Cocky Puck: A College Sports Romance (Hockey Hearthrobs) Read online

  “Why?”

  I consider this. A lot of my teammates have cool stories about why they chose their numbers. Mine is not cool at all.

  “It was the only jersey that fit me when I started hockey as a kid, and I stuck with it ever since.”

  “That’s surprising. I thought it was going to be some big story.”

  “Sorry to disappoint.”

  “Maybe you should make up something more exciting for when you go pro.”

  I chuckle, “What would be a good story?”

  “Your mom’s favorite number?” Sophie suggests. “The year your grandma was born? The number of goals you scored your first season?”

  I laugh. “I absolutely did not score thirty-seven goals in my first season.”

  “Who cares? It’s a better story than ‘the jersey fit’ don’t you think?”

  “Why can’t it be something really cool? Like the aliens who abducted me told me I had to be number thirty-seven?”

  Sophie laughs so hard she falls back on the bed. I’ve been standing the whole time, and it’s starting to feel awkward. I sit down next to her, careful to keep some space between us.

  “No aliens,” Sophie says when she finally stops laughing. “I guess the real story is endearing. What’s your major?”

  “Econ. Yours?”

  She gasps. “Wait, seriously?”

  “Yeah. Why?”

  “I’m an econ major, too!”

  No wonder Sophie looked familiar when I saw her. We’ve definitely had classes together. I think we have a couple together this semester.

  “We have so much in common,” I say. “It’s like this was meant to happen.”

  Sophie rolls her eyes. “I wouldn’t say that. So we’re in the same school. There are hundreds of kids in econ.”

  “And yet only two of us here. What do you do for fun?”

  “I read a lot.”

  “Oh yeah? What do you like to read?”

  She bites her lip. “It’s nerdy.”

  “So?” I nudge her shoulder, “I’ll tell you my nerdy hobby if you tell me yours.”

  “I read a lot of history books and economics articles and stuff. For fun.”

  I fight back a laugh. Of course, this girl reads school stuff for fun. “Well, I read comic books. Who is nerdier?”

  “I think we’re equally nerdy.”

  “Excellent. Do you have a favorite movie?”

  “I really like pretty much any Disney princess movie. Especially Tangled.”

  “I’ve never seen it.”

  Sophie gasps and puts more distance between us. “Tell me you’re lying!”

  I hold up my hands. “I don’t want to lie and say I’m lying. I’ve really never seen it.”

  “Oh, no. That can’t be true. I can’t be friends with someone who has never seen Tangled. I refuse.”

  She searches Damien’s bedside table for a remote. When she finds it, she searches for Tangled on a streaming service and starts the movie. We settle back against Damien’s headboard as it begins.

  Sophie quotes the movie as it plays. I can’t help but watch her more than I’m watching the TV.

  She catches me as the crazy mother has her second big song. “Hey, watch the movie!”

  I lift my hand to cup Sophie’s face. “I can’t help it. You’re much more interesting.”

  Sophie gasps again. “Take that back! I am not more interesting than Tangled.”

  I laugh. “I’ll watch it, I promise. Just . . .not right now.”

  “What do you want to do instead?” she asks, her voice barely a whisper.

  Instead of answering, I lean in and kiss her. Sophie meets my lips with intensity I wasn’t expecting. She wants this as much as I do.

  Before long, we’re laying on the bed, pawing at each other’s clothes. This is not what I expected to happen when I came to this party. I’m not mad that it’s where I ended up.

  After twenty minutes of making out, I move my attentions down to Sophie’s neck. I nibble at the skin below her chin, making her moan.

  “No marks,” she says. “I don’t want to have to explain a hickey to anyone.”

  I chuckle against her neck. “Same goes to you.”

  She smirks and bites my neck. “That’s no fun.”

  I adjust so I’m straddling her. “You started it.”

  I kiss her lips again, harder this time. I would be happy just kissing this woman for hours. I’ve never felt like this before.

  How can someone I just met have put such a spell over me? It makes no sense.

  I lean back and look into Sophie’s eyes. Is she feeling the same way I am? Does she feel the electricity between us, or is she only here hoping to get laid? I wouldn’t blame her if she was. That’s why girls come to hockey parties. Sophie is friends with Carmen, the biggest puck bunny at our school.

  I’m the only guy on the team who hasn’t slept with her. Now I’m glad that’s true. I doubt her best friend would be in bed with me right now if I had.

  My hand slides under Sophie’s short, black dress. The fabric is tight, but I manage to grab her thigh. The top is already pulled down, revealing her bra-covered breasts.

  I pull my lips from Sophie’s and suckle her nipples through the silky material.

  “Fuck, Matt. That feels so good.”

  I squeeze her thigh and trace the dampness forming in her panties. Sophie is ready for me. I meet her eyes and she nods.

  My belt is a pain to undo, but I get it unbuckled and start to slide my jeans down. Sophie adjusts her dress to give me better access. She’s slipping her panties down her legs when the door to Damien’s room flies open.

  Tangled is still playing on the TV and the lights are still on. There’s no hiding from our visitor.

  “Shit, sorry,” Carmen says. “I didn’t realize this room was occupied.”

  Sophie covers her head with Damien’s blanket.

  “I know it’s you, Soph. Sorry for interrupting. Carry on!”

  Carmen closes the door, but the moment is ruined. Sophie starts to giggle under the blanket.

  “I can’t believe that just happened.”

  “Don’t worry about it. It was just Carmen.”

  “I know, but still!” She says, “She’ll never let me live this down.”

  I kiss her shoulder. “Let’s make it worth it, then.”

  Sophie bites her lip. “I don’t know, Matt. I think we should probably head downstairs.”

  I flop back onto the bed, willing my hardon to go down. Carmen just had to go and ruin it. It’s partially my fault. I could’ve locked the door.

  I’ll know better for next time.

  Sophie adjusts her clothes and climbs out of bed. She holds out a hand to help me up, but giggles when she sees the problem in my boxers.

  “I’m sorry,” she says. “It’s just…”

  “You don’t have to apologize. I just need a few minutes to calm myself down.”

  She sits back on the bed. “Lucky for you, there are only like ten minutes left in the movie. We can watch the ending.”

  I pull up my pants and buckle my belt before joining Sophie up at the headboard once again. She keeps distance between us, which is for the best. I don’t want to go back down the earlier rabbit hole. Sophie’s not into it.

  If only my cock would accept that the way my head has.

  Watching a Disney movie helps. It’s hard to be turned on with an animated chameleon on screen. Plus, it’s a pretty good movie. I like the duet the princess sings with her man. Maybe I will watch the whole thing from the beginning sometime.

  As the credits roll, Sophie turns to face me. “So, what did you think?”

  “I liked it,” I admit.

  She laughs. “The parts you saw, anyway. We missed the middle.”

  “I enjoyed the middle the most.”

  I lean forward and kiss her, but she pulls away laughing. “Nope. We’re not doing that again right now. Maybe some other time.”

  That we m
ight have another chance is enough to get me off the bed. My hardon has gone down enough that it’s safe to go back downstairs.

  Sophie turns off the TV and fixes up the bed.

  “Do you guys use each other’s beds for hookups often?”

  “Yep. It’s one of the rules of living in the house. If you’re not using your bed, someone else can. I slept on the couch a lot of weekends when I lived here.”

  “That’s kind of gross.”

  I shrug. “You get used to it.”

  “Now I’m just thinking about all the other people who have used this bed.”

  “Damien washes his sheets once a week.”

  Sophie blows out a breath. “That’s reassuring. But what you’re saying is that not everyone in the house does that.”

  I don’t admit that I definitely didn’t wash my sheets that often when I lived here. Instead, I let her comment hang in the air between us.

  “Yeah, I don’t want to know. Let’s get back down to the party.”

  I shut off the light as we leave, wishing we could stay up here. I’d give anything to take Sophie. I better be careful with that line of thinking or I’ll end up with another embarrassing problem. Instead, I focus on what Sophie said.

  We didn’t get a chance to hook up tonight, but maybe we will in the future.

  That’ll get me through the blue balls I’ll have the rest of the party.

  3

  Sophie

  Carmen finds me the second I get downstairs.

  “Sorry, Matt, I’m borrowing her for a minute.”

  “Only if I can have her back when you’re done.”

  “Promise.”

  Carmen drags me by the elbow out onto the closed-in back porch. There are three couples out here going at it, but at least it’s quiet enough to talk.

  “I can’t believe you hooked up with Matt Harper!”

  I blush. “I didn’t. You interrupted us.”

  “Oh, no, I’m sorry. I was looking for a place for me and Travis… we had been in Joey’s room, but he came upstairs with another girl…”

  “It’s fine, really. It’s probably for the best that you stopped us.”

  “Come on! You seemed into it, from the sounds I heard.”

  “Shut up!”

  Carmen laughs. “I’m serious. You could’ve kept going after I left.”

  I shake my head. Carmen may be able to compartmentalize like that, but I can’t. When I was with my ex, I refused to have sex with him when Carmen was home. We ended up at his apartment most of the time because he didn’t have a roommate.

  That’s how I found out I wasn’t the only girl he was bringing home. I found two bras under his bed when my phone fell under there. Neither of them were mine, nor they were two different sizes, so they didn’t share the same owner.

  “I’m really sorry for ruining your moment. I’m proud of you, though. Matt’s awesome.”

  “Wait, you haven’t…”

  “I haven’t. He never seemed interesting. Apparently, you’re more his type than I am.”

  I blow out a breath. Carmen is always trying to pawn her sloppy seconds off on me, but I could never take her up on it. It would be complicated, sleeping with a guy who has seen my best friend naked. I’d be thinking about it the entire time we hooked up.

  “Good.”

  Carmen raises a brow at me. “Wait, are you interested in Matt? As more than just a hookup?”

  I wave her off. “No, of course not. He’s a hockey guy. You know they’re only good for one thing.”

  “Hey, now, I never said that. They’re good for plenty of things.”

  “Are any of them done outside the bedroom?”

  “Sure. The kitchen counter, the pool, the couch…”

  I playfully slap her arm. “I swear, if you’ve been having sex on our kitchen counter…”

  “Don’t worry, I always clean up my mess.”

  “I’m gonna be sick.”

  Carmen laughs. “Relax, I’ve never done it in our kitchen. You might not want to use the counters in this house, though.”

  Oh, God. Thank goodness the cups were next to the keg, which came from a delivery guy. I’m probably safe.

  “Anyway, back to Matt. It seemed like you guys hit it off.”

  I shrug. “I don’t know. We had fun together, but…”

  Carmen squeezes my shoulder. She understands my hesitation more than anyone.

  Before she can say anything, the door opens and Matt joins us on the porch.

  “Is your minute up yet? I want to dance.”

  I glance at Carmen and she nods slightly, letting me off the hook for now.

  “Let’s go,” I say, offering Matt my hand. “Show me your moves off the ice.”

  I follow Matt into the living room where a makeshift dance floor has formed. Someone pushed the table and couches out of the way to make just enough space for a few couples to dance close together.

  Matt pulls my hips against his and rocks us back and forth, slightly off from the beat of the music. I throw my arms around his neck and lose myself in his warmth. My ex hated to dance, but I’ve always loved it. Moving my body feels amazing, especially with a sexy guy to grind against.

  When the song changes, Matt turns me around so my ass is grinding on his crotch. The hardon he fought to lose earlier has returned with a vengeance. I grin up at him when I feel it poking against me.

  “This is what you do to me,” he whispers into my ear. His warm breath sends a chill down my spine. I could stay like this forever and be happy.

  We dance for a few songs, enjoying each other’s company.

  “I need a break,” I say. “Can we sit?”

  Matt nods and leads me to the couch he was sitting on when we first met. I try not to think about what bodily fluids I’m sitting on when I take a seat.

  There are already three people on the couch, so I’m practically sitting on Matt’s lap. I don’t think either of us minds.

  “You’re an excellent dancer,” Matt says. He has to yell for me to hear him, and it still sounds like he’s whispering. This is another reason I hate parties. You can’t talk to anyone! What’s the point? Standing around and gesturing at each other, pretending like you understand what they’re saying when you really don’t? This isn’t my kind of place.

  Yet, I’m glad Carmen dragged me here tonight. Matt and I are getting along really well.

  Could he be the guy to break down my recently built walls? My cheating ex did a number on my trust. I’m not sure if I’m ready to let another guy in yet. Especially not a hockey player. They’re as much players with girls as they are on the ice.

  “Are you having a good time?” Matt asks.

  “I am,” I admit. “Are you?”

  “Definitely, now that I’ve got you. What would you be doing tonight if you weren’t here?”

  “Probably reading or doing homework.”

  “This is more fun, don’t you think?”

  “I’d say it’s about even.”

  Matt laughs. The sound fills the room, but not in an obnoxious way. I like when guys think I’m funny. I personally think I’m hilarious, so it’s nice to be appreciated.

  We continue to talk as best we can over the loud music and other party goers. The more I get to know him, the more I think I could have something real with Matt. He’s nice, funny, and really smart. Plus, we have a lot in common. We watch a lot of the same TV shows and like to do a lot of the same things in our free time.

  We could be great together.

  The thought terrifies me.

  “I need a drink,” I say before my thoughts can spiral out of control.

  Matt starts to stand up, but I stop him.

  “I’ll go. I want to move my legs. I’ll be back in a minute.”

  He kisses my cheek. “Hurry back. I’ll be waiting.”

  My heart throbs in my chest. How can he be so sweet? We barely know each other, yet it’s so easy to be with him.

  I take my time going t
o the keg and filling a cup for myself and one for Matt. By the time I’m finished, I’ve managed to calm down my heartrate. Liking Matt isn’t the end of the world. I’m not sure I’m ready to date anyone officially yet, but he and I can hang out. I wouldn’t mind getting to know him outside of this party.

  Honestly, I’d be happy picking up where we left off in Damien’s room, too. From what I experienced, sex with Matt will be fantastic. I want to find out for sure.

  With two cups in hand, I make my way back to the living room. I plan on giving him his beer and asking Matt if he wants to hang out, just the two of us, sometime soon.

  I don’t have a chance to ask him. When I get to the entrance of the living room, I spot Matt surrounded by five girls wearing far less clothing than me. He’s smiling and laughing at whatever they’re saying. He seems to have forgotten about me completely.

  Duh, he’s a hockey player. Emphasis on the ‘player.’

  I turn on my heel and head for the dining room. I chug down one of the cups of beer and leave it in a pile of trash on the table. I’m tempted to do the same with the second, but I’m feeling a comfortable buzz and I don’t want to get too drunk. Hockey parties have a reputation for being safe for women, but I’m not taking any chances.

  Where the hell is Carmen? I want to go home. I can’t believe I thought, even for a second, that I could date a hockey guy. Matt is just like my ex. The second I was out of the room, he searched for the next woman he could seduce. I wouldn’t be surprised if he brought one of those girls upstairs to enjoy Damien’s bed in the way we didn’t get a chance to.

  Tears threaten to spill from my eyes. I blink to get rid of them.

  “Hey, are you okay?”

  A guy stands in front of me. I don’t recognize him.

  “Yeah, I’m fine.”

  “You seem upset. Did someone do something?”

  I shake my head. I don’t want to get into my idiocy with a stranger. “No, really, I’m fine. Thank you for asking, though.”

  “In that case, I’m Zack. I’ve never seen you at a hockey party before.”

  I laugh. “I don’t come here often.”

  “Why not?”

  “Not into hockey guys, I guess.”

  “Lucky for you, I’m not a hockey guy. My freshman year roommate was, and we stayed buddies, so I’m like an honorary member of the team. I can’t skate for shit, though.”