Page 3 of Puck After Puck

Howie looks from Anders's angry face to mine and finally to Bodie's: "Come on, guys. Can't you take a joke? Besides, I don't want your sloppy seconds anyway—I'd have to go first."

Does this guy not know when to shut up? Anders is seconds away from beating him to a pulp, and he's still talking shit about Heidi.

Luckily for Howie, the door swings open as one of the scorekeepers walks in. "Hey guys, do you mind if I hang out here for a few minutes? My ex-Tiffany just spotted me. She's a little unhinged."

"Sure," Anders replies before turning his attention back to Howie. "If we ever hear Heidi's name come out of your mouth again, you'll be eating through a straw for the rest of your life. Got it?"

"Geez, calm down already." Howie steps around Anders and then reaches his locker. "Talk about unhinged."

"Asshole!" Bodie shouts, slamming Howie up against the lockers with his forearm under Howie's chin, pinning him in place. "Don't push us. If you so much as breathe next to her, you're a dead man. Have I made our point clear enough this time?" Bodie shoves Howie with his forearm before letting him go.

"Yeah, whatever." Howie wheezes, grabbing for his throat. We grab the rest of our gear, preferring to finish changing anywherebut next to Howie. I'm not sure how we'll be able to be civil to him on the ice with his shit attitude. When the little prick seals his fate, "I'm not afraid of you. I'm friends with the owners." He puffs out his chest. "I could have the three of you fired with the snap of my fingers."

Talk about unhinged.

three

Bodie

It's been one hellof an afternoon. I can't wait for the game to end so we can blow off steam somewhere—anywhere as long as we're as far away from Heidi as possible. She's temptation disguised as an angel. And right now, that angel is shaking her pom-poms in an arena full of horny guys.

It's the first-period break, and we're supposed to be reviewing the penalties and the scores, but Howie is the only one of the four who is actually doing his job. The rest of us are watching as Heidi and the Minnesota Valkyrie ice girls perform on the ice to some seductive song. My eyes never leave Heidi as she shimmies and shakes her luscious body while skating to a dance routine.

I've been so busy with the intense hockey refereeing schedule the last year that I haven't taken the time to hook up with anyone, even for one night, Which hasn't bothered me until tonight. Now I'm hard and aching to stuff my cock in a warm, tight hole. The only problem is there's only one woman I want.

"Damn, she's good." Anders takes a large gulp of water from the plastic bottle in his hand before passing it to Riggs.

"She's so graceful yet sexy." Riggs waves off the offered water bottle.

Just as the words leave his mouth, Heidi glances in our direction and slightly stumbles but regains her balance without missing a beat like the pro she is. She finishes the routine with the rest of the ice girls, then skates off the ice to her designated cheering section in the stands. It's not far from where we are. She bends down with a smile to talk to someone I can't see in the audience because someone is standing in the way.

I swear if it's some guy, I'll bust his lip.

The fan sits down, revealing that Heidi is talking with three women in the crowd, not some guy. If I'm not mistaken, one of the women looks like actress Hadley Ford. I remember someof the rookies on our hockey team liked watching Hadley's TV shows when we were on the road. She's definitely grown up since the last time I saw one of her shows—but she still doesn't hold a candle to Heidi. My cock hardens, remembering how close she was to taking it into her mouth only a few hours ago.

The horn sounds alerting us to take our positions on the ice for the second period. "Come on. It's time we earn our pay." Riggs slaps me on the back, breaking Heidi's hold over me.

"I'd rather watch her," I mumble before turning and skating away.

"Amen, brother." Anders skates next to me. "But you know she's too young for our old asses, right?"

"I know, but a guy can still fantasize, can't he." We laugh until I notice Riggs, a few feet in front of us, tilting his chin to his chest and inhaling deeply. "What's up with him?"

"I have no idea, but he's been doing it a lot today."

Riggs stops, and we almost run into him. He looks past us to where Heidi's cheering section is. "If, for some reason, the universe throws her into our path again, can we act on it?" When neither of us answers, he continues, "I don't mean here or at some other hockey game of function that super obvious—more like someplace we would never imagine running into her at."

I know what he's asking; I've been thinking about it, too. If given a second chance, would we act on our feelings of what can onlybe explained as instalust for Heidi? Before I can answer, Anders jumps in with his reply.

"Hell, yes, we would and should. I haven't been able to concentrate on anything since we first saw her. I'm pretty sure I've missed a ton of penalties today—I can't keep my mind off of her."

They both look at me, waiting for my answer. I glance over my shoulder and find her looking in our direction. I can't tell if she's looking at us or just in the vicinity, but it doesn't matter; I'm willing to take a chance, even if it is a long shot.

"Okay, if for some reason the universe sees fit for our paths to cross somewhere outside the hockey world—somewhere we would never expect—then yes, I say we act on it, and we act on it hard because we barely even know her, yet I feel like she could be someone special in our lives."

"Agreed." Anders and Riggs answer before we have to drop the puck for the second period to begin. I only hope we do a better job of concentrating on the game instead of the sexy little ice girl shaking her pom-poms for us.

four

---