Page 6

Chapter 6

MICAH

M y small tabletop water fountain always helped center me before I started my meditation and yoga sessions. The tinkling of water cascading over perfectly placed stones was soothing while I rolled out my yoga mat and set up my space. I turned on my playlist and sat on the mat, breathing steadily as I allowed my mind to drift. I loved adding meditation and yoga to my game day routine. Hockey required a lot of physical strength, but there was a great deal of mental gymnastics as well. If I lost focus, that could result in injuries to myself and my teammates, so I took the time to meditate to help me get in the zone when I stepped on the ice.

I transitioned from meditating into the first set of positions to stretch my body. I couldn’t fully bend backward like Tucks, but I was definitely more limber since I’d started doing yoga. Some players on my last team had teased me, but taking extra care of my body would hopefully translate into a longer career on the ice.

I stood up and moved into tree pose to work on my balance. And then I almost fell over as Josie’s laughter filtered through the walls. I shook my head and shifted my weight on my left foot.

I could absolutely focus on my body and each pose and not on how Josie felt against my body. Or why the woman in that image she’d drawn had long hair that I could wrap around my fist like I’d imagined way too many times doing with Josie while I kissed her.

Shit .

I wobbled and planted my right foot down on the mat forcefully.

Son of a bitch.

Waking up with Josie in my arms two mornings ago and then seeing a racy image she’d drawn that featured my fucking dining room table made it too easy to vividly picture us in that position.

Dammit.

I sucked in a breath and plopped my ass back down on the mat.

Fucking hell, I’d even blurted out that I was hungry after staring at her tablet.

Fuck. Me.

At least I’d covered that slip-up by actually making a sandwich and not drooling over the artist sitting at my table and looking way too delectable.

Sometimes, I wondered if Josie was sent to Earth just to torment me.

Jeez. Melodramatic, much?

Fuck, I should not have been thinking about her that way. And I definitely should’ve told Ray that she was staying with me when he’d texted me yesterday. Or two days ago. Or ten days ago, when she’d initially moved in. But it wasn’t like he’d asked about her.

How had she twisted my brain up in only ten days? And I’d been gone for six of those.

I rolled my shoulders and glared at the door in front of me, then stood up, trying to force my attention back to warrior pose, which was next on my list.

Twenty minutes later, I finished up that portion of my routine. Not my best session, but it was done, and I was still not relaxed. I sucked down half of my water bottle and walked over to my puzzle desk. This never failed. Time to tackle two corners of this beast. Setting down my water, I put on my glasses, slid onto the chair, and scanned over the piles I’d made.

Center. Relax. Focus.

I was so ready for it.

“Fucking hell,” I muttered as I tried to fit a piece in twenty minutes later. I was still distracted by Josie and by a short text conversation I had ten minutes ago with her brother, one where I still didn’t mention that Josie was staying with me.

I should’ve silenced my phone when I walked in here or maybe not looked at the incoming text. It’s not like it was abnormal for Ray to send me a good luck message on game day. We’d had a brief and typical exchange, but I felt guilty as hell knowing that his sister was one wall away from me right now.

But again, it wasn’t like he’d asked.

I flipped the piece back and forth between my fingers, having already tried it in five different spots. If I ended up bending this piece, I was going to lose it. Fucking mountains and all their brown and gray coloring that looked identical to the other five hundred pieces. I should’ve picked one with more colors and more variation, but no, I’d wanted a challenge.

Stupid-ass idiot.

I put my elbow on the edge of the table and proceeded to knock two piles to the floor. Why were they so close to each other?

“Dammit,” I yelled, hitting my shoulder on the lip of the table when I crouched down to pick up my mess. I took in a deep breath.

I was not freaking relaxed or centered or focused as I tried to keep the puzzle piece piles separate.

Then I proceeded to knock my head into the table when I stood up. Rubbing my head and then my shoulder, I glared at the stupid puzzle.

“What’s going on in here?”

I huffed out a breath and turned to see Josie in the open doorway, her head tilted in question, no doubt taking in the room.

“I knocked over some pieces and hit my head,” I grumbled.

“You okay?” She took a couple steps closer to me. Shit, now the space was going to smell like her.

Which was ridiculous because she’d been in here before.

I was a fucking disaster.

“I’m fine.” My back hit the table as I shifted backward, and I tried not to groan.

“You sure?”

I sighed and raked my hand through my hair—and dropped a few puzzle pieces that I’d forgotten I was holding.

“Son. Of. A. Bitch,” I whispered, crouching down to pick up the ones that had fallen before quickly standing back up.

“What’s going on with you? You’re supposed to be relaxing so you can be ready for the game. I know I’ve only been here for one pregame ritual, but I don’t remember it sounding so chaotic.”

She was fully in the room right now, way too close for my comfort, her hands on her hips and her arms perfectly framing her gorgeous body.

Fuck, I was pathetic. Maybe I just needed to get laid.

But not by her.

No matter how much I wanted to taste her again. Should I tell her that? Would it shock her? Turn the tables?

Shit . I needed to get a hold of myself and right the fuck now.

“I’m… distracted.”

“Puzzle got you down?” she teased, a small smile playing at her full lips.

That I was not going to taste.

Nope.

No.

No .

“Very funny,” I deadpanned.

“Wait? Is it me?” She twirled a long purple lock around her finger. Hair that I knew was soft as hell.

“You?” Had my voice cracked? “What? Of course not. I just need to take my nap,” I muttered.

She laughed.

I narrowed my eyes. “What’s so funny?”

“You sounded as grouchy as a toddler and then said you need a nap.”

Her eyes twinkled.

Fuck. Me.

“Not a grouchy toddler.” At least I didn’t follow that up by crossing my arms over my chest or stomping my feet for good measure.

She snickered. “Are you pouting now?”

“Don’t you have some drawings or something to get back to?”

She shrugged. “Yup. But this is more fun. Want some warm milk before your nap?”

I moved toward her, releasing a rumble of frustration. She looked like she was trying hard not to laugh.

“Okay, okay, I’ll stop. I know it’s part of your routine, so I’ll let you get to it. We need you in top form tonight so we can beat Minnesota, right?”

I would not enjoy how invested she was in my season.

“Maybe you need something with lavender to help. Ooh, they make the cutest stuffed animals that are scented. I think they’re called warmies. Should I get you one to snuggle during naptime?”

“You are so annoying,” I muttered, but she just grinned back and stepped out of my way so I could walk into my bedroom.

“Have a good nap, Micah,” she called out.

I shut the door, pressed my back against it, and took in a deep breath, trying to re-center myself. Stripping down to my boxers, I padded across the room and slid under the covers.

And Josie’s scent surrounded me. I rolled my head to the side, breathing her in, and my dick hardened.

Son of a bitch. I was one hundred percent getting laid on our next road trip.

***

Twenty-five minutes later, staring at the ceiling and tossing and turning was getting me nowhere. I needed my fucking nap.

Dammit, I did sound like a petulant toddler.

And it was all her fault.

The dirty drawings. Her scent all over my room. The rumpled sheets reminding me that less than forty-eight hours ago my dick had been pressed up against her perfect ass in this bed. The fact that I’d felt so well-rested when I’d woken up with her in my arms yesterday morning, even though I’d only climbed into bed a few hours before.

I sat up and raked my hand through my hair, tugging on the strands. My entire routine had been one disaster after another, and I refused to be off when I hit the ice tonight. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I flopped back down on my pillow and strained to see if I could hear her puttering around the condo, but everything was quiet. What was she doing right now? Working on another drawing, maybe one a bit more tame?

Would she cup her breasts while I ate her out like the woman in the image on her tablet did? Maybe she’d tweak her nipples while I sucked on her clit. Maybe her fingers would clutch my hair, her nails scraping along my scalp.

I squirmed under the sheets, my dick hard as a fucking stone. I was torturing myself, but there was nothing I could do about my brain being a complete asshole right now. But napping with a hard-on wasn’t happening, so I slipped my hand under the sheet and wrapped it around my dick, pathetically jerking myself off, quick and quiet, until I came all over my hand. At least this time, I remembered to leave a box of tissues next to my bed so I could clean up without having to leave my room.

Fucking hell.

I was in a sad, sorry state, and it was the Hurricane’s fault. Not that it was fair to put this all on her, but what the fucking hell was I going to do?

At least the orgasm made me tired. Now, I just had to have a restful nap and not think about all the dirty things I wanted to do to my temporary roommate.

JOSIE

“Let’s fucking go, boys,” Harper yelled out later that night as we sat in our lower loge seats. It was just the two of us down here after Cora had headed back up to the suite. The game was tied at two each; we were five minutes into the second period, and my leg was bouncing.

“Micah looked a bit off first period,” she said. “Everything okay in the Smith household?”

I rolled my eyes at her quirked brow.

“Subtle. So subtle.” I shook my head at her. “It’s fine. We’re totally fine.”

And he’d looked ridiculously fine in his game day suit when he’d left for the arena a few hours ago. He had to have those suits tailored the way they fit him, cupping that insane hockey ass to perfection. Today, he’d gone with a mossy green that made his eyes pop and a crisp white shirt that begged to be messed up.

“Yeah, you look like everything’s fine.” Harper’s humor-tinged voice cut into my daydreaming.

I took a sip of my soda and then gave her my more typical expression. “What? He’s probably just tense because I left a pile of dirty dishes in the sink today. He’s a total neat freak.”

“Uh-huh. Sure. We really going with that?”

“Yup.”

“So, yes, I don’t know your full history or anything, but that man needs someone to rattle his cage. I mean, not enough that he starts sucking on the ice, of course.” She grinned. “Don’t take it too far.”

“Hahaha, very funny. I’m not taking it anywhere.” No matter how much I wanted to. “I’m just a kid sister to him, and an annoying one at that.”

“That’s the best kind. So, there’s never been anything between you?”

That kiss forever ago flashed through my brain.

“I knew it,” Harper said, her grin back in place.

“Knew what?”

“Oh, please. You got this sappy little look on your face. Spill, girl. I want all the juicy details.” She looked so freaking gleeful.

I sighed. “What makes you think there are any details?”

“Stop stalling. You would’ve said a flat-out no real quick if everything was just platonic. He didn’t break your heart or something, right?”

“Nope, nothing like that.” I sighed. “Fine. Yes, I’m attracted to him and have been for years, but we’re like oil and water.”

She rubbed her hands together, the players on the ice forgotten as she gave me her full attention.

“But nothing’s actually going to happen. We had one kiss four years ago, and that was all. He’s fun to look at and even more entertaining to tease, but that’s it.”

“I knew it! So, what happened after the kiss?”

“Nothing. Total mistake. He’d just gotten out of a long-term relationship, and we got carried away one night, but it was just a kiss and nothing else,” I said, hoping my voice still sounded neutral. For all my bravado, it still stung that he’d been the one to say it was a mistake, and at this point, I knew I shouldn’t care anymore.

“But you still want him, and I saw the way he looked at you the last time we were at Tipsy. Hell, he even keeps looking at you when he’s on the ice tonight. I bet he wants to stick his tongue down your throat again.” She wiggled her brows.

I laughed. “You’re crazy. And he’s probably just looking at me because he’s annoyed. I totally ruined his pregame routine.”

“You can’t do that on game day. Torture him any other day, Josie,” she admonished, still grinning.

“It wasn’t my fault. He got all flustered over one of my drawings,” I said.

“Drawings?”

I leaned in, dropping my voice. “I’m working on some spicy illustrations for one of my authors. She’s adding in some bonus content for her readers.”

“Ooh. How spicy?”

Then it was my turn to grin. “The heroine might’ve been spread out on the kitchen table while the hero… um… enjoyed her.”

Harper bounced in her seat. “Ooh, I definitely want to see that. And Micah caught a glimpse?”

I chuckled. “He was scandalized. It was hysterical. Made a comment about the table looking like his, and I said I needed inspiration.” I paused, taking another sip of my soda. “Oh, and then I asked him to stand at the kitchen island to see how he might line up for another image I’m working on.”

Harper barked out a laugh. “Oh my god. I knew I’d love you. That’s fucking awesome. No wonder he had trouble getting into the game tonight. I mean, maybe don’t rattle him right before his routine, but that’s fucking amazing. What did he do?”

“Blurted out that he was hungry, made a sandwich, and got the hell out of the kitchen.”

“I bet he was hungry. Probably for you.”

The thought had crossed my mind when I’d teased him, but I’d shoved it away then and did so again now.

The goal horn blared, saving me from responding, and Harper and I jumped out of our seats. The Stampede had scored, and I had no clue who’d gotten the goal. I stared up at that jumbotron and watched Micah passing the puck to Tally, who then shot it just under the goalie’s leg pads to put them up three to two.

“That’s fucking right,” Harper screamed and clapped along with the goal song currently blaring through the sound system. “Your boy’s back in the game now. That pass was sweet.”

“He’s not mine.”

“Sure. Sure, he’s not.” Her grin bordered on devious.

“But I’m glad he’s playing better now. That first period was rough.”

“I bet he’d like to do you rough. Seems like the type. Those quiet ones, you know,” she said as we sat back down.

“Oh my god, Harper,” I scolded.

She shrugged. “You’re thinking it. Your face is pretty pink right now.”

“It’s cold in here.”

“Sure it is,” she teased. “Okay, I’ll stop for now. And you know it’s all in good fun. I think you’d be exactly what he needs, and there’s so much fun you can have already living in his place.”

“You should know,” I said.

“Oh, I do know. So fucking well. But Connor loved me way before I figured it out. I try not to dwell on it, but I hate that we missed so many years of being together like we are now. We’re having fun making up for lost time, though.”

I chuckled. “I bet you are, but we should probably actually watch the game now.”

“Fine. But you better show me those spicy pics. And I’ll just hope that Micah helps you get inspired.” She wiggled her brows again, and I lightly shoved her shoulder.

“You know I’m not wrong.”

“Whatever,” I muttered.

“Forced proximity for the win.”

***

“It’s a zoo in here,” Harper said later that night as we waited for our drinks at Tipsy.

“Win or lose, it’s always a madhouse on game night,” said Simone, the owner and head bartender, when she passed our beers over.

“And thank fuck we won tonight. That road trip was rough, and tonight was tense as hell,” Harper said.

It’d been a nail-biter for sure. Two minutes after Tally’s goal in the second, Minnesota had tied it back up. It’d been locked at three each until the last sixty seconds in the third when Sin had snagged a goal on the power play. I swore my heart was still racing.

But that might’ve had to do with watching Micah slam into his teammates on the ice to celebrate that final goal and the blinding smile that had lit up his entire face in all its sweaty and scruffy glory.

Fuck me. Yeah, I wanted him, and that desire was only growing every day.

Part of me wondered what he would say if I told him that. A little thrill shot through me just imagining that conversation and how awkward he’d probably get.

“Absolutely,” Cora’s voice said from behind me. I hadn’t even spotted her walking in, so caught up in my head.

“I’m so glad I was able to come tonight,” Anna said right next to her. “But only one drink for me and I’m not staying long. I have a huge cupcake order I have to finish tomorrow morning.”

“We’re just glad you made it. Just the good luck Santa needed,” Cora said, hugging her friend.

“He did look hot out there, didn’t he?” Anna’s grin was dreamy.

“They all did,” Cora said with a matching smile.

“Yes, yes. Hot as hell. Go get your drinks before it gets even crazier in here,” Harper said.

“Hey, Cora, Anna. What can I get you?” Simone asked as we squeezed in closer to the bartop. “Your usuals?”

“Oh my, you look swamped,” Cora said. “And yes, but whenever you get to it.”

“You need more help back there,” Harper added.

Simone laughed weakly. “You’re telling me. Addison had a family emergency back in Washington, and it sounds like she’s not coming back anytime soon. And I needed to hire someone else even before that. Any of you work behind a bar before?”

“I have,” I said. “It’s been a while, but I’ve tended bar at a few places if you want some help.”

Simone handed Cora her pale ale and smiled at me. “Seriously? I know you’re here having fun with the girls, and the guys will be here soon.”

I waved my hand. “Don’t even worry about that.”

“If you don’t mind. Really?” She was already lifting the door up.

“Looks like Josie’s got another new job,” Harper said with a laugh.

“You’re a lifesaver, Josie,” Simone said. “If it’s too much, let me know.”

“Don’t even sweat it. I’ve got this,” I said. “I’ve been looking around for another job, so this would be perfect.”

I’d always loved bartending. Yeah, the customers could be dicks, but I loved meeting new people. And I needed the money.

I couldn’t sleep on Micah’s couch forever, no matter how much I enjoyed staying with him.

I glanced over at the door to see if any of the guys had walked in yet before I moved down the bar to take my first order.