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I pass the puck to Lucas just as I'm slammed into the boards. A sharp pain shoots down my side, nearly knocking the wind out of me. My attention flies to the guy who checked me: 37 HENDRICKS. I can take a hit just fine, but hopefully he can too. The next time I catch him near me on the ice I'll have no problem getting a penalty if it means getting even for that one.

When the second period ends coach Trent Wilson claps me on the shoulder as I'm taking a drink from my water bottle.

"You took quite a hit out there Woodsie," he says gruffly. He's fairly short and starting to bald, but that doesn't make the man any less intimidating. He was in the NHL before a knee injury took him out of the game, so he knows his shit. He also knows how to scare the hell out of college punks.

"I'll get him back."

"Don't go out of your way," Coach says with a cautious look. After just over three years together he knows the limits of my temper. "We're up by one and I won't have you blowing it." He also knows how to cool the fires of my anger.

I roll my eyes, but he's right. We're heading into the last period and he's not the only one who would be pissed if I fucked it up just because I wanted to get even. My ribs throb as a painful reminder, but I do my best to brush it off.

No one scores in the last period, but that's not entirely an unwelcome occurrence.

"Alright gentlemen, that was a decent game out there. Defense needs to work a little harder to protect those with the puck, but we'll just keep working at it during practice," Coach announces. He's standing near the exit of the locker room with his arms crossed over his burly chest.

Lucas groans beside me. "Why is it always D-men?"

"Wanna share with the rest of the class O'Connor?" Coach growls at Lucas.

I stifle a laugh behind my hand, playing it off as a badly timed cough.

"No sir," Luke barks back, his posture straightening.

Trent raises one bushy eyebrow, but doesn't press him any further. "I'll see you all Monday for practice. Hit the showers and head home. You guys did well tonight."

Coach tends to give us an equal dosing of compliments and criticism, but tonight he's proud and it shines clear in his expression. It lifts the mood of everyone in the room. We took a lot of hard hits out there and somehow managed to keep our cool.

I shed off my gear and wince as the muscles in my side stretch. Goddamn this hurts like a mother—

"How's your side?" Tyler asks from beside me, capturing my attention.

I glance down at the skin and shrug. It's already turning purple with bruising. "Nothing a few Tylenol won't be able to fix." And whiskey. None of that cheap shit either.

He bellows out a laugh. "Atta boy, Woodsie."

I'm one of the first players to leave the locker room, and I'm startled to find Kelsey leaning against the wall opposite of the door.

"Hey," she calls after me, tucking her phone back into her purse.

There goes trying to sneak past her.

"Oh hey, I didn't see you there," I say apologetically in an attempt to play it off.

Kelsey's eyes narrow but she lets it go. "I was hoping you could give me a ride," she says instead. When I don't rush to help she adds, " my friends bailed on me but I wanted to stay and watch the rest of your game. They drove me here so..."

Well fuck. My attention flies to the clock above her head. I'm supposed to be meeting Mabel at her dorm for a movie night, but I'm already running a few minutes late.

Kelsey notices where I'm looking and her lips twist into a scowl. "Are you hooking up with someone else? I know we said we weren't exclusive, but..."

Jesus this girl is pushy. Has she always been this way?

"I'm not hooking up with anyone tonight," I say earnestly. The truth is if Mabel wanted to I'd be more than willing, but I don't want to mess up the fragile friendship I've built over the past week and a half with her. "How close is your place to the dorms?"

"A few blocks, but it's on the way."

I let out a soft sigh. I don't particularly like Kelsey, she's a bit too high maintenance for my taste, but I'm not cruel enough to just abandon a girl at the arena with no way to get home.

"Fine, lets go." I don't wait for her response. I turn on my heel and keep heading towards the parking lot.

Kelsey falls into step beside me and links an arm through mine. "Thanks a bunch, I owe you one."

We get into my truck and I turn it on to let it heat up for a few minutes before driving. I check my phone absentmindedly and find a missed text from Mabel.

Mabel: Are we still on for tonight?

It was sent about an hour ago, but she knew I was playing tonight. I'm relieved to find that it's only the one message. I've had girls text me multiple times even when they knew I was busy, and I'm happy to find that Mabel doesn't seem clingy like them.

Alex: Hell yeah we are. Just got out so be over in 10 to 15

Mabel responds fairly quickly.

Mabel: I suppose I can save you a spot on the couch then

Alex: Your roommate there?

Mabel: Nope. Hazel is pulling a late shift at the diner

Alex: Good. I get you all to myself ;)

Mabel: Keep your thoughts PG rated pls

Alex: You're no fun Mabes. Be there soon

Kelsey clears her throat noisily beside me, capturing my attention. I had nearly forgotten there was someone with me. "You know, if you don't have plans tonight, I think you still owe me for the other night..." she trails off, twirling a strand of her blonde hair around her index finger.

"The other night?" I shift the truck into reverse and pull out of the parking spot.

"Yeah, I think I was promised that you'd take care of me," she says in a sultry voice, reaching out to touch my thigh. Her fingers inch closer to the zipper of my jeans, but my body doesn't react for once. "Think you have enough time to make a pit stop at my place?"

I understand that she's trying to be sexy and alluring, but it comes across as the opposite. Instead, Kelsey's words seem whiny and desperate. Both of which aren't exactly a turn-on for me. "I think our little fling has run its course Kels," I say, carefully moving her hand back to her lap. I give it a gentle pat and then return mine to the steering wheel.

"Seriously? I thought we had something special."

I grimace in the darkness. "Something special? Kelsey we hardly know each other."

"That's not true," she protests with a pout.

"Oh yeah? What's my major?"

There's a short pause. "Um, sports medicine? Don't you want to go pro with hockey?"

I shake my head. "No."

"But I thought you got a full ride to play for DU?"

At least she knows that much, but it's also something that can be found out easily by asking anyone on the team. "I did, but that doesn't mean that playing hockey is how I want to spend the rest of my life."

Bitterness twists in my gut like a knife. It's not entirely her fault, but it gets tiring to constantly be judged based on my appearance or my ability to play a sport. After the end of my freshman year at Denver I had pretty much sworn off ever looking for something more than a hook-up while in school. The girls I attracted, and still do, only seem to care about my social status or my status as a player. The value in me, as an actual human being, just doesn't matter to them.

"Well then what's your plan for after college?" Kelsey asks.

"I want to teach science to either middle school age kids or high schoolers," I reply plainly. There's no use in me ranting and raving about how much it means to me if the listener isn't going to be even half interested.

I steer the truck off to the side of the road, parking in front of a large sorority house. The lights are dim inside, but it still appears as though people are home.

"I'm sorry I didn't know," she mutters softly. "But I do want to get to know you."

"Kelsey," I warn, my fingers tightening on the steering wheel.

"I know you don't do the whole girlfriend thing, but if you change your mind let me know. Okay?"

"Sure."

"We had fun, right?"

I nod slowly and offer her a half smile. "Yeah, we had fun."

"I'm serious though Alex. Let me know if you ever want something serious." She leans across the space between us and plants a chaste kiss on the corner of my mouth. "Thanks for the ride, and the orgasms. I'll see you later." And then she's gone.

✖️✖️✖️

When I make it to Mabel's dorm suite she's there at the door waiting for me. Her dark chocolate colored hair frames her face in natural waves and she's dressed in a baggy T-shirt, tiny pajama shorts, and a ridiculous looking pair of neon orange knee-high socks.

She wiggles her toes with a self-conscious giggle when she catches me staring. "What?"

I shake my head with a smile. "Nothing. I just like the socks."

She rolls her pale green eyes at me and holds the door open further to allow me inside. "I didn't think you'd make it."

"I said I would," I reply. "I'm sorry I'm late."

"It's okay. It just means you won't get any popcorn." Her pink tongue pokes past her lips as she makes a face at me.

"That's not fair," I grumble, following her to the couch.

Mabel sits on the opposite end and, true to her word, hogs the bowl of freshly made popcorn. I reach out a hand to grab some but she swiftly swats it away.

"I'm a growing boy, I need to refuel."

Her eyes widen at my comment and she looks me over, her freckled cheeks flushing. "I highly doubt you're still growing."

A wicked grin pulls at the corners of my mouth. "Part of me still grows," I tease. It's not my fault though, she walked right into that one.

"Alex!" She swats at me again, this time reaching over to hit me in the ribs.

I let out a hiss from between my teeth and rub my tender side. "Easy, Mabes."

"Oh please I barely touched you," she says, but her expression softens. "Are you okay?"

I lift the hem of my shirt, showing her the nasty bruise forming. "Yeah, but if you've got some ice that would be cool."

"Jesus, what happened?" She extends a hand uncertainly, almost as though she's afraid to touch me, before gently running her fingers from the edge of my ribs down to my hip.

A harsh exhale rushes out of my lungs. Her fingers leave a trail of heat that embarrassingly goes straight to my groin.

"I don't think we have ice but I have peas," Mabel says quickly, setting the bowl down on the coffee table. She leaps to her feet and dashes behind the sofa over to the kitchen area.

While she digs through the freezer I take the time to casually adjust my lower half so that when she comes back she doesn't notice my reaction to her. When she returns, the tosses the frozen peas at me and climbs back into her spot, tucking her legs up close to her chest. This time though, she places the bowl of popcorn between us.

"Thanks for the peas," I murmur, wincing at the contact of the icy bag hitting my bare skin.

She nods with a small smile and reaches for the remote. "Since you were late I'm picking the movie."

I let out an audible groan. "Please don't pick some chick flick."

"That usually wouldn't be my first choice, but I might have to just to watch you squirm." There's a deviant glint in her eyes as she speaks.

"You wouldn't dare."

She flicks through the titles on Netflix, peeking sideways at me with a grin. "Watch me."

____________________

Get your mind outta the gutter, Alex.
She just wants to help...

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