Hot as Puck(22)

Chapter Ten





Justin




At practice I suck harder than I’ve sucked since my rookie season, when for a little while I wasn’t sure I had what it took to skate with the big boys.

I miss half the pucks during passing drills, give up a shorthanded goal while quarterbacking a power play, and fall on my fucking face after botching a slap shot during the final scrimmage. By the time coach calls practice at a quarter ’til eight my body is nearly as bruised as my pride, and I head for the tunnel with a dark cloud hanging over my head. In the locker room, a pair of smartass blueliners ask if I missed my nap today, and Schwartz shouts that he hasn’t seen stick work like mine since he left the minors.

I’m about to tell him to take his stick and shove it up his ass when Nowicki has the nerve to defend me, telling Schwartz, “Shut the fuck up. Everyone has a bad day every once in a while.”

“I don’t need your pity, rookie,” I snap, shoving my shoulder pads into my locker with more force than necessary. “Keep your Boy Scout shit to yourself.”

“Fine. Fuck you, too.” Nowicki shrugs out of his jersey, muttering something foul beneath his breath, and out of nowhere I hear Libby’s voice in my head, telling me not to be an asshole.

It isn’t Nowicki’s fault that my focus was for shit today, and I did promise Libs that I would apologize to Tanner for being a dick at my party. Besides, as my shit show of a practice so helpfully reminded me, it isn’t easy being a rookie. Nowicki might have a touch of ADHD, but he works hard and he’s having a solid first season. He’s going to be an asset to the Badgers long term, and could probably use a little encouragement as much as the next newbie.

“Hey, Nowicki…” I take a deep breath. “I’m sorry. And sorry I chewed your ass last night. Libby’s been my friend since we were kids. I saw you two talking close and I overreacted.”

Nowicki frowns, studying me out of the corner of his eye like he’s waiting for the punch line of a bad joke.

“I’m serious,” I continue. “You did good work out there tonight. And at the last game. Keep it up and you’re going to see more ice time. No doubt.”

“Thanks,” he says, cautiously. “And I wasn’t trying anything with your friend. We were just talking.”

“You were drooling on her chest, man. Don’t push it.”

His lips quirk. “Well, you can’t blame a man for looking.”

“Oh, yes, I can,” I say, temper flaring. Nowicki wasn’t just looking, he was thinking about touching, and after this afternoon, the thought of anyone else’s hands on Libby makes me want to put a fist through a wall. Or maybe Nowicki’s fucking baby face. “You don’t look at her again, asshole. I’m serious.”

“Hey, she could do worse.” Tanner backs toward the showers with his hands lifted in surrender. “I’m a nice guy, Cruise. And you know what they say about nice guys.”

“They finish last?” I snap as I wrap my towel tight around my hips.

“They get the good stuff in the end. There are rewards for being there to pick up the pieces after a girl’s been screwed over by the dicks of the world,” he says, a smug grin curving his lips. “A grateful pussy is a beautiful thing.”

“Go. Shower. Right now. Before I remember how much I really don’t like you.”

Nowicki laughs and ambles toward the steam rising from the other side of the room. I’m still debating whether or not to stick my sweaty jockstrap in his helmet as punishment for talking about Libby’s pussy, even in a sneaky roundabout way, when Brendan appears beside me, already showered and in street clothes.

“You need to talk?” he asks, his forehead furrowed and his blue eyes looking genuinely concerned.

“No.” I slam my locker closed. “Just having an off day.”

“You sure? Seemed like something was under your skin. Or in your head. You still seeing that shrink?”

“She’s a meditation expert, not a shrink,” I grumble. “And no, I haven’t been in a while. But that’s not what’s wrong. I just…” I stretch my head to one side, fighting the knot forming in my neck. “Just had a weird afternoon. Some crazy shit went down with a friend, and I didn’t have a chance to talk things through and figure out what happens next, you know? She just bailed and told me to get lost and now…” I sigh. “Fuck, I don’t know.”

Brendan nods slowly. “So you and Laura finally slept together?”

“What?” I frown so hard it sends a flash of pain through my skull. “Hell, no. Jesus! Why would you even say something like that?”