Page 14 of Unmasking Love (D.C. Renegades #1)

Aiden

The Physical Proof

I'm not sure what to say for my lunchtime check in with Harper but I'm confident "what are you having for lunch?" wasn’t the best opening.

Aiden, did you mean to text me?

Yes.

Oh.

So?

So what?

What are you having for lunch?

I'm probably going to skip it, not feeling very hungry after that big, nutrient packed breakfast.

I cough on air. I can't believe I seriously looked around her apartment for twenty minutes trying to find a vitamin D supplement.

I even googled some popular brands to see what the bottle might look like.

What's worse is that she didn't get it and I walked right into telling her I'd like to give her some dick.

I would though . Very much.

Shit, I can't get her out of my mind. Harper is effervescent with her clothes on and without?

Absolutely spiritual. It took every part of my training and focus to stay composed around her naked body last night.

Not to mention the restraint it took when I grabbed her to stop her running out the door without her clothes on.

My body and my brain battled for control. My hands wanted to splay wide across her hips, and up to cup her breasts. My biceps twitched wanting to lock her into an embrace against my chest. My cock did more than twitch.

My brain won out. It commanded my traitorous limbs to chill the fuck out. To remember that she is heartbroken. That she is hurting. And that while I have no doubt our bodies together would feel amazing it wouldn’t fix anything.

But her skipping lunch is something I can fix.

The locker room is bustling with activity but I need to know the address to Harper’s office so, without thinking, I turn around. “Hey Felix?”

The room quiets, probably because I don’t speak out loud often and I just yelled for our captain. But then I realize that my shirt is off.

The D.C. Renegades are seeing my chest for the first time.

This moment comes for every team at some point or another but I usually prepare for it. Or start with a smaller group. Not all 22 other men who just got off the ice from practice.

“Whoa, you’re half ink!” Duncan chuckles. I look towards Crosby who is seated next to him and he’s just staring, trying to take it all in. The rest of the boys have slowed their progress of undressing too and are all looking at me.

At my tattoo.

At least, that’s all I hope they’re seeing.

That’s the point of the whole thing. The reason I marched into a tattoo parlor on my 18th birthday and asked for the biggest chest tattoo the guy could make.

He didn’t let me do tha t but he did get me started on a coat of arms design that I’ve been building out for the last decade.

I clear my throat and summon the courage to ask my question that started this whole mess. “Felix, do you know where Harper’s office is?”

Our captain, who is never at a loss for words, only nods.

I turn back around to face my locker and finish getting undressed. Usually I don’t shower at the rink because I’m going to get sweaty again biking home, and also to avoid prolonged exposure to my chest. But since everyone has seen it anyway I grab a towel and head in.

I face the wall and duck my head letting the spray hit the back of my neck. Beads of water trickle down my face and I slowly brush my fingers along my scar. I try to suppress the memories but it is impossible to ignore the physical proof of my weakness. Of my vulnerability. Of that fateful day.

And seeing people’s first reaction to it, even to my tattoo, refreshes the memory of waking up in a hospital bed thousands of miles away from home moments before my parents rushed in.

The devastation in my mom’s face.

The beeps of the machines in the room.

The grief in my dad’s eyes as he slowly approached.

The itch of the gown.

The pain when I tried to move, to speak, to breathe.

Then the side eyes and whispers about the scar when I returned to the game after six months of intense, focused recovery. Leave it to sixteen and seventeen year olds to not know how to approach a kid who had suffered a heart attack before a game.

I saw the fear in their eyes. That somehow I’d be the reason it could happen to them. It can’t. Turns out heart failure isn’t contagious. But it is a real downer.

I f inish washing up and wrap one towel around my waist and another over my shoulders. Some of the guys have cleared out and the ones that are left give me nods as they continue with their post-practice routines.

Emmett walks over and places a hand on my shoulder. “Dude, you okay?”

“Yeah, fine.” I mumble.

“I had no idea you had such an amazing piece on your body. Have you been working on it for a while?”

“For ten years,” I tell him and he nods.

“Young Gun, did you make an appointment?” Felix calls and I furrow my brow and look at him.

Clearly he is no longer stunned in silence.

“For Harper, she’s very busy. Actually, hold on.

” He lifts a finger to indicate we wait and then places a phone call.

He steps out into the hallway and then a minute later walks back in.

“You’ve got an appointment with her at 1:00.

You can make that right? Do you need me to drive you?

I got a bike rack for my car so I could strap your bike to it and then you could ride home afterwards. ”

He got a bike rack?

“So, are you signing on a house today?” Emmett asks as he walks past me the shower room.

“Not exactly.”

“Dang.” The disappointment is clear in Felix’s voice. “Well, you’ll see another place then, as many as it takes.”

“I’m actually bringing her lunch.” I admit because I’ve been reeling for the last eighteen hours, and am feeling discombobulated after bearing my chest to the team, and I don’t know what to do and need another person to discuss this with.

The urge to text the team chat was strong last night as I tried to get comfortable on Harper’s sofa.

But I didn’t know how to get advice without sharing the details. It’s not my story to share.

“You’re bringing Harper lunch?” Crosby asks.

“ Why did you say her name like that?” I ask as Crosby turns to yell into the shower room, “He’s going on a date with Harper!”

“Nice job getting a lunch date with Harper!” Bryson says as he walks into the room with a towel slung low on his waist. “That’s a classy move.”

“It’s not a date.” Is it? No. “I’m just dropping it off.”

“Oh, leave her wanting more! Damn, Young Gun. I think we might have to start calling you Young Silk. You’re smooth.” Crosby says, and Duncan and Bryson laugh deeply behind him.

“So what lunch are you bringing her?” Emmett asks.

“A falafel wrap and fries. She had a late night last night.”

“Ooooo,” Duncan laughs. “You’re a stone cold killer, Youngren.”

“How’d you know she had a late night?” Felix asks, incredulous.

“Well, I was with her yesterday to see a house and then something happened and I ended up having dinner with her and taking her back to her place.” There, enough of the story but no details.

“Stop! Stop right now.” Felix commands. “Pays give me your phone. Boba you too.”

“What? Why?” Bryson protests.

“We’ve gotta get everyone on speaker.” Felix says to me. Then he lets out a frustrated grunt as he taps aggressively on his screen. “Where is the updated phone tree goddamnit.”

“That’s really not necessary.” I interject. “Actually, I’m gonna be late if I don’t leave now. I’ll see you guys later.”

I leave the locker room to the sounds of protests but I’ll deal with them later.

***

"He llo!" The receptionist chirps as I walk into the office. When I locked my bike up outside I could see into a large conference room where it looks like the whole team is meeting. As I step over to the desk she stands quickly to pull the door of the conference room closed. "How can I help you?"

"I'm here for an appointment with Harper Daniels. I'm Aiden Youngren."

"Oh sure, let's see." She trails off as she looks through the calendar.

"It might be under Young Gun."

"Ah, yes, there we are." She smiles. "Would you mind waiting here? She's in a meeting but should be wrapping up soon."

"Of course." I say before I take a seat. Through the closed conference room door I hear the scolding.

"Harper, we are at the midpoint of the month, you haven't even gotten your client to see any of the homes, let alone buy one. If you want to keep your job you'll close this sale. This week."

"Yes sir," I hear her mumble. Shit. I never even considered she'd be relying on my business for a sale. For commissions to pay her bills. To keep her freaking job.

I r un a hand through my hair and grapple with telling her I'm not interested in buying a house at all when the door opens and the group starts filing out.

Crispin, the motherfucker, walks out ahead of her and then turns around and gives her finger guns. What kind of asshole is this guy? "So, I guess that hockey player connection ran dry. I told you I was okay with it if you had to sleep with him to keep getting the business."

I stand before thinking about what I’m doing and move to her side.

“Aiden?”

“You again?” Crispin asks and my hand curls into a fist.

“Yeah, me again.” I catch Harper looking up at me and I turn to her.

"Hi, Harper," I say. Quietly, respectfully.

Pencil Dick clears his throat and I look up at him.

"And I'd like you not to insinuate that my real estate agent needs to sleep with me or any other client in order to get business.

She's a professional. Clearly you aren't." I turn so I'm shoulder to shoulder with Harper, presenting a united front.

Her head is bouncing between me and lanky.

He's looking at me with less embarrassment in his eyes than I'd like to see.

I'm tempted to use my five percent body fat build on him but goalies aren't fighters.

We're protectors. I straighten so I’m at my full height and flex my pecs which I know are visible in the dry fit shirt I have on.

I am half inclined to just punch him for the fun of it.

“Why don’t you and I go outside?” Harper says. She turns and puts her hand on my bicep. Again, just like every other time we’ve touched, warmth seeps from her skin, travels up my arm and through my body at lightning speed. I place my hand at her lower back and follow her outside.

“You didn't have to do that. Defend me.” Harper says as we walk over to a bench on the sidewalk.

"Yes, I did."

"No, really it's fine. I can handle Crispin."

“I never said you couldn’t. But I had the chance to defend you, and I took it. I’ll always take it.”

She looks away and blinks hard. Then she inhales deeply and shakes her shoulders. “So, what brings you to my office, today?”

“I brought you lunch.”

“You did?” She asks and a little fold appears in her forehead. I want to caress it away.

“Yeah,” I reach into my backpack and pull out the food. “A falafel wrap and fries from one of my favorite places.”

“Wow, umm, thanks Aiden.”

“Anytime.” I smile.

She laughs and it’s fucking magic. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep!”

“I would never.” I vow. She scoots back a little bit to place the bag between us. Between the mid-October sun and the warmth radiating from Harper I start to sweat.

“Do you mind if I eat? I just realized I’m starving.”

“Of course not, do you mind if I stay for a bit?”

“Not at all.” She smiles as she pops a waffle fry into her mouth.

“So, tell me about your day so far.” I stack one ankle over my knee and turn towards her as I sling an arm across the back of the bench. My fingers could tangle into her hair if I let them. Fuck do I want to let them.

“Well, it had an unexpected start.” She smiles and looks down at her lap. “And then while I was driving to work I had a “duh” moment.”

“What’s that?”

“Like when something that didn’t initially make sense finally slots into place.

” Oh no. Please don’t bring up vitamin D.

I can feel my ears getting hot because every moment I spend with Harper makes me want her more.

Thankfully she doesn’t say anything else, she just smiles at me and her eyes sparkle.

For a fraction of a second they flick down to my cock.

He jumps for joy and I grip my knee so hard my knuckles turn white.

The last thing I want to do is adjust myself in front of her.

It’ll just draw more attention to how much I really do want to give her what she needs.

“What else do you have planned for today?” I ask as quickly as I can to try and steer this conversation in any direction besides the one it was going.

“Well, I’ve got to keep looking for places for this one client who wants eco features…

” She trails off and smiles at me and her teasing makes me laugh.

“The team meeting just wrapped up and I have a few tasks stemming from that to do this afternoon. Plenty of calls to make, emails to answer, a photoshoot, and then I have a showing with a new client. I’ll head home straight from that and watch a movie or something. ”

“ You could watch our game.” I suggest and as I say it I realize how much I want her to be watching me, my team.

“Yeah, maybe I will.” She smiles. We go quiet for a minute as she eats.

I just watch her profile as she looks out at the street.

The apples of her cheeks sparkle in the sunshine and I want to cradle her face in my hands.

She takes a drink of water and I watch her slender neck swallow, trying hard not to imagine what else she could use her throat for.

My eyes bounce up to her when she turns towards me. “What’s it like being a backup goalie?”

“Boring.” I joke but she levels me with a be serious look. “Fine, my job is to be ready. And if I’m given the opportunity to get on the ice during the game my job is to stop the puck. It’s that simple.”

“Humph,” she breathes and her forehead wrinkles again.

“What?” I ask as I turn my body more towards her.

“Nothing, I’m not sure if I like your detachment or if I think it’s unhealthy.”

“I feel the same about your detachment to getting cheated on.”

“Hey. That’s not fair.” She reels back.

“No, I meant,” I reach out and brush my fingers along her shoulder, “that, you, umm, you just didn’t seem to care all that much about it.”

“Well, it’s better that way. There’s no point in wasting emotions on something that is bound to end.”

I stare at Harper because she has just vocalized my exact thoughts regarding bonding with my teammates.

It’s the first time I’ve heard someone else feel the same way.

And when I see it through her eyes, I think for the first time that it might not be a healthy approach after all.

I don’t think I could have said it better myself.