Page 22 of He Has MVP (Boston Brawlers Hockey)
Chapter 7
Pink
What an idiot I am. I can’t believe I jeopardized my fledgling business to spend time with this man-whore. Why did I think for a damn minute that there might be something between me and him? The big dick-head. I pace around the master bedroom, glancing at the stupid computer taunting me from the desk. I finished doing all the work on the financial statements that I can do without Internet or files from my office. I could be back there by now. Ishouldbe back home in my own bedroom right now.
But I have only myself to blame. He’s being who he is, true to form, the MVP of players, named so by puck bunnies everywhere. Especially the sluttyJillian.
Okay, I’m just being a bitch now. I don’t know Jillian very well. Besides, I’m no better than she, am I? Pacing around the room, I’m too worked up by my stupidity and lack of work ethic when it counts to settle down to bed.
“Everything all right in there?” Aiden calls. I can tell that he’s near my door. I should open it up and slap his face. That might help me sleep.
But if I touch him, even with a slap, I know I’ll want him. Besides, I don’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing how agitated he has me.
“I’m fine. Go away. What do you care anyway?” I shout back at him through the door. So not cool. I hear him sigh deeply on the other side.
“Open up, Pink.” It’s not a shout, but I can hear his deep, caring voice clearly. It’s not a command, but I feel compelled by it all the same. Fuck that. I lost two days and nights of work over him.
“Back off, Aiden.” I stare at the door, waiting, holding my breath, knowing my voice has too much emotional vibration in it, as if I’m barely holding back tears. But that’s crazy because I’m not about to cry. Why would I?
Then I hear him move away, the sound of his bare feet padding on the hardwood floor, faint and falling off until there’s no sound of him. No sound except the ever-present wind in the trees outside.
Turning back to the oversize cold bed, I throw myself onto it and swipe at my cheek. Because, damn it, I’m crying after all. For no good reason.
* * *
“Let’s call a truce,”he says, the minute I come out of the bedroom to the great room the next morning.
I nod because I’m not the dickhead around here. Or at least I don’t want to be.
I’m cool and he’s contrite. I think that’s as far as our truce is going to go. Until he stands out on the deck in the rain and brews me coffee on an old Coleman stove he found in the basement. He’s soaked through when he comes inside with the old dented-up coffee pot. He gets out of his wet clothes and sets a fire and we both wonder what’s going on with the weather and when we’ll get off the island.
“The season starts Tuesday morning. I need to get back tomorrow,” he says, serious and for the first time, tense.
I’m well aware of my earlier bitchiness about his career. I lick my lips, his eyes follow my tongue, and that does all kinds of tingly things to my insides. But I manage to stay focused on contrition.
“I’m sorry I implied your hockey career isn’t serious. I know it’s important to you. And of course it’s a legitimate job. You bring joy and inspire excellence and a strong work ethic, reaching all kinds of young people who might not otherwise be reached. Your job is important, Aiden, and I had no right to hint otherwise.”
I don’t know where the hell the words came from. I hadn’t formed the thoughts before speaking. They literally came fully formed from my heart.
He nods. “Thank you.” He shrugs. “Hockey is just a game, but it’smygame. I love it and I’m protective of it like it’s my mistress. I think all the guys are like that to some degree or other.”
“I get it.” I smile. “Maybe that’s how I am with my new business, AP Accounting.”
“Touché.”
Moe, Larry, and Curly dance around and whine in a chorus and it’s time for them to go out for a bathroom break. I get up from the chair where I’ve been lounging, but Aiden stops me.
“I got this.” He whistles and the dogs line up and follow him to the back door where he throws on a jacket and pushes outside into the rain.
