The men ferociously slap their sticks together, trying to gain control over the puck. Everett wins, skating the puck toward Bobby’s team’s goalie until Kenneth slams intohis side.
A largethudrings out across the ice as Kenneth topples over Everett.
I stand with my hands over my mouth as I hear Tilly mutter, “Shit!”
As quickly as Kenneth slammed into Everett, a fight erupts between the two men. Their teammates encircle them, trying to pull the men off one another as they throw punches at each other.
Tilly starts laughing! “Tilly!” I turn to face her.
“What!? This is hockey, Bri! They fight. My brothers did this all the time! It’s normal. Let them get their testosterone worked out.” She waves a nonchalant hand in my direction as she continues to giggle at the men.
After they cease their malarkey, Kenneth, Bobby, Biscuit and Everett are dragged off the ice by their respective teammates.
“Get off me!” Kenneth yells, as he shoves Gregory’s hand from his shoulder.
“What the fuck, Ken!” Everett states, wiping the blood from his busted eyebrow. His lip is swollen, his shirt bloodied. Kenneth looks similarly after their quarrel.
“My brother, I was just ensuring the utilization of our nurses. Considering they’re here, why not give them something to do? Like fixyourface?” Kenneth smiles, his teeth bloodied.
Tilly steps up. “All right, boys. Bobby and Kenneth with me. Biscuit and Everett, go to Bri. We’ll get ya fixed up. Can’t ’ave ya ruining Dougie’s celebration day, eh?”
Tilly guides the men to a bench and begins aiding them.
I grab my first aid kit and set up on the bench closest to us.
Luckily Biscuit only needs a couple butterfly bandages to his nose and a pack of ice.
“Goodness, Biscuit, stop getting yourself into silly situations and starting trouble,” I state.
“But miss, trouble’s my other nickname,” he replies, cracking a toothy grin. His adorable gap teeth cause my heart to warm. I have a soft spot for this big lug.
After I finish cleaning the blood off his face, I send him back to the ice. Grabbing some sutures, I look over at Everett. It is ridiculous that he still looks attractive while this bruised and beaten.
“What’s my prognosis?”he asks.
“Well.” I sit beside him on the bench and get the suture kit ready. “I need to place a couple sutures on your eyebrow. I’m going to clean it off, so this may sting some.”
Feeling his gaze observe every one of my movements, I tenderly wipe his eyebrow with medicinal gauze. He doesn’t even wince.
“I’m going to begin the sutures,” I warn, but he just continues to watch me.
My heart begins to beat a little faster within my chest.
I can feel the sweat gathering in my hands.
“I can’t concentrate when you are staring at me like that,” I state harshly.
Everett cocks a half smile. “Then where should I be looking?” he asks.
“I don’t know, but just stop looking predatory.”Jesus, was that the best retort I could come up with? I want to scold myself internally but need to focus on the task at hand.
“All right, I’ll stare at your neck. I quite like your neck. It is delicate,” he states as I smoothly thread the suture through his brow.
“Never heard of anyone liking a neck before,” I reply, threading another suture.
“Oh? When I see your neck, I want to lick it. See what you taste like and wrap my hand around it.” At his words I yelp. My face shoots down to glare at him as my hand accidentally jerks, pulling the suture tightly across his brow.
“Oh shit!” I shout my concern. “I am so sorry!”