Page 19 of Branded (Breakers Hockey)

Nineteen

Smitty

I walked down the hall after my appointment with Hazel, glad that we didn’t have any additional sessions scheduled.

I’d read through the papers she’d given me.

Was in agreement, for the most part, with what the results and additional information stated.

But that was as far as it went.

Interesting information.

What that had to do with improving the team, I didn’t know.

Of course, I couldn’t say that . Hazel was good at her job, and probably had her reasons, so I was just going to go along with what she said, strap in and take that roller-coaster ride, and leave the majority of my focus for the team.

And for Kailey.

Because that was more interesting than understanding why my brain worked the way it did.

Now, I’d finished with Hazel, needed to get ready for practice.

But…I needed to see Kailey.

So, I was bypassing the locker room, slipping down the hall as sneakily as my big ass frame could, and determined to sneak a few moments with the woman who was responsible for all my…chafing.

my lips were curved as I peeked into the office.

Then curved further when I regarded the scene in front of me.

Her hair piled on top of her head, a pair of tortoiseshell glasses perched on her nose. She was curled up in her chair, gaze on her computer, fingers moving rapidly across the keyboard.

Beautiful.

Sexy as fuck.

My office fucking fantasy I hadn’t known I possessed flaring to the forefront of my mind.

And then she looked up, saw me standing there…and her face softened, the corners of her mouth turning up into a small smile. “Hi,” she said shyly, pink appearing on her cheeks.

“Little bird,” I murmured.

Her hand lifted, pushed a strand of hair off her face, tucking it behind her ear.

“I dreamed of you last night.”

She shivered.

I crossed to her. “Cold?” I asked, leaning a hip against her desk, close to where her right arm rested.

That arm rose, brushing my thigh, making my cock twitch, and dropped onto her lap. “You know very well that I’m not cold,” she said, and fuck, I loved when she got a little pert with me. I wanted to hear that same tone ordering me around in bed.

My stare flicked to her chest, to where the hardened buds of her nipples were pressing against her shirt. “I don’t know”—I shifted a little closer—“you seem a little cold to me.”

Those cheeks went pinker, but her chin lifted an inch, and her eyes narrowed.

“God, you’re sexy with those glasses and your hair like that,” I said. “Will you play teacher-student with me? Or librarian and naughty patron who’s making too much noise in the reference section?”

Her mouth dropped open. “ Smitty,” she exclaimed.

“What?” I asked innocently, then shifted the messenger bag so it was covering my crotch…and my twitching dick that would soon be a full-fledged erection if I didn’t stop thinking about naughty librarians…

Or patrons.

Or Kailey as a teacher, pulling out her ruler and?—

Focus.

I managed to, but Kailey was already turning away from me, reaching down by her feet.

“I didn’t want to do this,” she said softly, her breasts bouncing lightly as she straightened, “but the guys picked up on what happened between us, and”—her eyes flicked to the bag she’d retrieved from the floor—“after that ”—a gesture toward my body, face to hips—“I have no choice.”

Okay, so my and Kailey’s relationship already being picked up by the Breakers gossip fiends wasn’t ideal.

I’d been hoping to keep her to myself for just a little while longer, to avoid the nosey fuckers and the gossip and what would no doubt be deemed “ helpful ” interference.

At least for a few days.

Because I wasn’t exactly slick.

My feelings were big and loud and, hell, even that personality test I’d taken said I wasn’t good at hiding what was in my heart.

What people saw, they got with me.

She pushed back, sliding the black cloth-covered chair away from me, and I went from disappointed at her moving away from me to distracted from the thoughts of the gossip and my heart on my sleeve to distracted by her body again when I saw her curves filling out her jeans.

Now, if she’d only turn around.

Because, fuck, I liked that ass.

Her breasts were everything I’d imagined they’d be.

But, God, I wanted her ass naked and my hands on it, squeezing the twin globes, dragging my mouth over it, my teeth, my tongue.

And miracle of fucking miracles, she turned enough to give me a glimpse of her ass in those jeans as she started to push her chair back into her desk.

“You don’t have any comment on that?” she asked archly, her eyes hitting mine over her shoulder and fuck, this little tart, this gorgeous, beautiful sexual woman, was driving me absolutely crazy.

She moved to stand in front of me.

One more kiss.

One more taste.

I wanted… more .

Fucking hell, I wanted more.

“Oh?” I countered, not remembering in the least what the fuck we were talking about, only holding my breath as she shifted a little closer, her thighs brushing mine. She lifted an arm, rested it on my arm.

Except, that brought the material of her shirt tight over her chest.

Over her breasts.

Oh, I wanted my mouth back on those, too.

Her hand slid down my arm, opening my palm, pulling my fingers flat, but I was too fucking focused on her breasts to notice what she was putting in my hand, especially when the movement of her arm made those fucking perfect tits bounce and?—

“Open it.”

I blinked, looked down between our bodies, and saw the medium-sized gift bag hanging off one hand.

Obediently, I pulled out the tissue paper, reached in.

“They said I should give it to you because you like?—”

I pulled out the item…and squealed.

Yes, like a little bitch.

And then, yeah, it was a pussy move, but I launched the furry stuffed toy away from me, shuddering. “What the fuck?” I exclaimed, eyes hitting hers. “What the actual fuck?”

She frowned, uncertainty hitting her expression for the first time in a while with me, and I hated that I’d put it there.

But that…

That, sir , was a fucking wombat and…

Jesus Christ.

I shuddered again, cradled her against my chest as I kicked it farther away from me with the very toe of my boot.

She pulled out of my hold, crouched, flashing me that ass, and it was almost enough for me to move toward her, to go near that thing, and take her in my arms and?—

“Don’t,” I began.

She rose, holding the stuffed toy in her hands.

And I had to physically ground myself to not move back. Fuck. The thing had little black beady eyes that were piercing straight into my soul.

“Do you not—?” Her eyes flicked to mine then down to the monster she held. “Are you scared of a…wombat?”

“Don’t say their name,” I said, averting my gaze, and in doing so, seeing that we’d gained an audience.

Theo and Raph were in the doorway, arms crossed, mouths turned up into a smirk.

Were they fucking serious right now?

They were trying to usurp my role as the ultimate shit-giver, prankster, and they were doing it in front of Kailey? Getting her involved. My woman involved.

“You fuckers,” I growled, taking a step toward them.

Their smirks increased in wattage.

“Conner.”

Her soft voice drew my gaze back to hers.

She still held the toy.

“Can you—?” A nod that had her glancing down at her hands, biting back a smile. But she set the toy down on her desk, and I ignored her eyes dancing with mirth.

Then she stepped closer. “I didn’t know,” she whispered. “No, that’s not fair. I knew Raph was up to some mischief.” She pressed her palm to my cheek then bit and released her bottom lip. “But I didn’t think it was something that would scare you. I’m sorry.”

I liked when there was fire in her eyes.

I hated the uncertainty that had drifted in during this conversation.

So, I ignored the fuckers in the hallway. I’d deal with them later. Then I moved to her, took her tiny, capable hands in my own, and brought her close.

Progress that she didn’t resist me, even in front of our audience, when she let me pull her close. “They’re just fucking with me. Don’t worry about it.”

Concern in those green eyes. “Why?”

My mouth turned up. “Because we’re hockey players and around each other too much and we’re basically overgrown children and—” I shrugged. “It’s what we do. What I do. Keeps the room light. Just usually…”

Her face went gentle, but a bit of laughter danced along the edges. “It’s you who gives the shit, instead of receiving it?”

“I—”

“He means yes,” Raph chimed in.

Unhelpfully.

That was an unhelpful chime in. For the record.

In case anyone was wondering.

“Why are you fuckers still here?” I growled over my shoulder.

Now delight danced in her eyes. “Is this part of being friends?” she teased. “Are you going to give me shit?”

Now delight danced in my stomach , bubbling up and sliding through my veins, filling me with happiness. “I’m gonna give you something,” I muttered.

She grinned. “God, I hope so.”

A wave of heat. My cock dangerously close to needing that shield again. “What is it for you?” I asked. “Not wombats, obviously. Spiders? Snakes? The creepy crawlies that live on our skin?”

Her head tilted to the side, studying me. “Why would I tell you that?” she asked softly.

“Because that’s what friends do?”

“Is that what we are?” Her teeth pressed into her bottom lip, but this time it appeared that she was attempting to conceal a smile. “Because I kind of thought what happened yesterday meant…”

“What happened yesterday?” Raph asked, the fucker drawing me out of the conversation, and I knew those fuckers were still in the doorway, probably able to hear every word and preparing to give me shit for it and?—

“Hold that thought,” I said softly, stroking the backs of my knuckles along her throat, dipping into the slight v of her top. Then I stepped back and moved to the door, shoving the guys out. “Fuck you,” I said, glaring at Theo. “And fuck you ,” I snapped at Raph.

Then the door was slammed.

I spun back…

The wombat had made itself a home on top of her monitor.