Pucked: Pucked Over Part 33

"It might not be a bad idea." Miller looks back at Violet. "I'm sending Waters over here to get you if you're not on the ice in two. He's being super patient, Vi. You're probably hurting his feelings."

"Whatever. Nothing a BJ won't solve."

Miller points a finger at her face. "That's your overshare for today. No more freebies."

"You won the overshare contest today when you told me your d.i.c.k is chafed from too much Sunshine cookie."

"You two realize I'm right here, listening to this."

They both look at me.

"And your point is?" Violet asks.

"Just letting you know it isn't a private conversation."

"Miller will pay for your therapy bills." She turns back to her brother. "See? I used your real name. Give me five more minutes. Then I'll come out."

Miller shrugs, steps out onto the ice, and is gone. I sit down on the bench so I can adjust my laces. Violet's got hockey skates on instead of the figure skating kind. Lily waves as she skates past us, doing a little twirl and a jump.

Violet frowns. "Seriously. I have no idea how she does that."

We watch her make her way around the rink, leaping and spinning. She's graceful and smooth. It's exactly the way she is in bed. I f.u.c.king love it.

"You're thinking about having s.e.x with her," Violet whispers. "I can tell."

I glance at her. "Why would you think that?"

"Your woody." She points at my crotch.

I glance down, even though I'm not hard.

She starts laughing. "Oh my G.o.d, b.a.l.l.s. You're the funniest." She punctuates it with one of her hip thrusts. She's been managing not to do that as much lately.

I shake my head and lace my skates. "What's your beef with skating?"

"I don't have a beef. I'm uncoordinated. I can't even do yoga without falling on my face. I don't know why Alex thinks I need to learn how to skate. I'll probably commit accidental manslaughter and end up in prison. They won't even have a library, and if they do they'll only carry the cla.s.sics and none of the s.m.u.tty books I like to read for fun. Not that I'll want to read s.m.u.t with no d.i.c.k around. See why this is a bad idea?" She crosses her arms over her chest, eyeing everyone on the ice.

They're in the middle of the rink. Miller's disappeared somewhere. All of a sudden music blasts through the sound system.

Sunny claps her hands. "Oh! Alex and Lily, remember that routine you used to do?"

Lily and Waters share a look. I don't like the hot feeling in my neck. They laugh.

I can't hear the rest of the conversation over the music, but Lily and Waters face off against each other. It looks like they're getting ready to drop the puck, but then they start talking, moving their feet in little stilted circles, making hand gestures.

"What's going on over there?" Violet asks.

"I'm not sure." I remind myself that Lily and Waters have known each other their whole lives. They're like brother and sister, kinda like Miller and Violet, except hopefully not quite as open.

Waters holds out his hand and Lily takes it. They skate down the ice. Together. She doesn't look at me when she pa.s.ses; her eyes are glued to Waters' as they start in on a routine. I glance at Violet, who's looking at me with something like panic on her face.

I check the ice again. Waters is definitely rusty. He's an awesome skater, but he's been in pro hockey for the past six years, so the whole light-on-his-feet business hasn't been much of a priority. But he's still more graceful that most of the guys on the ice, and now I get why.

By their third pa.s.s, they've found their rhythm. Lily skates circles around him and does this incredible spin thing. Then things get serious. They've got their hands on each other. His are on her waist and hers on his shoulder. I'm not all that excited about them touching each other.

Their faces are close, and she gives him a nod. I don't know what it means until Waters lifts her in the air. Her body arcs in this perfect pose. A slapshot of emotions. .h.i.ts me. I'm suddenly sad all over again that she lost her chance at the Olympics. She would've been amazing. I'm in awe because she's d.a.m.n well gorgeous. I'm also irrationally p.i.s.sed that Waters is touching her. I recognize the emotion as jealousy. I don't get to think too much about that, though, because suddenly Violet is elbowing my side.

"Maybe you should get out there. Go get your girl."

"They're doing some kind of routine." I reply evenly, though I feel some level of panic.

"Notice how intimate this routine is. Note how good they are at it?"

"That's probably because they've done it a million times."

"So you don't have a problem with the way they're touching each other, then?"

I glance at her to see whether she's serious. She looks it. "Do you?"

"They grew up together, so it's probably fine, right?" She watches them for a few seconds before she asks, "Does Lily bone like she figure skates?"

I open my mouth to tell her I'm not at liberty to say, but she cuts me off with a wave of her hand. "Never mind. I already know the answer to that question. Guys like you don't go back for repeat s.e.xing if isn't stellar. I bet she f.u.c.ks like a G.o.dd.a.m.n prost.i.tute on steroids. I bet her p.u.s.s.y is like Fort Knox. Do you think she ever crushed on Alex?"

"I doubt it."

"Do you know for sure?" she asks.

The real answer is I don't. I'm guessing. And I've already mentally asked myself that question. I open my mouth, but Violet goes on one of her tangents.

"I need to take stripper dance cla.s.ses so I can move like her. Lily may have small b.o.o.bs, but she could get a b.o.o.b job to have ones like mine and try to seduce my man."

"That's not going to happen and Lily's b.o.o.bs aren't small."

She gives me another one of her looks as she stands up and wobbles on her skates.

"It won't. And they're nice."

"Nice and small. There's nothing wrong with that." She puts a hand on my shoulder and stares me right in the eye. "Don't think for a second that I buy you not caring about what's going on out there, b.a.l.l.s." She grimaces but doesn't even thrust once. "I see how you look at her. I was there when you dry-f.u.c.ked her in my laundry room, and I saw the expression on your face when you made her come. You want to pretend all you're doing is buddy-f.u.c.king, go right ahead, but I see through you like watery j.i.z.z. Now help me get on the ice so Alex can show me how to skate." She clutches my arm. "And I'm glomming onto you, just so you know, not because I want him to be jealous, but because I'm pretty sure I'll fall flat on my face otherwise."

I c.o.c.k a brow.

"Okay, I want him to be a little jealous, but not worried I want to bone you or anything. Because I don't. Now help me."

"Don't worry. I got you." Violet comes maybe to my shoulder, if that. I thread my arm through hers. There's no way to avoid brushing the side of her b.o.o.b; it's that big. I pretend it's not happening.

I step out onto the ice first and direct her to hold on to the ledge until she gets her footing. "You've never skated before?"

"I've skated. I was a kid. All I remember was that I didn't like it, and I hurt myself, and my mom didn't make me do it again. I avoided sports. I did math camp instead. Oh, and cooking cla.s.ses because I love eating."

Once she gets both feet on the ice, she freezes.

"Okay. Time to let go," I tell her.

"Of you?"

"No, the wall."

She does what I tell her, but her attention is divided between me, the ice, and Lily and Waters. He misses catching her this time, and she stumbles, ending up in his arms. They're laughing, and Sunny's clapping again. If I had a free hand and a camera ready, it'd make a great picture. Except I don't want pictures of her and Waters.

Then Violet flails, and her feet go in two different directions. She really is the most uncoordinated person I've ever met. Maybe her b.o.o.bs throw off her center of gravity. She grabs me with both hands, kicking me in the shin with one of her skates in the process. It hurts, but I've been kicked way worse, so I try not to make a face or anything. I grab her under the arms as she shrieks and tries to get her skates under control. All she succeeds in doing is kicking my feet out from under me.

I roll to my back as we go down, making sure she's on top so I don't crush her when we land.

Waters puts Lily down, shooting me a dirty look. "Baby, what're you doing? I would've come to get you!"

"I want you to spin me around like that!" She turns back and gives me a devious smile. Her voice drops. "Just so you know, I was totally f.u.c.king with you. I'm not worried about Alex and Lily. He and I are solid. But your response told me everything I already knew. It's pretty d.a.m.n obvious Lily's more than just your f.u.c.k buddy. Maybe you should man up and do something about it."

I'm about to laugh that off when Waters skates over and helps Violet up, Lily right behind him. Violet smirks as Alex holds her against him, and Lily gives me a holy s.h.i.t face, coming to a stop beside me as I push to my feet. Her cheeks are pink, and she's breathing heavy.

She presses her body flush to mine. "Are you okay? Violet's a menace."

"I'm fine. You looked good out there." I won't admit that I didn't like Waters' hands on her, or that Violet may be on to something.

"Thanks. Alex and I used to practice together sometimes. Come on, I'll teach you some moves." She circles me, urging me to follow her. And I do.

We spend the next hour on the ice. Lily's incredibly talented. Between her and Waters, we finally get to the point where Violet can make it around the rink without falling. She still has to hold on to someone, but at least she isn't landing on her a.s.s.

After skating we go to an all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant. It's the only way to go with hockey players; unlimited options and no cut-off point is the best.

Lily and I end up being invited back to Waters' place, which means no s.e.x until later. And I'm okay with that. It's a good day, even if it's not the naked kind.

I pull into Waters' driveway. We've managed to get here first, so we have to wait for them to show up. I play with the lock of Lily's hair that's flipping out instead of curling under. It always seems to do that. "Can I ask you something?"

"The answer is no. Sunny and I have never experimented with each other," she says immediately.

I choke on a cough. "Where the h.e.l.l did that come from?"

"Now you're imagining it, aren't you?"

I laugh. "There's no right answer to that, Lily."

"Maybe you like the idea of me and Violet better. Her b.o.o.bs are huge, and we're closer to the same height."

"Jesus."

"Sorry. I'll stop. You had a question."

"Does that mean you've thought about experimenting with Sunny?"

"Ew. No way. She's my best friend. Violet maybe, because of her b.o.o.bs. Okay. Question. Shoot."

It takes me a few seconds to remember it. It's a decent segue anyway. "You ever have a thing for Waters?"

"Alex?"

"Yeah. Like when you were a teenager-you ever crush on him? You know, hook up with your bestie's brother or whatever?" I try to come off as casual, but I'm pretty d.a.m.n sure I fail, based on Lily's expression.

"Did I ever have a crush on Alex? Oh my G.o.d, no! He was such a dork in high school. I mean, he was always really nice, but so, so nerdy. I can't even tell you. Why?"

I shrug. "Just curious."

"Just curious? Is this because of the skating thing?"

"You guys seemed to know how each other moves. I figured maybe you knew more about that than just what he was like on the ice."

"I grew up with him, and Sunny's my best friend. I never would have gone behind her back like that."

I nod like I get it. Mostly I'm relieved. And I recognize that's not necessarily a good thing-much like the jealousy this afternoon when they were on the ice. It means I'm getting attached. Comfortable. I'm not exactly sure why that's happened.

I told her to tell me if things got too intense, but I have no idea what to do with myself.

Chapter 24.

Slap Shot to The Heart LILY.

I've spent the majority of my time in Chicago with Randy, apart from the actual holiday and the hours during which he has practice or training sessions. We have such a great time together. And not just the s.e.x, which is still so, so amazing. But this week we've spent as much time in a group as we did alone. He and Sunny get along great. Violet's almost stopped thrusting when she says his name, and him and Alex and Darren and Miller are hilarious to be around. I'm still trying to figure out Lance.

It's New Year's Eve. Sunny and I are sitting in her living room, painting our toenails. Charlene and Violet are putting on blue eye shadow and acting like a.s.sholes.

"Alex says he can get you an interview for a coaching position, if you want it," Sunny says.

I stop painting and sit back, wiggling my toes. I've been thinking about this all week. I want desperately to take her up on the offer; I'm worried it's for the wrong reasons.

"Your mom'll be fine without you. It's only an hour-and-a-half flight. You can go back anytime you want."

"I know." Sunny's right. This Tim-Tom guy actually seems decent, apart from the shirtlessness. He owns a small gym, he's nice to her, and she's happy-happier than she's been in a long time. She met his family at Christmas. There's talk about her moving in with him. I know she'll say it's okay for me to tag along, but it's time to get out.

"Then what's holding you back? Not the messages from Benji, I hope."

"Your douchey ex?" Violet asks.