Ice Hockey 101 Ch. 02

"I can't help it," he replied and she heard him suck in a breath to say more but someone shouted his name in the background. Whoever it was, he didn't sound patient. "Shit. I have to go."

"All right."

"I'll call you later," he promised. "Will you stay up until the end of the game?"

"Of course."

"Good. Hopefully we can get it together in time for a win."

She giggled and nodded. She hoped so too and not just because she loved to watch him win.

"I'll talk to you later," he said.

"OK. Good luck!"

They ended the call and for a long while, Rebecca stared at the phone in her hand and wondered if she would be able to protect herself for much longer. She'd thought she'd be able to deal with being his friend and maybe even give dating a try, should he ever bring it up. But now she thought she might have done better by not speaking to him again.

This feeling - call it attraction, call it lust - whatever it was, terrified Rebecca. She slowly set the phone down on her table and stared at it, her heart pounding and her body humming.

She was in trouble, no two ways about it.

***

Josh did as he promised, calling her after the game. They talked for nearly an hour until he had to go through airport security before taking off for their next away game. It would be another four days before he and the others arrived back in Pittsburgh. In the meantime, Josh arranged for Amelia Carson, Sean's wife, to call her. He assured her that Amelia was a great woman, a lot of fun and he said that they'd be easy friends.

Sure enough, the day before the team was to return, Amelia called Rebecca and asked if she wanted to meet for coffee that afternoon. It was a Tuesday and she happened to have no classes or work that day so she quickly agreed to meet her.

She was surprised at the sight of Amelia, not because she wasn't beautiful, which she was, but because she looked somewhat older than Sean. Rebecca had only ever seen Sean on television and he always appeared so young.

"There is a few years between us," Amelia said as they introduced themselves to each other, correctly reading the surprise on Rebecca's face.

Flushing, Rebecca looked down and apologized.

"Don't be sorry," Amelia said and patted her hand. "A lot of people took a lot of time to get over the age difference, me included. But whatever age we are, it works for us."

Rebecca looked up and saw the genuine smile across the older woman's face. She meant her words and it immediately set Rebecca at ease. They ordered coffee and chatted amicably for a couple hours. Rebecca learned about how Amelia and Sean had met and Amelia happily told her all about their infant son, Sean Jr. Twice a week, Amelia put him into a daycare just so he'd have some friends his own age.

"I work from home so I could easily take care of him but Sean thought he should be socialized," Amelia told her.

"Sean sounds very smart," Rebecca replied with a smile.

"He is," Amelia agreed, a brilliance to her grin when she spoke of her husband. "I just think he suggested daycare because he wants me to have some time to myself too."

It was obvious to Rebecca that Amelia loved Sean very much and she felt comforted that a hockey player could make such an absolute commitment to a woman. Not that she feared that Josh was the 'love'em-and-leave'em' type, but since getting into the game and doing some Googling on her own time, she'd unearthed stories of road trip affairs and 'puck bunnies.' Nothing relating to Josh, thankfully, but she supposed with all the time spent on the road, most men involved in professional sports would have to deal with similar temptations.

"So I understand you're really into hockey," Amelia spoke again, breaking the comfortable silence that had fallen.

"Oh yes," Rebecca agreed with a smile. "I never really understood or cared about it but Josh started to give me lessons and now I just can't get enough."

Amelia smiled at her as she sipped her coffee. "I can't believe you're from Canada and didn't grow up loving it, like I did."

Rebecca explained about being raised by a single mother and being surrounded by the girliest of girlfriends most of her life. She didn't begrudge her mother for it, not one bit. Sports just hadn't been a priority. Now that she was older and willing to learn more about it, she knew she loved hockey.

"Have you been to a game yet?" Amelia asked.

"No," Rebecca admitted. "Josh said that he was going to get me to one someday but I've just been so busy with work and school."

"I understand," Amelia said with a nod. "But you really ought to take a night off and go sometime. There's nothing like it."

"That's what Josh said," Rebecca agreed with a smile. "Of course he's sort of biased, being a hockey player and all."

Amelia smiled at her and there was something in her eyes that made feel Rebecca feel as though she was under scrutiny. She flushed and fiddled with the handle of her coffee mug as she glanced out the window to her right.

"You and Josh have become pretty close," Amelia commented casually.

Rebecca's blush deepened and she glanced at Amelia before nodding.

"He's never asked me to do this before," Amelia went on.

"Do what?"

"Meet a woman he knows for coffee," Amelia answered. "Get to know her. He likes you a lot."

"Oh, well, I don't... I mean, I don't know about that..." Rebecca stammered and smiled shyly. She didn't mean to sound stupid but Amelia's words pleased her more than she cared to admit.

"I do," Amelia said. "I've gotten to know these guys on the team pretty good over the past couple years and Josh has never really dated anyone. Or socialized outside the team much at all, really."

Rebecca stared at her, surprised to hear about this other side to Josh. She never knew he didn't date and wasn't about to ask him herself. She smiled slowly at Amelia and sipped the last of her coffee.

"I think it's great that he's finally starting to get out more," Amelia added.

Rebecca almost laughed at her words. Listening to this woman describe Josh as less than social or not surrounded all the time by numerous friends reminded Rebecca of her own situation since coming to Pittsburgh. She never would have thought that she and Josh had so much in common.

"Well, it was very nice to meet you, Rebecca," Amelia said a few minutes later as they rose to leave the coffee shop. "I hope we can do this again."

"Definitely," Rebecca replied. Aside from all the details she'd learned about Josh, she genuinely liked Amelia. She liked to think she had another friend at last in this city.

"Maybe I'll see you at a game soon?" Amelia suggested with a sly grin.

Rebecca laughed and shook her head as color stole over her cheeks. "Maybe," she admitted and they parted ways a minute later.

***

"Rebecca!" Josh exclaimed excitedly as she walked into the pub near her apartment building. He'd arrived first and spent several minutes impatiently watching the front door for her. It was his first night back in Pittsburgh after their lengthy road trip and he'd spent the past two days doing nothing but think about seeing Rebecca again.

As she approached him in the pub, he hopped from his stool and swept her into a warm hug that she returned. He inhaled deeply, stifling a groan when her hair brushed against his lips and pulled away before she discovered how her mere presence affected him. "How are you? How was school today?"

Rebecca laughed at his quick questions as she took her heavy coat off and joined him at the bar. "I'm good," she replied. "Tired but good. Class was all right too."

Josh grinned at her, practically vibrating in excitement. He had a surprise for her and he just knew it would please her. He hoped it was enough to make her jump on him. Then he blushed at the thought, never having taken himself for the sort who had to buy gifts to get a woman into his arms. For Rebecca though, he mostly just wanted to see her brilliant smile.

Who knew?

"Let me buy you a drink," he offered and flagged the bartender.

All around them on the big screens were several different games. A couple basketball games, some soccer and one or two hockey games. Rebecca's eyes went immediately to the nearest hockey game and Josh grinned when he saw it. It pleased him to no end that she was so into his sport now. He liked to think that it was because of him and their friendship but when she frowned at the screen, muttering something about a sloppy turnover, he realized it was just because she genuinely liked the game.

"How was your trip?" she asked, turning her attention back to him as the action on screen stopped with a whistle.

"All right," he said with a shrug. They'd lost four out of the six games; not their best road trip record. "You saw the games, didn't you?"

She nodded as her drink arrived. As she took a sip, her eyes danced over the rim of the glass. "I think you need to figure out how to take fewer penalties."

He huffed out a frustrated sigh. Yes, he did. Coach had told him as much as well as Sean, his captain. He knew what he had to do but he had felt himself almost rushing through each game, as if that were even possible. Something got into his mind and made him want to hurry through his shifts, like hurrying would get him back home quicker. Back to Rebecca.

"You play so well when you're focused," Rebecca said, a note of authority in her voice. "And I love it when you score on the other guys during one of their power plays."

Josh grinned, inordinately pleased by her compliment. "Thanks," he replied. "That means a lot."

She rolled her eyes at him and took another drink. "Oh sure. It means a lot coming from the hockey virgin over here."

The word threw him for a second and his mind was besieged by memories of her body in his hands. Her words from that night echoed at him and he felt like an ass all over again for how he'd treated her.

"I have something for you," he blurted, pushing the memories out of his head.

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"I have a present," he said and pulled the envelope out of his jacket pocket.

"Josh, you didn't have to get me anything," she said, a blush creeping up her neck and spreading across her cheeks as she met his gaze.

He shrugged. "It's not much," he said.

She smiled at him, her slender fingers pulling open the envelope. Looking down, she gasped as she saw what was inside. She pulled out the hockey ticket and lifted her eyes to his face.

"Amelia and some of the other wives and girlfriends are going and all the seats are together," he said, assuring her that he didn't expect her to go alone.

"Josh," she whispered and shook her head, still clutching the ticket before her. "Thank you so much."

"There's more," he said, nudging her knee with his.

"There is?" she replied and looked back inside the envelope, this time pulling out two pre-paid long distance phone cards. "Josh!" She gasped and this time, he knew she was really surprised.

"I thought you could use them to talk to Mary or your mom," he said, leaning close to check for the umpteenth time that he'd selected two hundred minute cards.

Before he knew it, she'd leaned across the space between them and thrown her arms around him. He smiled into her fragrant hair and held her close.

"I can't thank you enough," she murmured, her voice breathy against his ear. "This is the best gift I've ever received."

He laughed lightly at her as he ran a hand down her back. "I don't know about that," he replied. "But I'm glad you're happy."

She pulled back slightly to look at his face and he was surprised to see tears shining in her eyes. Then she leaned close, this time bringing their lips together.

For a moment, Josh didn't react, he was so shocked. Then he tightened his arms around her and kissed her back. She tasted just as he remembered, so sweet and she was so soft in his arms. She parted her lips and he felt the tentative stroke of her tongue against his all the way down to his groin. He lifted one hand to cup the back of her head, tangling his hands in her long, dark hair.

She made some small noise against his mouth and he drew back slightly, breathing hard. Their eyes met and he saw that hers had become much darker. It sent even more blood straight to his crotch, as if he had any more to spare. He kissed her again, watching her eyelids droop as he moved. A sigh left her lips and brushed against his, making him want to lay her on the bar beside him so he could have her at last.

"Josh," she murmured his name, their lips still so close they skimmed together as she spoke. "I've been wanting to do that for a long time."

He chuckled, still holding her close. God, his heart was beating so hard and he wasn't going to be able to conceal what else was hard in another minute. "Why haven't you?" he asked, almost afraid of the answer. Although, if he was being honest with himself, he still owed her an explanation for what had happened.

She blushed and bit her lower lip, her eyes dropping for a moment. Josh indulged for a moment, leaning close and kissing her lip, easing it from between her teeth. She kissed him back and made that enticing little noise again as he slipped his tongue inside her mouth. She shifted and if they'd been sitting anywhere else, she'd have crawled right into his lap. As it was, the bar stools didn't balance well and he had to hold her tightly to keep her from toppling over.

The movement startled her and she broke the kiss, laughing nervously as she glanced down. She tried to sit back but Josh didn't want to let her go, afraid that she might pull away all together. She grinned at him, her eyes sparkling brightly at him.

"I thought you didn't want me to," she finally answered.

"Why would you ever think that?" he asked in surprise.

Her eyebrows went up and he knew it was a stupid question. He tightened his arms around her and put their faces close together so he didn't have to speak too loudly. "I'm so sorry about that, Rebecca," he told her. "I didn't leave that night because I didn't want to..." he paused and thought about his words. Shaking his head, he glossed over it, feeling the flush heat his cheeks. "I wanted to, believe me. But, you said you didn't have any experience and I guess I got freaked out."

"Why?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Josh could easily see the apprehension on her face and he hated that he'd made her feel anything less than beautiful. Because she was. She was the most breathtaking woman he'd ever known, in more ways than one. "At the time, I thought I didn't want that responsibility. I didn't want to be the guy to... you know..."

Rebecca studied his face for a minute, trying to figure out what he was saying. Then a grin split her face and she kissed him again. "Oh Josh," she murmured against his lips before pulling back again. "I said I don't have a lot of experience. Not that I'm a virgin."

His eyes widened as her words sunk in and then a grin spread slowly across his face. Unconsciously, he moved his hands lower down her back and she grinned back at him. "I'm an idiot," he said.

"Yes, you are," she agreed in a teasing voice.

He laughed briefly before sobering and cupping her cheek in one hand as he stared into her sapphire eyes. "You know, it wouldn't matter if you were."

"It mattered enough that night," she replied tartly, but he could see the smile in her eyes still.

"It did, but only because I was stupid," he agreed, being completely honest with her now. "I was stupid to leave and maybe a little stupid to have let things happen so fast then."

"I let them go quickly too," she interjected.

"I know," he said and drew in a deep breath. "And I liked that you did. But I was freaked out because I didn't think I wanted a relationship."

Rebecca was silent after he spoke and he studied her face for a long moment.

"And now?" she asked at length, her voice thick.

Swallowing, Josh stroked the pad of his thumb over her cheek. "Now I know how stupid I was. I don't want to stop seeing you."

"I don't want to stop seeing you either," she murmured with a smile.

"Well, good."

They simply smiled at each other for a long moment. Then Rebecca laughed breathlessly and wrapped her arms around him in another hug.

"Do you have an early practice tomorrow?" she asked.

"No," Josh replied quickly. "Do you have an early class?"

Rebecca drew back and he saw her biting her lower lip again. A pretty blush lay across her cheeks and he tamped down the urge to press her body up against his.

"Yes, but I think I could afford to skip one," she replied quietly.

He blinked as he processed her words and then grinned broadly.

"Do you want to come over?" she asked.

Instead of answering, he pushed her back and stood up abruptly. Reaching for his wallet, he drew out enough money to cover their tab before grabbing her hand. Rebecca laughed as he pulled her out of the bar, barely giving her time to put her jacket on.

She'd offered and he wasn't going to be stupid this time. He knew exactly what he wanted.

***

Rebecca's head was spinning. Barely ten minutes ago she'd been sitting in the bar with Josh and now he was standing so close all she could smell was his masculine scent of manufactured ice and crisp aftershave. She fumbled with her keys yet again and shot Josh a dirty look when he made an annoyed noise.

"Don't give me attitude," she scolded lightly.

His eyes narrowed playfully and she felt her stomach lurch. Then he was leaning close and she gladly lifted her face for another breathtaking kiss. The keys fell out of her hands and landed on the floor with a jangle. Breaking the kiss, she crouched down quickly to retrieve them, all the while more than aware of Josh's massive presence next to her.

At last, she opened the door and Josh's hands closed around her waist as it swung inward. She gasped and dropped the keys again. This time, Josh wouldn't let her bend to get them. He spun her in his arms and laid his lips over hers as he shuffled her backwards into her apartment. She heard him kick her keys inside with them and then he was spinning her again, this time pressing her back against the closed door.

His lips were so warm against hers and his tongue was so smooth inside her mouth. She lifted hers to meet his and for long moments she forgot where she was. She probably couldn't even have spoken her own name if someone had asked. Then she heard a click and jingle and pulled away from Josh.

"What was that?" she asked in confusion, breathing hard and feeling flushed all over.

"Just locking the door," Josh murmured, laying his lips to her cheek.

Sighing, Rebecca tilted her head sideways to let him kiss her. She dropped her purse on the floor beside her and pulled at her zipper. Josh's hands moved to help her and soon she was relieved of her heavy winter jacket. Then she lifted her hands to push at the jacket he wore. Chuckling, Josh stepped back and smiled into her face as he rid himself of his coat. Both were dropped on the floor with her purse and Josh reached for her again.

She went willingly, lifting her arms to circle his broad shoulders as he drew her close. His hands were warm and so sure as they moved up her back to cup the back of her head. She parted her lips as his mouth came down on hers and moaned when his kiss turned suddenly urgent. He sucked at her tongue, drawing it into his mouth as he sought to devour her. Her knees began to shake and she clutched his shoulders, afraid she might fall down.

Josh dropped his hands from her head and wrapped his arms around her waist. With his hold on her snug and so hot, he lifted her from her feet and carried her away from the door. She was barely aware she was moving. All she knew was that his kiss was so hot and her insides were turning to jelly. When he set her back on her feet again, the contact of the floor startled her and she broke away from their kiss.