Page 47 of Shots Fired

I nod once, taking another sip of water. This isn’t the worst news. I could learn a lot from probably the best NHL goalie in recent history.

“I told you I want to go deep into the playoffs this season, ideally lift the Cup. To do that, I need you locked in and focused on hockey and hockey alone.”

Not on your stepdaughter then …

“I told you I wanted this season to be my best yet, and I meant it.”

I begin skating off the ice, and Coach follows.

“Good. Since we have a short rest period coming up, I’m actually due to go see Jensen in Seattle tomorrow after our conditioning session. We’re going to discuss contracts and terms then. I’ll let him know you’re okay with the plan.”

“Oh my God, you weren’t kidding when you said you’d bring the snacks with you.”

With two brown bags loaded with everything I could think of, I follow Darcy down the hallway in her apartment, setting them down on the counter in her kitchen.

She spins around to face me, and I immediately close the few feet between us. When she opened the door a second ago, I wanted to pull her into me, but didn’t get the chance.

She’s wearing a purple dress I bought her with tights and a cute cardigan over the top. “You look amazing in my dress.” With a cocky smirk, I breathe her in like a drug I’ve been reluctantly detoxing from. “How are you feeling?”

She looks at her nonexistent watch. “Since you asked me a couple of hours ago? Still a lot better than when you were last here.”

There’s an easy silence between us as we stand in the center of her living and kitchen space, the light fading fast outside. Only a floor lamp and her under-cabinet spotlights are on, bringing a soft glow to her apartment that shines on her rosy cheeks.

I don’t feel the need to say anything as I appreciate her warm body against mine, dropping my face into the crook of her neck.

“Can I ask you something?” Darcy’s voice cuts through the silence.

I hum into her soft hair, nodding once.

“How many girls have you slept with?”

I pull my head back up and study her closely. “Why do you ask?”

She twists her hands around in front of her, and I take them in mine—confident I’m, once again, crossing fuck-buddy boundaries. That said, so is she with her question. She knows I’m tested for STIs by the team.

“Why do you ask that, Darcy?” I softly repeat.

She looks down, and I release a hand, bringing a finger under her chin. I need to see her right now. I get a sense that ensnaring this girl in my world involves her understanding the real me, which isn’t what the rest of the world sees. I know it isn’t because I’ve never treated a woman in the way I do Darcy.

Her soft breath dances across my lips.

“I guess I’ve never had a fuck-buddy arrangement before, so I don’t know what they usually look like. I will say, I never expected it to look like this though.”

Finger still looped under her chin, I can’t prevent my rogue grin. “How does it look, Darcy?”

“Different.” She chuckles softly. “Do you know all of your former hookups’ favorite snacks?”

She cocks her head toward the brown bags I set down earlier, a packet of Bugles just visible at the top.

“How honest do you want me to be with you?” I ask.

Darcy shakes her head like that shouldn’t even be a question. Trouble is, if she knew the depth of my feelings and what I want, the full truth might not be so appealing.

This is just fun for her, Archer.

“I want you to be really honest with me. Always.”

I tuck a piece of hair behind her left ear while my stomach knots with a barrage of emotions—mainly anxiety—as I search for the best way to put this. “You want to know how many women I’ve slept with?” I brush my thumb across the hand I’m still holding, and I see the goose bumps as they rise on her bare arms. “I don’t think I can give you a number because I don’t know myself. My past is littered with bad decisions and one-night stands, some of which I’ve buried at the back of my memory.”