy next door vibe. And, of course, said boy next door was a hottie. He posted romantic and motivational quotes on his feed that were sweet but...not what I was expecting. And I kind of cringed at his Instagram bio:

Just a hockey player looking for my forever girl.

I found a press release where he auctioned off a romantic date to raise money for military veterans. I clicked on the article, and after scanning a few lines, I learned that his brother-in-law was a Marine who had died in service during his third tour. There was a photo of him with his sister and niece. She had her red hair curled into tight little ringlets, and her rosy cheeks looked completely pinchable.

Hatch was wearing a suit and holding her hand. There was something about an attractive man doting on little kids that made me swoon. It was obvious that he cared about his niece, and it endeared me to him. “Looking at photos of me, huh?” Hatch asked. I hit my knee on my desk from jumping so hard at the sound of his voice. I hadn’t even noticed him enter my office, let alone circle my desk to see what I was staring at.

“I am so sorry I didn’t hear you walk in.” I tried to close out of the article, but Hatch reached out and grabbed my mouse before I could.

“You’ve got some drool on your chin.”

Rolling my eyes, I forced a smile on my face. I had already made an idiot of myself today, but I should’ve known that it would get worse. “I was just researching all the players and familiarizing myself with everything.”

Hatch released the mouse and gave me a blinding smile. I noticed that he had a dimple on his left cheek. He was ridiculously handsome. I knew that I had said that probably a million times, but it was true. Hatch was disgustingly attractive.

“Well, if you wanted to know more about me, all you had to do is ask. In fact, I was coming up here to invite you to lunch. Morning practice is over, and I have a meeting with my massage therapist scheduled this afternoon. But I have about an hour to spare for the best barbecue in Texas.”

I wanted to full out squeal. Hatch wanted to have lunch with me. Not only did he want to have lunch with me, he came out of his way to find me to ask to have lunch with me. I knew it wasn't a date and that nothing could happen, but it was still a huge ego boost. Plus, my nether regions didn't seem to get the memo that Hatch was off-limits.

Instead of doing my happy dance, I tried to play it cool and not like a tornado of butterflies was attempting to escape from my stomach through my throat. “Okay, on one condition.”

“What's that?” he asked, his forehead wrinkled with curiosity.

“You drive.”

“You don't even have a car. I already assumed I would be driving,” he chuckled.

“Take it or leave it,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest for emphasis.

“You drive a hard bargain, especially for someone who doesn’t drive. I guess I'm just going to have to take it.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

“Do you need gas?” I asked, confused as to why we were pulling into a station. I knew Hummers burned through gas like crazy, but we hadn't gone that far from the stadium, not even ten minutes.

“No,” he answered, just as confused by my question as I was to be at a gas station. “We're here.”

“We're where?”

“The best barbecue in Texas!” He turned the key, shutting off the car. Hatch opened his door and climbed out of the menace to the environment he called a car. He came around to my side and opened the absurdly bright yellow door, as if that were the reason I hadn't moved from the car yet.

“Hatch, we're at a gas station,” I said, squinting up at his silhouette against the bright sun. I really didn't think any more explanation was needed.

“Trust me,” he coaxed, flashing me a brilliant smile. “I promise, it's going to be amazing.”

“Ok, fine,” I groaned. “But I draw the line at sitting in the bathroom to eat. Not even you are that charming.”

“We're not going to eat in a bathroom, Peyton. Don't be ridiculous,” he laughed and helped me out of the car.

Hatch wrapped his arm around my shoulder and walked me into the gas station; he probably thought I was going to bolt if he let go. I slammed my eyes shut right before we walked in the doors, not wanting to see the grimy countertops illuminated by fluorescent lights that our food was probably cooking on.

Once we made it inside, the delicious aroma of slow cooked meats and barbecue sauce filled the air, triggering my mouth to water involuntarily like one of Pavlov’s dogs. I took another yummy whiff of the air before opening my eyes. I was pleasantly surprised by a large open space with picnic style tables covered in red gingham cloths. I breathed out a sigh of relief.

I was still trying to figure out how all of this fit into what looked like a normal gas station from the outside when a tall, muscular figure caught my attention. “Is that Noah over there?”

“Yeah, it is,” Hatch answered, looking in the direction I was pointing.

“Who is he with?” I asked in reference to the gorgeous blonde standing next to him in line.

“Looks like Rosaleigh. She's the coach's daughter. I wonder what she's doing here with Noah. I thought they broke up.”

I stared without shame. With me, Noah was cocky and forward. Even though he flirted, it always came across as friendly. Never serious. The way he looked at this gorgeous girl had my heart breaking. He had puppy dog eyes and a soft expression on his face full of admiration.

Just from watching the two of them, I sensed a deep longing. She had her arms wrapped around her middle, as if creating a wall between them. She used her hair like a curtain over her face, trying to hide her expression. Her body language was timid, but her eyes told a different story.

“Are they dating?” I asked.

Hatch laughed. “I sure hope not. They ended things because they were a mess together. Not to mention, Coach would be pissed. Noah isn’t really the dating type, and Rosaleigh only does serious relationships. I’m not even sure Noah knows how to take a girl on a proper date. He’s been pretty upset ever since she ended things, but I didn’t think he’d try again.”

I continued to stare. Maybe it was odd, but I didn’t feel an ounce of regret over our one-night stand. If anything, it made me feel more confident that we could move forward as friends. It was obvious that he had feelings for someone else and we were both just using each other for fun at the conference.

Hatch placed his hand on my lower back. “Come on, let’s grab our food,” he whispered in my ear.

The restaurant was kind of weird. I had to order my food and go through the line that made me feel like I was a middle schooler in the cafeteria again. I ended up getting a brisket sandwich and some potato salad. Hatch got what looked to be like a little bit of everything.

We both sat down at a corner table secluded from everyone else. I waited for Hatch to start eating, but he just stared at me.

“Go ahead,” I encouraged him.

“I want to see you take your first bite of the best barbecue you'll ever eat!”

I blushed and rolled my eyes. “Fine. I’ll humor your food fetish.”

As I picked up my sandwich, some of the sauce dripped down my hand, but I opened my mouth and took a bite.

And then I moaned. Because, yeah, like, Hatch was right. This food was far superior to anything I’d ever eaten. Hands down.

“Damn,” I said, mouth full. Fuck manners, I was eating brisket in a gas station.

“Life changing, right?”

My eyes practically rolled back in my head. “Better than sex,” I exclaimed.

Hatch cleared his throat. “I wouldn’t necessarily say that.”

Suddenly, thick tension seemed to settle between us. I couldn’t help but think of Hatch naked, behind me, on top of me, below me—

“So?”

“So?”

Why was I so fucking awkward? “So,” I began again. “I saw your teammate’s dick today. I think I’m going to have to take a sexual harassment class. There’s an email from HR sitting unread in my inbox.”

Hatch chuckled. “How many dicks does that make now...three?”

My eyes thinned into slits as I stared him down, and he threw his hands up in mock surrender. “I’m not judging!” he quickly exclaimed.

“Mm-hmm,” I hummed, crossing my arms over my chest. “Are you worried about how you stack up next to Owen? Honestly, it’s Joni you should look out for. That dude is massive.”

“Man, you really do need that sexual harassment class,” he said before busying himself with his plate of barbecue.

Oh shit, that was too far. Spending time with Hatch was so effortless; it was easy to forget that he's not just my friend, he's also my colleague. Plus, I didn't actually know him that well, we only met a couple of weeks ago. Maybe he was offended by dick jokes, maybe he had a tiny dick and I was making him feel insecure, or maybe this uncomfortable silence was his way of telling me I crossed a line.

“For the record,” he finally continued, “I've seen all of their dicks and know exactly how I stack up. Let's just say, I'm not worried,” he said with an overexaggerated wink.

Or maybe the man was just hungry and I read way too much into everything. My vagina involuntarily clenched at the thought of Hatch being bigger than Joni, even though that was not an obstacle she was going to have to tackle.

“You're the one measuring dicks, and I'm the one who needs the sexual harassment class?” I quipped back, relieved that he wasn't upset with my super inappropriate comment. “The world is just so unfair sometimes.”

We spent the rest of our lunch break talking about everything except dicks. He had me laughing so hard I thought I was going to pee myself with stories about the trouble some of his teammates would get into.

After we ate an impossible amount of food and laughed our asses off, it was about time to head back to the stadium.

“I'm so full,” I said, patting my belly. “Thank you for lunch, it really was the best barbecue I've ever had.”

“Hold on, lunch isn't over yet. You can't be too full to try the peach cobbler,” he said, dipping his spoon into a styrofoam cup.

“No,” I groaned. “No more food. The button on my pants is fighting for its life at this point.”

Hatch leaned over the table and brought the spoon inches away from my mouth. “Just one bite. You don't want to offend my Southern hospitality, now do you?”

“One bite,” I said, secretly swooning as Hatch fed me over the table. I parted my lips and allowed him to move the spoon inside. Oh God, was this stuff good. The cinnamon flavored crust was flaky and crunchy against the warm gooeyness of the peaches. My stomach expanded painfully, but it was worth it. “That is pure magic.”

Hatch grinned. “I knew you’d like the peach cobbler.”

I snapped my gaze to him and grinned. “Oh? Do I look like a peach cobbler kind of gal?” I asked.

“No,” he replied. “I just saw on your Instagram that you and your mom went to a peach cobbler tasting in Florida.”

I hadn’t seen my mom in two years! How far back did he have to scroll down my feed to see that? “Stalker,” I teased. I didn’t really have any right to be mad. I was just googling him in my office, after all.

He stared at me with an intensity that made me squirm. Whoa there, buddy. “I’m just curious about your life, Peyton. You’re so interesting. And beautiful.”

I blushed. Creepy social media stalking be damned, I couldn’t help but feel flattered.

“Do you want more?” Hatch asked, extending the refilled spoon in my direction. Before I could say no, he accidentally dropped the spoon, sending the sticky golden contents all over my white button-up.

I yelped in surprise and Hatch was up in a flash. With napkins in hand, he started to dab furiously at my chest.

Look, I tried not to make it sexual. I looked up at the ceiling as he rubbed my titties down with a napkin, smearing the best damn peach cobbler I’d ever had all over me. But my nipples hardened. My cheeks flushed. It was chronically unfair the effect this man had on me.

He paused when a little moan escaped my lips. “Oh shit. I’m…so fucking sorry.”

He snapped his hands back, and I let out a shaky breath. Damn. I really was a pervert. “No worries,” I choked out.

“Your shirt is fucked. Do you want me to take you home so you can change?” he asked while scratching his head.

I assessed the damage with trepidation. My shirt did look pretty bad. And I didn’t want to go back to Robert with my boobs covered in cobbler goop. “Would you mind?” I asked. “Just really quick.”

“Not at all,” Hatch replied with a polite smile. Thank God he wasn’t going to bring up the embarrassing moan I’d just let out. What the fuck was wrong with me?

We made our way to his car, and he held the door open for me. A slight blanket of awkwardness fell over us. Maybe I wasn’t meant to be friends with incredibly attractive men. It was pure biology and a heavy helping of chemistry. The sexual tension was too much to ignore, and I was in a vulnerable state.

“I live not too far from here,” he said while driving down the road.

“Oh?” A normal conversation? Yeah. I could do that.

“Bought a house around the corner from my sister so I could keep an eye on her and my niece. It’s a five bedroom house with a big back yard. I hope to have a big family one day.” He then patted his stomach. “Living next to my sister is the best. She’s an award-winning chef, so I go over for dinner quite often.”

“What an advantageous living arrangement you have,” I teased. “I wish I lived next to an award-winning chef. My best friend is a gynecologist, though,” I replied with a giggle. “Sometimes that comes in handy.”

Hatch cracked up. It was a good thing that we had gotten to a red light, because I wasn’t sure he could drive with how hard he was laughing.

“I get free meals, you get free Pap smears,” he joked.

“Do you even know what a Pap smear is?” I challenged.

“As a matter of fact, I do. I have two moms, so I grew up with a very detailed education. I know more about female cycles than most.”

“Oh really?” I asked.

“Ask me anything,” he replied, cocky as hell.

This was a weird as fuck conversation, but he seemed confident. Maybe a discussion about periods would help me stop lusting after him.

“How long do periods typically last?” I asked.

“That's a trick question. Every woman is different. Some women will bleed for seven days and others will only bleed for three,” he said confidently. “And, for bonus points, that can change monthly. A woman can have a six-day period one month and then only three days the next.”

Speechless. I was speechless. His moms did an excellent job. A lot of men just zoned out on the topic of menstruation, so mad props to his moms. Seriously, I was impressed. Judging by the smug look on his face, he knew it too.

“I also know all about the period fairy,” he stated matter-of-factly.

“You know all about the what now?” I asked, my brow furrowed as I looked at him in disbelief.

“Oh yeah, Mama Jen told me all about the period fairy. When a girl gets her period for the first time, the period fairy brings her a basket full of chocolate, a heating pad, Midol, and different sizes of pads and tampons to try,” he explained enthusiastically.

Okay. That wasn't totally crazy. In fact, it sounded like a really nice thing for a scared little girl who was trying to come to terms with the fact that she was going to bleed every month for the next forty or so years. Hell yeah. You know what? I liked the period fairy. I wished the period fairy had visited me fifteen years ago.

“What else did Mama Jen tell you?” I asked, in awe of a woman who could explain Aunt Flo in a way that a young boy could understand and remember.

“She taught me about the anatomy of a uterus and what a period actually is.”

“I could use a refresher, enlighten me,” I baited.

“I would be happy to.” Hatch smiled and looked over to make sure he had my full attention. “Every month Una, the Uterus gnome, thoroughly searches for a baby in a woman's uterus. She uses her dagger to slash the area behind her as she looks, that way she knows where she's already looked. Her search is what causes the bleeding and cramps.”

What the actual fuck? Once again, I was absolutely speechless.

Hatch made the turn into my apartment complex and pulled around to a parking spot in the back. He put the car in park and grinned at me like he had just won a championship game. “I bet you haven't met a lot of guys who could tell you about Una, huh?”

“Uh, I'll be right back,” I stammered and jumped out of the car. Once I was inside the building, I pulled out my phone and sent a text to Danielle.

Me: Ever hear of Una?

Danielle: Una?

Me: That was fast, don't you ever work, woman? Una, the uterus gnome?

Danielle: It's lunch. And, no? Should I have?

Me: Oh man, have I got a story to tell you later.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Joni was waiting in my office when I got back from lunch. I scowled the moment my eyes landed on him. He was officially enemy number one. I hated him. “Have a nice lunch?” he asked. I quickly inspected my desk. Nothing looked out of place, but I didn’t trust this asshole one bit.

“Have fun snooping?” I asked back.

He grinned. “Just watching some porn on your desktop. Heads up, a copy of your browser history gets sent to HR daily, and they might have some questions.”

I let out a frustrated growl and circled my desk. Sure enough, he had a browser open to some...unique and questionable content. I cocked my head to the side, too flabbergasted to be angry. “Why is she dressed like an octopus?” I asked him. The clip changed, and she broke off a fake tentacle to shove it in her partner’s—”Oh.”

Joni tipped his head back and laughed like an evil villain. I wanted to punch him in the jaw. “Shouldn’t you be at practice?” I asked while closing the video. I seriously hoped he was joking about HR.

“Oh, didn’t you get the new schedule? Sorry for the mix up earlier.”

I huffed and crossed my arms over my chest. “Okay. You wanna talk, let’s talk. You’re pissed at me.”

His eyes narrowed. “Nah, what makes you think that?” Every word was dripping with sarcasm.

“I know your brother was applying for this job. I’m sorry, but I was hired because I’m damn good at my job.”

“And because you’re not afraid to sleep your way to the top,” he snapped back. I balled my hand into a fist and forced myself not to punch the motherpucker.

“Do you hear how sexist that sounds, or do you just not care?” I asked back, my voice rising.

“Admit it. You showed up out of nowhere and suddenly had an offer. Robert Park barely even interviewed you.”

Shame hit me like a freight train, but I refused to let him win. “I’ve successfully worked for another team, and my reputation in this industry got me the job,” I shouted.

“Your pussy got you the job. There’s no one more qualified than my brother. He eats, sleeps, and breathes hockey.”

“Did I stutter, or did your ears wobble?” I challenged. “I got this job because of my stellar credentials and excellent reputation. Your brother may have played hockey, but he’s never coordinated a team,” I snapped. “He just doesn’t have the experience that I do running things behind the scenes.”

“And he'll never get that experience because some girl with big tits stole the position from him!”

I was fuming and didn’t hear my office door opening. “Well, last I checked, you liked my tits, you hypocrite!” Whoever was watching our exchange cleared their throat.

“This conversation is not workplace appropriate, watching pornography on company computers and time is definitely not workplace appropriate, and Peyton, we do not need to hear about who does and does not like your, uh, breasts,” Robert said, looking slightly embarrassed.

I nodded my head vigorously, agreeing with Robert. But on the inside, I was beaming. Robert just called me Peyton instead of Miss Manning. I must be growing on him.

Joni shot a smug smile in my direction, looking incredibly pleased with himself. He was about to leave my office, thinking he had won whatever kind of sick and twisted battle he had put me in the middle of, when Robert stopped him.

“Not so fast, Joni,” Robert said, his gruff demeanor stopping Joni in his tracks. “I'm sick of your shit. I heard your entire conversation, and I know you have been setting up Peyton to fail.” Ah, he said it again. He must really like me! “This is not how we operate as a team. You don't make yourself look better by tearing others down.”

“Sorry, Coach,” Joni said flippantly. His lips disappeared into a thin white line as he crossed his arms over his chest. Joni looked more annoyed that he was getting lectured than he was ashamed of his actions.

“No, you're not. But you will be,” Robert scolded. “You're on Pint-sized Pucks for the next six Sundays.”

“You can't be serious,” Joni complained, his cocky demeanor vanishing instantly. “That’s our only day off this season. Pint-sized Pucks starts at eight a.m.” The way he was pouting, I wouldn’t have been surprised if he dropped to the floor and started kicking and screaming in a full on tantrum. Ugh, I can’t believe I let this twat waffle motorboat me.

“It sure does, and you will be here an hour early to set up, you will make sure those kids have the time of their lives with you on ice sessions, and you will pose for any and all pictures their moms ask you to. Is that clear?”

Hell yes! Coach totally had my back. A harsh laugh escaped my mouth, and the sound made Robert glare at me. “Not so fast,” he then said. “Pint-sized Pucks is looking for a new volunteer coordinator. You’ll be joining Joni on Sundays.”

Sonofabitch. Why the hell was I being punished?

“The two of you are going to learn how to get along, or else. Do I make myself clear?” Robert Park asked.

“Yes, sir,” I said, my tone was heavy with annoyance.

“Yes, sir,” Joni mumbled and gave me the stink eye before skulking out of my office.

Great. This is exactly what I needed right now, another responsibility on top of my brand new job. And Joni would probably be a giant pain in the ass the entire time.

I stared stupidly at the door for a minute before I realized that Robert was still standing next to my desk. “What can I do for you, Robert?”

“I brought you this,” he said, holding up a massive folder that was barely keeping its contents from spilling everywhere. “We have our first away game next week. Everything you need to make arrangements is in here. The game schedule, hotel information, and our contact at the airport.”

Making all of the travel arrangements on my first day felt daunting, but I totally had this. I took the folder from Robert and flashed him my biggest fake-it-till-you-make-it smile. “You can count on me.”

“Good. I have to say, I'm glad it's not my responsibility anymore. I'm sure the guys are too.”

Robert left my office, and I sat down to get to work, hoping that making these arrangements would take my mind off of the Joni situation. It took me a while to calm down from the confrontation with Joni and Robert essentially standing up for me. I was glad that he recognized all the games Joni was playing, but I was worried that we still had a long way to go before I felt truly secure in my job. I seriously needed to kick ass on these arrangements.

It was kind of odd that Robert handed me a folder—a coffee-stained folder stuffed with scrap pieces of paper. Didn't he have an online database? An address book? A shared calendar?

I opened the folder and was greeted with a chewed up piece of gum and a sticky note with the instructions, “Call Sheila about tire.”

Who the fuck was Sheila? And what tire? A tire to a car? The private jet? Was there a flat somewhere out there that needed repairing that I needed to know about and fix?

I flipped to the first page, a spreadsheet with crossed out names and penciled in details. Some of the teammates’ names were circled. One was scratched out. I had no idea what this list was or what it was supposed to indicate. Were the circles good or bad? My heart started to palpitate, and my head throbbed at the lack of organization.

The next sheet was a scrap piece of paper with ketchup stains on it, with the words “Pilot vacation days,” with the numbers seven, thirteen, and fourteen written beside it.

What month? Who is the fucking pilot, Robert? My eyes widened as I flipped through page after page after page of complete chaos. What on earth did any of this mean? I needed a fucking decoder to make sense of half of it, and asking Robert was out of the question. He would undoubtedly be annoyed if I went into his office and asked for translation on this stuff.

Fuck. I'd have to start from the ground up. It almost would have been easier starting from scratch, at least then I wouldn’t have to decipher Robert’s notes, and I used that term loosely. I had an away game to plan and zero time to do it. Operation Get This Damn Team Organized was a go!

“He was watching porn in my office, Danielle.”

“Disgusting. It's bad enough he motorboated you. Like, can't he just let it go?”

I was enjoying a FaceTime date with my bestie and admittedly was missing her like crazy. I was finally at home in my pajamas after staying at the office extra late only to barely put a dent in the folder of terror, as I so eloquently called it.

Danielle was sipping on wine and painting her nails. I was scarfing down Chinese food and complaining about work. “It's just a lot of work. They aren't organized at all. I really have my work cut out for me. Plus, I have to do Pint-sized Pucks now.”

“Oh hush,” Danielle replied while blowing on her nails. “You live for that shit. You literally asked me if you could plan the triplets’ birthday party because coordinating chaos makes you giddy. You're a Virgo, and it honestly scares me sometimes.”

She wasn't wrong. I did sort of love a problem like this. It was like a puzzle, and I knew I was more than capable of putting it together.

“I am excited to watch Joni get tackled by a bunch of toddlers. Maybe one of them will poke his eye out with their skate,” I grumbled.

“There you go,” she said in a sarcastic tone. “Always looking at the bright side. Possible bodily harm to the asshole seems like a great trade-off.”

“So tell me, how was your day?” I asked. I'd been complaining about my own shit for the last hour, the least I could do was listen to vagina stories.

“Well,” she began with a sigh, “I saw someone with a massive, record-breaking cyst on her labia today. She brought her husband to the appointment, and when I removed it, he passed out.” I forced myself not to gag, and naturally my best friend had the biggest shit-eating grin on her face. “It was great. I mean, I squeezed that sucker for minutes. It probably broke a record somewhere.”

“That’s, uh, great,” I replied, eyes wide in horror. I prayed to God that I never got a cyst on my lady garden, because knowing my best friend, she'd want to take a photo for some medical journal.

“It came out like mashed potatoes. I prefer when the sac comes out whole, like a little pearl. But there's just something so satisfying about the ones that I get to squeeze,” Danielle babbled. “It did have a pretty bad smell though, like really old cheese.”

Uh. Gross. Danielle was always trying to get me to watch Dr. Pimple Popper with her. She was a fan way back when it was just Dr. Lee posting videos on YouTube. I just didn't get the appeal.

“So, anyway...” I attempted to redirect the conversation to something less vomit-inducing.

“Okay, okay, I'm done,” she laughed, picking up on my hint. “Just be glad that I love you so much, because I got that gusher on video.”

“Wait. You're telling me that a woman allowed you to record her getting a cyst removed from her labia?”

“I didn't record it, one of my assistants did, and she was completely covered in a drape. You can't see anything other than the cyst. Really, it could have been her forehead for all you know. But, yep!”

“Her forehead? Like a vagina forehead?” Now I kind of wanted to see the video, not that I could tell Danielle. She would not only send me that video, but she would send other gross pimple popping videos all day, every day.

“Vagina forehead, seriously? Peyton you know better, you know it would be vulva forehead. This conversation has definitely taken a turn for the weird.” Danielle paused. “I have something super exciting to tell you,” she baited me.

“If it has anything to do with pus or weird smells, I'm good.”

“Brock's mom offered to watch the triplets for the Bruins game next month,” Danielle continued, ignoring my last comment. “I'm going to come to Dallas with him!”

“Are you serious?” I squealed. It was so loud I was pretty sure my upstairs neighbor heard me and would be coming to check on me to make sure I wasn't being murdered. “Why didn't you lead with that? You let me ramble on for an hour about travel arrangements and forehead vaginas, and you didn't say anything?”

“Vulvas. And, surprise!”

“I'm so excited, I can't wait for you to see my apartment and meet Hatch and Noah, and I can show you the practice rink,” I rambled.

“Hold on a second, sorry.” Danielle's voice became muffled, and I heard her telling one of the boys to stop licking the wall. “Sorry, I've got to go, it's bedtime for the boys.”

“Give them all kisses for me. Tell Brock I can't wait to see him too.”

“I will. I love you, you're an organizational goddess who is going to show that file folder who's boss, and I'll text you our trip details.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

I should have brought ear plugs. The second I walked into the practice arena, my ears were ringing from the sound of screaming children. Pint-sized Pucks was in full swing, and I needed Advil already. After spending an entire week trying desperately to work through Robert’s folder of terror, I wanted nothing more than to sleep in this fine Sunday morning. But no, I was here. With Joni and a bunch of screaming, snot-nosed kids.

I was definitely too pucking tired for this shit.

I took a sip of my coffee while surveying the area. A bunch of adults on the ice led small groups of little kids, teaching them various moves and guiding them through obstacle courses made of cones. There were probably fifty kids, ages four to eleven, scattered about, but there were easily three hundred women sitting in the stands, all of them gawking at a raised platform off the ice.

I followed their hungry eyes and glared at the object of their affections where Joni was sitting in a chair, posing for photos. Since it was my first time here, my focus was just to learn about the program and look for ways that I could make it run smoother. I already had an idea of what to do about crowd control.

Joni saw me from across the room, and a helpless look crossed his face. I kind of wanted to leave him there to suffer, but Robert wanted us to get along, and I wanted to actually keep my job. So I made my way toward him. Slowly, of course. I was behind a wall of women with the same objective in mind.

The two blonde women in front of me were gossiping as we walked. I couldn’t help but overhear them. “I stole my neighbor’s kid so I could come,” she giggled. I rolled my eyes. “Do you think the rumors are true?”

Her friend moaned and stared at Joni. “They have to be. I heard his dick was like seven inches.”

It was wildly unprofessional, but I snorted. “It’s actually much bigger than that. Like fucking a baseball bat.” I hadn’t even realized that both women had turned around. Their eyes were wide as they stared at me. Oh shit.

I cleared my throat, smiled, and held up my badge. “Uh, excuse me. I need to get to the platform to, uh, work.”

The moment I shoved past them, they started speaking excitedly to one another. “Bigger than seven inches!” Their squeals haunted me all the way to where Joni was.

I didn’t even get a hello when I stopped to stand beside him. Instead, he immediately started complaining. Ugh. “Nice of you to show up.”

“Robert said I could come in at nine since I worked late last night making arrangements for the upcoming away game,” I replied back. I should have put some Baileys in my coffee cup this morning.

Apparently, talking about work made Joni even madder, because he rolled his eyes and slumped in his seat. “I hate just sitting here taking photos,” he grumbled. “I thought I’d at least be on the ice helping with the lessons, not just posing here like a fucking show pony.”

Oh? Joni actually wanted to be teaching? “I figured you’d like the attention,” I said, my eyes roaming the room. Had even more women shown up? They were all drooling over Joni, and I couldn’t even blame them. Hell, I’d been ready to ride the Joni train just a handful of weeks ago. He was hot. Even now, with circles under his eyes, he still made my stomach clench. His hair was messy in that effortless way that I found irresistible. He shaved this morning, which surprised me. It was like he got up ready to be here and wanted to put his best foot forward. I noted that his jersey was clean and fresh. A pair of skates that looked scuff free and polished were under his seat. Interesting.

“Of course not,” he objected. “This program used to be all about the kids. We used to work with foster families, and it was actually fun. Now it’s just a publicity stunt.” Well, that was interesting. I made a mental note to talk with Robert about this. If he wanted an event for players to pose with fans, then the PR team could run their own event. Don’t punish the kids. “I’ve had three women try to kiss me this morning.”

Boo hoo, Joni. “I feel worse for the women,” I deadpanned.

He snapped his gaze to me, and I braced myself for whatever mean retort he had planned. But luckily, a little toothless boy about the age of five came marching up to us for his picture, saving me from his wrath.

“Mr. Joni, sir?” the kid said as the photographer moved to position them. I stepped to the side, nearly knocking into a brunette wearing a shirt that looked more like lingerie. “Uh, I don’t actually want a photo,” he said.

The photographer started tapping his foot in annoyance before speaking in a nasally tone. “We have a long line of people that would like—”

“It’s okay,” I interrupted. “We have plenty of time.” I bent lower so that I was eye level with the kid. He had chubby cheeks and red hair that I wanted to ruffle. So cute. “You can ask Mr. Joni anything you want.”

He sighed in relief, and Joni gave me a surprisingly appreciative look that lasted about half a second. He then gently guided the boy to his side so he could talk to him. “What’s on your mind, little man?” Joni asked.

The kid nodded excitedly before talking fast. “My name is Harry. You see, my sister is having trouble with her snap shot, but she’s too nervous to come here and ask on account of Billy Orange telling her that girls can’t play hockey. But I told her that’s stupid and Billy is a butt.”

Billy sounded like a major jerk. Anything boys can do, girls can do better. Joni nodded before looking up to scan the ice. I followed his gaze. “Is that your sister?” he asked while nodding at a girl by the goal wearing pink. She looked a little older but had the same red hair peeking out from under her helmet.

“Yeah,” the little boy said. “She’s the best. She taught me how to skate. We live with our grandma, and she can't get on the ice because of her hip, so Maddie—that's my sister—takes me.” The boy then turned to wave at a smiling elderly woman in the crowd.

My heart swelled for these adorable siblings. But the moment was ruined when the photographer interrupted us. “Sir? We have about a hundred more people you need to pose with.”

I scowled. Joni looked stuck on what to do. It was obvious that he wanted to go out there and help, but…

“We’re done taking photos today,” I interjected while holding up my badge. “Joni is ready for the skating portion of our event.” A ton of women groaned and cursed, and for a fleeting moment, I worried that I was going to be ambushed.

“But the PR team—”

“I am the new coordinator for the Pint-sized Pucks, which means if anyone would like to discuss the schedule of events, they can come to me at a later date. Right now, Joni is going to be leading some ice skating lessons for the children.” I made sure to keep my voice stern and steady, even though I was cringing internally from all the hard looks I was getting.

I put on my meanest face and glared at the crowd. I was briefly concerned that this hoard of barely-dressed aspiring puck bunnies was going to murder me, but I figured I could outrun them pretty easily since the majority of them thought that stripper heels were appropriate attire for a children’s ice skating event.

Joni looked between me and the photographer. “Are you sure?” he asked me. “Coach said I had to pose for photos—”

“I can handle Robert,” I replied. “Besides, isn’t your whole goal to get me fired? Here’s your chance.” I rolled my eyes and left to start sternly telling the whining women to politely fuck off. I wasn’t exactly looking forward to managing this event, but I was glad I was. There were some obvious changes that needed to happen.

Within minutes, all the kids were on the ice and listening intently to Joni. He held their attention completely, and even though most of the women left once the photo opportunity was complete, quite a few stayed to swoon and watch him teach the kids.

And...even though Joni was an asshole hell bent on ruining my career, he was great with them. He helped little Maddie and her brother work on a few things, but also helped some of the younger kids stay upright on their skates. It was really dang cute. I hated how cute it was. Jerks like Joni weren’t supposed to have words like cute used to describe them. But, oh well.

The hour passed, and I helped kids find their parents while Joni signed autographs. He also posed for photos with Maddie and her brother—and actually looked happy to do so. I walked up to them just as he was introducing himself to their grandmother.

“Thank you so much for helping Maddie. I can’t wait to watch her next game,” the sweet older woman said.

“She’s going to do great!” Joni replied enthusiastically before reaching into his pocket and pulling a card. “I wanted to give you guys this. Call this number, and the person there will give the three of you tickets to any home game of your choice.” Harry cheered and Maddie fist bumped. I could have sworn I saw the grandmother tear up a bit. Yes. This was what this event should be all about. I was definitely going to implement some changes.

After a round of thank-yous and hugs, they filed out of the practice arena, leaving the two of us completely alone. I could have just left without saying anything, but I wanted to make a legit effort with this guy.

“Was that my business card you just gave them?” I asked Joni, recognizing the elegant font and foil embossing I had selected. Not that I minded hooking Harry and Maddie up with tickets, but how many other people was he telling to call me for favors?

“Yep, sure was,” Joni grinned at me.

“How did you get my card? And how many people are you handing it out to?” I scowled at him.

“Oh I don’t know, just a few people here and there,” Joni said, bending down to pick up some of the practice cones.

It’s okay, Peyton. Shake it off. Don’t let him get under your skin.

“I hate to admit this, because I still think you’re a shitty person, but you’re actually really good with the kids,” I noted before picking up some trash that was left behind. Was that a bra with a phone number on it in the corner? What the hell was wrong with people?

Joni stared at me. I couldn’t tell if he was angry or happy. His facial expression gave nothing away. “Thank you for today.”

I blinked twice. “Did you just...thank me? Are you okay?” I teased.

Joni rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Whatever.”

He lifted up the bottom of his jersey to wipe some sweat on his forehead, and I stared at his abs that were now on full display. Holy hotness, Batman. It was like looking at perfectly cut marble. The contrast of his skin and the deep grooves of each muscle made me drool. It was such a shame that he was so incredibly bad in bed, because pucking hell, he was hot. If he wasn’t such a jerk, I’d consider a redo.

“Are you going to answer your phone?” he asked, knocking me out of my hazy stare down. I was imagining running my tongue all over his stomach when he’d spoken.

“Oh,” I stammered before pulling it out of my pocket and checking who was calling. “It’s Robert. Hello?”

“Peyton, why is PR calling me on a Sunday to complain about you?”

I frowned. “What?”

“They said that you stopped Joni from taking photos with fans today, is that correct?”

I bit my lip. I was hoping Robert would be understanding about the whole thing, but from the sound of his tone, perhaps not. “Joni had already been taking photos for a while and—”

“And what? What gives you the authority to overstep how I want things done?”

“You made me the coordinator for Pint-sized Pucks,” I argued. “You wanted me to run things.”

“I wanted you to wipe boogers and keep the kids happy while paying fans take photos with my player and plaster it online so we can sell tickets, Peyton. You’re off Pint-sized Pucks. Why am I not surprised that I can’t even trust you with this?”

I gaped at my phone. “Robert,” I began, “I thought this event was about the kids? You can ask Joni, it was actually—”

“Is Joni there?” he asked, interrupting me.

I huffed. “Yes.”

“Put me on speaker.”

I pulled the phone from my ear and looked at Joni, who had a shit-eating grin on his face. “You’re on speaker, Robert.”

“Whose idea was it to not take photos today, Joni? I told you that I wanted you to smile for the camera.”

He licked his lips and smirked at me before responding. “I told Peyton that, but she insisted I go skate around. She flashed her badge and told everyone that she was in charge and we had to listen to her.”

That rat fink son of a bitch. Apparently Joni never learned that snitches get stitches. I shook my head in annoyance but waited for Robert to respond.

“Let’s hope you don’t fuck up any more events, Peyton. So far, you aren’t living up to the picture Beth painted of you.”

Robert ended the call with a click, and I felt stuck between wallowing and beating the shit out of Joni. “What is your problem?” I asked before poking him in the chest. “You hated sitting up there. I helped you, and this is how you repay me?”

He grabbed my wrist and yanked me closer. The jerky movement made my breath hitch. I breathed him in and scowled. “And you stole my brother’s job,” he growled.

Not wanting to be intimidated, I raised up on my toes and gave him a mean stare down. “I earned this job. You’ll see,” I replied. We were so close I could have kissed him right then. The tension was toxic but oddly tempting. He stared at my mouth like it was pissing him off, and I licked my lips.

“I guess we will,” he finally said before gently pushing me away and stalking off.

I loved proving people wrong.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

If egos were dicks, I'd be sporting an appendage that would give Joni a run for his money. I totally kicked ass. I had converted Robert Park’s system to a shared calendar between the team. Not only did I find both pilots’ contact information after accidentally calling Robert's fucking mother, but I contracted two backup pilots and got them on speed dial.

It was do or die, and if I wanted to salvage my reputation, I had to win Robert over and do my best. Especially since the Pint-sized Pucks fiasco.

I had lists. I had confirmation numbers. I had an address book not only printed for Robert, but I had it digitized, emailed to him, and also saved on a flash drive that I could hand him at any given time. I also figured out his iPad password and had everything updated so he could reference it there. He was still on iOS twelve for crying out loud. And just because my boss was a disgusting creature of habit, I also organized his beloved folder so it made some sort of sense.

I stood in front of the private jet with my arms full of packets to hand out for everyone with the itinerary, hotel information, menu, practice schedule, and I even worked with the team's publicist to help get a few players some media time. Robert’s limo was scheduled to arrive three minutes ago, and I was starting to hyperventilate. Granted, I scheduled him forty-five minutes early to be safe, but I was still nervous. This had to go well. I couldn't fail.

“Ah, there he is,” I said to myself as his car pulled up. When he got out, he gave me a confused look that made me want to shit myself. I made sure to plaster a wide smile on my face as he marched up to me.

“Why did you schedule a car to pick me up?” he asked. “I usually drive myself.”

I cleared my throat. “I spoke with your wife this week, and she mentioned that you get anxious about leaving your Maserati at the airport, so I coordinated a car to pick you up. Did you see your iPad in the limo? I made sure it was fully charged and in the car for you to review the itinerary. There was also a printout in case you're more of a tactile individual. Nothing wrong with the old pen and paper!” I was absolutely rambling, but I was so freaking nervous that I couldn't help myself. I nudged him with my elbow, and his eyebrows lifted.

“I noticed you messed with my calendar. I had twelve notifications today and reminders...”

“I can turn that off if you'd prefer...”

He shook his head as the limo driver brought his suitcase up. I let out the breath I was holding and grabbed the tote at my feet to hand to him. “I checked the weather, and it's supposed to be raining. I made sure every player has an umbrella for when we arrive, because your publicist arranged for cameras to be there when we get off the bus. Don't want to ruin pictures!”

He looked in the tote and pulled out a Dallas Stars umbrella. Did I steal thirty umbrellas from the team store? Yes. Write off, baby. “What else is in here?” he grumbled.

“Snacks approved by the nutritionist. A neck pillow—your wife mentioned that you didn't sleep well last night. Some sparkling water. Gum.” He looked at me incredulously again. “Also, I double-checked with the hotel that we were all on the same floor. They reassured us that no one will bother teammates during quiet hours. The caterer is booked. I have everyone's dietary restrictions noted. You can check the menu if you'd like. If you have any special recommendations, I can make the request for you.”

He looked shocked as he sifted through everything. I couldn't tell if he was angry or not.

“This is great, Peyton, but it’s all useless without my goddamn team? Where are they? They should be here by now, lining up.”

I beamed at him, not deterred by his anger. “They're already on the plane. I saw in your notes that you had some issues with tardiness from a few players. I arranged for wake up calls for them and had everyone arrive an hour before. One of the coaches is hosting a guided meditation on the plane. I highly recommend the breathing exercise. It's good for, um, stress?”

He cocked his head at me. “My team is doing a guided meditation?”

“Yes. Also, I ordered your mother flowers for her birthday tomorrow,” I added. That was more his secretary's job, but she had told me his favorite foods when I accidentally called her. Which came in handy for planning the menu. I owed that woman some damn flowers.

“Huh,” Robert said, looking both impressed and confused. “The pink ones with the white on them?”

“Calla lilies,” I told him. “Those are the ones!” I was in my element. Every little detail had been taken care of and executed. I had done a damn good job and knew it. It felt good to finally have Robert be speechless over something I had done well instead of my latest fuck up. “Are you ready to board?”

Robert nodded, and I waved over a man wearing a bright yellow vest to take his bag. He reluctantly let go of his worn leather duffel and watched the man load it into the jet for him. I had the distinct feeling that Robert didn't usually let other people do things for him that he could easily do for himself. “It's okay, Robert. He's helping, just let it happen,” I chuckled.

Leading him over to the stairs extending from the jet, I stepped to the side and waved him up first, following right behind. We walked into the cabin to find the team finishing up their breathing exercise.

“How about that,” Robert turned to me and said, incredulous. He looked around, taking in the sight of his team in their seats, calm, relaxed, and ready for takeoff. “This may be the smoothest departure we've ever had. Beth was right about you.”

My smile widened as I basked in his praise. That was the closest thing he had ever given to a compliment, and I was going to soak in every second. A girl could definitely get used to this.

“Peyton,” I heard my name from a few rows into the plane. “Peyton. My seat.” Serkan smiled up at me from his spot next to the emergency exit, giving me two big thumbs up. “Is good!” I briefly wondered if he had a parachute stashed in the backpack he was hugging to his chest.

The rest of the guys looked happy too. They were settling in with their neck pillows and AirPods, trying to pick out which movie they wanted to watch in-flight. I had also taken the liberty of uploading training footage to the plane's entertainment consoles, just in case Robert had any last-minute feedback.

Loving seeing all of my hard work come together, I stood in the aisle and reveled in my godlike coordinating skills. I wouldn't have been surprised if the entire team broke out in cheers, chanting my name. I could hear it now: Peyton! Peyton! Peyton!

“Peyton!” Oh shit, I actually heard that. It's happening! “What the hell are you doing standing there? Sit down so we can take off,” Robert yelled from his seat in the back. Where I put him because I knew that he liked to sit where he could keep an eye on all of the players.

“Uh, right. Sorry!” I said and hurried to take my seat. I had put myself in the very front of the plane so I could be the first one off to help usher the guys to the bus that would be there waiting when we landed. I clicked my seatbelt into place around my lap and shouted, “All good, ready to go!”

“Hey, Mr. Pilot, did you hear that? Peyton's ready to go, so let's get on that,” Joni sneered from four rows behind me.

Nope. I wasn’t going to let him ruin my good mood.

I was just about to pull up a steamy romance on my iPad to make the long flight pass, when Robert Park groaned again. “Now what? Hatch! Sit your ass down.”

“Sorry, Coach. You know I get motion sickness in the back of the plane.”

“Whatever. Sit down and buckle up so we can leave.”

I looked up just in time to see a smirking Hatch standing in the aisle. “This seat taken?”

I blushed and shook my head. “Have at it,” I replied before moving my purse so that he could sit down. Hatch smelled like aftershave and looked too damn handsome in his fitted suit. It took every ounce of self-restraint I possessed to not gawk at him.

“What are you reading?” he asked conversationally. I looked down at my iPad and died a little. Of course the cover was a half-naked man holding a hockey stick. “Pucked Up? What a punny title.”

I debated on stealing Serkan’s parachute and jumping out of this plane. “Yep,” I began. “Written by one of my favorite authors, Helena Hunting.”

“Is it a hockey romance?” Hatch asked.

I cleared my throat and tried to take my iPad back, but unfortunately he had a pretty strong grip on it. “Yes,” I hissed.

“I’ll have to read it,” Hatch teased. “Do you normally read hockey romance novels?”

I cringed. The truth was, I hadn’t had time to read in a while, but lately with all the sexual tension in the air, I wanted a bit of an escape into a fantasy world where the main character gets the hot hockey player. That wasn’t a happily ever after that I’d get to experience any time soon. I was healing from what happened with Chad, but I wasn’t sure what the future would bring. Right now, I was focusing on my job and impressing Robert Park. “I read anything by this author,” I evaded. “She just happens to love hockey as much as I do.”

“Hockey? Or hockey players?” Hatch asked with a wink.

I bit my lip. “Probably both. If I ever meet her, I’ll ask.”

“And what about you?” Hatch then asked.

I could answer this honestly. “I think hockey players are awesome. You have eighty-two games in a season practically back to back. You play while bruised to hell and exhausted. I love how close hockey players are. I think every sport has a level of camaraderie, but hockey players are just different. It feels like family. I noticed it when I worked for the Flyers. I think it’s just always been something I craved.”

“What do you mean?”

I shrugged. “I’m an only child. Both my parents had me much, much later in life. They live in an elderly assisted living facility in Florida. They love me. We’re close enough, but I miss the feeling of family. I guess when Chad came to sweep me off my feet, I had these grand illusions about us building our own family together.”

Hatch nodded. “Is that something you want? A family, kids, white picket fence?”

I was suddenly picturing gorgeous little versions of Hatch running around a big yard. The miniature clone of Hatch giggled as he picked up the little boy and hoisted him onto his broad, muscular shoulders. The little girl with dark brown pigtails and green eyes put her arms up in the air for Hatch to pick her up too. A baby cooed as fantasy me smiled down at the perfect little bundle nestled against my chest.

But then the image became drowned out by glitter. And Chad’s laughing face invaded my vision. I used to have these grand ideas about happily ever after. But I was starting to doubt if that was really what I wanted anymore. I was down with the happy part, but marriage and kids could wait. I needed time to find myself and deal with the hole in my chest Chad left. I wasn’t exactly the naive love-drunk girl I was a month ago. Marriage wasn’t the be-all and end-all it once was.

“Peyton?”

“Uh, yeah,” I squeaked out. “It used to be something I thought about,” I replied.

“I already have names picked for all my future children.”

I nodded. I mean, that was normal for most people, right? “And what are the names?”

Hatch was very quick to spout them off. “Hatch Junior, Holly, Harvey, Hannah, Hayden, Hope, Harper, Hazel, Hunter, and Hugo.”

I gaped at him. “You want ten kids?” I asked.

“I have four extra names just in case,” he explained nonchalantly.

“Well, alright then,” I replied awkwardly. Nothing wrong with knowing what you want, I suppose.

“Is everyone ready to go to Philadelphia?” the pilot said over a garbled announcement, saving me from this conversation. “Let's give the Flyers a spanking they won't forget. Go Stars!”

It definitely wasn’t the traditional “buckle your seat belt and stay seated” speech I was used to. The team hollered and whooped in response. I giggled and joined in, getting swept up in their enthusiasm.

The plane lurched forward, taxiing to the end of the runway where we stopped briefly. The team was still rowdy, yelling and laughing, but Hatch had gone completely quiet. He was staring out the window intently when we started moving again. The plane picked up speed rapidly until we lifted off the ground.

Hatch reached out and grabbed my hand, squeezing tightly. He was white as a sheet and looked like he was about to be sick.

“Are you okay?” I asked, leaning forward in my seat to get a better look at him.

“Mm-hmm,” he hummed through tight lips. “I'm just not a great flier. I wasn't kidding about that motion sickness.”

Oh God. I scrambled for one of those puke bags that are normally tucked in the seat back pocket, but came up empty. I snatched up my purse from the floorboard and frantically rummaged through it, looking for anything that would prevent a vomit disaster. I had really knocked it out of the park this morning, and the last thing I needed was to have Hatch throw up all over the plane. Oh, and I cared about his well-being and shit, too.

“Mr. Yavonovich,” a flight attendant dressed in Stars green interrupted. “I'm so sorry for the delay, I was looking for you in the wrong spot.” Hatch gave her the best smile he could manage under the circumstances. “Here's a cold washcloth for your forehead, two Dramamine, and a bottle of chilled water.”

“Thank you, Stacey.” Hatch immediately took the little yellow pills and gulped them down along with half of the bottle of water. He then laid his head back against his seat, and Stacey covered his eyes with the cool washcloth.

Wow. Now that was service.

“Poor Mr. Yavonovich is just not a very good flier,” Stacey reiterated to me. “He'll be okay in about an hour or so.” She tucked the bottle of water and a discreet plastic bag into the pocket in front of Hatch's seat and headed back toward the cockpit.

Hatch was so down-to-earth that it was easy to forget that he was rich and famous. Until flight attendants on a private jet knew and attended to his needs personally.

“I’m kind of embarrassed. I can beat up dudes twice my size on the ice, but a little motion sickness and I’m down for the count.”

I smiled at him. “Nothing to be ashamed of.” I lowered my voice. “At least you don’t bring your own parachute on the plane.”

He kept the washcloth over his eyes, but I saw his mouth twist into a smile. “True. But maybe I should bring my own puke bags.”

“I could bedazzle them?” I offered.

Hatch and I laughed loud enough to draw Robert Park’s attention.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

“Want to make a bet?” Noah asked. I was doing my rounds to each room, dropping off itineraries, goody bags with snacks, and miscellaneous toiletries from sponsors. All the players were required to stay in their room for the night, and I was looking forward to a relaxing evening in my room. I even packed my mini vibrator and had plans for some self lovin’.

“I’ve been advised not to make bets with you,” I replied with a wink. He was sharing a room with Joni. I didn’t want to linger again and have him running to Robert, tattling that I was distracting the players the evening before a game.

“Oh, come on. You’ve got good odds!” he insisted.

“Nope. Not happening.” He leaned against the doorjamb, pouting at me. “No. Don’t pout at me.”

“At least hear the terms of the bet!”

Noah needed to lower his voice, or I was going to get in trouble. “I have seven more bags to deliver, and I need to review the menu for tomorrow and coordinate with PR about some interviews.”

“I bet,” Noah said, tapping his chin and looking like he was thinking really hard, “that tomorrow, Robert will dance with the Ice Girls during their opening number.” The Ice Girls were hockey’s version of cheerleaders. They danced and scraped the ice between periods with their massive shovels. There was no way in hell stuck-up Robert Park was going to be dancing with them.

Well, that seemed reasonable. “And what do I get if I win?”

“I’ll buy you a spa day. No expenses spared. Massage. Manicure. Hair. Facial. The whole shebang.”

“And if you win?”

At that question, he grinned mischievously. “If I win, you owe me a favor, no questions asked.”

“A favor?” I hesitated. “Like taking care of your cat while you're on vacation?”

“I don't have a cat. And no questions asked.” He grinned. “Those are the terms.”

I really didn't know Robert all that well, but it seemed like a pretty safe bet that he would absolutely not be dancing with the Ice Girls.

I thrust out my hand to shake on it but pulled back when Noah almost had his hand in mine. “No cheating. No talking to Robert first,” I said, squinting my eyes at him.

“You don't trust me? I'm hurt,” Noah lamented, grabbing his chest in mock distress.

“Not one bit.”

“No cheating, I promise,” Noah said, sticking his pinky straight up. He looked at me expectantly.

“No cheating,” I echoed, intertwining my pinky finger with his. “You're going to regret this,” I teased. “I'm not a cheap spa date.”

“Don't pick out your services just yet, little lady.”

“Get some rest,” I said, putting a hand on his incredibly muscular, well-defined chest and gently pushing him back into his room. “I want you to be fully present when you lose tomorrow.”

“Will the two of you stop flirting already?” Joni called from inside the hotel room. I rolled my eyes as the sound of a massive body shuffling toward me filled my ears. A shirtless Joni came into view, and Noah smirked at me while leaving me to chat with the asshole.

It was seriously insane how sexy Joni looked without a shirt. His cut muscles made me almost forget that he was a complete jerk who wasn’t all that great in bed. “Robert was impressed this morning,” he noted while crossing his arms over his chest.

“I tend to have that effect on people,” I snapped back. “You might be unfamiliar with being impressive, but I’m not.”

Joni leaned forward, but I didn’t back away. People like him got off on being intimidating, and I refused to stroke his massive ego by showing even an ounce of fear. “I’m plenty familiar with being impressive.”

I looked him up and down. “You weren’t that impressive to me,” I quipped back. It honestly was such a shame, too. Joni was hot. You’d think after the way he’d treated me and our disastrous hookup that I would have gotten over him. But even now, my heart was racing. Joni looked down the hall, and after noticing that it was empty, he stepped even closer, letting the door close behind him. “You’re not supposed to be out of your hotel room.”

He sneered. “Are you going to tell on me?”

“I probably should. You would deserve it.”

Joni at least looked slightly ashamed. Good. “Okay, so you are good at your job.” Wait. Was he complimenting me?

“Come again?”

Joni rolled his eyes and straightened, putting distance between us. “You didn’t just get the job because you slept your way here,” he mumbled. “I shouldn’t have said that. I’m actually kind of disgusted with myself for saying that.” He then quickly rushed out. “That doesn’t mean I like you. I still think Jared could have done a better job.”

I frowned. “Uh-huh.”

He scratched the back of his head. His muscles flexed, and I watched him with hungry eyes. “I’m just trying to say…”

“That I’m the best?” I finished for him.

He shook his head in frustration. “Forget it. I try to be nice and—”

“Thank you, Joni,” I replied just as he spun around to leave.

He paused to face me again, a softer expression on his face. “I’m just trying to look out for my brother. He’s all I have, and sometimes I let my one-track mind get away with saying stupid shit.”

I nodded. “I don’t have any siblings, but I would do anything for my best friends. I don’t agree with what you’ve done, but I get it.”

“I just feel like I can’t do anything to help him right now, and it sucks. I was hoping this job would be a reason for him to move closer to me. He lives here, you know.” The hopeless look on his face made me feel...sorry for him? No. That couldn’t be right. Joni was enemy number one.

“Oh. I didn’t know that. Will he be at the game tomorrow?” I asked. My question must have been the wrong thing to ask, because Joni’s ten minutes of vulnerability passed in an instant.

“I’m going to bed. Hopefully, you don’t screw up too bad tomorrow.”

Ah, the asshole was back.

“Good night,” I sang as he left me to go back to his room.

The door shut behind him, and I got to work delivering the rest of the goodie bags on Noah's floor. When I was done, I only had two bags left. One each for Hatch and Owen, who were sharing a room at the end of the hall.

After shuffling down the hall, I was standing outside their door, knocking lightly.

“Hey, Peyton.” Owen answered the door with a mischievous grin. He was wearing only a towel, slung low enough across his hips that his pronounced V was on full display. His skin was still damp from the shower, making his pecs glisten when the light caught the droplets. “Whatcha got there?”

God, I loved my job. Owen might be a fuckboy, but he sure was fun to look at.

“Goodie bags,” I said cheerfully, handing him the two bags and forcing my eyes to stay on his. “One for you and one for Hatch.”

Hearing his name, Hatch appeared in the doorway beside Owen and shoved him to the side. “Come on, man, have some respect and put on some clothes.”

“Don’t be jealous, Hatch. Put in a little extra time during our weights sessions, and you could have a bod like this too.” Owen bit his lip and made his pecs twitch, one at a time.

I burst out laughing at the absurdity of Owen bouncing his chest muscles like a Chippendales dancer.

Hatch shook his head and fully blocked Owen from my view. Owen disappeared into their room with a chuckle. “Sorry about him,” Hatch said while scratching his scalp. I looked down the hall, suddenly feeling nervous that I was alone with Hatch. I didn't feel this way with Noah or any of the other players, but there was something about Hatch that made every interaction feel more flirtatious and wrong.

I blushed while handing him the bag. “I, um, put a little something extra in there for you,” I said softly.

“Yeah?” he said excitedly, as if he were a kid on Christmas morning. I watched as he dug through the bag with his massive hands.

“Technically speaking, it's not for you. It's for your niece,” I replied before clearing my throat. “I saw it at the hotel gift shop and...”

Hatch pulled out the soft pink teddy bear and grinned so big that I wished I'd had my phone so I could snap a photo of him. It was so infectious and genuine that I wanted to find more ways to make him smile. “She's going to love it!” he said excitedly. “I try to get her gifts in every city I go to. Thanks, Peyton, this is really thoughtful.”

“I figured I owed you one since, the first time we met, I...um...jumped to conclusions.”

Hatch smirked. “It's okay. Water under the bridge.”

We both stood there for a lingering moment, neither of us speaking but also not saying goodbye. I wasn't ready to leave, even though I knew I should have. And Hatch didn't seem ready to see me go, either.

“I'd invite you inside, but...”

“No visitors. You need to focus on tomorrow's game,” I finished for him.

“Actually, I was going to say Owen is probably doing naked yoga.”

If I was drinking something I would have choked on it. “Excuse me?”

Owen hollered from inside the room. “You can come join me, Peyton!”

Hatch shook his head in playful annoyance before speaking. “He went to the University of Texas, and some crazy photographer taught him the benefits of letting it all hang out while doing downward facing dog. It's part of his pregame ritual now.”

I bit my lip to suppress a smile. “Sounds like fun. You should join him,” I teased.

Hatch licked his lips. “Who's to say I don't?”

Dangerous. I was crossing into dangerous territory. If my job weren't on the line, I'd suggest he put on a little show for me. I was feeling bold and flirty, but I couldn't risk all my progress for a night of fun. If I'd learned anything from Chad, it was that hockey players were fun to look at, but not good for the long term.

“I'm going to go,” I said, regret evident in my tone.

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

“I feel like I'm in middle school. You hang up first.”

A giggle burst out of me. “No, you hang up.”

I spun around to walk back to the elevator, imagining Hatch doing the lotus pose buck ass naked.

Mmm, delicious.

The next morning I was up bright and early, ready to take on the day, thanks to the coma-like sleep induced by sheer exhaustion and a little help from my travel-sized vibrating friend. So glad I remembered to toss that in my bag at the last minute.

I was also super grateful to the woman who designed the compact vibrator in the shape of a lipstick tube. It had to be a boss ass bitch who came up with the idea, because what man knows the struggle of trying to get a vibrator through airport security? That reminded me, the company just put out a crazy paranormal line, and I was dying to try out the Vampire King. I put a reminder in my calendar to order it when I got home.

Crazy excited for my first official game with the team, I had gotten up, showered, and dressed in record time. I was determined to make today just as great as yesterday. Plus, the Flyers were my old team, it would be nice to see Beth and the guys again.

I was a little surprised that I was the last one to arrive for breakfast, other than Robert, who came in minutes after me. I hated that I wasn't there to greet the team and made a mental note that the guys got up extra early on game days.

Grabbing a banana, I took the open seat next to Serkan, whose plate was overflowing with grapefruit, oatmeal, egg whites, whole wheat toast, and Greek yogurt. He saw me eyeing his plate and grinned. “Energy for game. You eat too, banana not enough. Too skinny.”

Aww, Serkan thought I was skinny. Someone just earned himself a shiny new parachute under his seat for the flight home. I briefly wondered if that was something I could get on Amazon Prime.

“I'll grab a muffin on my way out, promise.” I smiled at him and peeled my banana.

From across the room, Noah caught my eye. He stood up and walked over to where Robert was digging into his own breakfast. Noah silently started dancing behind him, gyrating his hips and stiffly moving his arms out to the side and straight up in the air. All he was missing was the pom-poms.

I giggled and dragged my pointer finger across my throat before pointing it back at him.

“What the hell are you doing, Heartland?” Robert asked, sensing the movement behind him and turning in time to see Noah do a high kick. “Thinking about trading in your hockey career to be an Ice Girl?”

“No, sir, just working out some stiffness,” Noah chuckled and sat back down.

“Okay, guys,” Robert raised his voice to be heard over the murmur of breakfast chatter. “We have morning skate in about an hour, the bus will be here in forty-five, so be in the lobby and ready to go.”

I scanned the room, feeling a sense of excitement about it all. Everyone was eating quietly, talking about plays or listening to music to get their head in the game.

Everyone except Joni.

He sat at a back table all alone, complaining on the phone to someone. I shamelessly watched him for a moment before getting up to eavesdrop. Last night’s conversation had stuck with me. There was more than met the eye where Joni was concerned. And right now, he seemed upset, and it was my job to make sure everything went smoothly.

“Just take an Uber. I don’t understand the big deal. You love coming to games! I’m in town, there’s no reason why you can’t be here.” Joni shook his head in annoyance at whatever the other person was saying on the other line. “So what if you have to sit alone? Just come? I haven’t seen you in months, bro.”

Was this his brother? I cleared my throat, and Joni looked up at me with his murderous eyes. “I’ll call you back,” he said with a frown before hanging up.

“I couldn’t help but overhear—”

“Eavesdrop.”

I rolled my shoulders back. “Does your brother need a ride to the game? I can arrange for a town car to pick him up? And I’ve got an empty seat by me in the box if he wants to—”

Joni rolled his eyes. “I don’t need your help.”

Right. Of course not. How could I forget that Joni was a proud asshole?

“I’m just saying. The offer is there. I’ll happily make the arrangements, but I need to know now. You have a game to worry about today, and it’s my job to make these things easier for you. Let me know.” I spun on my heels and prepared to walk away. There was only so much I could do.

“Wait,” Joni said with a sigh. “Fine. I’ll text you his address. I’d appreciate it if you could get him there.”

Before turning to face him, I schooled my face so that he couldn’t see the shit-eating grin I had. “Okay,” I said. “Anything else?”

“He’ll need access to a private elevator,” Joni added. The cocky nature of his tone had faded some.

I nodded. “Okay.”

“And his favorite beer is Coors.”

“Got it,” I replied with a grin. “Anything else?”

Joni cleared his throat and tried to look like he didn’t care. I saw right through his pathetic expression. “Yeah. Just try not to rub it in his face that you stole his dream job right under his nose.”

I pressed my mouth into a thin line, determined to keep my composure. With a steadying exhale, I replied. “I’ll do my best, Joni.”

“Yeah,” he said. “You go ahead and do that.”

Fucking prick. I was going to let the conversation end there, but the concerned look on Joni’s face made my anger fade. “Give me your number,” I sighed.

Joni stopped sulking to stare at me, a curious expression on his handsome face. “Why?”

“So I can text you updates about your brother so you can know he’s fine and focus on the game.” He stared at me a lingering moment before spouting off his cell. I quickly jotted it down on my notepad. “He’ll be fine,” I promised.

After a few seconds, Joni stared at his plate. I had to fight the strange urge to smooth the line on his brow.

As I walked away, I couldn’t help but hear him dial his brother’s number and speak to him. “Hey, I got your ride all figured out and a private suite. You won’t have to talk to anyone, and they even got you a private elevator. Okay?”

Joni was an ass, but he was like an onion—full of layers. And I wanted to understand every last one.

CHAPTER TWENTY

“This is amazing! Oh, sorry! I should be used to this thing by now, but I keep bumping into everything. Good thing I only need it for a few more months,” Jared apologized after running into me with the front wheel of his chair. He was busy looking around the suite, rolling from the fridge full of Coors over to the edge of the box overlooking the ice. “It’s huge! Oh, man, this menu is killer, all of my favorite things. Peyton, you really outdid yourself,” he beamed up at me. To prove his point, Jared did a little donut around the box before popping a wheelie.

I grinned at the enthusiasm radiating out of him. I found it hard to believe that this was the same person Joni had been scowling into his phone while talking to this morning. I found it even harder to believe that they were actually related.

“She sure did,” Joni’s unimpressed voice rang out, his broad body filling up the entire doorframe. “It seems a bit over-the-top, but I’m glad you’re enjoying it.”

Jared’s smile waned, but only for a second before returning full force. “Well, I’m a fan. These digs are much better than hanging out in the stands. How are you, man?”

Joni’s face soured at the mention of Jared’s previous game watching arrangements. “I’m good. Just wanted to check in on you, make sure you were taken care of before the game. So happy you’re here.” His words sounded hollow. “See you after the game,” he said and disappeared from the entrance.

That was weird. Joni had really wanted his brother here for the game, but he was so chilly toward Jared, like he didn’t actually want to spend any time with him. Or like he didn’t actually know him.

“Thanks again, Peyton. This is really fantastic,” Jared gushed, seemingly undeterred.

“I’m happy you’re here too, by the way,” I told him, taking down a box of popcorn from the ledge and handing it to him. “Now I don’t have to watch the game alone!”

We sang the national anthem, cheered when the boys skated in, and I stared at the Ice Girls for their first dance, excited to win this bet.

“Are you a fan of the Ice Girls?” Jared asked. I leaned forward in my seat and had both fists under my chin.

“Oh, no, I just made a bet with Noah and—”

Jared stopped mid-drink of his beer to interrupt me. “And you’re going to lose.” He laughed and nudged me. “Noah hasn’t lost a bet in over a decade.”

I scoffed, though feeling a bit deflated at his comment. “He made a bet that Robert was going to dance with the Ice Girls for their opening number and—”

And I couldn't even finish my thought because loud music was coming from the speakers, and none other than Robert Park was joining them on their makeshift stage and shaking his ass to the beat. “Oh God,” I said in horror. Robert knew every single dance move. He was on beat and even smiled a couple of times.

Jared laughed so hard he started coughing and I had to slap him on the back. “Fuck!”

“Never bet against Noah,” Jared said while wiping the tears from his eyes.

“Yeah, but how the hell did he know? He must have cheated!” I exclaimed. “I’m never betting against that smarmy bastard again,” I grumbled. I scanned the ice for Noah and found him looking directly at me. He gave me a brief thumbs up, and I flipped him off, which then made Jared laugh even more.

The first period started, and I settled in my seat, disappointed that I wouldn't get to go home to a spa day. I needed a massage something fierce. “Can I be honest with you?” Jared asked. Dallas was in the middle of a power play, and I had my eyes glued to the game.

“Yeah,” I replied distractedly.

“Joni said you were a bitch,” he said casually. Of course Joni did. Because he was a gigantic dick. Literally and figuratively.

“The asshole hates me for obvious reasons—oh!” Serkan missed a goal, and the entire crowd let out a collective groan.

“And what reasons would those be?” Jared asked, baiting me. I was a little nervous that this would come up. I essentially stole this man's job.

“Well, he wanted you to work for the team,” I said sheepishly. “He was not happy that I got this job instead.”

From the corner of my eye, I saw Jared shake his head in frustration. “I didn't even want the job, you know,” he admitted in a soft voice.

I stopped watching the game to turn and face him. “You didn't?”

“No. Not even a little bit,” he replied with a roll of his eyes. “Why would I want to be surrounded every single day by something I worked my ass off for, knowing that I can't do it anymore?”

That made sense. I couldn't imagine going from being a professional athlete to being in physical therapy to relearn how to walk. “I love the sport, and I want to support my brother, but I don't want to be on the outside looking in.”

“I totally get it.” I nodded, relieved that I no longer had a reason to feel guilty about taking this job. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Only seems fair.” Jared smiled.

“When Joni was talking to you over breakfast, it seemed like he was working really hard to convince you to come tonight. If you love the game and want to support your brother, why didn't you want to come?”

Jared's smile faded, his eyes clouded over, and he looked at the floor. I was worried I had touched a nerve and was about to tell him he didn't need to go into it when he looked back up at me.

“Joni is a great guy,” Jared started. So far I didn't agree with his assessment of Joni, but I smiled politely and waited for him to continue. “He’s always been a great big brother. The best a guy could ask for. He taught me how to skate when I was barely old enough to walk. Almost gave our poor mom a heart attack one day when I fell and busted my nose on the ice.”

I had a hard time picturing a little Joni out on the ice with an even littler Jared. Joni had no patience now as an adult, and I was willing to bet he was worse as a kid.

“When I was old enough to join a team, Joni would practice with me every night. When he was picked up by the NHL, he still came home and coached my hockey camps over the summer.” Jared smiled at his memories with his big brother.

“Wow,” I said. “It sounds like you guys had a really awesome childhood.” It made me wonder how my own childhood would have been different if I had a sibling to share it with.

The sound of fans booing filled the stadium, and the announcer boomed out statistics. Jared and I turned our attention to the giant screen over the ice in time to see a replay of Owen scoring a goal. We both cheered, drawing hateful glares from the Flyers fans.

“We did have an awesome childhood,” Jared went on after the chaos died down. “But it was all focused on hockey.”

I stared at Jared intently, trying to understand what he was telling me. “Don't you guys all eat, sleep, and breathe hockey?”

“Joni did, still does,” Jared said. “And don't get me wrong, like I said, I love the sport. But it was really Joni's dream. I followed in his footsteps because it meant so much to him. Plus, I got to spend more time with him.”

“And now what?” I asked.

“It might be cliché, but I'm finding myself. My entire life revolved around the sport, but now I’m navigating this new normal and trying to figure out what my passion is outside of playing hockey with my brother.” Jared scratched the back of his neck before continuing. “Sometimes I wonder if we took away hockey, would Joni and I have anything in common? I think he's clinging hard to the sport—and me being involved in it—because he's just as scared as I am that, without it, we're strangers.”

I understood Jared painfully well. As humans, it was easy to wrap our identities up in things or people. I lost who I was when I dated Chad, and even now, I was still trying to find myself in the chaos of this new job, new life, new friends, new everything. “I'm sure the two of you have more in common than you think,” I said.

Jared cheered for the Stars, but I was watching him. I had this really bad habit of thinking I could fix everyone and everything. Maybe it was the perfectionist in me, but now that I knew the source of Joni and Jared's distance, I couldn't help but want to stitch it back together. Joni might've been a gigantic jerk to me, but I didn't want him to suffer.

“We both like to party. Joni and I are big on having fun and celebrating. Back when our parents were alive…” Jared's voice trailed off, and I nodded. These brothers were truly all they had. Despite being adults, they were relatively young. I didn't realize their parents had passed away. “Our mom used to throw the wildest parties for our birthdays.”

“Oh?” I asked.

“Yeah. Everyone in the neighborhood would show up to celebrate. It's been a while since we've had a good kick back like that. Joni's birthday is coming up, but it feels weird throwing him a party while we’re so distant. Hell, these days, the only time he calls is to talk about his hockey stats or hear progress reports from my physical therapist.”

“What if we throw him a surprise party?” I asked. “I don't think it's weird that you want to party with him. Maybe it's what you need to bring the two of you back together,” I then offered.

Jared twisted to look at me. “Yeah, maybe you’re right. Would you really help me?”

Throwing a party for my new arch nemesis wasn't high on my list of things I wanted to do. I'd rather stick myself in the eye with a blunt fork, but I wanted to help Jared. Despite everything, he seemed to really care about his brother. Maybe the two of them finding healing would help Joni’s bad mood.

“I’d love to,” I said with fake enthusiasm. “Send me some weekends that you're free to make the trip out to Dallas, and I'll match them up with the game and practice schedule.”

The timer on the jumbotron ticked down to zero, ending the game with a Stars win. From the bits of the game I actually managed to watch, the guys played their asses off. They were on fire tonight, and their victory was the icing on the cake that was my amazing day.

“Are you ready to go see Joni?” Jared asked.

“Yep, let's do this.”

We took the same private elevator down to the rink level, flashing our VIP passes to the attendant in charge of keeping the public from gaining access to the players. She pushed the button and gestured for us to exit behind us when the reverse door opened to an unassuming hallway.

Jared and I were meeting Joni outside the visiting team's locker room. I made sure to emphasize to Joni that we would be waiting for him outside. There was going to be no more confusion in that department.

As we rounded the corner, we ran into a slim redhead furiously tapping away on her phone. “Beth!” I exclaimed.

She looked up from whatever had her so worked up and smiled at me. “Peyton, I'm so glad to run into you!” She came over and gave me a quick hug.

“This is Jared,” I introduced. “Jared, this is Beth. I used to work for her and the Flyers when I lived out here.”

“So that's how you know your way around this place so well,” Jared said to me before turning to Beth. “It's nice to meet you Beth. Your team really gave us hell out there.”

“You're Jared Kleason,” Beth said. “You were really working your way up through the league before you were injured. It's totally unfair what happened.”

“It's a risk we all take,” Jared stated. “At least I was memorable.” He smiled.

“That you are, my friend.” Beth nodded before turning her attention back to me. “Peyton, I just want to take a minute to tell you that you are doing a fantastic job. Robert has been talking nonstop about his killer new coordinator to anyone who will listen. I knew you would be a perfect fit for him.”

“Thank you! That's good to hear, it means so much to me,” I gushed, a huge smile breaking out across my face at her words.

Beth asked me a few more questions, making sure to include Jared in the conversation. And after a few minutes, I started to feel like a third wheel between them. “Last year, the game against the Panthers was incredible,” Beth said. “I still remember the look on Coach Rock’s face when you made the final score.”

Jared blushed. “Don’t tell anyone, but I have a framed photo of his pissed off face in my townhouse.”

Beth tilted her head back and laughed. “Oh man. Can you send me a copy of it? I hate that guy.”

“Send me your email,” Jared replied. “I’ll happily send it over.”

Beth stroked her cheek. “Have you ever considered coaching, Jared?” she asked. “I’m looking for a new assistant coach. I think you would be great at it and could be a valuable resource for play-making and tactical skill.”

Jared gaped at her. “I-I haven’t really considered it.” He looked down at his lap and ran his fingers over the edge of his wheelchair before continuing. “I’ve been trying to figure out what I want to do. Ever since the accident, I’ve just…”

His voice trailed off, but luckily, my amazing ex-boss was perceptive. Digging through her pocket, she pulled out a business card and handed it to him. “How about you send me a copy of that photo, and if you have any questions, we can chat.”

Jared took the card and stared at it before the corner of his lip tilted into a smile. “Yeah. Okay. I’ll email you.”

“Great. It was nice to meet you, Jared,” Beth said. “And as always, it was really awesome to see you again, Peyton.”

She reached out to squeeze my arm before disappearing into the locker room with a loud yell. “Cover your dicks! I’m coming in!”

Jared and I looked at one another, then laughed. “I like her,” he said with a smile.

“She’s the best.”

“Do you think she was serious about offering me the job...or was it a pity ask?”

I shook my head. “Beth never says anything she doesn’t mean. I bet she’d love to have you. She has an eye for talent. It’s why she hired me, after all.” I winked playfully before turning to walk down the hall. “Let’s go find Joni. We were supposed to see him, like, ten minutes ago.”

“Speak of the devil,” Jared said with a smirk.

Sure enough, Joni was marching down the tiled hall toward us, a furious scowl on his face. Once we were toe-to-toe, he started shouting at me. “Where the fuck have you been?”

“Whoa!” Jared exclaimed.

I looked up at him and scowled. “Right here. Where I told you I would be,” I snapped back.

Joni crowded me until my back was against the wall and he was two inches from my face. “You were supposed to be outside the locker room.”

“Are we inside the locker room?” I challenged. “No. No, we are not. So we are exactly where we said we would be, outside the locker room.”

Joni shot daggers at me with his eyes, and Jared did his best to hold in a laugh but failed miserably. It came out as one of those weird half bark, half snort laughs that he tried to cover with a cough.

“Seems to me like you’re the one who’s late,” I pressed. There was something about pissing Joni off that made my body buzz.

Joni leaned even closer, and when I inhaled, my breasts bumped against his chest. I could have sworn I heard his breath hitch.

“The sexual tension between you two is actually kind of disgusting,” Jared said, instantly snapping us out of our spell.

Sexual tension? With motorboat dude? No way.

“Are you kidding me with this bullshit? Does this look like open mic night at a dive bar?” Joni fumed. “I knew I shouldn't have let you do this.”

“Well, you know, I didn't want another locker room debacle on my hands like my first day. Man, that was embarrassing. I think you remember it?” I quipped, irritated that Joni found a way to bring down my hella good day.

“Hey, guys,” Jared interjected, looking back and forth between me and Joni. “It's all good. I'm sorry our wires got crossed, but we're here and you found us. We're all good, yeah?”

“No. We are not all good,” Joni raged, looking me dead in the eye. This was going to be very bad for me. “Come on, Jared, let's go.”

“Give me two minutes,” Jared coaxed. “I'll meet you in the locker room. You still need to shower before we leave anyway, and I really don't feel like hanging out in there with your teammates when I’m right at dick level,” he said, motioning to his chair.

Joni didn't move. He stood staring at his brother for several moments before turning and walking back toward the locker room, muttering under his breath.

“Wow,” Jared said once Joni was out of earshot. “That was intense. He’s not usually such an ass.”

I shrugged. “Apparently, he's only like that around me.”

“I knew you were special,” Jared teased.

“Lucky me.” I rolled my eyes, laughing.

“Hey, listen.” Jared hesitated for a second. “Would you mind not mentioning Beth's offer to Joni?”

“Sure. But why?” I liked Jared and enjoyed watching the game with him tonight. Unlike his brother, he was warm and friendly, easy to talk to and fun to be around. I hoped that he did take the job with Beth so that we could hang out when our teams played against each other.

“I just want a chance to be able to think about it. If Joni finds out, he'll pressure me to take the job. I want to talk to Beth some more and make the decision on my own. Not just because it's the first thing that will put me back in hockey, which is what Joni wants so badly.”

“That makes sense.” I nodded. “I promise I won't say a word.”

“Thanks, Peyton. Alright, time to go make some hockey players uncomfortable.” Jared laughed and took off toward the locker room.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

The next week passed by uneventfully. There wasn't as much for me to do to prepare the team for home games, so I spent my time organizing files, making a digital contacts list, and creating email templates for contacting vendors when we traveled.

Joni hadn't said more than two words to me the whole week. Jared reached out to me a few days after the game and gave me some potential dates for Joni's birthday party, not that I felt much like planning it anymore.

There was a knock on my open door, and I looked up to see Noah hovering in the frame.

“Hey,” I greeted him, feeling my bad mood instantly lift. “What’s up?”

“Oh nothing. Just wanted to make sure that you didn’t forget that you still owe me one.” He had a playful grin on his face, and I was suddenly filled with dread.

“Shit,” I cursed. “I still want to know how the hell you knew Robert would do that.”

“I happen to be friends with a few of the Ice Girls. Robert was really quite agreeable when Brittany asked if he wanted to dance with them.”

“I knew you were a dirty cheater. I think the bet is null and void, I don’t owe you anything.”

“I didn’t cheat. I never said anything to Robert. And paying up won’t be too bad,” he promised. “But you might want to brush up on your ice skating skills. Oh, and do you have a push up bra?”

I rubbed my temples. “Get out of my office, Noah.”

He held his hands up in mock surrender, chuckling as he did. “Hey now, no need to be hostile. I’m just preparing you. Speaking of, Hatch also lost a bet to me this weekend, and he’s about to be here to pay up and I want to watch.”

“Huh?” I asked.

Noah looked down the hall and then quickly ran inside my office. “Move! I want to hear this.” He pushed my office chair slightly and crawled under my desk. I had to slam my legs closed so that he didn’t see up my pencil skirt.

“Excuse me!” I exclaimed. “What the hell are you doing—”

“Peyton,” Hatch said. He had poked his head through the crack in my office door. He cleared his throat and looked me up and down. “Are you busy?”

I looked down at Noah, who was holding his hand over his mouth like a giggling schoolboy. What the fuck was going on?

“Not at all,” I replied.

Hatch let out a sigh, and I couldn’t tell if it was out of relief or something else. “Great. Okay. Yeah. The thing is…”

I arched a brow at him, confused at why he seemed so nervous. He pulled at the collar of his shirt, and his cheeks bloomed red. “Yes?” I asked.

“I was wondering if you would like to go somewhere with me.”

“Where to?”

He looked at the ceiling, then back at me. “Astripclub.”

I fought the urge to smile. Noah was a dick, but I’d have fun with this. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t hear you.” I placed my fist under my chin and looked up at him.

He huffed. “A strip club. I’d like to take you on a date to a strip club.”

Under my desk, Noah was shaking with laughter. I knew there were only two ways to play this. I fixed my expression into a smile. “I love strip clubs!” I exclaimed. “That would be so much fun! When?”

Hatch gaped at me. “Well, um. Wow. I wasn’t actually expecting you to say yes.”

I pretended to look confused. “Do you not want to go on a date with me?” Noah tapped the inside of my calf encouragingly.

“Oh! No, I really want to go on a date with you. I’ve been thinking of it a lot. Ever since we met. I just didn’t expect you to agree to going to the strip club.”

I paused for a moment. Hatch had been thinking about taking me on a date? So this wasn’t just Noah being a dick. Hatch genuinely wanted to go out with me.

“Strip clubs can be fun,” I said, suddenly feeling nervous and excited.

“Uh, okay. Great,” Hatch stuttered, the tips of his ears turned a vivid shade of red, and he had a hard time looking me in the eye. “We can go to, uh, Diamonds. I'll pick you up tonight?”

“Tonight?” I hesitated. That didn't give me much time to prepare. “Um, yeah. Sure. Why not? Sounds, uh, great,” I stammered.

Good Lord, we sounded like two twelve-year-olds who just admitted we had crushes on each other. Under my desk, Noah snorted from the effort of trying to hold in his laughter. I fake sneezed to cover and kicked at him with the pointed toe box of the heels I was wearing.

“Bless you,” Hatch said, tripping over his own feet as he turned to leave my office. Letting out a curse, he righted himself and found his balance before falling flat on his ass. “See you at eight,” he said without looking back. He lifted his hand in a small wave and disappeared from my view.

“Holy shit, that was epic,” Noah got out in between laughs. I pushed my chair away from my desk, and he rolled out, holding his sides. “You are amazing, Peyton.”

“Thanks,” I said, distracted.

“I didn't think you would play along like that. It was awesome! I've never seen Hatch so off his game.”

“Cool. Cool cool cool. I think I have to go to a strip club now,” I deadpanned.

Hatch arrived exactly at eight. If my stomach wasn't doing flips, I would be incredibly turned on by his punctuality. Seriously. Being on time is sexy. But, my stomach was doing flips, and my face was still a deep shade of red, even after two layers of foundation and concealer.

“You look gorgeous,” he said when I answered the door. He took the time to give me a once over and appreciate my curves in the low cut, sparkly red minidress I had on.

“Oh, this old thing?” I giggled and twirled, hoping he wouldn't notice my new skin tone of perpetual discomfort.

I wasn't entirely sure what women wore to strip clubs. Even though Hatch was wearing jeans, I'm pretty sure most of the other men would be wearing sweatpants. Honestly, I probably could have gotten away with wearing sweatpants too; nobody was going to be looking at me since my clothes were going to remain firmly on my body.

“Ready?” Hatch held out his arm, and I threaded mine through, letting him lead me to his car. He opened the door and closed it again behind me. Such a true Southern gentleman, opening the car door for me before taking me to go see strippers shaking their tits.

Ten minutes later, we pulled into the relatively empty parking lot. I was nervous for Hatch that someone might recognize his bright yellow Hummer and post it to social media in the parking lot of the titty bar.

“Here we are,” Hatch said, shutting off the ignition. His voice was shaky as hell, and I giggled a bit at his nerves.

“Yep, here we are,” I echoed.

“Okay, let's do this,” he said, still not moving from the driver's seat. “Unless you want to back out. I’d be totally okay if you wanted to back out.”

“I’m not backing out,” I challenged. I wanted to see how far Hatch would commit to the bet with Noah.

“Neither am I,” he stammered, though still not moving.

I opened my own car door, fearing if I didn't, we would be stuck in an endless game of chicken. Hatch quickly climbed out of the car and met me on my side by the time I got out, sliding his arm around my shoulders.

As we walked awkwardly toward the door, the smell of baby oil and cheap cologne got stronger and the neon light above the club that spelled out “live nudes” cast a pink shadow over Hatch's face.

It’s okay, I could do this. I could totally be one of those women who casually went to strip clubs for fun. There were a lot of women who got a really strong sense of empowerment from stripping, and I was totally here for that. I was going to choose to believe that this particular club was full of women with that mindset and not single moms trying to put food on their table.

It wasn’t actually the venue that had bothered me. I mean, I’m sure Danielle and I would have had a ton of fun here. Hatch and I were still in the awkward getting to know you stage, which made this setting more...awkward. Not to mention, I was not supposed to be hanging out with or dating any of the players. This was really unprofessional. If someone snapped a photo of us here, Robert would have a heart attack. I’d lose my job and—

Oh man, I was so bad at psyching myself up. Damn Noah. I shouldn’t have agreed to this.

“Peyton,” Hatch interrupted my thoughts as he suddenly stopped walking. “I'm sorry, I really don't want to do this. Can I just take you out to dinner instead?”

“Really?” I asked, relieved.

“I lost a bet to Noah. I had to ask you on a date to the strip club.”

“Oh, I see,” I said, trying to play it off like I had no idea about the bet.

Hatch started rambling. “I mean, if it’s important to you, I totally will, but this isn’t the first date I had in mind for us. Strip clubs really aren't my thing. If a woman wants to take off her clothes and dance for me, I want it to be because she wants to, not because I’m giving her twenty dollars. And I don't want our first date story that we tell our grandkids to be about strippers.”

Okay, I was about to swoon right there on the spot. “So, I might have kind of known about the bet with Noah,” I teased while rocking on my heels.

Hatch’s shoulders slumped in relief, and he laughed. “That asshole!”

I was about to respond when my phone started ringing. “Speak of the devil,” I said while checking the caller ID; sure enough, Noah was calling. I answered and put it on speakerphone. “Did he do it?” Noah asked before I could even say hello.

I looked up at Hatch, who was scowling at my phone. “He did. I’m hiding in the bathroom right now.” I held up my phone so that he could hear the song “Pony” by Ginuwine that the club was currently blasting through the speakers.

Noah burst out laughing. I imagined him hunched over in a fit of chuckles. “Oh man!” he exclaimed. “He’s been talking about asking you out all week. I bet he’s so embarrassed right now.”

I looked at Hatch. All week? My heart fluttered a bit, but I stayed focused. “Do you think we can leave now? He’s been tortured enough. When I left him, there was a woman named Bubbles asking him if he wanted a private show.”

Noah laughed even harder. “I don’t think you realize how hysterical this is,” he choked out. “Hatch is such a fucking romantic. He likes to go to fancy steak restaurants and wear a suit. This is probably killing him.”

“I say we put him out of his misery,” I replied. Hatch was chewing on his lip, and the music from inside grew louder. Whoever was on stage was pumping up the crowd—in more ways than one.

“Fine. Take him out to Dee Lincoln Prime. I’ll call in a favor and get you a table,” Noah said.

Grinning, I said, “Thank youuu,” in a singsong voice before hanging up.

“One of these days, I’m going to win a bet against him, and he will regret this,” Hatch grumbled.

“So you have a massive crush on me, huh?” I asked. I knew I was playing with fire. If Robert Park ever found out that we were even having dinner together, he’d probably fire me on the spot. At least we weren’t at the strip club anymore.

Hatch wrapped his arm around me and started walking me back to his car. “I thought that was obvious.” He opened the passenger door and held my hand as I climbed inside.

“Sometimes I can be a bit oblivious. I just figured since…” I let my voice trail off because it was embarrassing to say I slept with two of your teammates during a vulnerable weekend.

“Since you’re out of my league?” Hatch finished for me with a wink. Ugh, this man was too nice to me.

“Yep, sure. Let's go with that.” I smiled.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Hatch let his hand rest on my thigh the entire ride over to the steakhouse, my skin tingling where he absentmindedly brushed his thumb back and forth.

I stomped down Robert's warnings not to get involved with his players, well, any more of his players than I already had, with fantasies of me and Hatch. Maybe it was the strip club energy, but my mind quickly and abruptly wandered to how Hatch was in bed. Heat radiated out from between my thighs as I imagined Hatch between the sheets on my bed, naked and wanting. I already knew what he looked like shirtless, and I couldn't wait to lick those insane abs.

I had to take liberties with my vision of his cock, however. I pictured it long, hard, and throbbing with desire for me. Flashes of Hatch thrusting into me and burying himself deep inside teased me for the rest of the ride.

But then, a face interrupted the vision, making my breath hitch. I wasn’t expecting those cerulean eyes in my mind. Joni invaded my thoughts, and I had to squeeze my eyes shut to shoo him out of my subconscious. No. No. No.

His plump lips. His heated stares. His toned body. And yes, even that gigantic torture device between his legs was on my mind, too. It kind of made me angry. Hatch was hot and obviously into me, so why was my brain so focused on the asshole making my life hell?

The rest of the ride, I made sure to only think of Hatch. Safe choice. Smart choice.

By the time we reached the restaurant, I was no longer hungry for food. I was about to suggest we find a dark corner of the parking lot to fuck like bunnies before heading in, but Hatch, absolutely unaware of how horny I was, had already parked and was walking over to open my door before I could get a single word out.

Down, Bessie. It's a no-go, save this energy for later. I silently willed my vagina to calm down enough to let me get through dinner without any Freudian slips. I blew out a big breath and plastered a smile on my face.

“You're going to love this place.” Hatch grinned and took my hand.

I was really happy I decided not to go the sweats route when we walked inside. This was easily the fanciest restaurant I had ever been to. The maitre d’ was in a full tuxedo, and each table was covered in crisp white linens. I'm pretty sure this was the type of place where the menus didn't have prices.

After we were shown to our table, which had a bouquet of roses and a chilled bottle of wine waiting for us, courtesy of Noah, I excused myself to the restroom and freshened up.

When I sat back down at the table, Hatch locked his eyes on me, his expression full of romance. It made me squirm in my seat a bit. But then he asked me a question I was utterly unprepared for.

“How many kids do you want to have?”

Uh...what? I liked kids, but I wasn’t planning on having one any time soon. Maybe with Chad I allowed myself to dream of a future with a big diamond on my hand and two kids running around my yard, but not anymore. I was only twenty-eight, which was practically twenty. I had a few years before I had to figure that out. “Kids?”

“Yeah, kids. I just love my niece. I really want to give her some cousins. I want to have a whole bunch.”

Yeah. Considering he had ten names picked out, I kind of already knew that. Ten kids. Wow.

Whoa, Nelly, where are the brakes on this thing? I got to live the trauma of pregnancy through Danielle’s many stories. I wasn’t sure I wanted to commit to a bunch of watermelons being pushed out of my vagina, which coincidentally dried up faster than spilled water on summer concrete. Hatch must have noticed my horrified expression, because he quickly added, “I mean, I’m not saying we have to right now.”

I blushed. The growing old together conversation was cute when I thought he was kidding, but now I was wondering if he actually had plans for us. Oh gosh. “Kids are great. But I’m just focusing on my career right now. Working on myself. I’m still fresh out of a relationship, you know?”

He cleared his throat. “Of course. I’m always getting ahead of myself,” Hatch backpedaled.

Always? Was this a thing he did with all his dates? “What do you mean?”

Hatch reached for his beer and took a deep gulp before responding. “I guess I’m just impulsive. Say what I’m thinking. Feel what I’m feeling. Jump in with both feet before seeing how deep the water is.” I nodded. I could understand that. Think before you act was definitely one of the mantras I repeated to myself on a daily basis. “I didn’t scare you away, did I?” he asked.

I smiled at him. “We’ve already tackled the strip club and discussed children. If you want to make this date more memorable, we could talk about past trauma and really get our hands dirty.” He started laughing, and I continued. “One of my most traumatic childhood memories happened at a boy band concert.”

Hatch leaned back in his seat, thoroughly amused. “Oh? Do tell.”

“My parents got me front row tickets to a show. There was this guy that kept walking by with these giant towers of cotton candy. I begged my parents for some, and they bought me one. Then two.”

Hatch cringed. Yeah, looking back it was pretty gross. Thirteen-year-old me loved sugar. “So what happened?”

I let out a dramatic sigh. “I projectile vomited pink and blue on the stage. They had to stop the show for a cleanup crew. It was mortifying.”

Hatch threw back his head and laughed, the sound filling the room. It was a pleasant sound. Despite him jumping the gun, Hatch was really nice to be around. He was handsome, funny, and sweet. He was safe.

He wiped his eyes from the hysterical tears spilling from them and looked at me. “That’s very traumatic.”

“It really was,” I agreed enthusiastically. “There's nothing worse than getting booed by twenty thousand women because the Backstreet Boys had to stop singing right in the middle of ‘I Want It That Way.’”

“The Backstreet Boys?” Hatch quirked an eyebrow. “I thought for sure you would be an NSYNC girl,” he said with a chuckle, as if I would be impressed that he could name another boy band. In the famous words of Cher Horowitz: as if.

“Don't ever say that again,” I deadpanned. “Take it back.”

Hatch threw his hands up in the air in mock defensiveness. “I’m sorry! I didn't mean anything by it. I take it back. I promise I will never make that mistake again.”

“Swear on it. Swear on the holy sanctity of synchronized man dancing that you will never again imply that I would prefer NSYNC to Backstreet Boys.”

Hatch straightened up in his seat and put his hand over his heart. “I swear on the sanctity of synchronized man dancing that I will never accuse Peyton Manning of being an NSYNC lover when her heart clearly belongs with the Backstreet Boys.”

“Hi, my name is Brett, and I'll...” A waiter dressed in black pants and a white button-up shirt smiled pleasantly and started his speech as he approached our table. “Oh, I'm so sorry, am I interrupting something?” Brett asked as he got close enough to overhear Hatch's solemn tone and see my serious expression. “I can come back in a few minutes.”

“No, not at all!” I replied cheerfully. “We're just rehashing some childhood trauma. Feel free to join in! Have any old wounds you want to get off your chest? High school bully? Wet your bed at sleep away camp? Walk in on your parents doing the horizontal tango?” I asked him.

Brett looked horrified.

“I'll just give you some more time to look at the menu,” he said, maintaining his composure but sprinting away from our table so fast I was surprised a cloud of cartoon dust didn't appear at his feet.

“Well, I don't think he's coming back. But at least we gave him a fun story to tell,” I told Hatch as our eyes met, and we both burst out laughing.

“Is tormenting servers a favorite pastime of yours?” Hatch asked, leaning in close. “I feel like I should know if I'm going to have my food spit in and bad service for the rest of my life.”

Oh boy, there he went again with the “rest of our lives” stuff. We literally just had this conversation. Maybe he just wasn't capable of taking things slow or living in the moment. I wasn't ready to be an instant wife or have a family yet. I still had things to accomplish in my career. I still wanted a few years of irresponsible, reckless fun, dammit!

A new server approached our table and introduced herself. “Hi, I'm Jacqueline, and I'll be taking care of you tonight, can I get you something to drink?”

“Cabernet Sauvignon,” I answered instantly. Normally I was more a Sauvignon Blanc kind of girl, but tonight was feeling like a red kind of night. Hatch looked at me with a strange expression for a moment before clearing his throat.

“And you, sir?” the waitress asked.

“Water, please,” he replied. Sheesh. Now I felt stupid being the only one drinking wine. Oh well. Hatch looked at me. “I have early morning practice.”

The waitress walked away, and we both sat in slightly awkward silence for a lingering moment. “So if you couldn’t play hockey,” I began, to break the tension, “what would you be doing right now?”

He scratched his chin in contemplation before responding. “I’d probably join the military. Mama Jen was a career navy woman. Our family was very close. Mama Nancy stayed at home with us, while Mama Jen traveled the world and bravely fought for our country. I’ve always wanted that for myself. Of course, hockey pays better. We were stationed on a base in Alaska for a year, which is where I picked the sport up. I’ve been playing ever since. It was hard since I couldn’t be with the same club all the time, but I got to learn from people all around the world, which was nice.”

I couldn’t imagine never feeling settled in one place. Despite having moved so much recently, I liked my routine and having a place to call home. It’s why Chad’s betrayal stung so badly. I uprooted everything for him, and he threw it all away. “So your brother-in-law was in the military, right? Your niece’s father?”

At the mention of his niece, Hatch grinned. “Yes. My brother-in-law was honestly the best. You would have loved him. I hate that he isn’t here to be with my sister, but also thankful I have the flexibility to help out. I hate away games. Carolina is a NICU nurse at Baylor Hospital, so she can’t always get time off. And Macy, my niece, stays nights with me when Carolina works. It’s hard to make the schedule work, but we somehow figured out a good system.”

“That sounds like a lot to juggle on top of intense practices, training, and public appearances,” I noted. Hatch shrugged.

“I guess I was just raised to do whatever it takes to support your family. I love Macy, so it isn’t really a hardship. Sure, I’m tired. And there are days I’d rather not be a babysitter. Sometimes I like to go on dates with pretty women who have the most beautiful, kissable lips I’ve ever seen.” He stared at my mouth like it was a treat he wanted to devour.

I blushed under his intense stare. Hatch was all in. Passionate. Strong-willed. I loved how much he supported his family, and also thought he was probably the sexiest person I’d ever laid eyes on.

But I felt hollow, too. Compliments like that were supposed to make a woman weak in the knees. I didn’t even have butterflies in my stomach. I wasn’t sure what it was, but the vibe wasn’t exactly there, even though I wanted it to be. Maybe Chad broke me.

We spent the rest of the meal chatting about our lives. I laughed and told him stories from college, and he told me about a stalker he once had. It was easygoing and friendly. I ached to feel that same excited heat I’d felt in the car, but Hatch felt like a friend—someone who could possibly be more, but I needed time to sort out my feelings. I was used to that crushing passion that you couldn't escape. Chad might have been a dick, but I was addicted to him. I hated comparing Hatch to my cheating ex, but maybe that was my problem. Maybe I was confusing passion with what a healthy relationship was really supposed to be.

“You okay?” Hatch asked while paying for the bill and getting out of his seat. I shook my head free of the thoughts plaguing me before standing up. Hatch placed his hand on my lower back to guide me from the restaurant, and I chewed on the inside of my cheek. Once outside his car, Hatch rocked on the heels of his feet before shifting closer to me.

“I had a lot of fun tonight. Especially since we didn't go to the strip club,” he said with a wink. I wasn't sure, maybe if we had gone to the strip club, I wouldn't be standing here having an existential crisis about my relationship habits. I felt guilty for not wanting Hatch right then. He was the safe choice.

“I'm glad I got to know you better,” I admitted, my voice rough.

Hatch cupped my cheek and leaned in closer. His garlic breath made my nose wrinkle, but his eyes were closed softly, prohibiting him from seeing my disgusted face. No. No. I couldn't do this. “Hatch?” I said right before he could kiss me. “Can you take me home?”

I felt ashamed, and when he pulled away with a look of confusion, my heart broke. My first real, official date since Chad, and I was having doubts. “Is everything okay?” he asked.

“Not really,” I choked back. “This is the first real date I've been on since...” I didn't know how to explain my confusion. “It's not you. I just feel off. Maybe I haven't healed all the way after all. I don't want to hurt you and—”

Hatch cut me off by pressing his index finger against my lip. It took all my self-control not to push him away. What the fuck kind of person silenced a woman like that? I was rambling, sure, but what the hell? “I get it. You're not ready.” He leaned in and softly kissed my cheek. “I can be patient. We've got the rest of our lives.”

Oh God. No. We did not have the rest of our lives. Hatch was way ahead of me in that department. “Right. I think I just really want to go home.”

Hatch deflated a bit but still had that determined attitude. “Okay. Let's go.”

We rode in silence the entire way to my apartment. And when he parked, I practically sprinted out of the passenger seat with nothing more than a wave. “Goodnight,” I called over my shoulder, a nervous sweat dripping down my spine.

I ran to my apartment and unlocked the door before he could return the sentiment.

Coward. I was a fucking coward.

I pressed my back against my front door and let out an exhale. “What the hell is wrong with me?” I whispered into the silence before turning on a light and looking at my apartment. I hadn't taken the time to sit and really feel the feels about dating again. I'd just sort of jumped into it impulsively, and now I couldn't figure out what it was I wanted.

My cell phone started ringing, and I pulled it from my purse. Why the hell was Joni calling me? Probably to complain about something or insult me again. It didn’t really matter. I needed something to distract me from all the thoughts in my brain.

“Why is my brother acting all secretive with me?” Joni asked. I pulled the phone away from my ear and scowled.

“Hello. How are you? I’m great, thanks for asking,” I replied sarcastically.

“I asked a question first. Jared is acting weird. He won't accept my calls. I've asked him to come visit me for my birthday, and he's blowing me off.”

I fought back a smile. Jared and I had been working hard on Joni's surprise party. Jared mentioned that he sucked at keeping secrets, and I made him swear that he wouldn't ruin the surprise. I was happy to know Jared was taking his responsibilities seriously. “I have no idea what you're talking about,” I replied in a bored tone.

“Ever since you sat with him at that game, he's been asking about you. He even told me to be nicer!” Joni complained. “It’s so weird.”

“Your brother is obviously the smart one in the family. It's not my fault we're best friends now.”

Joni cleared his throat. “Is that all you are?”

I tilted my head to the side and squinted. “Why? Would you have a problem if your brother and I were more? Am I not good enough for Jared now, Joni?” I asked.

He huffed into the phone, and I pushed myself off the wall and slipped out of my hot pink stilettos. “That's not what I said,” he grumbled. “I just know you also had a date with Hatch tonight.”

“You seem to be awfully aware of my dating life, Joni,” I reprimanded him.

“I just don't want Jared to get hurt, okay?” Joni said, this time his tone softer and almost vulnerable.

I walked into my bedroom and started stripping out of my clothes. “Jared and I are just friends,” I promised. “It's not like that. He’s just nice to talk to and is pretty funny too. I’m still adjusting here, and it’s nice to have someone who checks in on me regularly, outside of my best friend, Danielle.”

Once my titties were free from their wired cage, I lay down on my bed and stared at the ceiling, cell phone still in hand. “Thanks for telling me,” Joni said. I waited for him to talk, not sure if I should end the conversation or not. “Moving to a new place can be hard,” he then agreed. “When our parents died, we ended up floating from one extended family member to the next until a second cousin took us in.”

Was Joni actually opening up to me? “Oh?” I asked. “Do you mind me asking...how?”

“Car accident. Hit a patch of ice on the road wrong while driving home from a date,” he said softly. My soul hurt for Jared and Joni. “I was sixteen. Jared was twelve.”

“I can’t imagine,” I whispered.

“That's why I’m so protective of him. Mom would have wanted…”

His voice trailed off, and once again we both went silent for a long while.

“I’m really sorry, Joni. I would never do anything to hurt Jared. Or even you for that matter. Despite what you think, I’m not actually a malicious person.”

Joni cleared his throat, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he was crying on the other end of the line.

“So, how was your date with Hatch?” he asked, changing the subject. I tried to see if I detected any teasing in his tone, but he seemed genuinely interested.

“It was fine,” I replied, my voice flat. Shit. I could have at least sounded a little nicer about it.

Joni let out a low whistle. “That bad, huh?”

I absolutely should not have been having this conversation with Joni. He'd already proven that he didn't mind throwing me under the bus. I wasn't completely sure that our newfound truce actually meant anything. “It wasn't bad,” I argued. “Hatch is fun and nice and...”

“Like a golden retriever?” Joni asked. I could almost picture the smirk on his beautiful face. Asshole.

“I think I'm broken,” I moaned before flipping over and pressing my face into my mattress. I punched my comforter before sitting up again. “Do you think Chad broke me? I mean...I should like the nice guy. The chemistry was kind of there, but then he started talking about our future children and grandchildren and I—”

Joni cut me off with a low, “Holy shit! He was already talking about the future?”

“I know. I can't tell if it's sweet or terrifying! I used to want that. Hell, I used to think it was romantic. But I’m not basing my life around the goal of getting married and having kids anymore.”

Joni went quiet for a moment. We both sat there breathing as the time passed. I wasn't ready to hang up yet. “It's not wrong to want to feel chemistry with someone. And you're not broken just because you went on a date with a nice guy and realized he's more like a friend than a possible boyfriend.”

That was weird. Was Joni actually being helpful?

“Maybe I'm not ready to date yet,” I whispered, once again not sure why I was confiding in Joni of all people.

“Maybe,” he agreed. “Or maybe you just haven't gone on a date with the right person. Or maybe you need to fuck Chad out of your system. I'm available if you want to pick up where we left off,” he teased.

Oh yes, there was the asshole version of Joni again.

“I will not be sleeping with you ever again,” I deadpanned. “For starters, you have the biggest dick I've ever seen, and it hurts to just look at you.”

Joni cracked up, and I continued.

“Second, you motorboated me. Not a fan.”

“I was drunk, and your tits were...” Instead of finishing that statement, he let out a moan. There was something about that sound that made my stomach clench. “Can you blame me?”

“I think you traumatized me. Every time I catch a man staring at my tits now, I think of you slobbering all over them and shaking your head like a wet dog.” The visual made me frown.

“I'm glad you think of me often, Peyton,” he rasped.

“I wouldn't say often...” I sang. Admittedly, Joni was somewhat the bane of my existence these last few weeks, so that wasn't exactly true. I did think about him more than I should.

“We could have had the redemption story of the century,” Joni teased once more. “But I hate you, so guess we'll never know.”

I rolled my eyes and grinned. “I hate you too, Joni.”

“Night.”

I hung up without saying it back.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

I shuffled to work this morning, tired from a late night of wondering if I was crazy for not feeling the spark with Hatch. I couldn’t stop thinking about every interaction I’d had with him. He was mostly sweet and totally harmless. But then I remembered how he talked about wanting ten kids or how he scrolled through two years of my Instagram feed to learn that I liked peach cobbler. Maybe I was just so desperate to feel something with someone after Chad that I overlooked things that would normally be giant red flags for someone like me.

Unlike Hatch, I wasn’t currently looking for my happily ever after. I was just surviving at the moment, and his marry me yesterday vibe was seriously putting me off. Maybe I needed to take a long hike, commune with nature, and do some of that soul searching ya ya crap. I had to be insane not to be sparking with Hatch Yavonovich.

“Welcome back, Miss Manning,” Ernie said as I walked through the front door. I nodded, too exhausted from my late night to mumble a two syllable response. I normally forced a little bit of pep in my step for the sake of being a professional but couldn’t bring myself to have my shit together today.

Robert pushed practice back two hours, so most of the players were arriving at the same time as I was. Outside, Owen drove up in his pickup, blaring nineties rap and chugging an energy drink. When he waltzed through the front door, I felt the invisible wave of his noisy, cheerful, morning personality. He hadn’t spoken a word, but I could still sense that he was one of those assholes who enjoyed talking while the rest of the world was trying to wake up. “Hey there, Peyton!” he screamed. It was like getting slapped upside the head with a pound of bologna. I didn’t exactly know what that felt like firsthand, but…

“Hey,” I said before using every ounce of energy I had to jog to the elevators. If I got there before him, maybe I could escape. I quickly got inside the elevator and frantically pressed the button to close the doors. I’m pretty sure I read somewhere that those buttons don’t even do anything, but jamming it over and over again made me feel slightly more in control. “Hurry, hurry,” I whispered to myself. Slowly, the door began to close just as Owen rounded the corner, and I breathed out a sigh of relief.

But then, a hand shot out and blocked the door just before it could fully close, and I let out a frustrated groan as the elevator opened back up. Instead of revealing Owen standing there with his obnoxious smile, the doors opened to Joni.

He was clutching a giant travel mug of coffee and had his duffel bag slung over his shoulder. Tight dark-wash jeans clung to his long, muscular legs, and he had on a tight black T-shirt. He looked ridiculously sexy. He looked at me, nodded in stiff greeting, then shuffled onto the elevator, giving Owen enough time to make it to us. “Hey, Joni! How was your night? I hooked up with this sexy as fuck blonde that—”

“Get off my elevator,” Joni interrupted him.

Owen blanched. “What? Dude! You’re hilarious. So anyways—”

“Get off. My. Elevator. I’m not in the mood to hear about whatever STD you got last night. Off. Take the next one.”

Owen looked at me and nodded. “Why does Peyton get to stay?”

Joni looked at me, then back at Owen. I didn’t really care what Joni wanted. I wasn’t getting off because he was grumpy. “She’s not talking, so she’s allowed to stay. Get off my elevator and go bother someone else.”

Joni shoved Owen’s chest and hit the button for the fourth floor where all the admin offices were. I briefly wondered what business he had up there, but decided I didn’t want to be yelled at, so I kept my mouth shut.

The elevator creeped up unusually slowly. “So how was your night?” Joni asked.

I tilted my head to the side. “I thought this was a no talking elevator,” I teased.

Joni, who was standing beside me, looked me up and down before responding. “You’re not as annoying as Owen. He was whistling when I passed him. Whistling.”

I bit my lip to hold back a smile before responding. “Was that a compliment? I mean, Owen is pretty damn annoying, so the bar is pretty low, but I think you just complimented me, Joni,” I joked.

Joni actually smiled. “Yeah, well, don’t get used to it,” he replied, his tone lighthearted.

I inhaled and exhaled while staring at the digital number on top of the elevator door. It showed that we were still on the second floor. “Is this elevator moving slowly or?”

Joni reached forward and pressed the number two, but the doors didn’t budge. “Press the open door?” I suggested, a slight panic rising in my chest.

He pressed it, but instead of opening, the lights flickered and the elevator let out a disturbing creak. “Shit,” Joni cursed before pulling out his cell phone and dialing a number.

“We’re stuck,” I croaked, trying to stay calm.

“Looks like it,” he said to me while waiting for whoever was on the other line to pick up.

I started to breathe heavily, and I pressed my back against the wall. I wasn’t usually the type of person to get claustrophobic, but the whole trapped in an elevator thing had never happened to me before, and apparently I was not a fan.

“Hey, Ernie, yeah, Peyton and I are stuck in the elevator. Can you call the maintenance company or the fire department?”

I pressed my hand over my chest and breathed in and out. Oh shit. Ohhh shit.

“Yeah. We’re both fine,” Joni said, but his voice trailed off when he looked back at me. I felt a sheen of sweat on my forehead, and my vision was blurred. “Hey, Ernie? Please hurry. It seems Miss Manning doesn’t feel well.”

Joni hung up the phone and crowded my space. It wasn’t exactly helping the whole claustrophobic situation I had going on, but the sensual smell of his musky cologne did clear my mind some. “What are you thinking about?” he asked.

I looked up at him incredulously. I thought it was pretty fucking obvious. “I’m thinking we both drank a fuckton of coffee, and if they don’t rescue us soon, we’ll have to designate a pee corner in this tiny ass elevator, and then everyone will refer to me as the girl who peed in the elevator,” I blurted.

Joni’s eyes widened, as if he wasn’t expecting me to say that. He pressed a palm to the wall on my right, cornering me. “Which corner would you pick?” he asked conversationally.

That was a stupid question. What was he playing at? “The back left corner,” I replied distractedly, not sure why it mattered.

“The back left corner is the obvious choice. I’m thinking the front right.”

His response made me grin. Surprisingly, this entire pee conversation made me feel a little less...overwhelmed. “The front right is right by the door,” I argued. “Why would we pee right next to the door?”

“Exactly. When people first walk into an elevator, they go to the back corner. The least populated part of an elevator is the front right corner. It’s opposite the control hub, so even the eager Annies of the world that love to press the button won’t stand there either.”

I nodded. It was actually a good point. “You’re right. The front right corner is obviously the superior choice for a pee corner.”

Joni smiled and tenderly reached up to touch my cheek. I wasn’t expecting the kind move—especially from him. Weren’t we supposed to be enemies or something? “Feel better?” he asked.

I let out a shaky exhale before rolling my eyes. Of course this ridiculous conversation was just to calm me down. Joni would probably hate to be trapped with a hysterical woman on the elevator. “Much better. Thank you.”

“Good.”

I waited for him to pull away from me, but he didn’t. There was a lingering moment of tension shared between us as he looked at me. “So…”

He cleared his throat and pulled away. Then, his expression changed, as if he just remembered that he was supposed to hate me still. “So. Did you talk with my brother last night? He keeps bragging about you. It’s starting to piss me off.”

That was an abrupt change in the conversation. “Well, I can see why your brother would brag about being my friend. I’m pretty freaking awesome. But actually, no. I went to bed after we talked. Or, I tried to at least.”

My response made Joni pause. He looked at me. “Why couldn’t you sleep? Were you thinking of me?” He stared at me intently, waiting for my answer.

“No! I was not thinking of you!” I exclaimed before slapping his chest. I nearly moaned at the feel of his toned muscles. No! He motorboated me! No moaning over Joni! Where was that elevator technician?

“Not even a little bit?” he asked, his sapphire eyes twinkling.

Okay, so maybe I was thinking about Joni a tiny bit. I couldn’t figure out why he kept invading my thoughts. He was a complete jerk to me about this job, and he wasn’t even that great in bed. Strike that, he was downright bad in bed. Maybe his massive dick had powers of hypnosis and now I had some freaky paranormal tether to it. “Not at all,” I lied.

He pressed his back to the wall right beside me and looked up. “Maybe I was thinking about you,” he said. Now that had me interested. But I was not going to give him the satisfaction of explicitly asking what he was thinking about. He didn’t need the ego boost of my curiosity. Turns out he didn’t need my encouragement to continue, though. “I kept thinking about this girl who I treated like shit. And how she somehow managed to become close friends with my brother. And how I thought she was out to ruin his life, but she’s actually pretty fucking—”

His voice was cut off by the elevator whirring to life. The car glided up to the third floor, giving no fucks that it just picked the worst possible time to start working again. Part of me was relieved to get out of this death trap, but the other part of me was dying to know what he was about to say. No! What? What was I? Awesome? Annoying? Terrible? Beautiful?

I opened my mouth to ask just as the elevator doors opened. Owen and Ernie were standing there waiting for us. Naturally, Owen had a triumphant grin on his face. “Got it fixed!” Ernie said.

“Thanks for kicking me off, Joni,” Owen added.

I wanted everyone to leave so Joni could go back to telling me what he thought about me. Fucking timing! I felt like I was back in middle school, wondering what the cute boy thought about me.

Snap out of it, Peyton!

“You might want to let the custodian know that the elevator needs to be deep cleaned. Peyton got nervous and peed in the front right corner,” Joni said with a smirk before walking away without another word.

“I did not!” I exclaimed loudly, but the damage was already done. Ernie and Owen were staring at me with equal expressions of horror. “I didn’t!” I repeated.

Ernie ignored me and pulled his radio from his cargo shorts and pressed the button. “Ah, Janice, we need the carpet cleaner for the elevator. It looks like someone peed in it again.”

Wait. Again? This had happened before? Owen tilted his head back and laughed.

One of these days, I was going to get Joni back.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

I avoided Joni for a few days after the elevator incident, but I couldn’t anymore. Today was finally party day, and I was weirdly excited. It's not like it was my birthday, which just so happened to be my favorite day of the year and cause for massive celebration, but for some reason, I still had adrenaline coursing through my body, and I couldn't stop smiling.

I'm sure it was just the thrill of all my hard work and every last detail being executed perfectly. This was why I was so good at my job. Things like pulling off an expertly planned schedule and bags of color-coordinated decorations sent shivers down my spine.

Jared's plane was landing soon, and I was picking him up from the airport in my brand new—well, new to me anyway—SUV that I had just gotten last weekend. Sure the skeezy salesman had stared at my boobs the whole time and asked when my husband would be arriving at least three times, but I did it, and I did it on my own.

From the airport, we were going to go straight to the stadium to meet Joni and Jared’s local family and finish decorating. The team and the rest of the guests would arrive a couple hours after that, and then finally Robert would bring the guest of honor, Joni.

There were a lot of moving parts, but I thrived on the intensity. The hustle and bustle really got me going. I would be a kick-ass wedding planner if my career in hockey ever fell through.

Jared and I had roped Robert into being part of the scheme. He was going to call Joni, pretending to be furious with him after reviewing some game footage, and demand an extra practice session. Joni would walk in expecting to be put through the ringer, and surprise!

I was already in my dusty pink party dress that I paired with strappy nude sandals and, with the help of a YouTube makeup goddess, had applied a passable smoky eye. My blonde hair fell in soft, loose curls around my shoulders and still had the subtle scent of my hairspray. I couldn't even remember the last time I put in this much effort for my appearance. I looked hot as hell and felt confident.

I adjusted my breasts in the deep V of the wrap dress so that they were perky and showed just enough skin to be sexy but not enough to be trashy. I giggled thinking about my conversation with Joni and his appreciation for my boobs.

After one final inspection in the mirror, I grabbed the bags of decorations and headed to my car. It took a little more than thirty minutes to get to the airport, and by the time I had parked and made it inside, Jared's plane had already arrived at the gate and deplaned. I only had to wait about five minutes for Jared to appear and did a mental fist bump at my ability to time an airport pickup.

I was really feeling myself today.

Jared let out a long and low wolf whistle when he saw me standing by the luggage carousel. “Hey there, gorgeous. Come here often?”

“Only when my favorite people come to town!” I smiled and hugged him. “How was your flight? Do you have bags?”

“Nope, just my carry on,” he said, holding up a duffel bag. “And it was fine. I thought it was going to be much worse. A toddler had an epic meltdown right before we took off, but thankfully that was it.”

“Oh man, screaming babies on planes are the worst,” I agreed. “I'm parked over here.”

Jared followed me out of the airport and down to my car. “So this is it. The new car,” he said, looking over my pearl white Nissan appreciatively. Jared and I had gotten into the habit of texting pretty much daily. Danielle was busy delivering a surprise baby, so Jared was actually the first person I gushed to when I bought the car. “You did a great job picking it out, Peyton.”

“Thank you.” I smiled. Buying a five-year-old SUV probably wasn't a big deal to most people, but for me, it was a milestone of my success in this job and physical proof that I was getting my life together.

I opened the passenger door, and Jared pulled himself into the seat, then he bent over to grab his wheelchair and expertly folded it before gently handing it to me. After putting his stuff in the trunk and getting behind the wheel, I turned to face Jared. “You ready to party?”

“Fuck yes. Joni has been such a baby this past week. He knows something is up, and it’s pissing him off.” Jared looked giddy at the idea of driving his brother insane. “I do have a confession to make.”

I looked at him out of the corner of my eye. “Oh?”

“I’ve been bragging about you.”

What? I arched a brow. “Huh?”

“Every time I bring you up, it kind of annoys the hell out of him, so I’ve been—” He stopped talking abruptly to check his phone. “Shit. That’s him calling now.” I bit my lip as Jared quickly answered the phone and turned on the speaker. Joni’s voice boomed.

“Why did you stop sharing your location with me?”

Jared smirked. “I decided that you didn’t need to know where I was at all times. Is that a problem?”

Joni went quiet for a moment but still breathed harshly into the receiver. “I like knowing where you are. What if you’re kidnapped or murdered?”

“Then I hope you pick a good photo of me to put on the news. Should I send you a few options?”

Joni cursed. “This is serious. Where are you?”

Jared laughed. “I’m about to head home and FaceTime Peyton.”

I turned onto the highway, but for some reason I was hanging onto every single word being said. “Peyton?” Joni asked. “Why are you talking to her?”

“What’s it matter to you?” Jared challenged playfully.

“It doesn’t fucking matter, okay? Just turn your location back on. Do you even know what today is?” I felt bad for Joni, just a tiny bit. But also I felt really fucking thrilled to be pranking him.

“It’s Friday?” Jared offered. “Why are you being so grumpy?”

Joni went silent. “I’ll talk to you later. Tell Peyton I said hello,” he growled before hanging up.

“I love messing with him. Later, can I kiss you on the cheek just to really piss him off?”

I scrunched my face up in confusion. “Your brother wouldn’t care about that.”

Jared never replied. He just shook his head and smiled.

The lights were out. I was standing next to Jared and Hatch, waiting for Robert and Joni to walk through the double doors. “You look beautiful tonight,” Hatch said, his lips hovering over my ear. “Fuck! You ran over my foot!” he then exclaimed. Even though I couldn’t see what was happening in the dark room, I knew that Jared had something to do with it.

“Sorry!” Jared exclaimed in a whisper. “Accident. Maybe don’t stand so close to Peyton?” he offered. Hatch took a step away from me, and I breathed a sigh of relief. From the moment he walked through the door, he was flirting, complimenting, and looking for every excuse to touch me. I wanted to push him away but didn’t want to be rude. A week ago, this kind of attention from Hatch would have been thrilling, but now I felt closed in by his presence. Luckily, Jared was good at blocking his advances. He was like a little brother playing pranks on his sister’s dates.

The door opened, and we were blinded with bright lights. Instantly, everyone in the room shouted at the exact same time.

“Surprise!”

“All of this for me? Aw, you shouldn't have,” Noah gushed and threw his hands up in the air, walking into the room. The whole crowd groaned collectively.

“Noah! What the hell, man,” I yelled. “Turn the lights back off and get over here. I can't believe we wasted the good surprise on you.”

“Sorry, sorry. I had to go to the bathroom,” he said and headed back toward the light switch.

“You didn't have to turn on the light! Hurry up,” I urged.

“Habit, sorry!” Noah apologized.

“Yes, Noah. Turn light off,” Serkan added.

“I’m going, I’m going,” Noah complied, taking the two steps to the switch.

“What the...” Joni and Robert appeared behind Noah before he was able to get the lights turned back off. Joni looked around the room in complete disbelief, his eyes bouncing from his teammates to his family and then Jared.

“Surprise,” I said meekly. Everyone else joined in with half-hearted cries of surprise seconds later.

I was going to kill Noah. String him up by his balls and pluck out his pubic hair with tweezers.

“Seriously?” Robert asked, perturbed. “I pull off my part flawlessly, and you guys can't even have the lights off?”

“What is all of this?” Joni's gaze was still fixed on Jared, who was situated between a couple of guys I learned were cousins. “How are you here? I just talked to you! Is this why your location was off?”

“Yeah, man. But you know what? It's weird that my older brother tracks me, so I'm just going to keep it off,” Jared teased and pulled Joni into a bear hug. “Happy birthday, man, I missed you.”

Joni hugged his cousins next and then started making the rounds, talking to his family and friends. I didn't know that I had ever seen Joni so happy. He was standing with Jared and Owen and looked like he was telling a really good story, gesturing wildly and laughing.

I busied myself with refreshing the punch bowl and chips, but caught myself glancing over at Joni every few seconds to make sure he was having a good time. I smiled, happy that despite the disastrous “surprise,” Joni was still having fun.

In fact, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

“He really thought he was in trouble,” Robert's booming voice carried over all the others. I looked over in his direction and saw that he was talking to Joni's cousin, who stood a whole foot shorter than him. “Poor guy, if I wasn't having so much fun laying it on thick, I would've felt bad for him.” Joni's cousin laughed and prompted Robert to keep going with his story.

A tall blur in the corner of my eye caught my attention. “You!” I shouted and pointed my finger at Noah as he slipped by me to sneak a beer off the refreshment table.

“What?” he asked, shrugging in mock innocence.

“Don't you play dumb with me,” I badgered, putting my hands on my hips. “You ruined the surprise for Joni! All of my hard work, planning for weeks, and you blew it.”

“I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to.” Noah plumped out his bottom lip and gave me puppy dog eyes. “Forgive me?”

“Oh no, you're not getting off that easily.”

“Don't forget, you still owe me for losing that bet in Philadelphia,” he said, changing tactics. “You may want to think about how hard you really want to be on me.”

I opened my mouth to say something snarky, but thought better of it. The last thing I wanted was to get roped into helping someone move or make an ass out of myself by having to invite Serkan to a topless bar or something.

“Hmmmpf,” I blew out. “Fine. I forgive you.” Noah wrapped his arm around me and squeezed me in a side hug before popping open his beer.

“Solid choice, Peyton.”

His hand drifted lower, and I felt him lightly pat my ass. “Stop feeling up Peyton, limp dick,” Joni growled behind me as I pushed away from Noah.

Joni looked good in a pair of denim jeans and a black T-shirt. He had his arms crossed over his chest and glared at me. “I’ll just let the two of you chat,” Noah said with a chuckle before disappearing. Traitor.

“Surprise,” I said while waving my hands in the air, jazz fingers on full display.

Joni raised one eyebrow. “What’s your play?” he asked.

Play? “What do you mean?”

Joni scanned the room for a brief moment before grabbing my arm and pulling me off to a dark corner hidden from view. “Sheesh!” I exclaimed when he pushed me against the wall and crowded my space. “Boundaries, Joni,” I complained.

“What’s your play?”

I looked up at him, those insanely kissable lips taunting me. Nope. Motorboat, Peyton. This dude was not sexy. Not even a little bit. Not even right now as he pressed me against the hard wall and cornered me with his hard, tall, broad body.

“I don’t have a play,” I argued.

“I’ve made your life hell. And you helped my brother get an interview in Philadelphia, and now you’re throwing me a birthday party,” he countered while shoving his thigh between my legs. I worried that Robert would see us in this compromising position, but we were behind a balloon arch, and the DJ had cut the lights to set up.

“For your information, I did this for Jared. He’s actually becoming a very good friend of mine.”

Joni licked his lips suggestively. “For Jared, huh?”

I tipped my chin up in defiance, almost brushing our lips together in the process. “Yes, Joni. Believe it or not, your brother loves you and wanted to do something nice for you. I helped him because that’s what good people do. I’m not lining up a prank. I’m not going to pull your pants down on the dance floor, either. Mostly because that massive tower of doom you’ve somehow managed to contain in those jeans you’re wearing would scare half the party.”

Joni’s lip quirked up in a smile. “Tower of doom? That’s what you’re calling it?”

I shook my head and turned to the right, avoiding his gaze so I could speak again. “Sometimes people just do nice things because it’s nice to do nice things,” I explained. “Plus, I love a good party.”

Joni grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. I felt my chest expand and my pulse race. We were so close. Why the hell was this asshole making the butterflies in my stomach do the macarena?

“Thank you, Peyton. And thanks for bringing Jared here for my birthday,” he whispered, as if saying thank you was painful for him to do.

I let out a soft sigh before straightening my spine. “You’re welcome,” I replied.

We both stood like that for a few seconds more. The music had already started, and a tantric beat started to play. Joni licked his lips. I stared at his mouth. His hands found my hips, and I found myself aching to pull him closer.

No. Bad idea.

“Peyton?” I heard Hatch calling my name, and Joni immediately pulled away from me. Hatch pushed past the balloon arch and stared at me. “Hey! I was looking for you. Want to dance?”

I wasn’t sure why, but I looked to Joni. Some ridiculous part of me wanted him to say that we were busy, but he shrugged. “I’m going to go hang out with my brother. Thanks again for the party, Peyton,” he said before spinning on his heels and walking away, not even giving Hatch a second glance.

“Yeah,” I said, my voice faraway. “I’d love to dance.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Hatch was literally the most polite and respectful dance partner I’d ever danced with. He was so polite that he hovered his hands over my hips instead of actually touching me. “Is this okay?” he asked while swaying to the music.

I nodded. Maybe I’d given the poor man anxiety when I denied his kiss on our date, but this just made things weird. “It’s great, Hatch.”

He breathed a sigh of relief and started hip thrusting like his life depended on it—all while not touching me. I caught a glimpse of Jared, who was at a table talking to a pretty blonde, and he grinned at me.

Asshole.

“This is a great party, Peyton. Now all the guys are going to want parties for their birthday,” he said with a grin.

I wouldn’t mind that. Planning events was really fun for me. “When is your birthday, Hatch?” I asked conversationally.

“In three months. But I don't like flashy parties. I was actually thinking you and I could go to my parents’ cabin in Arkansas. It’s very romantic.”

Oh God, he was already planning romantic weekend trips for us? I tried not to look horrified as I pulled away from him. “I need to get some punch. Are you thirsty? I’m so thirsty…”

Hatch latched on like the golden retriever Joni accused him of being, eager to please. “I’ll get you a drink,” he promised.

“Great,” I replied with a wince.

I really needed to set a boundary with him.

I was about to go sit down when strong arms wrapped around my middle, and Noah started whispering in my ear. I felt his hard torso at my back and giggled when he spoke. “I think Hatch put up a photo of you in his locker. I saw him kissing it the other day.”

I spun around and shoved his chest. “Ha ha ha,” I replied sarcastically. “I haven’t even slept with him and he’s incredibly attached.”

Noah grabbed my hips and jerked me forward. “Not everyone can be as good at one-night stands as me,” he replied with a laugh before spinning me around like a ballerina. I giggled and shook my head. I was extremely thankful that my crazy, impulsive, revenge, rebound sex was with him and not with Hatch. He was very cool about it, gave me a handful of orgasms, and never made things weird between us.

I noticed the front door open, and in walked a shy looking woman in a beautiful red dress. “So,” I began with a smile. “How much do you love me?” My cheeky tone put Noah on high alert.

“Depends,” he replied stiffly.

I grabbed Noah’s hand and this time, spun him around to face the door. Lifting up on my tiptoes, I whispered in his ear the moment his eyes landed on Rosaleigh. “I invited your secret crush. Hope you don’t mind. Robert left ten minutes ago for dinner with an associate.”

Noah’s spine went rigid, and I pulled away. Ultimately, it was up to him what he did. I just wanted to pretend to be a fairy godmother for the evening and push them together. I just needed a wand and a pumpkin.

“You’re in so much trouble,” he said in a low tone, though he didn’t truly sound angry at all. “And we need to discuss how you know.”

“Sure,” I replied with a shrug before backing away. “Let’s chat tomorrow. After you go tell Rosaleigh how beautiful she looks in her dress.”

And with those parting words, I left Noah to be the man I knew he was and to go get his girl.

I walked around the party for a few minutes, checking on refreshments and chatting with guests. Occasionally, I’d feel eyes on me as I moved, and I’d catch Joni staring at me from across the room. The last time our eyes connected, Jared nudged his brother hard in the stomach.

“There you are!” Hatch yelled across the room. I winced. Hatch was giving me serious secondhand embarrassment. Couldn’t he tell how uninterested I was now? Hatch was hot, but instantaneous attraction tended to fizzle out if there wasn’t anything else there.

And unfortunately, there just wasn’t. Anything. There.

He quickly walked up to me, a drink in each fist. “I got this for you,” he said excitedly before handing me a soda. I took it and smiled politely. “I was thinking we could find a quiet corner and have a drink? Maybe talk about our life goals?”

Yep. Nope. Too intense for me.

“Hatch, we need to talk,” I said softly before grabbing his hand and leading him to a quiet corner. If he had a tail, he’d be wagging it right about now. I guess he didn’t know that we need to talk was code for this is over.

“It’s nice and quiet here,” he observed before stepping closer. I pressed against his chest with my free hand.

“Hatch, you’re a really nice guy, but I don’t think this is going to progress any further than friendship,” I said in a calm but stern voice. I wanted to be very clear. I wasn’t the type of woman to drag a man along if I didn’t genuinely see a future with him.

“Oh,” he said softly. “Was it the strip club? Fucking Noah, I’m going to end him.”

I noticed the way Hatch clenched his fist at his side and winced. “No. It’s not that. I just feel like you’re the type of guy to jump in headfirst, and I’m more of a dip your toes in kind of girl. Physically, we’re compatible. You’re hot. Definitely my type. But I think you’re ready for way more than I’m willing to give. And I’d hate to take this further physically and risk you getting your heart broken.”

It was kind of rude, but I wanted to get my point across. Hatch let out a puff of air, and his shoulders dipped. “You aren’t the first person to tell me this,” he admitted. “I tend to move quickly emotionally. I’m just ready to find my forever.”

I gently patted him on the shoulder. “And your forever woman is going to love that you fall fast. I just don’t want to lead you on if I’m not feeling it.”

Hatch stood there awkwardly for a moment, and I waited for him to say something. “This is awkward,” he said with a chuckle.

“It doesn’t have to be,” I offered.

“I just need a couple days to get my pride back. Is that okay?” That was fair enough. He was respecting my wishes but showing vulnerability about it. I liked that Hatch didn’t shrug it off or put me down to make himself feel better. He really was a nice guy. I wished that I felt something for him.

“Of course. I’m here whenever you want to try just being friends, okay?”

He nodded. “Okay.”

After one of the most awkward side hugs of my life, Hatch and I separated and started roaming the room while trying to stay on opposite sides from one another. Damn, maybe I should have waited until after the party to tell him.

Nah. I wasn’t the type of woman to drag a decision out. He was a big boy, and he could handle it. Besides, I seriously needed to focus on my career and not let dating get in the way of working with the Stars. I really liked Dallas and loved my job; I didn’t want to jeopardize either.

Noah and Rosaleigh were sitting at a table, hunched close and speaking in soft voices. I caught Noah running his hand over her thigh and felt my own lady button tingle at the sight. It was slightly pervy to watch, but they had chemistry so hot they could melt the ice rink. Rosaleigh turned her head to the side, a blush on her cheeks, and I quickly moved out of her line of sight so as not to get caught being a Peeping Tom.

But of course I ran straight into a hard, muscular chest. Hands wrapped around my waist, steadying me. “You should stop staring at Noah and watch where you’re going,” Joni’s deep voice rumbled.

Shame filled me from my toes up all the way to the top of my head. I floundered for a moment, until I realized that he would have had to have been watching me in order to know that I was watching Noah. I crossed my arms over my chest and smirked. “Please don’t tell him, he already has a massive ego and doesn’t need the confidence boost.”

Joni chuckled and leaned slightly closer. “You’re right. The world can’t handle his head getting any bigger.”

I laughed at his words and then realized that he still had his hands plastered to my hips. And for some reason, I didn’t tell him to back up. If anything, I found myself wanting to be closer. It was slightly ridiculous.

“So,” he began nervously.

“So?” I echoed.

“Do you and Hatch have plans after this?” he asked. My stupid little heart fluttered like a maniac, and I had to force my body to not curl and stretch like a cat. Was Joni asking because he was curious? Or was it because he wanted to do something with me after the party?

It was absolutely a bad idea. I’d been flirting with these guys way too much. I literally just turned down Hatch because I needed to focus on my career, or Robert was going to fire me for being a little hussy.

“Peyton?” he asked.

Shit, I hadn’t even answered him. The truth spilled from my mouth faster than my mind could censor it. “I actually just told him that I just wanted to be friends.” Joni’s brows raised at my admission. “I have to focus on my career. I proved I can do the job, but I still don't think Robert takes me seriously.”

Joni had the good sense to look at least a little bit responsible. He dipped his head and lowered his voice. “Yeah, I’m sure I didn’t help.” I thought back to the rumors he’d spread and the way he flaunted our night together in front of our boss that day back at the convention.

I shrugged. “You didn’t say anything that wasn’t true. I did sleep with and or flirt with three Stars teammates before I was even hired. I also left a job for a player. I own up to the fact that sometimes I think with my clit,” or with a broken heart. “But I’m also damn good at my job. Who I fuck shouldn’t mean anything, but it does.”

Joni blinked twice, and his mouth dropped open. “Say that again,” he pleaded in a naughty tone that made my skin hum.

“Huh?” I asked breathlessly.

“Say fuck again, Peyton,” he begged. “I love the way it sounds on your tongue.”

I licked my lips, and his eyes zeroed in on the movement. “Fuck,” I cursed in a whisper. This was starting to turn into one of those weird moments where my clit was doing all the thinking for me. Didn’t she remember what happened last time? Joni wasn’t exactly the greatest in bed, but…

Joni leaned in closer. I could smell his aftershave and see the intensity in his gaze. “You’re right.” Well, I knew I was, but about what exactly? “It shouldn’t matter what you do outside of work as long as you get the job done. And exploiting your personal life to get back at you for taking the job from my brother was a shitty thing for me to do. I’m so sorry for how badly I acted. Despite, apparently, being traumatizing in bed, I had a really good time with you. Just sitting and drinking and watching TV was a lot of fun.”

If I were being honest, it was nice to just be held. “I forgive you,” I said softly. “Thanks for being there when I was struggling. Chad really fucked with my confidence, but you made me feel beautiful. Even though you made it hella awkward by motorboating me.”

Joni shook his head, and if I wasn’t mistaken, his cheeks bloomed with an embarrassed flush. “I wish I could make it up to you.”

My body turned hot at the suggestion in his words. “Too bad your dick is too big and we aren’t compatible,” I teased. “You just wouldn’t fit.”

“Too bad,” he echoed.

“’Cause we could probably have a lot of fun if we gave it another shot,” I continued. Fuck, I needed to shut up.

“I guarantee it would be a lot of fun,” Joni purred. I needed a fan.

“Our chemistry is off the charts,” I added.

“Too bad,” Joni said in a low growl.

“Too bad,” I rasped.

“Can I drive you home?” he asked.

I swallowed. “We probably shouldn’t—”

He squeezed my hip, effectively stopping my train of thought right in its tracks. “I’m driving you home, Peyton. Jared took an Uber back to my place,” he urged. There was something sexy about a man that took charge.

But oh, this was a bad idea.

“There are a lot of reasons I’m going to say no.”

“Say no all you want, baby, but this is happening,” he said with a laugh before pressing his palm to my lower back and guiding me to the door. A cleanup crew was going to handle the mess, and most of the guests had already left. I had a security guard who could round up stragglers...oh my gosh. No, I needed to stay.

“My job,” I argued.

“Will still be here tomorrow. You’re off the clock.”

“You were an asshole to me.”

“Let me make it up to you,” he whispered in my ear, his soft lips brushing over my sensitive skin.

“Your dick is seriously way too big, Joni.”

He laughed but didn’t offer any excuse for that. Shit. Damn. Fuck. What if someone saw us leaving together? Hell, someone could have seen me dancing with Hatch or exchanging some friendly flirting with Noah, too. It was all harmless, but this thing with Joni was not.

We got in his car, and my heart raced. Was I really doing this? Before turning on the car and pulling out of the parking lot, Joni leaned over the center console and kissed me on the mouth. I let out a little gasp, and he swallowed it whole. His tongue danced mercilessly with mine. I felt the heat of his kiss all the way through my body. Every nerve ending came alive.

“Let’s go,” he whispered.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Even though my apartment building was barely five minutes away, I only needed about sixty seconds to realize that this was a really fucking terrible idea. Joni had already proven that he couldn’t be trusted. What if this just turned into another way for him to get me fired?

I started bouncing my leg up and down in Joni’s Tesla as he glided down the Frisco streets without a care. He had one hand on the steering wheel and the other one was on his lap, rubbing up and down. It was like he had so much energy in his body that the only way to ease the throbbing was through friction. He looked way too sexy while driving his car. I kind of wanted to test out the self-driving capabilities on this bad boy and ride him while going down the tollway.

Joni caught me staring at him and smirked. “What?”

“This is a terrible idea.”

“Probably,” he agreed.

“This isn’t serious, though, right? Just a one-night stand situation to get both of us out of each other’s systems?”

At my question, Joni stalled some. “Is that what you want?”

I chewed on my lip. “Yes?” My response sounded like a question. “I really don’t want to get fired. I’m just now settling in and—”

“One night,” Joni interrupted. “Just one night. It’ll be fun.”

I nodded, even though there was a slight pang in my chest. “One night,” I agreed. “Glad we’re on the same page.”

Whatever page we were on felt like a burning book. By the time we parked at my complex, I had convinced myself that this was a terrible idea. “Actually, I changed my mind. Have a great night, Joni. See you at work.”

I bolted out of his car and ran down the hall to my apartment. “Shit. Fuck. Damn. He probably saw me running like a fucking maniac,” I cursed to myself before stopping at my door. I pressed my forehead against the wood and took a steadying breath. What the hell was wrong with me? I wanted him, sure. But, like, it was a terrible idea. I already knew how that was going to end. I’d been on that crazy train, so why the hell was I trying to go back?

Maybe it was because I knew him a little bit better? He was no longer just the asshole trying to get me fired. He was the devoted brother trying to help—even if he was a bit misguided.

Maybe I just needed to get laid.

Maybe I was so desperate that I was starting to throw myself at anyone. Were my standards really that low? Would he redeem himself?

I let out a huff of air and reached for my purse so I could grab my keys and go inside to wallow and possibly break out my new Vampire King vibrator that just came in, and orgasm some sense into me. But to my complete and utter horror, I realized that I’d sprinted from Joni’s Tesla without grabbing my purse.

“Looking for this?” Joni asked. I cringed so hard that my muscles tensed. It took a slight mental pep talk, but I slowly turned to face the man I’d just blown off. He was holding my wristlet with his index finger and smiling at me.

“Thanks for bringing it,” I replied as he started walking toward me.

“You didn’t have to run, you know. When a girl says no, I listen.” I knew that. Joni had already proven that he wasn’t going to pressure me back at the convention. It wasn’t necessarily fear that he’d be mad at me for backing out that made me run.

“I know,” I explained as he closed the distance between us. “I just was worried if I didn’t run, then I’d actually go through with this.”

Joni pressed me against the door. My breath hitched and my eyes became heavy. “So don’t run, baby,” he whispered.

“I really hate you though. I mean...really,” I argued.

“I hate you too, gorgeous,” he replied in a breathy voice, making shivers travel down my spine.

Every fucking wall I had built up came crumbling down. I threaded my fingers through his hair and yanked him closer for a kiss. His hot tongue danced with mine in such a slow, demanding way that I felt my legs grow weak. I felt utterly claimed by him—claimed by my desires.

Joni was an incredible kisser.

My purse fell to the ground with a small thud, and Joni wrapped his massive hand around my thigh before lifting it to wrap my leg around his waist. Feeling his hard cock pressing against my wet center through his jeans made me feel like a horny teen, desperate for every inch of sensation. He tore his lips from mine, leaving me to stagger a bit. I felt totally drunk off the pleasure he was coaxing through me. He nipped at my plush bottom lip one more time before speaking.

“I’ve dreamed about your mouth every night since the conference.”

I licked my lips and pulled him close to me again. We made out harsh, hard, and crashing. My jaw tingled and itched from his scruff, and I was practically dry humping him in the hall.

My sense of self-preservation kicked in when I heard a door slam in the distance. “Shit. We should go inside,” I cursed as he licked and sucked on my neck. My heavy eyes closed as his large hand cupped my ass.

“You don’t want to fuck out in the hall?” he asked, a teasing lift to his question that dragged me out of my makeout haze.

“Come on,” I replied. Joni quickly grabbed my purse off the ground, found my keys, and unlocked my door for me. He moved with the speed of an athlete on a mission—no delays. Part of me wondered if he was worried I’d back out again, but I felt too far in. There was no way I’d stop this. Just one night. Just one time.

The second the door shut, Joni had his hands on me again. We kissed as we walked. Every doubt in my mind seemed to quiet. Joni roamed every inch of my body with his hands and eased the zipper of my dress down.

Grabbing the fabric, he slipped it over my shoulders, my hips, and down my legs. He dragged his lips over my exposed skin as he went, making my legs quiver. I stepped out of the dress and reached for my heels, but Joni stopped me. “These stay on,” he said while eyeing them appreciatively.

I looked down at him and frowned. “You don’t have a foot fetish, right? ’Cause I don’t kink shame, but tonight is about redeeming yourself and—”

Joni stood up and cut me off with a kiss. I pressed my hands to his chest and moaned as he guided me to my living room wall and pressed me against it. I worked the button of his jeans and pulled down the zipper as our mouths fought for dominance. It was rough and passionate. I realized as I bit his lip, that I really liked fighting with Joni this way.

I broke from our kiss to slide down his hard body and ease his pants and underwear off. Everything was going great until I was eye level with his one-eyed monster. Seriously, it was even more intimidating up close. “Hello there, my old friend. So we meet again,” I said creepily. Joni laughed and yanked me up. Somehow while I was transfixed by his dick, he’d managed to lose his shirt. Aside from my thong and heels we were both buck ass naked and ready to bone.

“Have you ever killed anyone with that thing?” I asked.

“No,” he chuckled back while picking me up and carrying me to my bedroom.

“So there isn’t some commercial for a sleazy law office asking women if they have internal organ damage from your dick? Like, are people legally entitled to compensation after fucking you? I’m genuinely curious.”

Joni groaned before tossing me onto my mattress. “I’ve never been insecure about my massive dick, but you’re really giving me a complex here.”

“It’s good to be knocked down a peg or two every now and then,” I teased back.

“Shit, let me grab a condom,” he said before racing to his discarded pants. I used the five seconds it took him to grab the goods and psyched myself up while slipping off my thong.

By the time he was back, I had almost convinced myself that this was a good idea.

Joni got on the bed and, with one hand, flipped me over. He then grabbed my hips and lifted my ass up before pressing my legs apart and moving to lay his face under me. Like...there. Right there.

I’d read a ton of romance books, but I’d never actually ridden someone’s face before. It was actually a pretty intimate position, and I suddenly felt subconscious.

“Ride my face, baby. Let me show you how good I can make you feel.”

He wrapped his massive hands around my thighs and started pulling me down. “But what if I suffocate—”

“I can hold my breath.”

I lowered myself fully and was rewarded with Joni dragging his tongue up my slit and his lips wrapping around my clit. I cried out as he licked me with just the right amount of pressure at just the right pace.

I tried not to grind against his face, but I felt like I had no control over my movements. His tongue did some magical fucking things to me, and I was overwhelmed by the sensations of it all. His fingers digging into my hips. His rough facial hair scratching my sensitive skin. His sweet, hot tongue sweeping across my buzzing clit. I felt my orgasm build, build, build. And just as Joni moaned in appreciation, every muscle in my body clenched and I came all over his face.

I got off of the best ride I’d ever been on in my life, and Joni was on me in an instant. I was so fucking wet that I almost felt confident in my vagina’s ability to handle his cock, and I laid down on the bed. He settled between me before bracing against my entrance.

Joni must have seen the fear in my expression because his determined smirk softened some. “I’ll go slow and make this good for you. I promise,” he whispered.

I bit my lip and stared at him. Every muscle in his body was flexed as he held himself over me. A sheen of sweat covered his skin, and I could already see a small bruise the shape of my mouth over the corner of his lip. “Fuck me, Joni,” I rasped.

He grinned before easing into me. Just the tip. He started off slow, back and forth, each time moving a little deeper, a little faster, a little—”More,” I begged. Surprisingly, I loved how full he made me feel. My body stretched to fit him perfectly, and he kept hitting the most sensitive parts of me.

He reached down and massaged my clit while hitting me harder. It was intimate and full of passion. Our eyes were locked onto one another. My body was at his complete mercy. Joni had my complete attention. Not only did he command my body, but there was something within me that felt tethered to him. It was faint, so thin it could snap in just a moment. But we were connected, and it was beautiful.

He grinned for a moment before looking down at my tits. I immediately worried that he was going to ruin everything and motorboat me again. But instead, he leaned closer and sucked on my neck.

He continued to surge in and out of me. Our bodies moved in perfect sync. It was truly powerful, and I never wanted it to end.

We both came at the same time, which wasn’t something that usually happened with me. Perfect synchronized orgasms weren't actually a thing for most people.

When we collapsed on my mattress, I couldn’t help but grin. “I guess you’ve been redeemed, Joni,” I finally choked out between pants.

He grinned and propped himself up on his hand so he could look at me. “Oh, baby, we’re just getting started.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

I was going to kill him. Noah Heartland was a dead man. Again. I let my mind run wild with all the things I wanted to do to Noah as I pulled on my uniform. Smiling, I thought about shaving off his eyebrows the next time he fell asleep on the team jet.

Staring at my reflection in the Ice Girls' dressing room was like an out-of-body experience. Logically, I knew that the angry looking woman in the mirror was me, but at the same time, I felt unrecognizable wearing black leggings so tight they looked painted on and the equivalent of a black bra with the Stars logo on it.

My long blonde hair was blown out, and the shiny straight strands fell down my back. After Noah had recovered from his giggling fit when he told me what he was cashing in his bet on, he quickly offered to compromise on my spa day and set up an appointment for me to get my hair and makeup done. This may or may not have had something to do with me trying to murder him on the spot.

“Hi, Peyton,” a nasally, high-pitched voice whined in my direction. “Good news, I found a pair of skates in your size. You're good to go!” The owner of the voice was a young, perky brunette who really thought that finding skates that would fit me was good news.

“Thanks, Kat. I appreciate it,” I managed to get out without rolling my eyes.

“That Noah sure is a dreamboat,” Kat said, her eyes glazed over, and I got the distinct feeling she was imagining him in his underwear. “You must feel like the luckiest girl in the world that he set this up for you.”

“The luckiest,” I said through a forced smile and took the skates from her.

“Well, good luck out there,” she chirped and gave me two thumbs up.

An idea for payback struck me as she was leaving the room. “Oh hey, Kat,” I said, catching her attention. “How would you like to meet Noah? I bet he would love to take a selfie with you after the game. Maybe even grab a coffee,” I suggested.

“Really? Oh my God, that would be amazing,” she beamed.

“Oh yeah, definitely! I'll set it up. Come find me after half-time.” This was going to be way better revenge than putting Nair in his shampoo. Maybe I would accidentally slip Noah's phone number to Kat too, depending on how I was feeling later.

Kat let out a squeal and spun around, rushing out of the room. No doubt she was going to go tell all of her friends about her upcoming meeting with Noah. I was an evil genius, I just needed to perfect my maniacal laugh.

“Excuse me, hot Ice Girl, I was looking for someone to help me with this boner,” a deep voice called from the doorway.

“Ha. Ha. I feel ridiculous,” I told Joni as he stared openly at my ass. “My eyes are up here, buddy.”

“Peyton? Is that you?” he asked in faux surprise. He walked toward me and encircled my waist in his arms, letting one hand wander down to squeeze my butt. “Seriously though, this outfit is really doing it for me. Do you think they will let you keep it?”

Ever since our night together, things had been…interesting between Joni and me. True to his word, he got out of my bed without a single word. We didn’t define the relationship, and he didn’t go out of his way to text or call me—however, I found myself daydreaming that he would.

I was relieved that my secret was safe with him, but the chemistry was still there, and it was off the charts. We had this potent attraction for one another that couldn’t be avoided. Even though his birthday party was three days ago, I still felt this intense buzz under my skin whenever he was near. And a few times, I caught his eyes on me, too.

Thanks to Noah, I got to be an Ice Girl for the entire game tonight. Robert Park, an Ice Girl enthusiast, was all for the camaraderie. The uniform was nothing more than sporty lingerie, and being nearly naked in front of Joni right now was making me squirm. “So you really like it?” I asked, my voice a sultry rasp.

“I’m not sure how I feel about you going out on the ice looking this way.”

I frowned at him. “What do you mean?” I asked.

He not-so-subtly looked around the dressing room for a brief moment and, after determining that we were indeed alone, pressed his forehead to mine. This was the closest we had been since our night together, and I felt a sudden urge to jump his bones. “I never realized how little the Ice Girls wore until now. I might have a spare jersey you could put on over that,” he said before biting his lip. “Actually, that might make you look even sexier.”

I felt my skin flush at his words. I knew exactly how it felt to be the recipient of Joni’s undivided attention. It felt good to stand under his dark stare—those hungry eyes of his swept up and down my body. “I’m not very good at skating,” I admitted.

That statement seemed to startle Joni. “You are in the hockey industry and even dated a hockey player, but you don’t know how to skate?”

I lightly punched his stomach, my fist connecting with the hard abs under his shirt. Oh God, why did he have to be so muscular? “I know how to skate,” I clarified. “I’m just not very good at it.” I wasn’t very sure if my answer was any better. I wasn’t coordinated. In fact, some might even call me clumsy.

“Now I have to teach you how to skate. I wish I would’ve known about your little performance today, then we could’ve squeezed in a lesson before your debut as an Ice Girl.”

I suddenly found myself feeling bashful. Looking at the ground, I shifted my weight before looking back up at him again. “Yeah, I wasn’t aware of this payback until about four hours ago. But you really would have helped me?”

Joni smirked at me. “For a price, of course,” he said.

My mind conjured all the dirty things Joni could ask of me in exchange for an ice skating lesson. “I think I could pay up,” I flirted. Shit. Here I was crossing that line again. I had already made it clear to Joni that we wouldn’t be doing anything past our one night of reckless abandon. I just couldn’t help myself where he was involved. It was easy to shut down my feelings for Noah and Hatch because it didn’t really mean anything. But for some reason, I couldn’t quite lock my feelings for Joni away. And it was difficult to linger in my thoughts too much on the subject. Part of me was afraid to learn what that meant.

“It’s a date,” Joni said in a rough tone.

The word date made me bristle a little. Date implied that we wanted to see each other again—that we wanted to try this again. There was a flutter in my stomach at the possibility of spending time with him and exploring the incredible passion that we shared. But I also knew that it was probably a very bad idea.

“Whoa! Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt,” Noah said, waggling his eyebrows. Speaking of bad ideas.

Joni and I pushed apart with the force of repelling magnets. I instinctively brought my hands to my stomach to try and hide the food baby that still hadn't gone away from this morning's donut fest. “What are you doing here?”

“I just wanted to see how the newest addition to the Ice Girls was doing. The game is starting soon, are you ready for your big debut?” Noah worked hard to contain the laughter fighting to escape.

“Uh, I'm just going to go. See you for the pregame pep talk,” Joni mumbled to Noah and left the room without acknowledging me at all. My heart panged, watching him leave without so much as a goodbye, but that's what we agreed on.

It was best for both of us. No relationship, no strings, and no trouble. Now I just had to make sure a certain bet-winning hockey player didn't rat us out.

“Hey, Noah...” I started hesitantly.

“Don't worry, Peyton,” he reassured me, rubbing my shoulders. I breathed out a sigh of relief. I knew I could count on Noah. “You look amazing in that outfit. Nobody would ever know you had three extra sprinkle donuts this morning.”

What the? How did he know? I turned to check out my ass to see if that was the culprit betraying me. But these black leggings were really working for me, it definitely wasn't my ass.

“No...” I shook my head stupidly. “I mean, how did you know? No, never mind that. I wanted to make sure...”

“It's fine, I didn't see anything.” Noah winked at me. “I definitely didn't see Joni staring at you like you were the last Fletcher's corny dog at the state fair.” Awww, I hadn't been to the fair yet, but even I knew that was a pretty big compliment. “Anyway, gotta go. Game's starting soon, and I need to bleach my eyes to recover from what I didn't just see.”

He chucked me on the shoulder and left me alone in the dressing room. I mentally reviewed everything Kat had told me earlier about how to hold the shovel, where I would skate in the formation, and how I always had to have a smile on my face.

I could hear the announcer telling the audience to stand for the national anthem. I threw on my Dallas Stars jacket and rushed out to join the other girls. I made it just in time to hear the fans yell out STARS and then fade back away for the perilous fight.

“Oh sweetie, you can't wear that out here,” a gorgeous blonde with impossibly white teeth told me sympathetically as she took the jacket off of my shoulders.

“But it's freezing,” I complained and hugged my arms around myself.

“Suck it up, buttercup,” another Ice Girl told me. “It's our job to clear the ice and look pretty.”

“I can look pretty and still be warm,” I countered, eyeing the double insulated jacket longingly.

“I know, baby, I'm sorry. I’m Brittany, by the way,” the blonde told me. As the guest singer finished the national anthem, all of the girls joined in the excitement, jumping up and down along with the dance squad on stage.

Fucking Noah. I was never betting against him ever again.

The game started, and we were shoved into a corner where we couldn’t even see the ice, which was really shitty. If I was going to have to scrape ice for the team, then I at least wanted to watch them play. Most of the girls chatted while the game went on. I stood with my back to the concrete wall, listening to the crowd cheer and boo at various moments. This was seriously stupid, and these skates were already hurting my feet.

A couple more minutes passed before Brittany blew her whistle. Immediately, all the Ice Girls jumped to attention and stood in line, shovels in hand. “You know the drill, ladies! Make that ice your bitch and pretend Chris Hemsworth is in the crowd, checking out your ass. We prep the battlefield so our boys can win their war!” she roared.

Holy puck, was this lady serious? And Chris Hemsworth is married.

I prayed Joni wasn’t checking me out. I was already freaking the heck out about falling flat on my face. “Go! Go! Go! Go!” Brittany yelled, and all of us poured out of our little corner and got on the ice. The second my skates hit the frozen wasteland of terror, my ankles wobbled.

Luckily, I managed to maneuver my shovel so that I didn’t fall. Part of me was thankful that I was in the middle of the line so that I didn’t really have to search for my lane of ice to scrape. However, it was terrifying to know that there was someone behind me scraping ice like her life depended on it. If I fell, I would create a traffic jam of sharp skates, hair extensions, sports bras, and lip gloss.

I moved marginally slower than the others, keeping my eyes trained on my shovel and a wary smile plastered on my face. When we passed the Stars’ bench, I carefully looked at the players out of the corner of my eye, though I instantly regretted it the moment I did.

Robert and the rest of the team were all watching me with bright grins on their faces. I was so glad that my torture could serve as some amusement for them. I did not understand Robert's obsession with the Ice Girls, but it seemed Noah had the last laugh. I rolled my shoulders back, determined to at least pretend to feel comfortable in my own skin. But when my eyes connected with Joni’s, all that false bravado completely fled my posture.

His stare was hot enough to melt the ice. My heart pounded and my breath hitched. He had that stupid fucking smirk on his face, and my entire body clenched.

That damn ankle wobbled again, and this time there was no escaping the massive face-plant that came next. I hit the ice nose-first, and a burst of pain hit me instantly. My shovel went flying across the ice, and I looked up in time to see another Ice Girl trip over it.

I felt blood drip down my nose, and the entire crowd made this embarrassing ooooooh sound that somehow made the entire experience even worse. I could hear some of the guys laughing, and I didn’t dare look up at them. This was almost more embarrassing than Chad’s hat trick porno. Almost.

A bulky body landed in front of me, and I tilted my gaze up to see who had come for a front row seat to my misery.

“Let me help you,” Hatch said tenderly. It was really sweet of him to be so helpful, especially after everything. My golden retriever boy had a heart of gold through and through. He was going to make some lady very happy one day.

Hatch reached his hand out to me, and I grabbed it, eager to get the hell off the ice so I could avoid the instant replay on the jumbotron. But when I tried to stand up, my ankle stung and I found out that I couldn’t put any weight on it and fell right back on my ass.

“You need a medic?” Robert asked from his perch. Luckily, he didn’t look too mad, but I knew I was wasting precious coaching time. The Ice Girls weren’t supposed to steal the attention of the entire team.

Before I could answer, Joni jumped over the wall and reached down to pick me up. I let out an embarrassed whimper as he effortlessly cradled me to his chest. On ice. Like a freaking superhero. “I’ve got her,” he growled at Hatch, the hostility surprising.

After nodding at Robert, Joni carried me across the ice toward the Ice Girls’ holding tunnel as the crowd went wild. The jerk made a big show of it, too, smiling his bright teeth at everyone and puffing his chest. If I wasn’t completely disgusted with myself and the blood still pouring from my nose, I’d find the whole display to be romantic.

He set me down in a chair and crouched low to look me in the eye. I wanted nothing more than to hide. “You’re not the first person to get a bloody nose on the ice, baby,” he said in a soft voice. “But you sure are the prettiest.”

And with those words, he spun around and went back to his team, ready to play again.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Despite the immediate efforts of the team medic and holding ice on my nose until I was pretty sure it had fallen off from frostbite, it still swelled up to roughly the size of Texas. I had abandoned my normal weekday makeup routine of BB cream and mascara, but I still had to change the dressing, and I was dreading seeing what was underneath the expertly taped bandage the medic had applied last night.

I stared at my reflection for a solid five minutes trying to psych myself up enough to just do it. I wasn't necessarily squeamish. Working around hockey players and hockey injuries had toughened me up, but it was a different story when it was my own nose in question.

Letting out a deep breath, I gently pulled at the corner of the dressing and winced. My eyes watered as soon as I touched the sensitive area. I'm pretty sure my high school biology teacher talked about some reflex that connected the nose and eyes. She would be so proud of me for kind of remembering that shit more than a decade later.

I tenderly peeled off the rest of the bandage and gasped at the size of my poor nose. It was easily three times bigger than it should be. I think it was safe to say that my career with the Ice Girls was over before it even began, but I could have a pretty successful side hustle as an Owen Wilson impersonator until my nose healed.

I replaced the bandage the way the medic had shown me last night and took one final look in the mirror before grabbing my purse and heading to the stadium. The weather was crazy nice instead of the usual hotter-than-Satan's-ballsack oppressive heat I had grown used to. So I decided to walk the five minutes to work instead of driving, which was something I had been doing daily since buying my car. I put exactly zero point four miles on it roundtrip.

“Peyton! What happened?” Ernie leapt off his chair with surprising agility and was by my side before I even knew what was going on. I guess that was part of why he was such a good security guard.

“Ice injury,” I told him and shrugged my shoulders like it was no big deal.

“But you don't go on the ice,” he said skeptically.

“I lost a bet to Noah,” I sighed.

“Say no more.” Ernie held his hands up, and I wondered if he too had fallen victim to Noah's betting. “Are you okay? It looks painful.”

“Yeah. I mean, it hurts, but I'm okay. Thank you for asking. I'll see you later, Ernie,” I said, swiping my badge through the reader to unlock the door that separated the public from the stadium.

When I opened the heavy door, I was met by the entire team. They clapped and cheered for me as I walked down the hallway toward my office. I laughed and waved back at my adoring fans, stopping to take shallow bows here and there. Joni, Hatch, and Noah stood just in front of my office, giggling like schoolboys.

“Okay, what are you three up to?” I asked, not sure I actually wanted to know. They moved in unison to reveal a framed poster-sized photo of me in the Ice Girls uniform hung up on the wall. “What the hell? How did you even get that done so fast? This was just last night!”

I mean, I could have gotten it done. I had contacts. But how did they?

“We're so glad you like it,” Noah teased.

It wasn’t even a flattering poster. I was face down, ass up, like a rap song gone bad on the ice. In the background, you could see the other Ice Girl starfishing over my discarded shovel. “Have you spoken to the PR team yet?” Joni asked. “The Stars are viral. We got fifty thousand followers overnight on Instagram.”

Oh God. I’d been intentionally avoiding my cell phone all night for this exact reason. “So many memes,” Noah said while wiping tears from his eyes. “It’s glorious. Never have I had a bet turn out this good.”

I was going to murder him in his sleep. I knew where he lived. If I just snuck into his bedroom and…

“ESPN wants to interview you,” Hatch added. “They also are calling Joni the knight in shining armor.”

I looked at Joni. Even though his sweet gesture last night had made my clitty clit clit tingle, I wasn’t convinced that he was Prince Charming. Joni pulled out his phone and quickly moved to kiss me on the cheek and take a selfie. I didn’t even have time to protest and was certain that I had a dazed look on my face.

“I’m sending this to Sherrie in PR so she can do an update for our fans. Some of them have been asking how you’re feeling this morning.”

I went to pinch the bridge of my nose in frustration, but then remembered that it was the size of Joni’s dick and hurt like hell. “Please don’t plaster a photo of my nose looking like this all over,” I pleaded.

Joni winced. “Too late. They’ve been hounding me all morning. Robert has been laughing nonstop since it happened. I think you finally became his favorite.”

I shook my head in frustration before pushing past the three of them to get into my office. It was a bunch of horse shit that doing a kick-ass job, organizing his entire fucking life, and going above and beyond wasn’t enough to make Robert Park trust me. I had to go and humiliate myself to get a BFF bracelet from the stuck up dude. I was really starting to miss working for Beth. She would have never let me get on the ice. Noah might have made me uphold my stupid end of the bet, but Robert’s word was law. He could have easily put his foot down and said no, but he wanted his super professional team assistant to put on a skimpy outfit and skate around.

But then again, no one was really forcing me. Noah couldn’t make me get dressed and go out there. All in all, last night was a clusterpuck, and I regretted it completely. My whole motivation for starting this job was to redeem my reputation, not ruin it beyond recognition.

My phone started ringing, and I ignored Joni as he strutted into my office, to answer whoever was calling.

“Hello?” I said in a huff.

“Hey there, Peyton,” Chad purred mischievously. I scowled the instant his dumbass voice rumbled in my ears.

“Why the hell are you calling me?” I grumbled.

“I just wanted to see how you were feeling. I saw how you busted the hell out of your face yesterday. I thought you moved to Dallas to be the team coordinator, not an Ice Girl.”

I curled my hand into a fist and looked up at Joni, who had a curious expression on his face.

“I’m not an Ice Girl, Chad,” I gritted. “Not that there is anything wrong with being an Ice Girl. That job is surprisingly hard. And cold. And hungry. Did you know the girls aren’t allowed to eat in public while in uniform? But why the fuck are you calling me?”

I could practically feel his mischevious smile through the phone. Chad was definitely enjoying this moment, but surprisingly, I didn’t give two shits about what he thought of me. “Hey, I’m not judging. Even with a bloody nose, you looked good in that uniform, babe. I miss you.”

I rolled my eyes so hard that it hurt. “No,” I replied. No explanation. No encouragement. No. It was a full sentence where Chad was concerned.

“I just want to chat, Peyton.”

“No.”

“I miss you. Things obviously aren’t working out in Dallas, just come home and we can—”

“No.”

“Don’t be like that, baby. We can start over.”

“No.”

“You’re so prideful!”

I was about to say no yet again, but Joni saved the day. “Are you ready for breakfast, babe?” his low voice grumbled loud enough for Chad to hear.

“Oh hey there, sugar bear,” I said in an over-the-top sweet voice, really laying it on thick. “Yes, I'm ready. I've got some ideas for our weekend trip that I'm super excited to tell you about.”

“What the fuck, Peyton. Really?” Chad snarked into my ear.

“Sorry, Chad, gotta go. A super hot hockey player just appeared in my office to feed me.” I disconnected the call and seethed for a few seconds at that man's audacity.

“I really hate that guy,” Joni declared as he sat on the edge of my desk. I really needed to get another chair in here; I was sick of cleaning the well-defined, muscular butt prints off of the beautiful ash gray wood. “I can't believe you dated that douche.”

“I know, I know,” I groaned. “He wanted me back. He asked me to come back home. No, scratch that, he didn't ask me, he told me to come back home.” I rolled my eyes again and made a mental note to look up how many calories you burn rolling your eyes. By now, I had to have burned off the equivalent of a candy bar.

“You're not considering it, are you?” Joni asked, trying to sound nonchalant but failing miserably. My heart beat a little faster at the thought that Joni didn't want me to go. It was kind of hot seeing him insecure. It was like a little chink in his cocky, self-assured armor. I was still going to mess with him though.

“Oh, yeah, I totally am. I mean, who wouldn't want to give up all of this?” I gestured to the framed poster of me falling on my ass in a degrading outfit. “Plus, my bestie is back in Boston. I really don't see a downside.”

“I'm sorry, I'll take it down.” At least he had the decency to look ashamed for his part in the mortifying picture.

“Damn right you will, but I'm just busting your balls. I'm not going back to Boston or Chad. Recent events aside, I kind of like it here,” I reassured him.

“I know.” He grinned, his big smile reaching his eyes. “There's a kick-ass brunch place across the street if you're hungry? We did drills at five a.m. to help with the stiff muscles and don’t have to meet back up to watch footage for another two hours.”

I motioned to the pile of paperwork on my desk. “I have a lot to do. Unlike some people around here, I don't have a personal assistant,” I teased, although breakfast did sound really good. I hadn’t had a chance to eat. Changing my bandage took a little longer than I thought, and I didn’t have time to pour my daily bowl of Lucky Charms. Right on cue, my belly let out a loud gurgle, letting us know exactly how it felt that I had turned down pancakes.

“Come on,” Joni coaxed. “You'll work so much better on a full stomach. Plus, you are Robert's favorite person on the planet right now. You could probably get away with anything. I bet you could even bring your laptop to the locker room and work there all day.”

I held up my hand to stop him from that train of thought. “No more bets. Like, ever.” I thought it over for about two seconds before agreeing. “Okay, okay. You win, I'll go get breakfast with you.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

My brain kept obsessing over whether or not this was a date or not. On one hand, we were two coworkers enjoying breakfast on the clock. Technically, we could talk about work and it would be considered a business meeting. However, on the other hand, the way Joni looked at me was far from professional.

The brunch place was eclectic and rustic. My face was throbbing, and I decided to order a mimosa instead of popping a pain pill. Drinking on the job was probably a bad idea, but after last night's performance, I had earned it. If I had to endure an entire day of being made fun of, then at least I would be slightly tipsy for it.

“How was practice this morning?” I asked conversationally before taking a sip of my drink.

Joni smirked a little and averted his eyes before wiggling in his seat. Something about my question had made him uncomfortable, but what?

“I guess you’re not the only one getting teased today,” he admitted. I cocked my brow, wordlessly encouraging him to continue. “The guys kept calling me Prince Charming. Noah asked if I would carry him bridal style to the goal.”

I laughed at his words. “Oh darn,” I began. “Everyone thinks you’re chivalrous. People are calling you Prince Charming!” My tone was dripping with sarcasm, but I wasn’t mad. “It must be so difficult to be you.”

Joni shook his head and grinned. “I guess everyone was just surprised, that’s all. I’m not usually the hero.”

I leaned forward and propped my elbows up on the table top before resting my chin on my fists. “Please explain,” I asked him.

Once again, Joni squirmed. I kind of liked knowing his tell. I wasn’t sure when exactly I became so attuned to his movements, but if we were to play a game of poker right now, I would probably win.

“I guess you could say I’ve always been the bad guy. Growing up, I was the one always getting in fights.” At his words, my eyes instinctively zeroed in on his knuckles. Sure enough, there were scars lining each groove in his clenched fist.

He continued. “I am the guy that kicks someone when they’re down, I suppose. I’ve never been the person to help pick someone up and carry them to safety.”

I bit the inside of my cheek. Just from seeing his relationship with his brother, I had to disagree. Maybe Joni was rough around the edges, but he was very capable of being the hero. “Why do you think that is?” I asked.

He shrugged, as if the question was inconsequential. “I guess at first, when my parents died, I was just an angry kid. The fights, the anger, it became a defense mechanism over time. It’s always been easier to be the asshole.”

I looked at Joni long and hard before responding. “I disagree. I’ve seen how you are with your brother, and Jared doesn’t seem like the type of person to put up with bullshit. I think once you let a person in, you take care of them. You don’t have to be a hero to everyone to be a good person. And sometimes, being the nice guy is overrated. Assholes are more interesting, that’s for sure.”

Joni laughed a deep belly laugh, the sound making me warm and tingly all over. I couldn’t say that I had ever been attracted to a laugh before, but there was something about his that did it for me.

“You’re right,” he began. “Jared would not put up with my shit. He’s probably the only person in the world who can put me in my place. Well…” He paused and stroked his chin. “Aside from you.”

It took every ounce of self-restraint I possessed to not overanalyze his words and become a giddy schoolgirl. “Oh?” I replied. “I guess you could say I’ve had plenty of experience with bad boys, so I know how to handle them.” I winked before taking another sip of my mimosa. “I have this chronic condition where I am attracted to people I know are bad for me. But it’s helped me develop a thick skin. Even if I want to jump a man’s bones, I don’t let him disrespect me.”

Joni leaned over the table a bit and lowered his voice. “It sounds like we are a perfect fit.”

This was dangerous territory. Robert had made it perfectly clear that the players were off-limits. Fucking Joni last week was supposed to be a one-time thing. It was supposed to get him out of my system, one of those things where once you have the thing you want, you don't want it anymore. Kind of like my disaster of a date with Hatch.

But the way Joni was looking at me made my lady bits all tingly. Even worse, the way Joni was opening up to me was making my heart all tingly. I knew I should put a stop to it, that I was risking my job, but it just felt too good, and I couldn't make myself end this date. Or not-date. My brain still hadn't settled on which it was yet.

“Parts of us certainly do fit perfectly,” I panic joked, trying to derail the direction of this conversation. “Although, I still don't understand how. I'm pretty sure every law of physics was broken that night by your massive dick.”

“Here's that blackberry mimosa for you, miss. I'll just give you a few more minutes to look over the menu.” Of course that was the moment our server decided to appear. What was with servers in this state coming at the exact wrong moments to make me look like a pervert?

“It's not just that,” he said. “I like you, and I like being around you.” Joni picked up the straw wrapper and fidgeted with it, like he wasn't entirely comfortable being vulnerable and needed an outlet. He folded the paper tube several times before ripping it into tiny pieces.

This is totally a date.

“You don't even really know me,” I countered.

I think I was finally ready to admit to myself that I liked Joni too, but I also liked my job. I was determined not to repeat the mistakes of my past. I didn't want to have to start over again with another failed career and another failed relationship. That would put me well on my way toward a completely different kind of hat trick.

“Okay, then let's get to know each other,” he suggested. “Where did you grow up?”

“Chicago suburbs,” I answered automatically.

“Did you like it there?” he asked.

“Yep. I had a super boring childhood. We lived in a nice house in a nice neighborhood with nice schools. There were lots of kids on our block to play with, and we had a pug named Cupcake.”

“Cupcake?” Joni asked skeptically, raising his eyebrows.

“Yes, Cupcake. We got her when I was three, and my parents let me name her. Next question.”

“I just asked you a question, now it's your turn to ask me one.” Joni smiled and leaned back in the booth. Damn, he had a great smile.

“Okay, what do you want to order for breakfast?”

“Huh?”

I pointed behind him, and he looked to see our server walking toward us. She approached our table more cautiously this time. After taking our orders of moonshine French toast with jalapeno maple syrup, she left us alone again.

“Next question!” I chirped, the champagne spreading a pleasant warmth in my belly.

Joni scratched his chin, as if thinking about what he wanted to ask. “All right, I’ve got a good one,” he said. “If you could get a redo of any day of your life, what day would it be?”

I tried to think about a day I wanted to start over. “I feel like I’m supposed to say that the day I quit my job for Chad is the day I wish I could redo,” I began. Taking a small sip of my drink, I stalled for a moment before continuing. “But I don’t really regret it anymore. Dating him and losing a bit of myself was a hard lesson—but a necessary one.”

Joni’s piercing eyes stared into mine, and for a brief moment, I felt understood. “I learn more from the games I lose than the ones I win,” he agreed.

“It just made me take this job and my life more seriously. I kind of hold myself to a higher standard now. I mean, yeah, I still like to have fun. But I’m more careful about getting my heart involved. Someone would have to be really special to make me give all of this up.” I stopped speaking, because my pulse raced.

Joni leaned forward and pressed his fist under his chin, propping him up as he gazed at me. “You deserve nothing less,” he said with a reverent tone. It was completely unlike the man who tried to ruin my career before. And throughout the course of our date that wasn’t really a date but technically a date, I slipped a little more toward liking the asshole and not just enjoying his massive dick.

Shit.

CHAPTER THIRTY

He pried my legs open and sucked on my clit. I threaded my hands through his dark hair and arched off the mattress. Fuck, Joni was so damn good at—

“Peyton, are you listening?” Robert Park asked from his seat at the head of the conference room table. I had drool at the corner of my mouth and was daydreaming...again… No matter what I did, I couldn’t get thoughts of Joni out of my mind.

I was addicted to his dick.

And his mouth.

And surprisingly, his asshole-ish personality kind of did something for me, too.

Well, maybe he wasn’t actually an asshole. He did drop off some cream for my skin that supposedly helped with bruising. It felt a lot better on my nose than the stuff I was using before. And this morning, he put a picture of Noah’s face over mine on the poster they framed and put up in my office.

“Peyton?” Robert asked again.

“Yes, I’m listening,” I replied. I didn’t even know why I had to be in this meeting. The upcoming game against the Bruins was at home and didn’t really require much coordinating on my end. I’d already had it all arranged a week ago and sent everyone an itinerary last night.

“I just want to make sure this game goes flawlessly,” Robert replied while glaring at me, as if I wasn’t doing my job.

I wasn’t sure what crawled up his ass recently, but I was on top of things. “Did you see the itinerary I sent?” I asked. “If you would like me to make adjustments, I can, but I’ve already noted all of your preferences. I even coordinated your brother’s flight so he could be here for the game.” I casually flipped through my notes before pulling out my laminated, color-coded list.

“You requested smartwater refrigerated at exactly fifty degrees, and I relayed that information. You also wanted hand warmers, your favorite granola bar, and a flask full of—”

“We got it, Peyton,” he snapped. None of that was technically my job. I coordinated the team, not my prissy boss, but I was happy to do it because I was still new around here.

Some of the other admins coughed to hide their laugh, and I got up to hand him the magic binder I carried with me everywhere. “I’ve got everything under control, Robert.”

“Right. Well, I guess this meeting is over,” he grumbled before getting up.

I watched him with my mouth open in surprise. Things had been going great since the Ice Girls incident. I was, like, his favorite person here for an entire three days.

Maybe I needed a heavy dose of public humiliation again and he’d go back to being nice to me. “Don’t let him get to you,” Jose, one of the PR reps here, said. “He’s in a bad mood because he found out his stepdaughter is secretly dating one of the players.”

Oh shit. I looked around the table, and all the men were gossiping like hens.

“I heard he almost punched Noah during practice,” one of them said.

“I heard he broke Noah’s cell phone,” another added.

“I have to go,” I stammered before standing up. I needed to check on Noah.

“If you’re looking for Noah, he’s on the ice,” Jose said. “Robert is making him skate till he pukes and passes out.”

Shitttt.

I grabbed up my things and practically sprinted out of there. I felt bad for Noah and was a little angry with Robert. Why was he so freaking controlling? Rosaleigh was a grown ass adult capable of making her own choices. Yes, he was allowed to be a protective father to an extent, but lighten up a bit.

Honestly, the more I got to know him, the more sexist Robert seemed. He was way too worried about who I was sleeping with, but was fine with me wearing a tiny ass outfit and floundering around as an Ice Girl. And just now at the meeting, he took out his pissy attitude on me. I didn’t particularly like how he tried to make me look incompetent just because he was having a shitty day.

By the time I made it to the practice rink, I was fuming with anger. The moment I opened the doors, the sound of Noah vomiting hit my ears. I dry heaved at the sound, then jogged over to him.

“Shit, Noah, are you okay?” I asked as he pulled his head out of the puke bucket he was currently vomiting into and grinned at me.

“Never been better,” he replied with a wink before setting down the bucket and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Sweat poured down his face, and he looked about two seconds from passing out.

“This can’t be healthy,” I replied before grabbing a nearby sweat towel and tossing it at him.

“But oh, so worth it,” he replied before wiping his face. I raised my brows at him and crossed my arms over my chest. “Robert can make me run drills all he wants, but he needs me,” Noah replied, his tone cocky. “And now that he knows about Rosaleigh, I can jump all in.”

Leave it to Noah to be optimistic about this. “How does she feel about it?”

He looked at the ice. “She’s scared,” he admitted. “Robert is threatening not to pay for her graduate degree.” Ouch. That was a bit harsh. My conclusion about Robert being a sexist control freak was starting to feel more correct. “I just have to convince her that I can take care of her. I’m going to invite her to move in and—”

I cringed, and the movement made Noah pause. “Look, if Rosaleigh is anything like me, she’s not going to want you swooping in with any grand gestures right off the bat,” I replied. Giving unsolicited advice wasn’t usually my thing, but Noah was my friend and I cared about him. I wanted him to be happy.

“So what do you suggest?”

I sighed. “I suggest being there for her. Let her take the lead on this. If she wants your help, great. If she wants you to come over and have dinner with Robert to patch things up, you should be prepared to do that too. The best course of action is proving to Robert that you care about Rosaleigh. If she wants to move in with you, great. But get a good feel for her emotions first.”

Noah sighed, as if this was the worst idea ever. “I have to play nice with Robert?” he asked.

“Yes,” I replied sternly. “Or at least try to. If Robert won’t listen, then I say adapt and figure out your next plan of action. But first, let Rosaleigh tell you what she needs.”

Noah smiled at me and tossed the sweat towel on the floor. “You’re way too smart, Peyton,” he teased. “Who would have thought we’d be here now after our first meeting, huh?”

I rolled my eyes. “Thank goodness I busted out of my dress like a can of biscuits, eh?”

Noah gripped his stomach and laughed before exiting the ice. “Best can of biscuits I’ve ever seen,” he replied, a twinkle in his eye. “I think I’ve suffered enough. I’m going to get my girl and listen to her. Probably while eating her out.”

“Lovely. You’re a romantic, Noah Heartland.”

“Hey, I happen to remember you enjoying how well I listened once upon a time.”

“And it’ll never happen again,” Joni’s voice said at my back.

I spun around to face him and was greeted with an angry expression. Joni had his arms crossed over his chest and was scowling. “Hey, hey, hey,” I replied in the most awkward way possible.

Noah, seemingly undeterred, scooted over to me and put his nasty ass smelling sweaty arm over my shoulder. I nearly gagged at the smell of vomit on his breath. “Are you feeling a little territorial, buddy?” Noah asked tauntingly.

“Shut up and go shower. You stink,” I replied before shoving him.

Noah laughed while slipping away from me. Joni still looked angry but had loosened his posture some. “And maybe take an ice bath. You’ve been skating drills for five hours,” Joni replied.

Noah huffed and limped toward the tunnel leading to the locker room. “Aw, Joni. Why don’t you come with me and give me a full body massage? My sore muscles could sure use your strong, veiny, manly hands all over them. You can join us too, Peyton.”

Joni grabbed a nearby water bottle and chucked it at his head. It hit Noah perfectly, nearly knocking him over. But instead of getting pissy, Noah simply laughed before disappearing into the tunnel.

“One of these days,” Joni began. I bit my lip, equally amused and thrilled about Joni being here and getting jealous. I wasn’t usually the type of woman to get a thrill over guys fighting over her—and Noah was definitely so far in the friend zone that it would take an act of God to drag him out, but it was still nice to know that Joni felt a little possessive over me.

Joni looked me up and down. “I was looking for you,” he said.

“Oh?” I asked.

He crowded my space and grabbed both of my arms. I tilted my head all the way up so that I could get a good look at him. “How would you feel about jumping back on the horse?”

I squinted. “Is that a euphemism for sex?”

Joni chuckled. “No.” He pulled away from me and reached for a duffel bag on the ground. I waited patiently as he dug around in the bag and pulled out a pair of beautiful ice skates. “How would you like a lesson in ice skating?” He checked his watch before continuing. “Everyone has left for the day. I ordered us pizza and even got—” He paused to dig out one more thing from his bag. “A helmet so we don’t bruise your pretty face anymore.”

My heart swelled. It was honestly such a romantic gesture that I preened and sighed and swooned all up over him and shit. It would have been embarrassing if it were anyone else, but Joni seemed to thrive whenever I got all mushy-eyed at his gestures.

I reached up and touched the bandage on my nose. Any guy that could see this mess on my face and not be disgusted was a fucking trooper.

“So what do you say?” he asked, a nervous lift to his tone.

“Okay,” I replied. “Let’s skate.”

“The first thing you need to learn about ice skating is how to properly lace your skates,” Joni said, leading me over to a nearby bench. “If your skates are too loose, your ankles will wobble and you will fall flat on your ass...or in your case, your face.”

Joni sat me down and kneeled in front of me like he was about to propose. Instead of a ring box, he pulled out a pair of white skates and took off my left shoe.

“I can't believe you just said that to me.” I looked down at him with big doe eyes and let my bottom lip quiver just a little. “I'm still feeling very vulnerable and raw from my incident. I would think you would be more sensitive after what I went through.”

“Oh shit, Peyton. I'm sorry. I'm such a jerk. I guess I didn't realize it affected you that much, maybe we should do this another time?” He looked genuinely concerned and stood up.

“I'm totally just messing with you,” I said, feeling like a complete idiot. I didn't expect Joni to actually be sensitive to my feelings. I was so used to busting these guys' balls that I forgot I shouldn't do that with the one I wanted to continue to get naked with. I needed to start thinking before I blurted out the first thing that came to my mind. “Please, teach me how to lace my skates!”

I kicked off my other shoe to show him my enthusiasm for his sweet idea. He caught my foot in his hand and gave the bottom a slow massage with his thumbs. Damn, that felt good. A romantic gesture and a foot rub? Hell to the yes!

After a few seconds of mind-numbing goodness, he slipped the first skate onto my foot and laced it so tight I didn't think any more blood was flowing down there. “Um, not to question a master of his craft, but I think it's too tight.”

“It's not, I promise,” Joni chuckled.

“If you say so,” I said skeptically. “But if I can't feel my feet when we're done, you owe me more foot rubs.”

“Deal,” Joni readily agreed and laced up my second skate equally as tight. “Ok, get up. Walk around on the rubber flooring to get a feel for it.”

Following his directions, I stood up and walked a few steps. It was way easier than the night I skated—okay, fell—with the Ice Girls. “This isn't so bad.”

“That's the difference having a stabilized ankle makes,” he told me and held out his hand. “Ready to move to the ice?”

I grabbed the pink football helmet and pulled it on over my head. “Okay, ready!”

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Joni took my hand and led me over to the entry door of the rink. Flashes of couples skating, holding hands, and laughing in romantic movies flooded my brain. But being this close to the ice again made my nose throb, and I wasn't so sure I wanted to do this after all. Joni released my hand and effortlessly stepped out onto the slippery ice. He skated a half circle so that he was facing me and once again held out his hand for me to take.

“Mmmm, no thanks,” I said, and instead of his hand, I went for the railing, clinging to it for dear life. There was zero chance the railing was going to move too fast or let go of me because it thought I was ready. Not that I really thought Joni would let me get hurt, but I wasn't taking any chances. I loved matching accessories but wasn't feeling a fat lip to go with my clown nose.

“I'm here whenever you're ready,” Joni told me, skating next to me as I inched alongside the rail. “You're doing great,” he encouraged.

“I look like a baby deer learning to walk for the first time,” I said, laughing at myself.

“It's okay,” Joni reassured me. “You took a pretty nasty fall, and that shakes your confidence.”

I was surprised by how patient Joni was being with me. He really would have been perfect for the Pint-sized Pucks organization if it wasn’t all just a scam for women to take photos with hot hockey players.

I took a big icy breath in and puffed it out, watching the plume of vapor rise until it disappeared. “Okay, I'm ready.” I held out my hand and wiggled it for Joni to come get me.

His strong hand found mine, and he flipped around, skating backward so that he could hold my other hand as well, and slowly he moved me away from the railing. “The first thing I want to do is teach you how to fall.”

“I think I've already got that down,” I giggled.

“Yeah,” he chuckled. “You're pretty good at falling, but I would prefer that you knew how to fall and not bust up your gorgeous face. You're still pretty damn cute with that Pinocchio nose, though.”

I was happy to be wearing the helmet so Joni couldn't see me blush. “Got it, fall properly so that I don't damage the goods. Again.”

“Okay, bend your knees and squat slightly,” he said, going into full-blown teacher mode. “Put your hands out in front of you. That's it, good,” he told me as I followed his directions. “This is one of the best positions to fall from, since your ass will take the brunt. If you feel like you're going to fall and you're in this position, you can just sit down.”

“Just sit down,” I echoed. “Okay, that sounds easy enough.”

After taking a slow, steadying breath for courage, I let myself fall into a sitting position. The ice was cold and easily seeped through my thin business slacks and made my asscheeks freeze. It was a little bit of a hard landing but not too bad. Joni clapped for me as if I were an Olympic gold medalist that just did a fancy trick. It made me feel a little bit silly, but I smiled behind my helmet regardless. “I honestly don't know how you handle getting thrown down onto the ice a bazillion times every game.”

Joni held out his hand and helped me up. My skates slipped across the ice, and it took an embarrassing amount of time to get back on my feet, but he was patient and held on to me. The moment I was standing again, he crushed me to his chest. If I weren't wearing this damn helmet, I'd reach up and kiss him.

It was probably a good thing I was wearing a helmet, because we were technically at work. This was technically not a date. And I was technically not supposed to be flirting with one of the members on the team. “You ready to skate?” Joni asked.

“Ready.”

Joni took his time, giving me lessons and easing me across the ice. I was nervous at first, but with each passing lesson, I grew more confident and felt myself gliding around the arena. Joni held my hand until I got more comfortable, and teased me some when I pumped my fist in the air on my first unassisted lap.

“You got it!” he said.

“I could totally be a legit Ice Girl now. Minus the freezing outfit.”

A shadow crossed Joni’s expression. “Let’s not go that far,” he teased.

I smirked. “And why not?”

He looked around before gently reaching for my helmet and easing it off of me. If my busted face was a deterrent, he didn’t show it. “Every guy on the team had their eyes glued to you.”

“You sound jealous, Joni Kleason,” I pressed.

Joni shrugged before gently cupping my neck and bending closer. My lips practically tingled with anticipation. “Maybe I am,” he replied with a light chuckle.

He stared at my mouth, and I wrapped my arms around his neck. This was seriously a terrible idea, but I didn’t care. I wanted him.

“I don’t know if you’re aware, Joni, but there are some pretty nasty rumors going around about me.”

He frowned. “Whoever spread those rumors was an asshole. A hurting asshole trying to do right by his brother and making an idiot of himself.”

“As it turns out, he’s not too terrible after all.”

I predicted the kiss before it happened and tilted my head to the side so that our noses didn’t clash. Joni passionately pressed his mouth to mine, and we both made out for a little while. It was so good that I almost lifted my skate off the ice to do that passion pose in every romance movie ever. The foot pop.

But I was on the ice and didn’t want to ruin all my good progress by falling over on my ass mid tonsil hockey session. Joni growled and grabbed my ass. I threaded my hands in his hair and moaned. He tasted like mint gum, and his soft lips were accented by the tantalizing scruff of his jaw.

It wasn’t until a door slammed in the distance that we managed to tear ourselves apart. “Fuck,” Joni growled. “I think I’m addicted to you, Peyton.”

Yeah, buddy. The feeling is mutual.

My shaky legs somehow miraculously managed to pull me off the ice, and once we were on solid ground again, I sat on the bench and started unlacing my skates. “I need to get my shoes out of the locker room and freshen up before we eat. Is that okay? I still haven’t showered since practice.”

I looked up at him. “Sure,” I replied. “I can go with you so we can lock up the practice arena.”

We gathered our stuff and turned off the lights before heading to the locker room. It was almost creepy how quiet it was in the building. Since we had three days before the next game, everyone was enjoying the little break. “I’ll just be a minute,” Joni promised outside of the door. I bit my lip, the movement making him groan. “Half a minute,” he then amended.

I pressed my back against the wall while waiting, feeling a bit smitten as I licked my lips. I knew that Joni and I shared a mutual attraction for one another, but the more time we spent together, the more I realized just how much chemistry we shared.

I tucked my hair behind my ear and smiled to myself but froze when I heard whistling. Snapping my attention to the left side of the hallway, I noticed a distracted janitor with long blond hair and black nail polish jamming out to music and pushing his cart toward me. Luckily, his eyes were closed, but I quickly realized that I should probably have left two hours ago like the rest of the employees here, and it was a bit suspicious to be standing outside the locker room.

“Fucking hell,” I cursed before opening the door to the locker room and slipping inside. I wasn’t sure if he was coming in here to clean, so I instantly ran toward the showers to hide, ignoring the sound of running water.

Shit shit shit.

I walked quickly down the tiled floor and stopped when I saw Joni’s outline behind one of the curtains.

Holy cannoli. The steam, the shadowed outline of his muscles, and the smell of his bodywash had a direct and naughty effect on my panties. He might have been the one in the shower, but I was drenched.

The door to the locker room opened and shut, and I made a split-second decision. I slid open the curtain and slipped inside. Joni jumped at the sight of me, not prepared to have a guest in the shower with him. Soap suds covered his muscular body. Droplets of water covered his abs, and his eyelashes were clumped together from sticking his head under the spray. “What—” he began, but I closed the distance between us and cupped my hand over his mouth.

“Be quiet. The janitor is here,” I whispered.

Joni looked down at me, a fire in his eyes. Fuck. Every inch of him was hard as rock. I pressed my palms to his chest as the hot spray of the water soaked through my outfit.

Joni breathed in and out, his chest pressing against mine. I waited for a moment, my heart racing with a mixture of anxiety and anticipation. I wanted Joni. Here. Now. Fuck the janitor and fuck the rules.

“Is someone in here?” the janitor asked. Joni held his finger up to his lips, motioning for me to be quiet before pressing past me and sticking his head out of the shower.

“Hey there, George,” Joni said.

“Ah! Joni. Late night practice?”

“Yep, just working some drills. I hope that’s okay?”

George stammered. “Of course. I’ll just let you finish your shower. I still have a lot more to do, so I can circle back here later, okay?”

“That sounds great, George. Thank you,” Joni said. He looked so fucking hot with streams of water traveling down his chiseled muscles. The fact that I was standing in the shower next to the hottest man alive caught up with my clit, which took over any rational thinking. Janitor be damned, I reached down and quickly grabbed his ass before moving my hand to his front and cupping his balls. Joni let out a hiss of air and added, “Oh and, George? Take your time.”

As soon as George was out of sight, Joni yanked the shower curtain shut and turned to face me. He looked like he was about to say something, but his words were replaced with a low moan as I moved my hand up and gently squeezed the base of his massive cock. I moved my hand up and down, watching the water dance over the motion.

After a few moments, Joni stopped me by tugging at my soaking wet blouse. “This needs to go,” he insisted. Releasing my grip on his shaft, I let him pull the shirt up over my head and toss it in the corner of the shower. “These too.” Joni hooked his fingers inside my trousers but couldn’t quite work the clasp. He let out a frustrated growl before tearing the metal hook from the fabric and ripping the now destroyed pants from my body.

I would probably care later when I was shopping to replace my favorite ponte work pants, but holy shit, that was hot. Right now, all I cared about was getting naked as quickly as possible. My clit was definitely the brains of this operation.

I stood in my matching black lacy bra and thong set, waiting for Joni to tear those from my body as well. His hungry eyes drank me in, but he didn’t move. Slowly, I got down on my knees until I was eye level with his dick. I drew his tip into my mouth and swirled my tongue in circles around it. I took in as much of him as I could, until his tip bumped the back of my throat. Joni gasped and leaned against the shower wall for support.

“Fuck, Peyton,” he rumbled, threading his fingers through my hair. I moved my head back and forth on him as quickly as my gag reflex would let me. I wanted to blow his mind, but I also didn't want to vomit all over his dick.

I tasted the saltiness of precum, and Joni's muscles tensed. I closed my eyes in preparation for the big finish, but instead of finishing, Joni withdrew. “I want to be inside you,” he rasped, pulling me up to my feet.

“Do we have a condom?” I managed to squeak out.

“Hold on,” he said, running from the shower and leaving me alone. He returned crazy fast holding up a magnum-sized condom. He tore the wrapper off with his teeth and slid it down his shaft so fast that if I had blinked, I would have missed it.

Joni kissed me hard and deep, his tongue finding mine and claiming it. He licked and teased my bottom lip before trailing kisses and nibbles down my neck. My clit throbbed with anticipation. I reached down to guide his cock into me, but he stopped me, spinning me around to face the shower wall.

Joni's hands roamed my body, settling on my breast as he nuzzled my neck. He tugged the lacy fabric of my bra down, exposing me. Gently, he ran his hand over my nipple and pinched it when it hardened beneath his fingers. I arched my back and moaned as he played with my bud. I could feel his hardness against my back, and spread my legs to give him easier access.

“Joni,” I begged.

He guided his cock against my core, pushed my thong to the side, and slowly entered me from behind. I gasped as he filled me up, and rocked against him, encouraging him to go faster. Joni nestled his face into my hair as he thrust deeper inside of me.

My fingers curled against the cold tile as Joni pushed into me. He dropped his hand from my breast, tracing my curves and playing with the waistband of my panties on his way to my clit. My breath caught as he found it and stroked, bringing me to the brink.

“Oh God,” I cried out, writhing on his cock. I gave in to the waves of pleasure that overcame me as my body went rigid.

“Fuck, Peyton,” Joni repeated, biting my neck and moaning, burying himself in me. “It’s hot as hell when you come.” His breathing became erratic, and he drove into me fast and hard, riding his own orgasm. Joni collapsed onto me, taking a second to recover.

“That was amazing,” he said, pulling out. Joni turned me back toward him and kissed me. It was a slow and sweet kiss, in complete contrast to his earlier frenzied kiss, and I liked this softer side of Joni. I kissed him back, wrapping my arms around his neck and letting the hot water wash over us.

“We better get out of here before George comes back,” I giggled, breaking our orgasmic glow.

Joni shut off the water, tossed me a towel, and then wrapped one around his own waist. I gathered up my sopping wet clothes and followed Joni to where his nice and dry clothes sat in a neat pile. Before getting dressed, he offered me a spare set of clothes he had in his locker. The sweatpants and T-shirt were three sizes too big, but they were dry.

I tossed my saturated pants and top into a bag Joni offered me and quickly pulled on the warm sweats. When we were both fully clothed, we ran out of the locker room, laughing and shushing each other, basking in our mutual orgasms.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

I sat in a brown leather chair in Robert's office, waiting for him to arrive. I had gotten an email from him timestamped at the ass crack of dawn this morning, saying he needed to see me as soon as I got in. I had a habit of checking my email in bed first thing when I woke up, so I had seen it early and had been stewing on it all morning.

I was pretty sure Robert was going to scold me for leaving the office yesterday to have breakfast with Joni. I knew I shouldn't have gone, and I knew I shouldn't have had the second mimosa, but at the time, I was feeling righteous in my anger at Robert, and to be honest, I really thought Joni was right when he said I could get away with anything.

All of that bravado was gone now, waiting anxiously for him to come and yell at me for fraternizing with a player, drinking on the clock, and stealing time. Oh fuck, what the hell was wrong with me? Why did I keep getting myself into these situations?

My stomach clenched into a tight knot, and my nervous energy made my foot bounce involuntarily. I heard footsteps and turned to start apologizing to Robert right away. Even if he was a misogynistic control freak, I had really come to love my job, and maybe if I got in front of this, it wouldn't be so bad.

But, to my complete surprise, it wasn't Robert standing in the doorway, but Joni.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, just as surprised to see me as I was to see him.

“I got an email from Robert. I just assumed I was in trouble for skipping half the day yesterday and coming back buzzed. Why are you here?” I asked.

“I got an email from Robert too. It just said he needed to see me.”

“That's right, I needed to talk to both of you,” Robert's gruff voice said from behind Joni. “Please, take a seat.”

Joni dropped down into the matching leather chair next to mine as Robert took his seat on the other side of the desk. Without a word, he flipped his monitor around and struck a single key on the keyboard.

“Oh. My. God. What the hell is this?” I cried out, recognizing the black and white footage playing on Robert's computer. I watched in horror as the version of myself on the screen slipped into the locker room to avoid the janitor.

Robert didn't say anything, he just looked at me with an expression of disappointment and disgust. In all the time I had worked for Robert and all of the trouble I had gotten in from day one, I had never seen him speechless.

“There are cameras in the locker room, Joni? Fucking cameras?” I yelled at him. Tears stung the corners of my eyes before falling down my cheeks. I didn't want to cry in front of my boss, but I was mad, embarrassed, and hurt all at the same time. There was nothing I could do to stop the deluge of emotion pouring out of me. Joni looked back and forth between me and Robert, looking confused. “Don't even try to tell me that you've been playing for this team for years and didn't know there were cameras in the locker room.”

Robert held up his hand, as if to silently stop me from the hysterics. I was completely mortified and ashamed. “Luckily, the cameras don’t show what happens in the showers. However, I did see both of you going back into the main area wrapped in towels. I’m just thankful I wasn’t forced to see the two of you bumping uglies.”

My chest constricted. Even though I was freaking out, I said a little thank you that there was at least some privacy for our moment. “Coach, I—”

Robert cut him off with a growl. “I know you have a vendetta against Peyton, Joni. You’ve been trying to get her fired with these antics since day one. I just had no clue you were willing to stoop so low and risk our reputation. What if one of our night guards would’ve seen you?”

I scowled. So that’s what Robert was worried about? Gossip? He didn’t care that Joni potentially slept with me to get me fired; he cared that someone could’ve found out. “This is ridiculous,” I said, my tone soft. Disbelief washed over me, and I felt myself growing numb. Did Joni do this on purpose? No. Certainly he didn’t.

“I can’t believe I’m about to say this,” Robert began, “but I actually agree with you. This is ridiculous. I thought we had an understanding when I hired you, Miss Manning. Under no circumstances were you supposed to bring your whoring ways to my team like a two dollar hooker.”

“Excuse me?” Oh. Hell. No. It was almost as if Robert slapped me in the face. “I am a top dollar bitch,” I snapped back. “And I’m an adult. Yes, we probably should’ve gone home. But who I sleep with has nothing to do with my ability to get the job done. And last I checked, I was damn good at my job.”

I paused for a moment, waiting for Joni to back me up. But unfortunately, he stayed stunned silent. “It doesn’t really matter if you’re an adult or not. I explicitly put in your contract that I expected professionalism from you. We have rules about conduct between the staff and players. I don’t understand why it’s so difficult for everyone to keep their dick in their pants.” To accentuate his point, Robert slammed his fist down on the top of his desk. I flinched and Joni shook his head.

“I’m sorry, Coach,” he began. “It won’t happen again.” My roaring insecurities reared their nasty head. Did this mean that Joni was going to stop seeing me? Or did this mean that he was going to be a little more careful about having sex in the locker room?

“You are absolutely right, Joni,” Robert replied. “It’s not going to happen again.” He turned to me and sneered. “Peyton, you’re fired.” Robert dug in his desk and pulled out a sheet of paper. “Sign this and get the hell out of here by the end of the hour. I don’t want to see you again. And if I have anything to say about it, you won’t have a job with any team in the future. I was hoping you could be more professional than this, but apparently you’re too busy sleeping around to focus on your work.”

I shot up in my seat. I did not have to listen to this. Fuck Robert for being such an asshole. I broke my contract, and it was really irresponsible of me to hook up with Joni in the locker room. But he was making a huge mistake firing me. I was the best in the business, and threatening any future jobs was extremely out of line. Just because he was old-fashioned and wanted to control the sex lives of everyone who worked for him didn’t mean that I was a bad employee.

“Good riddance, asshole,” I snapped. Maybe I should’ve been running with my tail tucked between my legs, but I didn’t like the way he spoke to me. I didn’t like how he made me feel. But most of all, I hated how Joni didn’t stand up for me, not even once.

Without waiting for a response, I stormed out of his office and practically sprinted to my desk. Eyes followed me as I moved, and I could hear whispers surrounding me.

“She had sex with Joni in the locker room.”

“Do you think she only has a thing for hockey players, or do I have a chance, too? I wouldn’t mind a romp in the break room.”

Tears streamed down my face as I marched into my office and slammed the door shut. I emptied my waste can and quickly started loading my belongings into it. My chest felt tight. Was it really so wrong? Why didn’t Joni stand up for me? Was this all a joke? Did he do this on purpose?

I had expected him to be my Prince Charming again and stand up for me to his asshole coach, but he just sat there in silence while I was insulted and fired. What the fuck?

I grabbed a tissue and blotted my face, wincing when I bumped my still bruised nose. When my door opened, I didn’t even look up to see who was marching in. What the hell was I going to do? I literally just got settled in Dallas and actually really liked it here.

My chest began to constrict, and it felt like I was having a panic attack.

“Peyton, I’m so sorry,” Joni said.

I angrily swatted at my tears and glared at him. “Is Robert firing you?”

“No,” Joni said softly.

“Aw,” I replied sarcastically. “Does poor little Joni get a slap on the wrist and then has to go skate some laps?”

Joni ran a hand through his hair and took another step toward me, but I put both my hands up to block him. “You could probably get away with sleeping with every Ice Girl out there, and yet here I am packing up my shit.” It was so ridiculous. I was so fucking stupid. “I trusted you, Joni.”

“I had no idea there was a camera in there. And I would have never risked your job like that.”

I picked up one of the company-owned staplers and tossed it in my trash can of shame. Fuck them. I liked that stapler. I was going to keep it. “Right. You would never do anything on purpose to risk my job. Somehow, I don’t believe you, Joni.”

I swooped up my trash can full of shit and started marching out the door. To add salt to the wound, Joni followed after me. “Peyton. Let’s go talk to HR about this. Robert can’t just—”

I spun around, not caring that we had an audience. “I don’t want to work for someone who called me a whore, Joni.” Someone gasped. The entire team admin staff was gaping at us.

Oh fucking well. I wasn’t going to hide.

“Peyton,” Joni said, his tone dripping with sympathy.

“Look, Robert made up his mind about me before we even met. I’m just some stupid girl that gets tangled up with toxic hockey players. I slept with Noah within thirty minutes of meeting him. I went on a date with Hatch. I even hooked up with you in a locker room. It's like I had my very own hat trick.” I paused to shake my head bitterly. “The thing is, Joni, you could have been my endgame. I thought we had something.”

“We do have something, Peyton,” Joni insisted.

“Maybe,” I agreed. Perhaps when the fog cleared and my racing heart settled, I could come back and deal with this with a clear head. But I was hurting. And I was worried that this was some kind of setup. I had trust issues and my own self-worth to figure out. Part of me felt like this was some cruel joke. I was angry at myself, angry at Robert Park, and angry at the double standard women in this industry faced. Chad had a literal porno go viral and people blamed me instead of him for his bad performance on the ice. He got pats on the back for cheating on his girlfriend, and I got a bad reputation. I probably shouldn’t have had sex at work, but...

“Let me drive you home at least. I’m worried about you,” Joni whispered.

“Why didn’t you stand up for me, Prince Charming?” I asked, his nickname sounding like a slur. I genuinely wanted to know.

“I. I wanted to—”

“But you didn’t. This was a huge mistake.”

“Peyton,” he pleaded. “No, please. Let’s just talk about this.”

“I just need to think,” I replied before turning around and exiting the building.

There was a lot in the air right now, but I knew one thing for sure.

I was done with hockey.

And I was possibly done with Joni, too.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

It was hard to be done with hockey when your best friend was married to a hockey star. I hadn’t told Danielle about getting fired yet. Normally, I could tell my best friend anything. But I was still wallowing in shame. Having sex with Joni was reckless, and looking back, I regretted it. Now I was jobless. Pretty soon I would be homeless, too. It was one thing to go crawling to my best friend's house once. I couldn’t imagine doing it again only a couple months after supposedly getting back on my feet.

And of course, the timing couldn’t have been better. Tonight, Danielle and Brock were flying in for a game. I had promised Danielle that I would go with her and show her around town while Brock was busy with practice and being team captain. So instead of sitting in my bed, crying, and eating an entire gallon of ice cream, I had to put my face on and pretend like I wasn’t just fired. I had to go back to the place where I was embarrassed and shamed.

At least keeping busy helped me ignore the dozens of texts and voicemails Joni, Noah, and even Hatch were leaving me. I’d glanced at a few but was still too embarrassed to respond. Joni was the most insistent, even threatening to show up at my apartment if I didn’t call him back. Good thing I’d be with my best friend all day.

I drove to the hotel where Danielle was staying and picked her up, making sure to keep my sunglasses firmly on my face so she couldn’t see the dark circles under my eyes. We hugged. Despite everything that happened, I was thankful that my best friend was in town. She had this uncanny ability to make everything better. “I’ve missed you so much.” She squeezed me tighter. “I feel like we haven’t talked in a few days. I’ve had nineteen deliveries. Gotta love full moons at the hospital. Did I tell you about the woman who gave birth in the hallway? I dove under her and caught that newborn like the mom was throwing a touchdown.”

I laughed. Yep. Having my best friend here was exactly what I needed. “I’ve learned to expect crazy stories from you around full moons,” I teased back.

We both got into my car, and I drove us to the nail salon. I didn’t really have the money to get my nails done, but oh fucking well. Sometimes a girl just needed a little pampering.

We went inside, picked our polish, and both sat down. “Ah. A full weekend away from the triplets. I’m going to sleep so late tomorrow I can’t wait.”

I smiled at her, though it felt forced. Eventually, I’d have to tell her about getting fired but not yet.

“How’s work?” she asked.

I had mentally prepared for this question. “It’s...great. I love the area. I’m doing something I’m great at. Great. It’s really great.”

“Well, that sounds super convincing,” she replied. “Are you not enjoying it?”

I shrugged, not really knowing what to say. “It’s great,” I echoed again, my voice hollow.

Danielle settled into the massage chair and looked at me for a lingering moment. “Last we spoke, you were planning a surprise party for one of the players, yeah? You sounded so excited to do that.”

A bitter grin crossed my expression. “I did have a lot of fun planning the party.”

“I’ve always thought you thrived doing stuff like that. Maybe if the job isn’t as fun anymore, it’s because you’ve evolved.”

“Maybe,” I agreed. “It’s just not the same. Beth was just so amazing. It’s hard to adjust to Robert’s leadership style.”

Danielle nodded. “Brock has always said that Robert seems fickle.”

I tried to keep a straight face. Fickle was a nice way of calling him an asshole. “Let’s not talk about work. I want to relax.”

Danielle nodded. “I’m just really excited to go to the game tonight with you. It’ll be cool to see your world and cheer on my man.”

I stared at the woman painting my toenails like my life depended on it. My world was currently a jobless abyss full of pining over Joni and counting my regrets. “Can’t wait,” I sang.

Getting into the game without a badge took some...finesse. I had to abuse the privilege of my friendship with Danielle and convince her that I wanted to sit with the other Bruins family members to catch up with old friends.

Even though I didn’t actually like any of them, Danielle shrugged and went along with it.

“Why are you wearing a ball cap and sunglasses indoors? At seven o’clock at night?” she asked as we entered through a private side entrance. “You look shady.”

“I just don’t want anyone to see me rooting for the opposite team,” I teased. The truth was, I didn’t want anyone to see me at all.

One of the body guards that went through my purse stared a little too long at me. It didn’t help that I still had bandages on my nose, which was a clear identifying marker. Luckily, it was just a nude strip across the bridge now, but the light bruising was still noticeable.

I just prayed I looked like a rich hockey wife who just had a nose job and not like the fired reject that face-planted on the ice.

Danielle, of course, wanted to walk around the American Airlines Center and get a freaking souvenir. She was excited to be kid-free, but I wanted to get into the safety of the box.

Was everyone staring at me? Or was that just my own insecurities?

“Okay, we have to talk,” Danielle said while grabbing us both a bottle of beer. “You’re acting weird. Is it because Chad is here?”

I scowled. I had actually completely forgotten about Chad. Chad was so last month. Fuck Chad and his glitter dick.

“No. Chad is irrelevant.”

She tapped her foot. “So why are you hiding? Is it the Ice Girls thing? I know the memes were a bit much. I still can’t believe they aired it on The Tonight Show…”

“Wait, what? It was on The Tonight Show?” I screeched. Oh my pucking God.

“You didn’t know?” Danielle asked as we got on a private elevator leading to the Bruins family box.

“No. But now I’m horrified and embarrassed for an entirely other reason, thank you,” I snapped.

And of course, Danielle latched onto that little bit of information and ran with it. “Why would you be embarrassed, Peyton? Tell me what’s going on.”

The elevator doors opened, and I let my guts spill. “I got fired for fucking a player in the locker room,” I rushed out in a single breath.

Someone cheered for me, and I realized we had an entire audience of fans standing outside the elevator, waiting to use it. I downed my entire beer, and Danielle grabbed my wrist to pull me into the crowded hallway.

“Peyton!” she yelled. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

I removed my sunglasses and wiped a stray tear. “I was embarrassed, okay? I’ve let hot hockey stars ruin two of my jobs. It’s pathetic.”

Danielle shook her head. “We’re going to comb through your contract and get a lawyer involved—”

“No,” I cut her off. “I just want to walk away with what’s left of my dignity and find a new job. There’s no way I want to work for Robert again, especially if he’s forced to take me back on a contract technicality.”

Danielle wrapped me in a huge hug. “I’m so sorry, Peyton. Who was the player? Has he been supportive during all of this?”

“It was Joni. In the meeting, he was stunned stupid, but he tried to help after. Kind of.”

“Wait. Elephant dick Joni?” she asked. “As your gynecologist, should I be worried?”

Her question managed to bring a smile to my face. “My vagina managed,” I teased back.

Danielle grinned wickedly before twisting her expression into a look of confusion. “But isn’t he the one who tried to get you fired?”

I nodded. “Yeah, but surprisingly, I don’t think he did it intentionally.”

She wrapped me up into another hug. “I’m so sorry, honey. We can leave if you want?”

“No,” I replied. “I think this will give me some closure. I want to see Brock play and...say goodbye. This whole thing made me realize that I’m really freaking good at my job, but maybe I don’t actually love it.”

Danielle nodded. “Okay. Let’s go to the box. But if at any time you want to leave, we leave, okay?”

“Thank you.”

I seriously had the best friend in the world.

They played my face-plant on loop on the jumbotron while fans were finding their seats, and I decided to put back on my sunglasses and sulk for a bit. Watching Joni stare adoringly at my bloody face as he carried me across the stadium made my heart twist and clench. A look like that couldn’t be faked, but I still just wasn’t sure.

Maybe I should fight for compensation for all the free publicity my embarrassment was getting them. At least then I could pay rent next month.

They played the national anthem, introduced the teams, and the Ice Girls did a routine with Robert Park again. It was so freaking weird that the grumpy coach liked to dance with girls half his age wearing half the amount of clothes.

Not my problem anymore, though.

“You okay?” Danielle asked when the crowd cheered for Joni on the jumbotron. Chad kept pounding his chest and roaring like a steroid addict.

“Never been better!” I lied.

I just had to survive this game, and then I could go home and go back to wallowing. Seemed like an easy enough plan.

The game started, and the second the puck hit the ice, both teams shot into action. I loved watching a good, aggressive game, especially when there was bad blood between teams. The Bruins and the Stars had always had issues with one another. It was rare that a fight didn’t break out.

The periods flew by despite my discomfort. I almost forgot that I was a fired reject and actually enjoyed watching the guys glide across the ice and slam into the glass. The referees handed out penalties like it was Halloween candy, and on more than one occasion, I caught a glimpse of Robert Park screaming at the players.

By the second period, the guys looked pissed. Chad kept smirking every time he skated past Joni, and Noah punched the wall in frustration. “Brock looks like he wants to punch something,” Danielle noted.

I nodded in agreement. Surprisingly enough, he didn’t seem angry at the Stars players. His glare was fixed on Chad.

“You don’t think Chad is stirring up trouble, do you?” I asked just as Noah tripped him with his hockey stick. The referees called another penalty. Hatch had to pull Noah away to stop him from fighting Chad.

“I wouldn’t hold anything past him,” Danielle said before cheering for Brock. “Come on, baby!” I clapped alongside her but still kept my eyes peeled on the action.

On the bench, Brock shoved Chad and yelled something at him. “Chad is definitely talking shit out there. The only reason Brock would snap at a teammate is if he were…”

“Getting personal?” I finished for her. Saying out loud that Chad was probably making lewd statements about me made my stomach clench.

“Look,” she said while nodding at the Stars bench. “Your boys look like they’re out for blood.”

I followed her gaze. “They aren’t my boys,” I replied bitterly.

She nudged my side. “You sure about that? Joni looks ready to stab Chad with an ice skate.”

Sure enough, Joni did look pretty murderous. Huh. That did make me feel a little better.

The guys lined up, and Chad nodded up at the box where we were sitting. My stomach sank. “I think I’m ready to leave now,” I whispered. Danielle grabbed her purse before reaching for my hand.

“I’m so sorry, babe. You don’t deserve this,” she said softly.

As we stood up to leave, a massive fight broke out. Hockey sticks were dropped. Helmets went flying. Noah, Joni, and Hatch all started wailing on Chad. Splatters of blood covered the ice, and the entire crowd went wild.

But what was even crazier was that not a single teammate on the Bruins stepped in to help Chad.

“Oh shit!” Danielle yelled before clapping her hands. The referees tried desperately to separate them all, but Joni was too strong. All three of my guys were brutal and refused to stop.

Hatch was the first to give up. Noah spit on Chad. Joni bent over to say something over his limp body. I had never seen a beat down so intense in all my years of loving the sport. The guys were going to get fined out the ass for this.

The entire crowd was shocked at the brutality of it all. Die hard fans screamed. Robert Park was so red in the face from anger that I could see his bulging veins from all the way across the arena.

Once the chaos died down, Chad was carried off the ice by medics and “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” started blaring through the speakers.

“Holy shit,” Danielle said while shaking her head. “Chad must have really pissed them off.”

I knew in my gut that this fight had something to do with me. I grabbed my chest, and tears started to fall down my cheeks. “Oh Peyton! Are you okay?” Danielle asked.

I sniffled. “They really do care,” I whispered.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

After the game, I took Danielle back to the hotel where we met Brock. Reporters had swarmed the players after the game to get the exclusive scoop on the fight, so we couldn’t even access the hallway leading to the Bruins locker room, it was so full. I was thankful that I didn’t have to see Chad, but also kind of wanted to see his busted face.

“Hey,” Brock said while wrapping his wife up in a huge hug. He lifted her up, and she squealed. The Bruins ended up winning the game even though Joni, Noah, and Hatch won the fight.

“Heyyyy,” I awkwardly sang once Brock set his wife down. His greeting to me was more gentle and full of caution. “You okay, Peyton?”

“Did Danielle already text you about my losing my job?” I asked while squinting at my best friend. I didn’t actually care if he knew, but damn that was fast.

He looked confused for a moment. “No,” he replied, “but damn, that sucks.” Brock pulled out his cellphone and typed something. “I’m talking about this.”

He held out the phone to me, and I cautiously took it. Hatch, Noah, and Joni filled the screen in a newsclip Brock had queued up. Joni had a busted lip from the one swing Chad managed to get in. Noah and Hatch were dripping in sweat with their arms crossed over their chest.

“Can you explain to your fans what happened on the ice today? The three of you seemed very angry at something he said.”

Hatch spoke first. “He said some really disgusting things about a close friend of ours. Players talk dirty on the ice all the time, but he crossed a line. I have zero respect for a man that doesn’t respect women.”

My eyes widened. I knew for a fact this was about me. I had been worried that my friendship with Hatch would be awkward, but he was so loyal and kind. It made my heart swell.

Noah took the mic. “I stand up for my friends,” he said. “Chad Northwood is a terrible human and a shitty player. I’ll gladly take whatever fine the league gives us and pay it twice just for the chance to beat his sorry ass again.”

The reporter nodded and turned to Joni. “And you, Joni? Can you tell us who this friend is? You’ve proven last week how chivalrous you can be. You even earned the nickname Prince Charming of Dallas. Who was this friend, and why are you all so protective of them?”

Joni looked off to the right of the screen. I wanted to grab his throat and shake him silly. Yeah, Joni. Who was this friend?

“She’s someone I care about a lot,” he choked out before looking directly into the camera. “I did something stupid and she got hurt. I couldn’t let that happen again.” He held up his hand. “No more questions, please.”

Joni walked out of the frame, and I gaped at the screen as the reporter summarized what the three of them had said. Holy shit.

When I finally looked up, Brock was scratching the back of his neck and was staring back at me. “I’m going to talk to coach about Chad’s comments on the ice, Peyton. I would have jumped in and kicked his sorry ass myself, but—”

“No,” I interrupted. “It’s okay. He’s on your team. I was honestly shocked no one jumped in to help him.”

Brock chuckled. “No one likes him.”

I chewed on my lip, unsure what I should do. Should I call Joni? Should I show up at his house?

“Go to them,” Danielle insisted while reaching out to grab my arm.

I nodded. She was right. No matter what happened with Robert Park, these guys proved that they were on my team. “Okay. Yeah, you’re right.”

Danielle smiled as I spun around and jogged to my SUV. The second I was in the driver's seat, I picked up the phone and called Joni. It rang...and rang...and…

The moment it hit his voicemail, I cursed.

I decided to call Noah next. He answered on the first ring. “I was wondering when you’d call. I’m sure you’re really impressed with my display of strength out there. You might even be questioning if I’m the man for you now.”

I grinned and rolled my eyes. “Noah,” I began.

“Peyton. This just won’t work. I’m a taken man. And you’ve become like a sister to me. Well, maybe a hot stepsister I slept with once, but a sister nevertheless.” I could hear a woman giggling in the background and assumed it was Rosaleigh.

“I’m just really heartbroken to hear this Noah,” I teased back sarcastically.

“Another life, my dear. Besides, I’ve seen Joni’s dick, and you’ve got more than you can handle with that one. I nearly fainted when I saw it for the first time in the locker room. I’m kind of glad we fucked first because damn. I can’t even begin to measure up both literally and figuratively—” His voice cut off, and I heard him speak to whoever he was with. “Rosy, baby, stop biting your lip or I’ll bite it for you.”

I tipped my head back and laughed. “Noah?”

“Yeah, Peyton?”

“Thanks for today. Can you tell me where Joni is?”

“He went with Hatch to the Double Wide bar off Commerce. You know the one?”

I nodded. “Yeah. Thanks again, Noah.”

“Love you, too, Peyton,” he replied before hanging up.

I practically ran into the bar, my heart racing as I scanned the rundown space looking for Joni and Hatch. Rustic metal signs covered every inch of space, and a tacky wallpaper was wrapped on each wall. My eyes landed on a tall man in a suit making out with a leggy blonde.

“Hatch?” I said with a slight giggle. He tore his mouth from hers, and I outright laughed at the sight of bright red lipstick smeared across his face.

“Peyton!” he exclaimed before looking at his...date? “I’ll be right back, darling,” he assured her before rushing to me for a friendly hug. “I was worried about you.”

I patted his back and smiled. “Thanks for sticking up for me. You’re a good friend, Hatch.”

He smiled. “Joni isn’t the only Prince Charming in the league,” he said. I couldn’t tell if he was blushing, because the red lipstick was still smeared across his face.

“You, uh, got a little something…” I pointed at my cheek, and his eyes widened.

“Oh, right,” he said before frantically wiping at his face with the back of his hand. “That’s Katie,” he said in an excited voice while nodding at his friend still at the bar. “She’s a school teacher. Wants six kids and almost drowned once when she was seven.”

I nodded and raised my brows. “Wow. You sure know a lot about her,” I noted.

“Thanks,” he gushed. “We met, like, an hour ago, but…” He dropped his voice. “I think she might be the one.”

I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from laughing. Hatch was a hopeless romantic, there was no stopping that. “You better get back to her then,” I replied. “But do you know where Joni is?”

Hatch nodded before pointing at a circular table in the corner of the bar. “He’s sulking alone in the corner.” Sure enough, Joni was hunched over a single empty beer bottle and had a don’t fuck with me expression on his face.

“Thanks again, Hatch,” I said before quickly walking over to where Joni was.

My heart raced. A million anxious thoughts rushed through my mind.

What if I was too late?

What if Joni was mad at me?

Did I put deodorant on this morning?

“Joni?” I said before clearing my throat. He snapped his head up and stared at me. I breathed in and out, my head buzzing from all the thoughts plaguing me. I had only one choice. Be honest. Be real.

“I really like you. And I was hurt by what Robert said, and I still have some toxic trust issues, but I’m working on it. You’re a surprisingly nice guy when you want to be, and I know you didn’t intentionally get me fired. I mean, hell, you beat up my ex today, and you saved me when I busted my nose and...”

Joni stood up, and I kept. Fucking. Rambling.

“You’re really hot. I mean, look at you. And your massive dick still freaks me out. I might never get over that, and I’m still not down for motorboating. I don’t love you—yet. But maybe I could if we gave this a real shot?”

Joni smiled and wrapped his hand around the back of my head. “Peyton,” he whispered over my lips.

“Yeah?”

“I don’t love you...yet...too,” he whispered before crashing his mouth to mine.

The bar cheered, and I popped my leg up like a fairy-tale princess—but this time I had no ice to make me slip and fall. Joni wrapped his arms around me, and I devoured him. Our tongues tangled. My clit sang like a canary with tingling excitement. My nipples stabbed him through my shirt as I moaned and groped him.

Someone whistled and Joni groaned. “Car. Now.”

Wrapping his large hand around my wrist, he dragged me out of the bar and through the small parking lot to his Tesla. “This car is kind of small for the activities I would like to do, but I’m game if you are,” I blurted awkwardly. It had been a while since I’d done yoga, but maybe I was flexible enough—

“I’m going to get us a room at a hotel nearby.” He unlocked the door and guided me into the passenger seat, going as far as to buckle me in as he whispered into my ear. “I want to spread you out, Peyton. I want to taste you. Savor you.”

I practically melted in his leather seats. Savor me all you want, Joni.

We drove through traffic with his hand on my thigh until arriving at the Warwick Melrose Hotel. I’d never seen Joni so eager. He tossed his keys at the valet, strolled inside, and slammed his black card on the counter. “We’ll take whatever room you have available.”

The girl working the front desk didn’t look at us. She was too busy smacking her gum and typing to pay attention. I didn’t mind, because Joni was rubbing my lower back and making goose bumps break out along my skin. “It’ll be six hundred dollars for the night, Mr….” She stopped talking to look at us and broke out into a huge grin. “Oh my God! It’s you!”

Joni frowned. “We’re in a hurry, so if you don’t mind—”

“Prince Charming and the Ice Princess. Oh my God! When you carried her off the ice, I swear I almost fainted. So sweet. And now you’re here. Like, together, together?”

Joni nodded. “If we could just please have the room key—”

She squealed. “Can I take a picture with you guys?”

I groaned. I just wanted to jump Joni’s bones asap. “Yes. Sure. But we really want to get going—”

“Of course!” she exclaimed before climbing over the top of the desk and pulling out her cell for a selfie with us. I felt ridiculous and insecure, but Joni smiled for the camera and hurried her along so that we could go to our room and get busy with it.

Keycard in hand, we made it to the elevator and rode all the way to the top with a family of five. And once on our floor, Joni swept me up into his arms and practically sprinted to our room. I giggled at his eagerness, mostly because I felt the same way too.

He swiped his card, kicked the door open, and nearly tripped while running to the bed. We both were breathing hard as he stripped out of his clothes and tore at the fabric covering me. “Fair warning, I’ve been slightly emotional and haven’t shaved in a few days…”

Joni shut me up by tearing my thong from my body, prying my legs open, and licking a long line up my slit.

“Fuckkkkk,” I groaned while tossing my head back and threading my hand through his hair. He held me down and sucked on my clit. Joni ate me out like a starving man who just played a vigorous game of hockey and needed to carb load up for recovery. The stamina. It was like his tongue refused to get tired.

Not after my first orgasm, my second, or even my third.

“I’m too sensitive,” I cried out before slamming my thighs to his ears like they were his personal earmuffs. He chuckled and pulled away, wiping his glossy lips on the inside of my leg as he went.

He got on the bed beside me, picked me up, and set me on his lap. I swear to God his giant ass dick hit an inch above my belly button. I looked down at his tower of doom. “You going to ride me?” he asked.

“I’ll ride about half of you,” I joked nervously before lifting up and slowly, slowly, slowly sliding down his long, thick shaft.

He groaned, and I used my legs to hold myself up because I couldn’t sit fully on him. In a particularly unsexy move, I braced myself against his shoulders and got off my knees so I could squat with my feet and bounce up and down. Again, totally not sexy.

Joni didn’t seem to mind the awkwardness. It was actually really nice to be with a man who I trusted enough to be...unsexy...with. “You look so beautiful riding my cock, Peyton,” he whispered. He held my waist, and I started sliding up and down his shaft. I loved the way he bit his lip and growled. “That feels so fucking good you don’t even know.”

I wrapped my arms around his neck and upped my pace. Joni made me feel so full. His cock bumped that sensitive bundle of nerves deep within me, and another crashing orgasm rocked through me. I stopped riding him to tip my head back and moan his name.

He picked me up like a languid rag doll and tossed me onto the mattress before lifting my leg up and resting it on his shoulder. He rocked into me hard and fast. I gasped in shock as he rubbed my clit with his thumb, the pleasure-filled movement easing the full sting of his giant cock.

Had I mentioned that Joni had a huge cock? I really didn’t think I’d said it enough. Huge. Ginormous. Colossal. Gargantuan. Massive. Monstrous.

He fucked me raw. The slick sounds of our body slapping filled my ears. Sweat dripped down my spine. Moans escaped my torn throat.

Every muscle in his body tightened, and hot ropes of cum spilled out of his dick, filling me up even more. I could feel it seeping out of me, and Joni nearly collapsed on top of me when he was done.

It took a long while for us to catch our breaths. My pussy felt bruised but in a good way. It was the kind of ache that made you smile to yourself the next morning. “So we’re doing this thing then, huh?” I said with a smile. Who knew what the future held? “I mean. I’m jobless and will probably be homeless soon, too. Just want to be clear about that so you know what you’re getting into. Also, my ex is kind of psycho, but you took care of that.” Joni smiled and pulled me to him so we could spoon. I sighed at the feeling of his body wrapping around mine.

“And you don’t love me yet. Don’t forget that. It was a really great selling point back at the bar,” he teased.

I slapped his arm. “I was nervous. Once again you went all Prince Charming, and I was trying to win you back.”

Joni kissed my neck, and I melted into his embrace. “You never lost me, Peyton. But getting to kick Chad’s ass to get your attention was the highlight of my week for sure.”

I wasn’t really sure what the future would bring, but I knew at least one thing: it involved Joni.

EPILOGUE

I stared at the balloon arch that took me a ridiculous amount of time to build and grinned triumphantly. I wanted everything to go perfectly. Starting my own party coordinating business wasn’t exactly the plan I’d had for my life, but with some help from my friends, I realized that I was perfect for the job. I loved organizing, designing, and pulling everything together. I might’ve missed my job at the Stars, but being my own boss paid off. I made my own schedule. And I was damn good at it. I had to rely on myself, and that was a really good feeling.

My business was only a year old, but I was already looking to hire an assistant. There were a lot of people who wanted to work with the Ice Princess. My logo was a cartoon of me with a crown and a busted, bandaged nose. If the Stars could get free publicity from my most embarrassing moment, then I could take advantage of it too.

Someone patted my back, and I spun to grin at them. Noah stood there with a sheet cake in his arms. His suit was a navy blue, and his smile was blinding, though I sensed a little bit of nervousness in his stance, too. Every time he shifted his weight, I had to suppress a grin.

“Got the cake,” he said with a small smile. “You don’t think She Said Yes is a little presumptuous, do you? I mean what if she says no?”

I took the cake from him and put it on a nearby table. “Rosaleigh is going to say yes!” I argued.

Noah pulled out a velvet box from his pocket and stared at it adoringly before wrapping his fist around it and sighing. “Yeah. She probably won’t break my heart into a million pieces. I’ve got this.”

I grinned. “How about we bet on it?” I offered. “I bet you she says yes. If I win, you get to owe me one favor.” I was planning a bachelorette party for a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader, and I needed a male stripper. Rosaleigh had already agreed that it would be epic if Noah did it. That girl was seriously the most unbothered, confident woman I knew. I just had to trick him into it.

Noah smiled and held out his hand. “This might be the first bet I hope to lose,” he said with a smile. We shook on it, and he checked his watch. “Shit. I gotta go pick her up. I’ll see you soon. Also Hatch said he might be late. The baby had an ear infection that kept him up last night.”

I nodded. Hatch had a six-week-old at home, and adjusting to life as a parent was proving harder than he originally thought. I was starting to think that his plan of six children with Katie was dwindling down to maybe two.

“No worries. I’ll call him and see if he needs anything. Now go! I’ve got a bet to win.”

Noah kissed my cheek and jogged out the door. I watched his back, feeling proud and slightly emotional that Noah was taking such a beautiful leap. Rosaleigh and he had had their ups and down, but they were solid now. I couldn’t wait to see what their future held—and help plan their wedding.

“Was that Noah?” Joni asked. He was carrying two bags of ice. I loved the way his muscles bulged. I wanted to lick the veins in his forearm.

“Yep. He’s on his way to pop the question now!” I clapped my hands excitedly.

Joni and I were better than ever. I moved in with him just a couple weeks ago when my lease ended at my apartment. It was really nice waking up to orgasms—I mean his smile—every morning. We were still adjusting and learning. For example, he left the toilet seat up and didn’t rinse out the sink after shaving. But despite those annoying qualities, I loved it. I felt...at home.

He set down the ice bags and walked over to me. I lifted up on my toes and kissed him softly. Life was...fucking perfect...but also full of a ton of imperfections too. “Why is there a gold penis made out of balloons hanging from the ceiling?” he asked while staring at my balloon handiwork.

I scowled and followed his gaze. “It does not—” He waited for me to collect my thoughts. “Shit. It looks like a golden penis.”

“Those two strategically placed larger balloons really seal the deal.”

“Fuck,” I cursed as Joni chuckled. “Do you think anyone will notice?”

Joni shrugged. “Possibly?”

I moved to adjust the balls—I mean balloons—when Joni stopped me. “Hey, I wanted to talk to you about something first.”

“Oh okay,” I replied, waiting for him to speak.

“So you just moved in. And things are really great. I love having you in our home.” I smiled at him. Yeah, life was pucking awesome. “And I want to build a life with you.”

My eyes widened. Certainly he wasn’t going to propose? We had spoken about this plenty. I didn’t really believe in marriage. I just loved our solid relationship. I mean, if it was important to him, then I suppose…

He dug around in his pocket, and my blood felt ice cold. He wasn’t going to propose right now, though, right? Oh God.

He pulled out a letter, and I stared at it. “You know Jared has been working with Beth for a while now. He wants me to come play for him.”

I sighed in relief. I didn’t need a piece of paper or a ceremony to know that Joni was endgame for me. Maybe it was weird, but I didn’t think we needed a wedding right now. I just wanted to...love and live with my Prince Charming forever. “Oh!” I was excited for Joni but not sure what that would mean for us. A move? Doing long-distance? “What did you tell him?”

Joni looked at his feet. “Being close to my brother would be a dream come true. And I know you love him, but I turned them down.”

Well, that was surprising. I loved my life in Dallas, but I would be open to discussing a move if it was really what Joni wanted. I could plan events anywhere. “Why?”

“Your business here is doing great,” Joni explained. “I don’t want to be the guy that tears you away from that. Your career is just as important as mine, and long-distance just isn’t an option.” My heart fluttered at his words. “I just wanted you prepared in case Jared brings it up tonight at the engagement party. His flight just landed, by the way.”

My eyes started to water, and I wrapped Joni in a huge hug. “I love you,” I whispered as hot tears spilled down my cheeks.

Joni nuzzled into my neck. “I love you too, Peyton.”

I couldn’t believe Joni turned them down even though being close to Jared would make him happy. I pulled away and looked him in the eye. “I’d be open to discussing it,” I said. “I heard a rumor from a very reliable source that Brock was getting traded there, too.”

“No shit,” Joni replied, surprised.

I nodded. “Let’s talk about it, yeah? Thanks for putting me first, though.”

He pressed his forehead to mine. “Always.”

I closed my eyes. “Always,” I whispered back.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

International Bestselling Author duo Carrie Gray and CoraLee June love crafting characters that make you feel. They are cousins by blood but friends by choice. When Cora and Carrie aren't writing, they can be found in Dallas, Tx either drinking wine, eating chocolate, or chasing after their kiddos.

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ALSO BY CARRIE GRAY AND CORALEE JUNE

Looking to Score

Aggro

Well This Sucks

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Epilogue

About the Author

Also by Carrie Gray and CoraLee June