Page 10 of Rookie Move

“Can’t wait to snuggle our new teammate,” Penny said.

“I’m always up for hanging out with puppies. We can have a play date with Bash. That dog always has extra energy to burn off,” Sophia, Finn’s girlfriend, said.

“I bet puppy playtime on the ice would turn into us yellingdon’t lick the yellow ice,” Amanda said with a laugh. “So, how’s our new guy working with Finn?”

“Desmond? Finn said they’re looking good, but he’ll always say that. I haven’t gone to practice,” Sophia said. “Have you, Rylie? Finn’s paired up with one of the new guys, Desmond Lachley. They call him Nessie—or at least Baz does.” Sophia’s shoulders shook.

Rylie had quickly learned that Baz was the jokester of the team. But her thoughts weren’t on Baz. They were solely focused on Desmond as soon as Sophia had said his name.

That was a lie.

He was in the back of her mind more than was healthy—and thinking about him at all, aside from his place on the team, wasn’t good for her well-being.

“Nessie. I heard they call him Lachley, which is lame because it’s not even a play on his last name. But it ends in -ey, so it’s like a guaranteed nickname with the guys,” Amanda said.

Rylie couldn’t stop herself from looking in Desmond’s direction. He was laughing at something Baz said, his shoulders shaking, his grin wide. Then, as if he knew she was watching, he looked right at her.

She couldn’t stop her gasp and her cheeks heated when he quirked a brow at her. She hadn’t spoken to him since that first day in the office. Not that he should want to speak to her after the way she reacted. She owed him an apology for that. He was on the team, and she worked for the team. Their paths were going to cross, and they should clear the air at some point.

Eventually. She definitely wasn’t up for that conversation today.

“Rylie, you still with us?” Sophia asked.

She broke eye contact with Desmond and looked toward the curious women.

Shit.

“Yeah, I’m good.”

“He is hot,” Amanda said.

“Who?” Like she didn’t know.

“Please. The way he was looking at you. Yeah, it’s a little dicey because you’re the coach’s daughter and all, but we can all attest to how much fun dating a hockey player can be,” Amanda said, grinning.

“Yeah. Not happening. My dad would shit a brick,” she said, trying to play it off with a laugh, but it sounded hollow in her ears.

“Leave her alone, Amanda,” Penny said. “But he is hot. And single, I hear.”

“You guys are awful,” Rylie said, then polished off the rest of her beer. “Not happening. So tell me more about some of the foundation’s activities.”

Thankfully, they let the topic of Desmond drop, and Rylie leaned back in her chair and listened to their suggestions.

That was her job, after all.

And when Desmond’s laugh tickled the back of her brain from across the pool, she pushed it away. They’d only been together for one freaking night, and that’s all it was ever going to be.

He could notstop watching her—not like a stalker—but he swore every time he looked up, it didn’t take him long to spot her. He’d kept up his end of the conversation with his teammates, and hoped he wasn’t obvious, but when she’d locked eyes on him the last time, he couldn’t help raising his brow and grinning.

What the fuck was wrong with him?

Hooking up with her when he didn’t know she was the coach’s daughter was one thing, but now, rookie move, for sure. Bugsy was a hard-ass already. Desmond couldn’t imagine how grueling practice would be if the coach found out that Desmond still wanted to hook up with his precious daughter.

And here he was, not paying attention to his teammates, but watching how she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she laughed at something Cheesy’s girlfriend said. He remembered those fingers skating across his skin, and his gut—along with parts further south—tightened.

“If we win our home opener, Nessie is buying all of us dinner,” Baz’s voice cut through.

“Wait? What?” he sputtered.

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