Page 84 of Pucked and Pregnant

His reply is quick.

Okay. I’m here for you whenever you need me. Love you.

I type back,Love you too, then tuck my phone into my purse and hustle inside.

I expect to be bombarded with questions about the headlines concerning me but no one says anything. Feeling almost let down, I wander to my desk and sit, getting some of the stats and figures in order that I need to have on the tip of my tongue for the spots we’ll be filming.

A half an hour passes as I start to lose myself in my work, but then I suddenly have to pee. I grumble at the baby again for all this biological nonsense that is going on today before getting up and hurrying to the bathroom. I check my appearance in the mirror, feeling relieved when I see that I don’t look any different than I did a week ago. In fact, I’m glowing a little. I had alwaysthought people were kidding about the whole pregnancy-glow thing, but it appears to be true.

I smile at myself for a moment.Maybe things are going to work out after all,I think as I step out of the bathroom. And run right into a solid male body.

I stumble back a bit then cringe when I see Travis staring at me with that creepy look on his face, the one that I am fast becoming accustomed to.

“Saw the news today,” he says quietly, taking a step toward me.

“The news?” I reply, pretending not to have any idea what he’s talking about even though I absolutely know what he’s referring to. I take a few steps back away from him, but he follows me like a predator.

“The scandal rags,” Travis pushes, looking straight at my breasts with intensity. “It seems they’ve found out about your dirty little secret.”

I shake my head. “I have no idea what you are talking about,” I say sharply. “Now, get out of my way before I scream.”

He tilts his head to the side, a dangerous, knowing glint in his eyes. “Will you scream like you did when all three of those players took you at the same time? That’s what’s been going on, isn’t it? You like all that extra attention, don’t you? We could arrange that, you know, if that’s your thing. I have other friends just like them.”

My skin crawls at the thought of having sex with Travis, and I swallow hard before forcing myself to lock eyes with him again. “You’re disgusting. I think you should know that I won’t tolerate this behavior toward me any longer. I’m going to HR about this.”

He laughs loudly as he presses me back against the wall even further. “I think you should be really careful about that,” he hisses, and I feel goosebumps prickle across my body. “I recognized all of them, despite the pictures not being that greatand they’ve got their hoods up. You’ve been getting busy with the Hotshot, the Iceman, and the Russian Bear, am I right?”

I try not to throw up on Travis’ shoes when my heart plummets to my toes and then back up again, pounding wildly in my chest.

“See, it’s easy for me to hide the identities of the men you’ve been banging so long as we can agree to a compromise. I want what they’re getting, and I don’t think that’s too much to ask. After all, you seem like you’re the kind of girl who can handle… well, a lot. My friends and I, we’re more cultured. You’ll love the palate cleanser.”

He looks at me and licks his lips and I panic. I shove him hard and rush past him, stumbling in my heels as I hurry back to an area where there are other people working. I glance over my shoulder a couple of times to see that he’s casually leaning against the wall by the water cooler, staring at me.

I get back to my desk and try to gather myself. A lot has been thrown at me over the past few days, and adding Travis’ harassment to the mix isn’t helping.

I’m starting to realize that Travis is such a dick that I’m not sure I can keep working with him, and after the stories that came out this morning, I might not be able to hide my relationship with the boys or my pregnancy from the world much longer.

Two factors that could ultimately turn my life upside down, and sidetrack everything I’ve worked so hard for.

24

AIDEN

Coach had warned us that Liv and Travis would be coming down to do some coverage about the playoffs, but I wasn’t prepared to see her walking into the locker room dressed like a news anchor for a major media outlet. There’s something intensely attractive about her looking like a boss and a goddess at the same time.

“Damn that woman is fine,” Connor mutters, and I grin at him in reply.

As she greets some of the other players who are closer to the doorway, I ponder what has changed. Lately, she’s been looking even more delicious and vibrant, like there’s a newfound glow about her. She positively exudes confidence and glorious sensuality, and me and my cock are all for it.

I think about the slightly scraggly, leggy kid that I grew up with and shake my head. I had always been half in love with Liv, even when we were little kids, but I hadn’t been prepared for her to turn into such a bombshell as an adult.

“Ready for the big game?” she says to Connor and me as she strides over to us.

She’s in full work mode. I clear my throat and stand up straighter, trying to meet her in the middle.

“I feel like our practices have been great lately,” I manage to say in a voice that sounds normal despite the hormones running rampant through my body. “We’re running like a well-oiled machine.”

“We kind of feel like we’re living under a lucky star,” Connor agrees with a wink. “Maybe this year it’s just our turn, you know?”

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