Page 49 of Pucking Around

She glances over at me, one brow quirked up. “Oh god, youdoneed this seat. You want me to move again. You want that seatandthis one.”

“Yes.”

We hold each other’s gaze for a long moment. Slowly, she crosses her arms. “Give meonegood reason why I should respect you, when you clearly have no respect for me.”

“What?”

“You ghosted mefourtimes this week, Kinnunen,” she snaps. “I worked with Tomlin to get you scheduled for a physical, and each time you were a no-show. You show up on time for every team meeting, every workout, every practice, every press event.” She ticks them off on her fingers. “Notice a pattern yet? You respect everybody else’s time on this team except mine. And I can’t help but wonder why that might be.” She’s staring daggers at me.

“Doctor Price—”

“Is it because I’m a woman?”

“What—no! How can you think that?”

“Is it because you think I’m too young to be a doctor?”

“No—”

“Too unqualified?”

I groan, fists clenching on my knees. “No.”

“Then what, Kinnunen? Why are you ghosting me? I’m not moving until you tell me, And it better not be some bullshit answer about extra practices.”

Before I can reply, a flight attendant leans down. “Ma’am, you need to fasten your seatbelt. We’re about to push back.”

Doctor Price glances up at her. “Hold on. Apparently, I’m moving seats.Again.”

“No, ma’am, you’re gonna have to stay in your seat,” the attendant replies. “We’ve closed the cabin door. You can move once we’ve reached cruising altitude.”

I groan.

“Would either of you like anything to drink?”

“No,” we say in unison, and the flight attendant shuffles off.

“I need that seat,” I mutter hopelessly.

“Too damn bad, Kinnunen,” Price replies. “I’m the barnacle on your butt for the rest of this flight. And until you give me what I want and do your physical, I’m gonna be sitting in this seat foreveryflight from now until the Rays win the Stanley Cup. So, either get in my exam room, or get comfortable with me hogging all your air.” With that, her arm stretches over our heads, and she angles my air vent in her direction with an irritated huff.

As the plane begins to roll back, I consider my options. Let this doctor examine me, and most likely bench me for half the season…or let her sit next to me, shattering the comfort of my long-established routines and throwing off all my concentration with that wonderful way she smells.

Fuck.

24

Ashutout! The Jacksonville Rays beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-0 in their first game of the season. The guys were on fire tonight. Even as the away team, the mood in the arena was electric, with all the fans excited to see a new NHL team hit the ice. Sure, they booed each time the Rays scored, but Kinnunen made a few truly spectacular saves that had the Carolina fans screaming in their seats with frustration and awe.

And I had a front row seat for it all. Well, technically I was standingbehindthe front row. I tried to make myself small as possible, wedged in the corner of the player’s bench, watching as the guys passed the puck and slammed the other team into the boards.

Not gonna lie, it did unholy things to my lady parts to watch Jake Compton on the ice. He was laughing and joking all through the warm-ups, flashing me those hazel ‘fuck me’ eyes. But the moment that warm-up jersey came off, and he skated out under the music and the lights, it’s like he became a different person. He wasn’t my fun-loving Mystery Boy. He was No. 42, Jake Compton, and he was lethal.

When I wasn’t watching the guys on the ice, my gaze kept trailing to the other end of the player’s bench where Caleb was hard at work. He and Jerry were on a constant rotation—passing out sticks, changing blades, handing over water bottles and towels. It made me feel guilty for my role, which was to stand in the corner, taking up as little space as possible, and just praying I wouldn’t be needed.

Seconds before the final buzzer, the Rays erupt with cheers, the puck sliding forgotten along the ice. The Carolina fans clap for us and our first ever team victory in the NHL.

The bench clears out as the guys book it back to the locker room. We’ve got a tight schedule and they all know their roles. Most of the team will hurry up and shower, shedding their uniforms quick so the EMs can finish packing everything. The guys in need of medical treatment or therapies will get it, while at least a couple guys have to go with the coaches to the press briefing.

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