Edge(30)

He’d told me he was drunk when I texted him last night. And how did drunken nights always end for hot hockey players? I of all people knew the answer to that.

I wiped a single tear from the corner of my eye and took a deep breath. Fortunately, no one but me knew I was stupid enough to think a hot, multimillionaire pro athlete would be wowed by my lip gloss and pink scarf.

With a glance at the parking lot of a fast food joint, I braked hard and turned in. I drove up to a garbage can, threw my car in park and tossed the scarf in. Why had I let myself think our hands-off flirtation would compare with the dirty sex other women were dying to have with him?

I had to get my head on straight. With his sporadic play, Luke could end up with our team for a while. And I couldn’t afford to be emotionally unbalanced in his presence. I needed to distance myself from him, and from the way he made me feel. Right now the scarf wasn’t the only thing I never wanted to see again.

***



Luke





The dull ache in the back of my head wouldn’t fucking go away. It was worse than getting hit in a game because those hits hurt like hell and then went away. This pain had been with me since this morning, and the aspirin I’d swallowed hadn’t made a dent.

So much for my plan to be sharp for tonight’s game. I was hungover. When I’d told the guy at the front desk of the hotel I didn’t need a receipt for the room, Niko had asked me on the elevator ride upstairs just how much money I made. When I told him, he’d flipped me off and said he was cleaning out the entire stock of booze and food in the room – along with the robes and towels.

And that was how we’d ended up doing several shots while we waited for our food to arrive. He was a cool guy who told me about his Russian immigrant parents and his hope to one day make the kind of money that would allow them to retire.

We’d eaten steak and passed out in our rooms. It was the best night of sleep I’d had since getting here. And even though I was hungover, I felt recharged. Hanging out with Niko reminded me of Ryke. And it was damn good to get the hell away from V for the night.

The rink was empty when I passed it on my way to the locker room. I was early to the pre-game skate because I wanted to see Dell. Somehow I knew she was right – today would be better than yesterday. Her encouraging words from last night made me wish I could sweep her up in a hug of thanks. I wasn’t normally a hugger, but something about her made me want to. I’d be able to smell her and feel her body against mine. This not touching thing fucking sucked.

Only Mikey was in the locker room when I walked in. He was lining up equipment, slow and meticulous as always.

“Hey, man,” I said with a wave.

“Morning, Mr. Hudson.”

“Luke. What’s new, Mikey?”

He shrugged and laughed nervously. Poor guy seemed to be afraid of me. He was about half my size, but I wasn’t an intimidating asshole or anything.

“Uh, did you need a new stick?” he asked.

Oh, right. Last night I was an intimidating asshole.

“Thanks, but I’ve got extras. I haven’t broken a stick like that in years. It was just a really shitty game.”

“I’m sure you’re anxious to get back to your team,” he said, brushing his hand over one of the hanging game jerseys to get rid of some lint.

“Nah, it’s not so bad here.” I pressed one of my feet onto a bench, stretching into a lunge. My body was itching to go. I needed to go lift light weights before the pre-game skate.

“Is there anything I can do for you?” Mikey asked.

“Yeah, when Dell gets here can you tell her I need to see her? I’m going to the weight room.”

“Yes, sir.” He was in his 20’s, but he was so lanky and awkward he seemed like a kid to me. A good kid.

“Thanks, man. Hey, you want to get a beer after the game tonight?”

He looked side to side to see if I was talking to someone else. “Me?” His voice cracked and I couldn’t help smiling.

“Yeah, you.”

“Sure,” he said quickly. “Yes, I’d like to.”

“Cool. I promise not to break any sticks tonight.”

I headed for the weight room, glad it was empty. I didn’t like talking when I was lifting, even when it was light weights.

With my headphones in, I got lost in my pregame playlist. I’d been at it more than 45 minutes when Niko came in and nodded in greeting.

“Hey, is Dell here yet?” I asked, sitting up on a bench and wiping a sheen of sweat from my forehead.

“Didn’t see her.” Niko put in his headphones and we both worked in silence. Scroggins came in a few minutes later and I asked him about Dell, too.