Tyler played for my team. Only a sick, twisted stroke of fate would allow that. His dark eyes widened as soon as I entered, and he choked on his Gatorade.
I attempted to remain in control while addressing the players. I couldn’t look weak, and I certainly couldn’t appear to be under a man’s spell. A boy, really.
Watching the game with my uncles, I finally asked questions about our new player. I should have been paying attention in the conference room before seeing Tyler geared up with the other players.
“Kate,” Uncle John said. “We just went over Tyler Carlson’s details. You don’t remember?” he asked.
I shrugged, like it was no big deal. “I have a lot on my mind, just refresh my memory, please.”
Tyler Carlson was a twenty-three-year-old all-star. Literally. He had been picked for the all-star team the previous two years in a row.
He was a restricted free agent, and the Blades had picked him up when he turned down his previous team’s offer. We offered more money, and he had just recently signed with us.
His career explained his look. Hockey players weren’t pathetic, weak men. They were sexy, mostly tattooed, and definitely rough around the edges.
Hockey was the only large sport that allowed fighting. You wouldn’t see fights like that in the NFL or the NBA.
The league had set some limitations on fighting, but if the players dropped their gloves, you could see an awesome fistfight.
That was one of my favorite things about the game, making it more fun to watch. After a fight, the players usually skated to the penalty box with big smiles on their faces.
I watched in awe as my team played an impeccable game. However, I knew Julian would still find something they needed to work on. He always did, and that’s why he was the best coach in the league.
I thought I saw Tyler lift his head a few times while playing, but surely he wasn’t looking for me. The last time he did so, he was checked into the glass.
He brushed it off, like hockey players did, and continued skating with a majestic touch. The way these guys moved on ice never failed to fascinate me.
Unfortunately, my mind kept going back to his age. He was four years younger than me, and I’d never been with someone younger.
However, Tyler and I had one thing in common: no desire for a real relationship. He was a young all-star, and I was too busy.
My uncles and cousin retreated to the locker room after the game, and I chose to wait in the parking lot. I couldn’t say anything to Tyler in front of others.
No one could know about our night together, and I swore it would never happen again.
I was leaning against the car Uncle John had sent for me when Tyler and a few other players entered the back parking lot.
I had been waiting for quite some time for them, but most of that time was spent inside the warmth of the car. The rigid November air was less than pleasant.
I scolded myself for my lack of attention on the hockey world while in Paris. I should have watched all the NHL games, but it’s not like I had a lot of spare time.
If I’d stayed in the loop, I would have known exactly who Tyler Carlson was the moment I laid eyes on him at the bar. My friends were useless with their hatred for every sport, but I should have known.
While we watched the game, Uncle John showed me some news articles about Tyler from the previous few seasons. He was well-known, very well-known in fact.
He was a partier, but I hadn’t seen that side of him yet. I also found he was a hotshot among females, but I wasn’t shocked to hear that. He was sexy in all the right ways and bad in all the best ways.
After a few words with the players standing beside him, I asked for a private word. “It was wonderful talking to you guys,” I said.
“If you’d excuse us, I’d like to have a word with our fierce new player, Mr. Carlson.”
The others said their goodbyes and nudged Tyler before vanishing into their respective vehicles. Tyler’s eyes were icy, he looked no more pleased with me than I was with him.
Finally, he broke the dreaded silence hanging between us.
“When the hell were you going to tell me you owned my hockey team?” Tyler yelled.
I crossed my arms across my chest before speaking, my words coming out harsher than intended. “When were you going to tell me you play for the goddamn NHL?”
We knew we were both at fault. Neither of us had revealed anything about our lives; in fact, we knew nothing about each other.
So why were we both that angry and uncomfortable with our new business-only relationship? We had shared just one night together, nothing else. Right?
“As the owner, you must have known who I was,” Tyler said, his voice significantly quieter now. “I don’t understand how you didn’t put two and two together.”
My anger welled up again. I had slept with one of my players, and as we stood there glaring angrily at each other, I wanted to sleep with him again. What is wrong with me? I’m going to fail trying to fill Dad’s shoes.
“That’s where you’re wrong,” I said. “I flew back from France a couple of days ago. I had been running my dad’s foreign sector out there for the past few years.
“Apparently, I flew back after you’d already signed with the team.” I watched him as I spoke. His eyes and stance softened when he realized I hadn’t purposely fooled him.
“In France, I wasn’t able to keep up with the press on the players. I honestly had no idea who you were.”
“Sorry,” he said. “I guess I shouldn’t yell at the person who can ruin my career.” His words exploded with bitterness, although his chin remained high in the air.
“This only shows we don’t know a damn thing about one another,” I retorted. “I would never ruin your career, no matter what you say or do to me now or anyone else for that matter.”
He ran his hand through his dark hair, staying quiet for too long. “I know enough to know that nothing else will happen between us,” he said, sounding defeated.
My stomach clenched, although I knew he was right. That’s exactly what I would have said, what I should have said.
I turned my head away from him, but not before noticing he had showered in the locker room. His hair was wet, and he was wearing only sweatpants and a t-shirt.
It was cold, and he should have had something warmer on; but at least his outfit blessed me with the sight of his tattooed arms, colored all the way down to his wrists.
“Kate?” he called. “Sorry about your dad.”
I nodded at him and turned to climb into the car. I held up a finger to the driver, needing a minute to figure out where I wanted to go. I leaned my head against the headrest.
I had to rid my mind of Tyler once and for all, which would be hard to do considering I’d be seeing him all the time.
Only my luck would have a guy wake me up the way Tyler had and make me feel the way he did in the bedroom, only to have us not be able to continue sleeping together.
Finally, I told the driver to take me to Piper’s apartment. She’d know what to do. When I knocked on her door obnoxiously, she answered and ushered me straight to the couch.
“What’s wrong, Kate?” she asked, worried.
Hearing sounds from her bathroom, I raised a brow at her. “What?” she whispered with a smile.
Only then did I notice she was wearing only a large t-shirt and underwear. I looked her up and down.
The bathroom doorknob turned slightly, and my breathing stopped for a moment when Ben, Tyler’s friend from the bar, stepped out. He really was good-looking—blonde hair, a diesel beard, and a physique like that of a fighter.
“Oh!” he said surprised. “It’s Kissing Kate.”
“Did you see Tyler last night?” Piper asked.
We all looked for our phones as someone’s started ringing. Ben’s eyes lit up. “Speak of the devil…”
I knew who the devil was. He walked out onto Piper’s little balcony, closing the door behind him before answering his phone.
It was dark out, making me thankful I couldn’t see Ben’s expression while he spoke to Tyler.
Piper giggled, watching his burly body overtaking her small balcony.
“He’s probably the best sex I’ve had in a long time,” she said. “Oh, and Trina, she was pretty wild.” Piper watched my abnormally glum expression and prodded me for information. “Uh-oh. What happened?”
“You won’t fucking believe this,” I started but paused as soon as Ben stepped back inside. He held the phone a few inches away from his ear. Hearing Tyler yelling on the other end of the line, I grimaced.
“Alright,” Ben said into the phone. “I’ll be over soon. I’ll pick up some beer.” He grinned at me as he finished the conversation with Tyler.
Piper looked between Ben and me. “Someone tell me why everyone is being awkward.”
I rolled my eyes and leaned my head against the couch again. Ben sauntered over to us and plopped down on her mismatched recliner. I didn’t understand why his smile was so large.
“This is the best story I’ve heard in quite some time,” he said.
Piper now stared at me with an accusatory look. She lowered her eyes, then stood up abruptly. She returned with three glasses filled with some kind of dark liquor. After a sip, I knew it was whiskey.
“Let’s hear it,” she said, sipping her drink.
“I’d prefer to wait until the culprit’s friend is not sitting here,” I mumbled, swirling the amber liquid in my mouth.
“Ha!” Ben leaned forward, catching my eye. “I just heard your story, babe. He yelled the whole damn thing to me. You put him in quite the predicament.”
I jumped off the couch, careful not to spill my drink. “I did?” I yelled. “Are you serious?
“Both of us should have said something about our damn careers.” I sat back down, knowing yelling at Ben wasn’t going to solve anything.
“What the hell are you two talking about?”
I looked at Piper, dropped my shoulders, and stopped caring if Ben was there. He’d obviously take sides with his friend over me, just as Piper would take mine.
“As you know, I went to see Tyler last night.”
Her dark eyes lit up. “Yes, your date that I set up for you.”
“Then I left under the pretense that we would definitely see each other again.” I took one more sip before I finished telling her the story.
“Long story short, before the game I met my players, and he was one of them.”
Piper laughed hysterically, with Ben joining her. I shook my head at the two of them; they were definitely a match made in heaven. Two assholes whose laughing party I couldn’t help but join.
“I know we’re laughing, but really I need to be taken seriously in my position, which will all go to hell the moment anyone finds out I slept with a player.”
“And if anyone knew he slept with the owner, no one would believe his skill got him to where he is today,” Ben stuck up for his friend. “And then the word favoritism will be thrown around.”
“Yes. I know, I know.”
Anyone could see that we’d both be screwed if our little rendezvous was discovered. We both had a lot to lose, and neither of us was willing to lose it.
Ben stood to leave. “I don’t know, kid,” he said, “but the two of you have some shit you need to figure out.”
I nodded while Piper followed him to the door. His large body enveloped her in a hug, then he turned to me one more time.
“Believe it or not, I’m actually rooting for you guys.” His eyes twinkled. “Tyler needs a Kissing Kate in his life.” He then stepped out of Piper’s apartment, leaving me to mull over his words.
Only a few minutes passed until Piper and I were shoving ice cream in our faces as she told me about her rough night with Ben. But in her case, rough was a good thing.
“So are you guys like dating already?” I asked her.
She shrugged. “No. I’m not really a fan of the monogamous shit.”
I scooped another spoonful of ice cream into my mouth. “I know, but make sure you and Ben stay on the same page.”
Piper rolled her eyes at me, and for good reason. She had always maintained her spot in the dating world, while I had not. She knew way more about that life than I did.
“What’re you going to do about Tyler?” she asked, licking her spoon.
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “He’s so different from the men I usually date, and the sex… I don’t have words to describe that.” I laid my head down on her lap, balancing my tumbler on my stomach.
“Our chemistry is insane, Pipe.”
She grinned down at me. “Was it worth it?”
“Absolutely.”
“Be honest,” she began. “Would you do it again?”
Biting my lip, I thought about it for a moment. “Absolutely.”
“Then do it.”
We laughed together, and I was elated once again that my best friend was by my side. We curled up together on her couch, putting some cheesy romance movie on.
