Page 105 of From Helsinki with Love
Our kiss is slow and sweet, sending shivers through my body. My cock gets the wrong memo and starts hardening under the towel. If I didn’t have to leave in the next ten minutes, I would let go of the damn thing and take her right here. But that isn’t an option right now.
When we pull away, I rest my forehead against hers. “I needed that.”
A gentle smile spreads across Vivian’s face. “Are you ready for tonight’s game?”
“Yes and no. It’s a lot to process, so I probably won’t even realize what’s happening until the game is over.”
“Just remember that you’ve got many people cheering for you, including me. I can’t wait to see you on that ice.”
I nod, feeling the weight of her words. “Thanks, Muru. Your support means everything to me.”
“Always,” she says, pressing another soft kiss to my lips.
As I get quickly dressed for the pre-game practice, nerves start to creep up on me again. But this time, I feel more confident. I have a team to support me, even if I’m the new guy. There’ll be fans cheering us on, and most importantly, Vivian is going to be in the stands. With her, I can achieve anything I put my mind to.
When I’m ready, I grab my bag and head for the door. “I’ll see you after the game.”
“Good luck, hockey hunk.”
“Thanks, honey. See you later at the arena.”
* * *
“How are you feeling?” Felix asks me as I sit down at my stall next to his. “Are you ready to wear the Peacocks uniform tonight?”
I run a hand over my face. “I honestly don’t know how to feel right now. I had this nightmare where I scored in our own goal. It was awful.”
“That’s normal. I usually see the one where I’m naked in front of everyone before any big games.”
That makes me laugh. “Thanks for the reassurance.”
Felix chuckles. “No problem, Jas. We all have our pre-game jitters.”
I take a deep breath and get ready to do my pre-game routine. Each player has their own, and compared to many, mine is fairly simple; I need to tape my stick a certain way and then have a thirty-minute bike ride before having a shower and drinking a protein shake.
As I tape my stick, my mind wanders to memories of my former teammates laughing at me for having such a simple routine. But I know myself and my body, and this routine gets me in the right mindset before my games. I came up with it during my sophomore year of college and have used the same routine since then.
After I check that everything looks good, I finish my task in hand and head out for the warm-up. The cool air from the AC in the gym hits my face as I take my spot, and I feel my body start to loosen up. I pedal for the next thirty minutes, focusing on my breathing and how my body feels. There are no aches or anything else that I should mention to our coaches and support staff.
As I chug my protein shake fifteen minutes later, on my way back to the locker room after a quick shower, I feel a hand on my shoulder. I turn to see Jeremy Lavigne, the GM of the Peacocks, behind me.
“Hi Jasper, do you have a moment to talk?”
“Um, sure, Mr. Lavigne.”
“Please, call me Jeremy or Jem.”
He walks to the office at the end of the corridor. I follow him, trying to keep my anxious thoughts at bay.
“So, Jasper, I wanted to talk to you about tonight’s game,” Jeremy starts, sitting down at the desk. “As you can imagine, it’s an important one as we’re playing against our biggest rival. But also, it’s your first game as a Peacock, playing against your old team. I wanted to make sure that you’re mentally and physically prepared for it.”
I take a deep breath and nod, trying to project confidence that I don’t currently have. “Yes, sir, I’m feeling good and ready to give it my all tonight.”
“You don’t have to bullshit me. Give me the honest answer here.”
His comment makes me stop fidgeting and look into his understanding eyes. “You want honesty?”
“Always.”
