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ONE

Beck

T here was only one thing that smelled as good as pussy, and that was the scent of victory.

At the end of a long game, when I could stand in the middle of a bar and hold my beer in the air, shouting to my team, “To another win for the Whales,” that was the most indescribable feeling.

The air thickened as my teammates moved in closer, huddling around me, repeating the words I’d just voiced.

Which I followed up with, “And to fucking destroying Boston—for the second time this season.”

“Five to one,” my left defenseman called out. “I’d say that’s a shutout.”

“Almost a shutout,” I countered. “But I’ll take it.” I looked at each of their faces. “I’m proud of you guys!”

“And to our captain, for getting us a long-needed break,” my right wing declared.

“Use it wisely,” I ordered. “Cheers!”

“Cheers,” they all repeated.

I kept my beer high, booze sloshing over the sides of most glasses while we attempted to clink them together.

Once they hit, I took a long sip, and the huddle loosened around me, giving me just enough space to move out and position myself along the front of the bar.

I was placing my back against the bar top, getting a full view of the room, when my goalie joined me.

Landon clasped my shoulder. “You know, you’ve got some balls to give a toast like that while you’re in a bar in the center of Beantown.”

I shook my head, laughing. “You know I give zero fucks.” I moved to the right and left, as if we were in a boxing match and I was dodging his punches.

“What, is someone going to fight me? Here? In front of my entire team? Come on, man. There isn’t a single motherfucker in this bar who could even lay a finger on me. ”

Landon had transferred to LA a season ago after spending two seasons in Boston.

So, when I’d taken it upon myself to encourage our coach and manager to switch up our travel schedule to spend tonight and the next two evenings here, rather than Washington, DC,—the team we were playing next—Landon was all for it.

I’d noticed that when the East Coast fellas came to play on the West Coast, they never entirely gave up their love for home.

I wouldn’t know.

Aside from attending Michigan State, I’d spent my whole life in California.

“Beck, you don’t know this city like I do.” He released my shoulder and held his beer with both hands. “The dudes around here will fight at the drop of a hat—even less. If you give zero fucks, I assure you, they give even less. Shit, they look for reasons to raise their fists.”

I dragged out my exhale longer than I needed to. “I fight for a living. I train for hours every day, just like you. I’d like to see them try to beat my ass.” I gave him a smile. “Hell, I’d welcome it.”

“You’re a fucking animal.”

“That’s why they call me the wildest one.” I wrapped an arm around my chest. “Enough about that. You played a good game tonight, buddy.” I unraveled that arm to pound his fist.

When he pulled his fingers back from bumping mine, he ran them over the top of his blond hair, which hadn’t been cut all season, his strands popping off in every direction, like one of those spiky plants.

Our team, like most, was superstitious—some didn’t cut their hair, some didn’t shave, and some didn’t do either.

When I was home, my barber came to my house every week to trim me up, but my face was an entirely different story.

My beard had been growing since preseason.

“The game started off a little shaky.” He pulled at his open collar. “I didn’t think we were going to get the win.”

“Our defensemen just needed to get their bearings. That’s why I pushed to stay here.

I can’t fucking stand flying cross-country and playing the same night, and I know we had no choice with our schedule, but tonight, we had an option to either crash here or fly out, so I put my foot down.

” I gripped the back of my neck, working out a deep ache in the muscle, feeling the ends of my hair that were still the slightest bit wet from my postgame shower.

“We’re tired. We’re sore. We need a rest.”

“Ain’t that the truth?” He rubbed his thumb over his mouth. “I didn’t think Coach was going to change his mind”—he laughed—“but I should know better. When it comes to you, Captain, he always listens.”

“Not always”—I punched his arm before my hand dropped—“but I put up a solid argument. He knows we need a minute. We’ve already been on the road for four days.

After the next few games, it’ll be close to two weeks.

That’s a long-ass time to be away. When we have a small break, like this one, I want to capitalize on it.

Come the DC game, we’ll be ready to play. ”

He hit his beer against mine. “A-fucking-men to that.” He pointed at several of our teammates standing on the other side of the bar. “Except something tells me they’re going to do anything but rest while we’re here.”

The group, our second line, was pouring back shots of something clear—tequila, vodka, whatever.

“I got them the break,” I huffed. “What they decide to do with it is on them.”

Once he took a drink, he ran his fingers through his beard, the scratching of his whiskers drowned out by the music. “Do you know how I’m going to spend it?”

“There’s no question in my mind.” I smiled at my friend. “How many women do you have lined up? One for each night we’re here?” When he said nothing, I laughed. “More?”

“Just one—and that one is more than enough.”

“She’s an ex?”

He rubbed his lips together. “Not quite that. Just someone I used to mess around with.” He dipped his head. “How are you going to spend these three nights?”

Considering it was after midnight, technically, there were only two left.

And my mind had already mapped out every hour that I didn’t have to spend on the ice or in the weight room.

“I’m going to finish this beer, jump in an Uber, go back to the hotel, and sleep until tomorrow’s practice.”

His head fell back as he laughed. “I don’t believe that.”

“Why?”

“Because she can’t take her fucking eyes off you.”

I glanced forward, assuming that was where she was located. “She—” My voice cut off as a flash of black and gold came across my vision. “Oh fuck, yes.” But it wasn’t those colors keeping my attention locked.

It was the red of her hair.

Long strands that framed the most beautiful face I’d ever seen.

The sexiest lips puckered around a straw as she sipped her pink drink, silver nails sparkling as she held the glass.

Creamy skin and a small, sloped nose, eyes of an unknown color because they weren’t on me.

They were on the woman she was standing next to.

The redhead’s black-and-gold sweatshirt hung open, a tight shirt beneath—showing off the most perfect-sized tits and a narrow waist—tucked into her jeans, which were a little too baggy to show her legs, but I was sure those were just as fucking delicious as the rest of her.

“Sounds like you’ve suddenly changed your mind. Attaboy. We both know there’s nothing better than having sex after a game to let out that pent-up aggression.” He nudged my arm. “And by the way she’s eye-fucking you, I don’t think that’s going to be hard.”

“What are you talking about? She’s not even looking at me.”

She was still gazing at her friend, unaware that I was visually feasting on her, which gave my stare all the freedom to sweep up and down, devouring her body.

“Huh? She’s staring at nothing but you .” He paused. “How do you not see what I’m seeing?”

I blinked several times, making sure my vision wasn’t messing with me, and when I was sure it wasn’t, I said, “Who are you talking about, Landon?”

His eyes widened as I looked at him. “How do you not know who I’m talking about? The blonde at three o’clock.”

Three o’clock.

I shifted my gaze until I found the short-haired blonde who was doing just as he’d said—eye-fucking every square inch of me—and I immediately looked away. “Nah, man. She’s not for me.”

“You were looking at someone, practically fucking drooling. Who was it, then?”

“If I was going after anyone, it would be her.” I nodded toward the redhead. “Twelve o’clock.” I let out a moan. “Tell me you’ve seen a woman more gorgeous … I dare you.”

“Damn. She’s hot as hell.” He leaned in closer. “I was with a redhead once—it was a night I’ll never forget. What I’m saying is, get your ass over there and buy her a drink.”

I chuckled. “If I go over there, that’s just how things will turn out—a night I’ll never forget. I told you, I’m getting the fuck out of here and going to my hotel room. Alone.”

A grin spread across his face. “Are you sure about that?”

“I’m positive.”

“Why don’t you look at her again and then repeat those words to me?”

Twelve o’clock was where my stare shifted, and the second it did, I realized why Landon had wanted me to take this second glance.

The redhead was finally looking at me.

And those eyes— fuck . I could see the blueness from here. Along with a hint of the most beautiful smile.

She had an unassuming style and a kind of softness I craved in a woman, but never got because most were like the short-haired blonde—overdone and edgy.

Two blinks. That was all the time the redhead gave me before her stare returned to her friend.

But it was a long enough span to make my goddamn dick hard. To make my hand clench my beer as though it were her waist. To make the need in my body grow like the puck was in my possession and I’d just passed the blue line on my way to the goal.

“Now I dare you to tell me you’re not going to go over there and at least talk to her.”

I ground my teeth. “Stop using my words, asshole.”

“But notice you didn’t disagree.”

I slowly filled my lungs, using the same speed to let the air out. “You’re killing me, Landon.”

“No, brother. I’m saving you.”

“From what?”

“If you leave Boston without knowing what she tastes like, you’ll never forgive yourself.”

I laughed.

“What, you think I’m kidding?” he pressed. “I know you. The second we get on that plane to fly to DC in a couple of days, you’re going to bitch and moan about how you passed up the chance of a lifetime and?—”

“How do you know she’d even say yes?”

“The only person who can get her to do that is you.” He shook his head at me, grinning like a fucking fool. “I think she’d be all yours.” His brows rose. “Are you going to prove that to me? Or are you going to go back to your hotel room, alone, and make one of the biggest mistakes of your life?”