hallway after the game? She’s got no right being pissed off about that game.”
I took the shot from his hand and tipped it back. It was Jack, and it burned going down. Bennett raised his brows at me.
“I needed that more than you did,” I said. “It was nothing. We just rub each other the wrong way, me and her.”
“I’d rub her any way she let me.” His smirk made me want to shove him, but I grunted and pulled out my wallet.
“Will you get me another shot and a new one for you?”
“Sure,” he said, not taking the money I offered.
I was about to sit down when arms encircled my neck.
“Amazing game, Killian,” a female voice squealed. Her heavy powder scent reminded me of a stripper.
“Thanks,” I said, easing myself away.
“We need to hang out.” She slid onto the seat next to the one I’d been about to sit down on.
Fuck. I wasn’t feeling social. Before I could think of an excuse to get rid of her, more of my teammates showed up and a couple of the woman’s friends were close behind. I took my shot from Bennett and sat, still thinking about Sid.
She could’ve been next to me right now instead of this random brunette. But she didn’t want to be. She was too worried about what everyone would think to even give me a shot.
Liam handed me a beer and I drank it, warming to the brunette’s affections with every sip. Sidney thought she was too good for me. Hell, I thought so, too. The woman next to me was what I preferred anyway. Simple and easy. No arguing or working for it.
I slid my hand around her waist, letting my fingertips wander beneath the waist of her jeans. Her hip was slight, almost bony.
She pressed her body against mine, my simple encouragement making her shameless.
“You’re so sexy,” she said, her lips finding my neck. She was so short she had to climb into my lap to reach me. And once she was there, I wanted her off.
“We’ve still got drinking to do, sweetheart,” I said, easing her back into her own seat.
And did I drink. I lost count of how many I had, but it was enough that I couldn’t even walk straight at the end of the night. Bennett tossed me into a cab and rode beside me, trying to keep me upright. I’d barely gotten the cab door open before I puked all over the sidewalk in front of our apartment complex.
We couldn’t figure out which of my keys opened my apartment, so I ended up crashing on Liam and Bennett’s couch. I dreamed about a woman with auburn hair who let me slide my fingertips beneath the waistband of her jeans while she kissed my neck.
Sidney
Our offices at the arena were beginning to take shape. The furniture was all in place. We’d managed to create separate offices for me, Keri, Barb and Nicole in what had started out as two large empty rooms. The rest of the Flyers office staff worked across the hall in another space, allowing us to be close, but still have space for our Stahl corporate work.
We were only waiting on the arrival of the double glass doors that would lead into our office. For now, we just had a big opening.
And today, finally, our drink station—a carved cherry buffet—had been installed. Now we had a coffeemaker just like the one in our New York offices, and we had a small refrigerator and an icemaker.
I was pouring myself a cup of coffee while Barb organized the sugar packets and stir sticks. I could hear Nicole telling Keri about the scarves she’d ordered online.
“It’s so damn cold in this place,” she grumbled. “I’m going to start wearing a jacket and scarf all the time.”
“There’s an ice rink downstairs,” I reminded her. “It has to be cold.”
“It’s worth it to have a hockey team . . .”
Nicole was interrupted by Keri, who let out a scream so loud and shrill that I dropped my coffee, spilling it all over my white V-neck sweater.
“Dammit,” I cried, pulling the hot, wet sweater away from my skin. “Keri, what the—”
“A mouse! A giant one!” she said frantically, jumping up onto Barb’s desk. “I hate mice.”
She was near tears, and Barb and Nicole had moved to stand behind the desk. They all looked at me.
“It’s most likely gone,” I said. “You probably scared the heck out of it, Keri.”
“It’s under there!” She pointed at