Page 31 of Heartbreak Hockey

“What the actual fuck? We’re adults, Coach.”

That was one of the late guys. Awesome. They’re all gonna be thorns in my side, aren’t they? “Which one are you?”

“Dash.” He crosses his arms.

I check my roster real quick. Dash Nolan. Left wing. “Not fucking kidding you, Nolan,” I say without malice and give what Rachel and Dawson call my look of steel. “And that’s not all. We’ll have two socials a month where you can go off and let loose, but other than that, no bars, no alcohol, and definitely no weed.”

Another hand; one of the twins.

“Name?”

“Stacey Alderchuck. What if we smoke it medicinally?”

“Then I would have your doctor’s note, but I don’t seem to have one from any of you … unless someone forgot to hand one in?”

I eye the room. I try not to let my gaze land on Leslie, but I can feel him there like a sore thumb and I allow myself a quick check-in. His body’s tight like a coil. He chews on that damn lip of his, but this time, it’s to keep whatever he’s thinking from coming out of his mouth. It’s not any less sexy.

“I don’t use it medicinally.”

“Glad we cleared that up then.” I list the rest of my rules in detail. I’m running a tight ship and if they don’t like it, they can sit on the bench. It’s six and a half months of their lives. They want to play hockey? They want to make the NHL? This is the way to do it. Some guys make a career out of AHL hockey, but I know every single player here wants his shot on big ice, even if that means only being pulled up for a few games rather than a permanent position.

I point them to other important information that will be in the PDF that was emailed to them and make them add the location of my office—in my penthouse suite—and my number to their phones.

“Any other questions?”

The other twin—the one I know is going to be the bigger pain in my ass—puts up his hand.

“Did you steal that jacket from the set of the Matrix? Inquiring minds wanna know.”

The room laughs. Yeah, they’re probably not so used to seeing their coach in black leather. “Okay, wise ass. Tomorrow is testing day so I suggest a good night’s sleep. All of you are dismissed, except you, Leslie. You stay.”

He groans. One of the twins teases him about being in trouble on the first day of class. The rest of the team files out subdued and probably plotting my murder. That’s fine. When they play the best season they’ve ever had, they’ll thank me.

Elias raises amused brows at the situation I’m about to deal with. Is the fact that we fucked that obvious? “Catch you later, Coach Meyer.”

Oh boy.

I spin around to face Jack. Emotions bubble to the surface. The infamous butterflies ram like persistent ball bearings in my stomach. Eerie gooseflesh breaks across my skin like a fucking omen. The gut-drop sensation takes me by surprise.

Jesus fucking Christ. I don’t want this. He left. That’s a damn clear message. One I learned early.

I sneer all my animosity at him. Am I a hypocrite because I did the same thing with other guys? Yes, but it’s different now. It’s happening to me. I get it and I’m a changed man. At least I bought them a ride home. Said goodbye. Thanked them for coming over.

Are you really going to ding the guy for lack of manners, Mercy?

Yes, I fucking am.

“Do we need to clear the air, Leslie?”

He shrugs. “Pretty sure I was clear in my note, Coach.”

God, I’m an idiot because I was hoping he’d want to clear the air. Maybe via my dick in his ass again.

Hejust wants to get away from me.

Also, what a little asshole. Does he have to be so cocky and smug, especially while looking like that? Like he dropped off the cover of GQ for hockey players. I want to hate everything about him, but it’s hard when I also think he’s the most attractive creature the world has ever concocted.

How? How did this happen? I’ve never felt this way about a soul in my life and now he walks into my sphere and tramples on my fucking heart while getting my dick to tighten so hard in its skin that I might pass out for lack of blood to my brain.