Page 32

THIRTY-TWO

TEDDY

I tell myself I’m okay as we come back out on the ice for the shootout. But I’m not sure I believe in myself.

We don’t have time for doubts.

I’m not a traitor.

Ridgeway is up first. He’s the best shooter on their team. I set myself and he takes the puck, moving towards me. I only have eyes for my pucky.

“Come to my glove, sexy baby,” I mutter to myself.

He shoots and I move my hand to deflect, but I’m not fast enough and it hits the back of the net.

Son of a money!

Osha takes the puck and skates towards Wolfe. He’s a beast of a goalie. One of the best in college right now. I say a prayer to the god of hockey Osha scores. He takes the shot and—Wolfe blocks it.

Dagnabit.

Now I have to block a shot.

Rhys is next.

I set on him. I have to stop him. Every goalie part of me depends on it. I say a silent apology to him in case this ruins our relationship. My dick will miss him, but I have to trust coach that he will still want to do the dance with no pants with me even if I block him. He pulls his stick back to take the shot and I know right where pucky is going. Instincts take over and I throw my body to the right holding my breath.

Pucky hits me in the chest, bouncing off.

I make a hulk noise and flex. My team roars from the bench.

I catch a hint of a frown from Rhys and my stomach drops out my butt hole. I’ve lost him for sure. Hockey came between me and the only man to give me anal orgasms. A tear rolls down my cheek, but then he smiles.

Right.

At.

Me.

I smile back and all is right in the world.

Sweat drips down my face as the buzzer goes off.

I’m crushed but relieved.

We fucking lost. Again. But Rhys didn’t get the goal. I’m not a traitor. That’s the biggest relief.

Ridgeway managed to get one past me. It’s over. It was a battle until the end and I’m fucking exhausted, but it’s done.

I get up and as much as I want to be happy for Rhys. I need a minute to be disappointed, so I don’t look at him. I don’t want him to see me not happy for him.

The crowd is loud as fuck, people cheering and banging on the plexi in celebration of their team winning.

I start heading for our bench, ready to get my gear off when someone crashes into me and wraps his arms around my shoulders.

“I’m so fucking proud of you, Teddy Bear.”

Rhys.

I close my eyes and sigh, hugging him back. I didn’t know I needed this right now. It feels weird in all our gear, but it’s him and me.

“Good game.” I force the words out and pat his back. We can’t make anyone suspicious out here by holding on to each other for too long, even though that’s exactly what I want to do.

Rhys puts his gloved hand on my helmet and knocks his head against mine. “I’ll talk to you in a few minutes, okay?”

“Yeah.”

He taps my helmet again and skates back to his team. The entire Gods team is on the ice, celebrating as they should be. I make it to the bench, one of the coaches opening the gate for me, so I don’t have to try to get over the wall with all my shit on.

“All right, boys. You played an amazing game. I’m damn proud of you. Let’s go congratulate our competitors on a good game and get out of here.” Coach looks everyone in the eye, then leads the way.

He meets Coach Hawke in the center and we all slap gloves in a line with the other team then head back to the locker room.

I helo-cock-ter to celebrate. The guys just laugh. But Osha stares a little. He’s probably thinking about what a size queen I am. We’re going to bond over that I just know it.

Getting out of our stuff is basically an art form at this point, we all do it on autopilot. It’s quiet as we go, getting showered and changed back into our suits. I refuse to put on dress shoes though, and slide on my fancy green Crocs.

“I can’t believe Coach lets you get away with that.” Blondie nods at my shoes.

“It’s a goalie thing, you wouldn’t understand.”

Checking my phone, I open my messages from Rhys.

Top Me: Tell your guys to come meet us for drinks.

Pretty sure that’s a terrible idea. None of these guys are going to want to go hang out with the team that beat us.

That Ass: y

Top Me: Team bonding?

That Ass: sounds like a trap

He sends me a location and I tell the boys that’s where we’re going without telling them we’re meeting anyone. It’s either going to be fine or a huge fight, I guess we’ll figure it out together.

That Ass: do i need 2 hide my fone again?

Top Me: Probably not a good idea. You’ll forget where you put it once you have a few drinks.

That’s a good point.

“All right boys, bus is ready to go,” Coach yells through the locker room.

“We’re going out, Coach!”

The older man lifts an eyebrow and looks around the room at the players. “Oh really?”

“We’ll find our way back, promise.” I smile at him.

“That’s terrifying.” Coach sighs and everyone chuckles. “Porter, you’re on board with this?”

“Yes, sir. We’ll be fine.”

Coach looks around the room again, meeting everyone’s eyes. “If anyone ends up in the ER for dumb shit, is hungover in the morning, or is arrested, you’re all on my shit list.”

The room erupts in “Yes, Coach.”

He leaves, shaking his head and muttering under his breath.

“Where we going, Teddy?” Osha asks.

I send everyone the location in case we get separated on the way.

“How did you find this place?” Porter asks with suspicion I don’t appreciate.

“Uh…someone told me about it. A little birdie.”

“I’m not going to like this, am I?”

“Have some faith, my guy.” I clap him on the shoulder and lead the way.

“That makes me have less faith!”

That Ass: if this is a trap im gonna be mad

Top Me: It’s not a trap!

That Ass: we’re on our way

It takes a few cars, but we all manage to get to the location. I didn’t expect a brownstone but whatever.

Porter stops me with a hand on my chest. “What the hell is this?”

“Surprise! The Gods want to party with us.”

“Say what?” Shredder pushes his way through the boys.

“It’s definitely not a trap. I was promised.”

Half the team groans, and Porter drops his head back on his shoulders with a sigh.

“Teddy!” Rhys calling my name has me turning toward him with a smile. I’m trying to hold it back, but I can’t. As much as I was hoping to beat the Gods at least once this season, we didn’t. And that sucks, but it’s okay. This man, my man, is one person on the team. I’m proud of him for working as hard as he did.

I walk up the path to the deck, my teammates following slowly behind me.

“Howdy.” I tip my imaginary cowboy hat to him.

He smirks and shakes his head, but waves us in. “Come in, get a drink, relax.”

“Hey, you’re Godfrey, right?” Porter asks my boyfriend that he doesn’t know is my boyfriend.

“Yeah.”

“I’m Porter, captain of the Olympians. Where’s Wolfe?”

Rhys laughs and tells him where to find the big man. Porter quickly disappears, and the rest of the team files in but doesn’t move past the entryway. We’re all shoulder to shoulder and awkward.

“So…this is fun,” Lancelot says and we all chuckle.

“We know we’re supposed to be rivals, and on the ice we are, but most of us have played with you guys at one point or another. So, let’s put the game behind us, workout whatever animosity we all have, and get drunk.”

“Here, here!” One of the guys in the back yells, and Rhys steps back out of the way as the guys disperse.

Rhys is right, most of the guys on my team have played on the same team or gone to camps with someone from his. Hockey is a pretty small world.

“You want a drink?” Rhys nods toward what is probably a kitchen, and I follow.

“As long as it’s not a cocktail.”

“No cocktails, promise.”

“Why are they called cocktails anyway? There’s no cocks or tails in it and they’re served in a vagina glass.” He hands me a red cup with beer from the keg.

“Don’t ever change.” Rhys smiles at me, and it makes me want to kiss him.

He’s leaning against the counter, so I move to do the same, brushing his arm with mine. “How many people know you’re team dick?”

Rhys shrugs. “A couple. You?”

“Same.”

“A few of them know I’m dating the Summerset goalie.”

I nod and take another sip, looking around. “Lancelot guessed it was you.”

“Do you think anyone will be a problem if they know?”

I think about his question, and I really don’t think so. I shake my head. “What about you?”

“If they do, that’s a them problem.”

I drop my gaze to his lips and drag my teeth over my bottom one.

He smiles and leans in to give me a way too quick peck.

“I saw that,” one of the Gods’ players says, smirking into his cup.

“Good for you, you want a medal?” Rhys tosses back. “Teddy, this is Cox, Cox, Teddy.”

“I know who your goalie is,” the man smirks and winks at Rhys.

Being called his goalie makes me happy, but that wink makes me want to growl.

“Relax, I’m not flirting with him.” Cox watches me over the tip of his cup as he takes a drink. “Much.”

“You’re an ass,” Rhys says and grabs my hand, pulling me behind him. Laughter follows us as we leave the kitchen and into a quiet corner. We sit, knees brushing, and Rhys puts his hand on my knee, but it’s hesitant.

I reach for his hand, and he pulls it back, but I grab it and put his palm on my thigh. Not as high as I want it, but higher than my damn knee.

“You handling the game okay?” He looks at me with concern and it melts my heart. I’m even more sure I’m falling hard for him. It’s scary and exciting at the same time.

“I’m disappointed we lost, but I know I did my best and your team had to work for every goal they got.”

Rhys nods in agreement.

“And you didn’t get the winning goal, so clearly, I’m not a traitor.”

He laughs this time. “I told you you weren’t a traitor.”

“That’s something the enemy would say.” In the dark it’s hard to see how bright his eyes are, but I don’t miss how often he drops them to my mouth. “You want to kiss me, don’t you?”

“So bad.”

Wolfe, the Gods goalie, walks toward us holding what looks like a blue Oreo package. “Any one over here like ‘em double stuffed?”

My hand shoots up. “Oh yeah, right here.”

Rhys snorts, and Wolfe hands me some cookies.

“Yeah, you like double the cream too.” He knuckle-bumps me as I shove a whole cookie in my mouth.

“So, so much,” I groan. “I’ve been out of cookies for like a week. I’m dying.”

“That’s blasphemy!” Wolfe hands me more cookies.

“How do you guys eat so much shit and not get sick?” Rhys glares between the two of us.

“It’s a goalie thing,” Wolfe and I say together and bump knuckles again. “You gotta get Lancelot. He’ll want some.” I look around him and find my back up. “Lancelot! Come get double stuffed!”

Everyone in the room starts laughing and Lancelot’s face turns bright red, his eyes wide.

“Hey,” Osha yells back as he drags our teammate over. “If anyone is getting double stuffed, it’s me.”

“As long as they are cream filled too.” Wolfe hands Osha some cookies, which he shoves into his mouth. “What about you?” He eyes Lancelot. “You like ‘em double stuffed too?”

Another player, I think it’s Archangel, comes over. “Who are you double stuffing now?”

“Anyone I want.” Wolfe wags his eyebrows. “Is your name actually Lancelot, or are you just chivalrous?”

Archangel growls. He must be a furry too.

“Oh, that’s a good question!” I say through a mouth full of cookie.

“Just a nickname, my name is Lance.” He shrugs.

“You should tell people you’re related to King Arthur,” I tell him.

Everyone looks at me, but Archangel nods. He knows what’s up.

“You know King Arthur and Lancelot weren’t related, right?”

I wave it off. “Pfft. Yes, they were. Everyone was in Camelot days.”

“I don’t even know where to start with that.” Osha purses his lips, then turns to Lancelot, holding up his last cookie. “Ask real nice and I’ll double stuff you. For science.”

I turn my head to Rhys, who’s fighting back a smile and winks at me. Fuck yeah. That’s happening. I don’t know what it means, but I hope it involves cookies.

Lancelot looks around the group and finally back at our teammate before opening his mouth and sticking his tongue out.

Everyone breaks out into a chorus of “Oh shit,” and Osha slides the cookie into Lancelot’s mouth. Damn, that was sexy as fuck.

I lean in and whisper to Rhys, “Why don’t you ever feed me cookies?”

Rhys turns slowly toward me. The guys standing near us turn too.

“You really need to learn how to whisper.” Rhys laughs.

“I was whispering.”

“Nope,” everyone says together. Rude.

I cross my arms and sit back in my seat to pout. Rhys squeezes my knee and smiles at me.

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Wolfe calls over his shoulder and ushers everyone with him.

I take a minute to gather my thoughts before looking at Rhys again. “I’m really proud of how you played.”

His smile is real. The happy one that gives me hot fluffies.

“Thank you. You made us work for every score. Thank you for that, too.”

It’s my turn to smile. “You’re welcome.”

Rhys changed Teddy’s contact to Double Stuffed

Teddy changed Rhys’ contact to Not The Enemy