Page 90 of Hot Puck
I grab a towel and wipe the sweat from my face. I’m about to get another to clean the equipment when one of the equipment guys rushes in.
“I’ve got it.”
I smile. It’s so different having people clean up after me. I’ve always done it myself. Even in college when some of the younger guys were assigned the job of keeping the school gym clean, I preferred to do it myself.
Of course, as Gem pointed out when I mentioned it to her, doing it here means I’m taking someone’s job. “Thanks.”
“There are fresh towels in the locker room.” He holds out his hand for the one I’m slinging around my neck.
“Yeah, okay.” I lower my arm and drop it into his outstretched hand. “Didn’t want to drip over the floor on the way there.”
“Don’t worry about that. Cash has that job this week.”
I smile.
When Gem told me Coach Watts’ nephew was going to be working for the team the rest of the season while staying with his aunt and uncle, I was confused. He’s only a year or so older than the twins. But she quickly pointed out he’s homeschooled, and it doesn’t matter where he is, he can still attend school.
He’s a good kid. Works hard when he’s here. Keeps to himself though. I don’t know the story, but I heard his mom recently got sick—too sick to care for her teenage son—so he’s spending a year with his dad.
Mason Watts is a legend. Like his father before him and his brother Sutton after him. Actually, the whole family are legends. Coach Watts has Olympic Gold and now she owns a team in the NHL. The same league her younger brothers play in.
Yeah, the Watts family is hockey royalty and I’m sure Cash being here is part of his grooming to follow in his family’s footsteps.
My watch beeps again and I quicken my pace. I need to get that shower and change so I’m not late grabbing Candace.
The locker room is empty when I get there and I strip off in front of my bag, leaving my gear on the floor, and head for the showers. It’s always weird being in here alone. The quiet. It’s rare too. Working out extra these last few months means I’m often the only one using the facilities in the afternoons.
Unless it’s a home game day. Then the guys are in here prepping for the game.
Aware of how close I’m cutting it, I don’t waste time washing off. I want to get Candace and be home before the twins get there. We’re quickly heading toward the final weeks of the regular season and at this point there’s no way we’re missing a spot in the playoffs.
Which means less time with the girls because there isn’t a chance in hell I’m going to sit on my ass and cruise through the games. Nope. I’m going to pull out all the stops and that means extra training.
Shutting off the water, I grab a towel and rub myself dry. I’m so used to being in the locker room without clothes on that it doesn’t even occur to me to wrap the towel around my waist when I’m done.
That’s why I find myself walking, dick swinging, through the middle of an empty room when the door opens.
Gem, head down, gaze on her phone walks in, talking as she lifts her eyes. “Hey, I’ve got to stay?—”
Her words stop. Her feet stop.
As the door swishes shut behind her, she stares at me like I’m a alien who’s here to abduct her.
And my dick gets hard instantly.
It always does when she’s around, or I think of her, so most of the time I’m sporting at least a semi. But in the interest of keeping us on the track we set months ago, before Christmas—the friends track—I brazen it out and pretend like I’m not standing in front of her naked, dick now at full attention.
“Hey. What’s up?” I keep walking to my bag, bend over and rummage around for my underwear. I come up with my shirt first. That’ll do.
I’ve got my arms in the sleeves, above my head when I realize she still hasn’t spoken. I glance at her, find her gaze glued to my bare butt, and try to hide my smile.
Oh, yeah, we might say we’re just friends but the way she’s looking at my ass as though she wants to take a bite out of it says different.
“You okay?” I ask. Keeping my arms above my head, eyes on her, I turn. “Gem? Did you want something?”
“I, um,” she stammers when she’s faced with a full frontal, and I sink my teeth into the inside of my cheek to keep from grinning.
There have been days when I thought the only thing I’d ever have with this woman is what we have now. A marriage on paper only and parenting responsibilities of my sisters. But seeing her speechless as she checks me out—stares at my dick—tells me there’s hope.
