Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 152064 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 760(@200wpm)___ 608(@250wpm)___ 507(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 152064 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 760(@200wpm)___ 608(@250wpm)___ 507(@300wpm)
My DMs are full of messages from random women—sometimes Hemi and Hammer will go in and delete them for me when they have time, but they’re currently knee deep in gala preparations—our yearly Terror fundraiser, supporting local programs and community outreach—so I’ve been doing it myself.
The last thing I want is for Tally to see messages from women offering me sex when we’ve barely made it off the bench.
I finish up in the bathroom, pull a shirt over my head, and flip the safety so the guys can let themselves in. Tristan raps once and pokes his head in before he enters, followed by Quinn, Ash, and Connor.
“Kellan going through the motions?” Goalies are their own breed, and Kellan, like Roman, has his own pregame routine.
“You know it.” Quinn glances at the open book on the bed. “Whatcha reading?”
“Tally recommended it. It’s the second in the series. It’s good so far.” Although I’ve been jumping around, reading her favorite passages.
Connor looks over Quinn’s shoulder. “Mildred loves that series.”
He never calls her Dred, like the rest of us. Always Mildred, darling, or little menace. The last is particularly hilarious, because there is nothing menacing about Dred.
“Doesn’t she usually read domestic thrillers?” I ask.
“Depends on her mood. She’ll read just about anything.” A faint smile tugs at his mouth. “We read a lot of romance together.”
“Like she reads a chapter then you read a chapter?” Quinn asks.
Connor smirks. “When it’s dual POV, she reads the heroine’s chapters and I read the hero’s.”
Connor is an interesting guy.
Tristan tips his head. “Huh.”
“I wonder if Shilpa would enjoy that,” Ash muses.
Quinn sets the book down. “You ready to go?”
“Sure thing.” I gather my stuff, and we head out.
The hotel is attached to the arena, so we make the short walk to the player entrance. Photographers snap photos as we head down the hall to the locker room. I haven’t started reading about myself, which means the media hasn’t gotten wind of my relationship with Tally yet. As much as I want to be open about dating her, I’m not looking forward to the attention it will bring.
I set those worries aside. Marinating in what-ifs won’t help me on the ice. I block out everything except for hockey and shift into game mode as I suit up.
Tonight we’re playing Colorado. They’re fighting to make the playoffs this season, while we’re currently one of the top ten teams in the league, but we want to maintain our current position in the rankings.
“How you doing?” Connor asks as we warm up.
“Okay.” I move to a chest stretch. “I’m tight here.”
“I wonder why,” Tristan says dryly from my other side.
“I didn’t overdo the workout yesterday,” I argue.
Connor claps me on the shoulder. “Do you miss Tally?”
“Well yeah, I’m a three-hour flight away.”
“That’s why your chest is tight,” Tristan explains.
“Welcome to the obsessed partners club. You’ve earned your first gold star.” Connor grins.
“Is this what I have to look forward to during away games now?” I grumble.
“Phone sex helps,” Tristan offers.
“Dude.” I give him a look.
“He’s not wrong,” Connor jumps in to defend him.
“Still not things I needed to know.”
Warm-up ends before either of them can add to the overshare moment, and the game gets underway. We score a goal in the first period, but Colorado ties it up at the beginning of the second.
The rest of second period we fight for another goal, but Colorado’s goalie is playing tight, and their defensive line is strong.
“I’m going to get dirty so you can make a clean shot.” Grace winks as we take the ice again. He steps into his villain role and needles their defense, taking a right hook to the jaw. I use the distraction to steal the puck and pass it to Palaniappa.
“You two are all over each other’s jocks.” The Colorado player tries to come for Grace again. “You let him fuck your wife, or just you, Grace?”
I get between them before Grace knocks all his teeth out. “You want a piece of me, I’m right here, but leave the wives out of it.”
He shoves me and the refs blow the whistle.
“Dred won’t be happy with you,” I say as Grace and I skate back to the bench.
“I can only hope there are severe consequences.” He smirks, rubbing his jaw.
The dirty move gives us the powerplay advantage we need. Stiles scores a goal with Bright as the assist.
The chippy play escalates in the third period, and I end up bodychecked, giving Colorado another penalty. Then Grace and I score a third goal, kicking Colorado down another spot in the rankings.
The win feels good, but we’re all sore after the game. I take a long shower, sit in the sauna, and rinse off again. I plan to avoid the bar—I don’t need photos showing up online, giving Tally a reason to worry, or Vander Zee motive to trade me. Besides the media is obsessed with my love life. Any time we go to a bar, there’s speculation; about my relationship with Dred, who I’m secretly dating/fucking, and past hookups love to throw in their two cents. I want Tally to learn things about me from me, not media conjecture.