Page 18 of Snap Shot

Cooke stammers out a nervous chuckle. “Uh, whoa.Err…”

My jaw clacks shut, teeth shifting with a silent grind. “No, it's not. I'm sure you can understand, Mr.Szeczin.” If the world can manage to say Szeczin, this oaf can try to say Davé.

Cooke opens his mouth to apologize, but I hold up a hand to stop him. I don't need his pity or help. “It was nice meeting you.”

Derrick Jaeger scowls at his teammate and shakes his head. “A real pleasure, Ms. Davé.”

The door snaps open again, this time revealing the man himself.

Damn. I'm really gonna have to act like a put-together, professional human when he looks likethatin a suit. I mean, I've seen him in his birthday suit, and this might be better. Okay, no. What am I saying? It's a tie. A tie? I'd use a tie on him.Mmm. No! Focus, Indi.

Landon's bumbling steps even out when he nears. The two others take their cue and make a swift exit. Cooke sighs out, seemingly relieved to end the awkward silence in this conversation.

“Radek! Get over here.”

“Landon Radek.” He holds out his hand. The same one he held his dick with.

This is fine. I'm fine. Everything'sfine.I've seen your peen and I'm mature enough to move beyond it for the chance to make partner.

I put on the kindest smile I can muster as Cooke introduces me, ignoring the goosebumps coming to life from being this close to Landon. Wow, he smells clean. Like fresh laundry and citrusy soap. I could get off on that scent alone. No. You stop that. Bad, bad coochie!

“This is Indira Davé.”

Radek's brows dip, face falling to a frown. “Indira Davé?” God, why? Is the deep timbre of his voice not torture enough? The way he says my name—andcorrectly. Gah. My pussy is sweating. “IndiraDavé?”

The second time is worse. My pits are sweating, too.

“Yes.” Cooke switches his glance between us. “Ms. Davé was recommended by—”

“Indi?” Landon says through a gasping chuckle, his worried eyes growing into surprise and shimmering with the bluest of blues. “Indi! It's me! Landon! We played together on the Lightning? In the U13 league back in Mississauga?”

Well, shit on a hockey stick. He recognizes me. But how?I don't look like the Michelin Man anymore.

I grew too tall, too quickly to be as graceful and controlled as the other ice skaters. The coach was more than discouraged by my height while petite peers voiced nasty comments about my too-full chest and chubby midsection. To my mother’s disappointment, I quit.

Discovering my size was an advantage whenever I played a friendly neighborhood game, I begged to join the local ice hockey team. Being five-foot-six at twelve years old and fifteen pounds heavier than most of the boys, and agile from years of ice skating made me the perfect goalie.

Convincing the league was the first challenge of many.

My father, a tall, hefty brown man with black, shoulder-length hair and a full beard, poked a finger into the chest of a moon-faced league coordinator. “Bollocks!” His British accent was strong when angry. “There's nothing in the rulebook about not having girls on the team.”

“Listen. There are onlyboys—” he emphasized, “—on this team. There are other all-girl teams. It's easier to manage—”

“Easier to manage?” Dad scoffed. “How is it easier to manage paying exorbitant fees when there’s a perfectly good, sponsored team available?”

“But the lockers—”

He had a point there. I'd rather be buried alive than have to change with boys my age.

“Do the facilities not provide girls' locker rooms? If so, you’ve got bigger problems than me, mate.”

The man threw his hands up, making his beer gut wiggle in a wave. “Girls can't keep up! Boys are rougher, faster—”

“Pardon?” Dad wasn’t having it. “That’s rubbish. You have no idea what she's capable of. Why don't you let her try out? If she can't 'keep up' with the lads, we’ll leave.” He folded his arms across a huffing chest.

Coach Alexei laughed when I shutout that one little shit named Bryce Bennett. “That's not beginner's luck, kiddo. That's skill. We could use a decent tendy.” He tapped my helmet.

The crease was my jam. Breaks between bursts of action gave me time to think. The looks of disappointment from the opposing team when they couldn't get a puck past me was thoroughly enjoyable. But the biggest bonus? Seeing Landon. I liked the way he skated, so smooth and effortless. I liked when he smiled even more.

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