Page 19

Chapter Nineteen

Hunter

I stare at my phone, the screen's glow harsh in the darkness of my hotel suite. Vancouver's city lights paint shifting shadows across the wall, but I barely notice them. All I can see is Natalie's face from earlier—the flash of hurt in her eyes when I snapped at her in the medical room.

Damn it.

I've never lost my cool like that. Not with staff. Not with anyone who matters.

My thumb hovers over her contact photo. Such a simple thing to type out an apology. To acknowledge she was right about Blake's injury.

But the words won't come.

"You're a selfish bastard, Brody." I mutter, rubbing my face so hard it hurts.

The weight of tomorrow's game sits on my chest like a fucking dead weight.

Usually, a 3-0 lead in any kind of series would feel comfortable, let alone the playoffs. But somehow, this lead?

It doesn't feel comfortable. Not against Vancouver. Not against the team that ripped everything from me twenty years ago. I need this clean sweep series. Need to crush them so completely they'll never recover.

I click open the message thread with Natalie. "How's Blake?"

I delete it and curse at myself.

I try again. This time, typing "Baby, about earlier…"

Nope. Fuck. I delete that too.

She's probably still working, making sure Blake's shoulder has any shot at being game-ready by morning. The last thing she needs is me interrupting her with weak attempts at an apology for a stubborn old bastard.

I toss my phone onto the bed, disgusted with myself. It bounces against the pristine white duvet and I fall back against the mattress along side it.

Then just as I close my eyes, a sharp knock at the door hammers into the silence that's threatening to destroy my sanity.

I drag myself off the bed, muscles protesting after the longest damn day of my coaching career. The knock comes again, more insistent this time.

"Fuck… I'm coming," I growl, padding across the plush hotel carpet.

I pull my robe tight around my waist and yank open the door, ready to tear Jordan a new one for bothering me at this hour.

Instead, I freeze.

Natalie stands in the hallway, her dark hair pulled back in a messy bun. She looks exhausted, poor thing. Her Icehawks polo clings to her chest in a way that has me now loosening the robe, but damn, those damn leggings she loves so much hug every inch of her legs, making it damn near impossible to hide my delight at her sudden interruption.

But it's the triumphant gleam in her eyes that catches me off guard.

I open my mouth. Probably to apologize, to say something about being a fucking dick before… but then her gaze drops.

To the robe.

Her eyes drift down, taking in the fluffy monstrosity that is the hotel's oversized white robe, and her lips part with a giant smile.

"Oh. Wow. This is…" Her eyes continue doing laps up and down, taking in the sight of a grumpy hockey coach in a fluffy gown. "…a whole new look."

I glance down at the ridiculous robe wrapped around me, hotel embroidery stitched into the breast like a badge of honor.

"Shit." I shake my head in embarrassment and Natalie covers her mouth to stop the laughter flooding out. "All right, all right. Stop gawking. I'm taking this off now."

Her lips press together, her shoulders shaking with contained laughter.

“I… nope. Sorry. I need a second.” She lifts a hand, green eyes bright. “This is… a lot.”

Before I can stop her, Natalie whips out her phone, the camera clicking as she captures my fluffy shame for posterity.

"For the team group chat." Her eyes sparkle with mischief. "Coach Brody's new game-day look."

"Delete it." I growl.

"Make me." She bites her lip, fighting a smirk. “This is the best thing that's happened to me all day.”

“Appreciate the compliment.” I cross my arms, robe shifting slightly as I take a small step forward. “You’re late to the party, sweetheart. Could’ve been seeing this deluxe experience all season.”

She tilts her head. “What, you parade around in that every away game?”

“Only for special occasions.”

She lifts a brow. “And tonight is…?”

I should say something cocky. Something flirty. But instead, I glance at her face, and that fucking guilt crawls back in.

Because the truth is, I don’t deserve this playful back and forth right now. Not after today. Not after how I treated her.

I run my tongue along my teeth, trying to push the words out.

I’m sorry. You were right. I was a bastard back there, and I regret it.

Instead, Natalie shifts on her feet, and suddenly she’s the one breaking the silence. because you know what? She's a better person than I am. And here she is, proving that all over again.

She chose me tonight. Even after everything, she’s here, smiling at my worst fucking moments like they're exactly what she wanted.

No grudges. No hard feelings.

Just pure perfection.

Wrapped up in a bundle so damn beautiful, I consider myself lucky to even be standing this close to her.

“Well,” she exhales, pressing her knuckles against the doorframe like she’s testing the stability of it. “If it helps, you almost redeemed yourself.”

My brow quirks upwards. “Almost?”

She shrugs. “Blake's improving. Your favorite person in the world might actually be able to play.”

Despite everything, my shoulders relax slightly. “Are you serious?”

She nods, then lifts an ice pack with a knowing grin. “But before you get too excited, we're still on thin ice. Tomorrow morning will tell us everything. I've given him a last round of anti-inflammatories and told him to get some sleep.”

I exhale, shaking my head in amazement. “Jesus, Hayes. You know I don’t have the stamina for that kind of suspense at this hour.”

Her mouth quirks up, something slow and dangerous. “I highly doubt stamina is your problem, Coach.”

And just like that, the air shifts.

The teasing is still there—but now it’s something else entirely.

My robe suddenly feels too damn hot, and I’m standing too damn close to the one person who already has me half out of my mind.

I take a step closer, watching her throat work as she swallows. "Tell me, Natalie, why did you really come here?"

"To give you an update." Natalie's fingers trail along the doorframe, her eyes fixed on mine with that look that drives me crazy.

The look that's half challenge, half invitation that started this whole damn thing between us.

"You could have sent a message." Another step closer. The space between us shrinks to nothing but crackling tension and the soft whisper of her breath against my lips.

She tilts her chin up. "Maybe I wanted to make sure you weren't still sulking in the dark about your star player being injured."

The laugh rumbles in my chest. God, she's something else. Even when I'm being an ass, she knows exactly how to handle me.

"It's the robe, isn't it?" I tug at the fluffy collar, trying my best to smile as I watch her eyes track the movement. "You wanted to see the robe."

"Mmm." She reaches out, fingers ghosting over the hotel's embroidered logo. "Can you blame me? It's not every day I get to see the great Hunter Brody looking like a spa day gone wrong."

Her touch burns through the thick fabric, setting every nerve ending on fire. I catch her wrist before she can pull away, thumb pressed against her racing pulse.

"Careful, baby." My voice drops low, rough around the edges. "A man might start to think you've got ulterior motives being here so late."

She doesn't back down. Natalie she never does. Instead, those green eyes darken as she steps fully into my suite, moving in close enough that I can smell her intoxicatingly sexy scent.

"And what if I do?"

My heart skips a beat, that shadow of guilt lingering, pulling me back from my deepest temptations for a second.

“Then I'd say you're giving me far more than I deserve tonight,” I murmur quietly, my thumb brushing gently against her wrist. "Especially after earlier."

Her eyes soften, the teasing fading into sincerity.

She shifts closer, voice lowering to a whisper. “Forget it. It’s done. You wanted to win. This is Iron Ridge hockey, it's what we do.”

“Natalie,” I say softly, holding her gaze. “I was an asshole to you.”

She exhales slowly, lifting her hand to cup my jaw, the touch tender enough to unravel whatever resistance I have left.

“Yeah. You were.”

I flinch at her gentle touch, but her eyes remain steady. Understanding in a way that floors me.

“But Hunter? You also trusted me when it mattered. You gave me a chance. Believed in me. No one’s ever done that for me before.” Her thumb strokes my cheek. “That means a lot to me.”

I swallow thickly. How the hell did I get lucky enough for her to see the good in me, even now?

“You’re giving me way too much credit here, baby,” I whisper, forcing a smile even as my throat tightens.

She grins softly, eyes lighting with gentle humor. “Well, don’t get used to it.”

Her words hang in the air between us, and for a heartbeat, everything goes still.

Then she moves.

One second she's there, thumb still stroking my cheek. The next, she's crashing into me, her mouth finding mine with desperate hunger. The kiss steals my breath, ignites every nerve ending as I kick the door closed.

She moans into my mouth, her fingers tangling in my hair, tugging me closer as she presses her stunning body against me.

"Hunter…"

I grab her hips, walking her backward until her back slams into the wall. She gasps into my mouth, the sound shooting straight through me. My hands slide down to grip her thighs, lifting her up as her legs wrap around my waist.

Her fingers fumble with the tie of my robe while I trail kisses down her neck.

"Off," I growl, tugging at the fabric of her shirt. "Need this off."

She arches into my touch, already working the buttons free. "You first. Show me what's under that ridiculous robe."

Without another word, my robe hits the floor as I shove her back against the wall and tear her polo shirt off, desperate for more. I grind my aching cock against her, the friction making me hiss out a breath as she arches, her body begging for more contact.

“Fuck, Hunter,” she pants, nails raking over my chest. Her eyes are dark, pupils blown wide, wild with desire. "Please don't be gentle. The roof was great and all, but tonight, after the day I've had… I want everything you've got. I want you to fuck me."

I growl roughly, my teeth grazing the sensitive spot just below her ear.

"You want me to fuck you, baby?"

She moans deeply, nails scraping down my shoulders. "God, yes. Hard. Make me forget today. Make me forget everything but you."

I tear her leggings down roughly, not bothering with patience, her panties catching along the way, revealing her perfect, glistening pussy. My gaze drops, devouring the sight, my cock jerking with hunger at the slick wetness coating her thighs.

“Jesus, look at you,” I mutter hoarsely, gripping her sexy ass hard, positioning myself right at her entrance. “Fucking soaked, just begging for this cock.”

“Please…” she whimpers, squirming in my hold, eyes wild and pleading. "Hunter, I swear to God—"

My hips drive forward, filling her completely with one savage thrust. Her scream echoes through the suite, walls vibrating with her pleasure as her tight pussy clamps down hard around my cock.

Her thighs quake in my grip, breasts heaving as she clings desperately, nails scoring angry lines across my back. I pull out slowly, nearly all the way, before slamming back into her, deeper, rougher, exactly how she begged me to.

My balls fucking squeeze , and it takes every ounce of strength to not lose it right then. Her head falls back, hair wild against the wall, eyes glazed with pure lust as I fuck into her relentlessly.

“Jesus Christ,” I groan, gripping her ass as I thrust again, hard and ruthless. “You feel so fucking good.”

“Don’t stop,” she begs, nails biting into my skin, hips rolling to meet each powerful stroke. “Harder, Hunter. I need you deeper.”

My restraint shatters completely, hips slamming into her. Her head falls back, dark hair spilling around her flushed face, and she cries out again, louder this time, her voice raw and desperate.

I angle my hips, slamming into that spot deep inside her, and she cries out sharply, her entire body convulsing around me. Her nipples strain against the thin fabric of her bra, so tight I can’t resist grabbing a handful of her breast, rolling her nipple roughly between my thumb and finger, pinching it hard.

She shatters instantly, screaming my name as her body arches violently, pussy throbbing around me as her orgasm rips through her.

The look on her face, pleasure-drenched and utterly fucking beautiful… that's what pushes me over the edge.

"Fuck," I groan, feeling my cock swell and pulse deep inside her. My entire body tenses as I explode, filling her with hot, thick spurts, claiming her completely, drowning in the mindless ecstasy of losing control in each other.

We stay locked together, breathing hard, bodies shuddering in the aftermath.

Slowly, Natalie lifts her head, her eyes half-lidded and heavy with satisfaction. She smiles lazily, lips swollen and gorgeous.

"Phew. If that's how we make up," she murmurs breathlessly, tracing circles on my shoulder, "I might start fighting with you more often."

"Make up sex, huh?" I catch her wandering hand, pressing a kiss to her palm. "Careful what you wish for. I can think of about fifteen rules we just broke, and that's not counting the ones about proper workplace conduct."

She smiles, eyes sparkling with mischief. “Then it’s a good thing I never cared much about rules.”