Page 3 of Playing for Keeps (Seattle Hawks Ice Hockey #4)

Jay

“You know, the guys warned me about hanging out with you, JJ. But they’ve got it all wrong.

You’re a riot!” Jake Hudson, my teammate, right-winger, and new recruit last season, whom we’ve all taken under our wing, slings an arm around my shoulder as we walk into the aptly called Hawks Nest Bar.

My other teammate, Taylor James, our star striker who won the Conn Smythe trophy for the most valuable player during the Stanley Cup playoffs, isn’t far behind us.

We met up for a quick bite and now Jake wants to buy us a drink before we call it a night.

Taylor spent the better part of the offseason with his girl, Emmerson.

She’s just moved from Florida back to Seattle, and Taylor’s mom has been fighting an illness, but is thankfully well on the road to recovery.

“Hey, I try my best,” I snicker.

“Just wait until he gets on the karaoke machine.” Taylor rolls his eyes. “Then I’m most definitely out.”

We don’t hang out with Jake a lot and I didn’t see him much over our break. During the off-season he took a trip to see his folks in Canada, and he returned just before the first game.

“The chicks love it,” I tell them. “Stick with me, Jake. I’ll show you a thing or two. We should be up to our eyeballs in puck bunnies in no time.”

I know that will mean Taylor is definitely out. He’s a one woman guy these days, and since he got back together with Em during the finals last season, his attention is only for her.

“Sweet.” Jake rubs his hands together, clearly anticipating how that’s gonna look.

Like he needs any help from me. Since he’s the rookie of the team, I suppose we’ve all taken him under our wing in some way.

He’s not small by any means, or a giant either.

He’s just on six foot, same as me, so not exactly a baby, but solid as an ox with light brown hair and dark blue eyes.

My eyes scan the bar as we walk in, but it’s so dark in here I can’t see much .

I’m bummed Ty couldn’t be here tonight, but he’s with Cindy.

Ty’s another one who also spent the better part of the off-season away, opting to hibernate at his place in Mercer Island with Cindy, avoiding the press with some personal shit he’s had going on.

I can hardly blame him. It was a rough time for him last year.

The last time we were in a bar, I hauled his ass out of it. It was right when some shit blew up with his ex. I took him home, where Cindy was waiting. He wasn’t in good shape then, but he’s doing better now, and everything thankfully died down.

It’s difficult sometimes when you’re a high-profile player and the press wants a look into every aspect of your life. Ty used to be a wildcard like me, but now he’s settled down and abandoned his playboy lifestyle. Something I’m yet to even contemplate.

As we navigate through the crowd, I immediately spot a brunette and a blonde at the bar as we hedge closer. It’s pumping for a Thursday night, so there’s a good chance I’m gonna hit the jackpot as well as the dance floor at some point.

I beeline for the vacant seat next to a petite blonde sitting with her back to me and give Jake a wink. Taylor tells me to order him a beer while he makes his way to the men’s room.

I plonk down at the bar oh-so-casual, while a cute bartender walks over.

Her eyes are immediately agog as she glances from Jake to me, then back to Jake again.

She clearly recognizes us. It happens a lot; we’re used to it.

Her dark eyes soften into a flirty smile and she flutters her eyelashes as she leans over toward us, resting her elbows on the bar.

“What can I get you?” she hollers more to Jake than me. I don’t hear his exact reply because I’m looking sideways at the blonde who seems to go out of her way to ignore me while she chats to her friend, but I know Jake is saying something dirty because I hear a faint giggle from the bartender.

“And two for the ladies.” I nod to my left. The blonde turns her head briefly but doesn’t look directly at me. The one with chestnut hair down her mid-back, tilts her head around her friend to get a look at me.

“Thanks,” she mouths. Giving her friend a little nudge that I don’t miss.

“What are you drinking, anyway?” I ask over the music.

Blondie tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and shakes her head. “I’m fine, thank you.”

I scrunch my forehead in confusion, my eyes flicking to the brunette.

“Two cosmos please,” her friend offers with raised eyebrows and a shrug.

The corner of my mouth tugs up in a smile when I see blondie elbow her friend back.

Jake remains engrossed in conversation with the bartender, who shows no sign of making our drinks.

I don’t worry about it, I’m sure they’ll come eventually.

I can’t see the blonde’s face, but I know she’s small, cute, and smells like a dream; like sugary cake or some sweet candy. It’s fucking intoxicating.

“Is your friend okay?” I call to the brunette through a cupped hand amidst the music and flashing lights. I know she hears me.

The pretty brunette blinks rapidly as we lock eyes over the other girl’s head.

“She’s just shy,” she says with a shrug.

I glance down at the woman next to me, my eyes quickly raking her over. She’s wearing a white tank and tight-fitted jeans. A row of gold bracelets gather on one tiny wrist, and a gold charm bracelet dangles on the other.

I lean into the bar on my elbows, still trying to capture her attention.

“I don’t mind the shy ones,” I say, just as the music ends and the last two words come out in a shout, during the brief pause before the new song starts.

Her friend laughs and I see the quirk of a smile on blondie’s perky lips.

Fucking hell, I’m an ass.

I run a hand through my wayward locks as the bartender finally tears herself away from Jake. I glance at him, he raises his eyebrows at the same time the bartender slides her number over to him.

I shake my head with a laugh. That took all of five seconds.

“Thank you,” Blondie finally says, glancing at me when the drinks slide in front of them. I immediately take a swig and place my beer bottle back on the bar.

I flash her a grin as she quickly looks away. “What say me and my friend here meet you two out on the dance floor?” I thumb beside me, though I’ve no idea what Jake is actually doing, or Taylor, for that matter.

The brunette doesn’t even let her answer before she accepts on her behalf. “We’d love to, right, J?”

I lean in again. “Come on, J. What’s one dance?”

I hear a sigh of resignation in her tone as she grabs her fresh drink and brings it up to her full, succulent lips. I watch the liquid disappear into her mouth, her tongue quickly licking the residue on her bottom lip.

Jesus fucking Christ.

“Maybe,” she finally says.

My eyebrows shoot up in surprise. I’m guessing her friend might have an inkling about Jake and I, but I’m not sure.

Since blondie has barely looked at me, she probably doesn’t.

And it doesn’t worry me one bit. Sometimes I like it better when they don’t know.

I watch the side of her face for a moment, there’s something familiar there, but I shake it off. “Maybe?”

“I don’t usually dance with strangers,” she offers with a shrug of her slight shoulders.

An increase in my heart rate tugs at my chest. Hearing her sweet, musical voice, even though my smile is casual and carefree, has me gunning for more. Especially when there are parts of my body feeling stiff and rigid. “Well, you can make the exception tonight, can’t you?”

“She can.” Her friend nods, clearly hearing every word I’m saying. I don’t know how, since the music is so damned loud I can barely hear myself think. She tugs at her friend’s hand. “We’re just going to go to the ladies’ room.”

Before I can say another word, they both slide off their stools. I watch them both work their way through the crowd towards the back.

Either they both really have had enough of me, or they really are seeking out the restroom.

I hear Jake laughing next to me. “Striking out so soon, Buddy?”

“Fuck off, they’re going to the bathroom,” I say.

“You losing your touch, Jay?” Taylor takes a pull of beer as he glances down at his cell.

“Nope. They both just agreed to dance with me,” I lie. “I’d say that’s a win.”

Lord knows if they’ll come back. The little one didn’t seem too impressed, though I caught the makings of a smile at least twice in the corners of her pretty little mouth.

By the time we’ve finished our drinks and Taylor has decided to go home, there’s no sign of the cute girls, so I go in search of some fun. Jake agrees to come find me when he’s finished gabbing to the bartender who can’t seem to keep her eyes off him.

I’ve never had a problem going it alone.

Walking into a room of strangers doesn’t intimidate me at all.

I guess it’s come from years of practice.

Some call it cockiness, but I like to think it’s the shield of protection I’ve built for myself over the years, showing outsiders what I want them to see.

I’m just the funny guy who likes to have a good time and make people laugh. Yep, I’m still that kid from senior year. I’ve just gotten better at hiding it.

I’m already swaying my hips to the beat when the song finishes and a reggae beat starts up, the tempo in the bar completely shifts.

It’s then I spot the two girls from the bar in the middle of the dance floor.

Blondie has her back turned whilst the brunette is waving her arms over her head, motioning for me to come over.

A wicked grin plays on my lips as I hold my beer in one hand and edge my way past the slow dancing bodies to get to the pair.

I sling an arm around the brunette happily. “There you two are.”

“You found us,” she giggles, a little tipsy, I think. “You’re a hockey player, aren’t you?” She doesn’t wait for my answer as she turns to her friend and gives her a shake. “J, he’s a hockey?—”