Page 30 of Offside

Before we get to the doors, she stops and checks the time. “I should probably call it a night. Tomorrow’s the first game, after all. You ready for it?”

“Sweetheart, I’malwaysready for it.”

* * *

In the end,I saw Karis out to her waiting car and then returned to my condo alone, still horny as hell but with a satisfied smile.

It probably saved my sorry ass in the end since we have our first preseason home game tonight. When I was in my twenties, I could fuck all night before a game the next day and kill it on the ice without so much as an ache or pain.

Now it would likely kick me in the ass. I’m just happy it’s preseason and I have some breathing room before things get serious.

The morning practice wasn’t too bad butdamnmy joints are screaming for some WD-40. The best I can do is get in the ice tub for three minutes and then hop on the massage table for a rubdown to keep my muscles loose for tonight.

“How was the rest of the gala last night, Keeners? You go home with some lucky lady?”

I glance over my shoulder to see Canners through the open doorway of the equipment room where he’s taping up his stick and waiting for his blades to be sharpened. I give him a long, hard appraisal, wondering if he suspects anything between Karis and me. I did my best not to be overtly flirtatious with her at the dinner table, but it still felt glaringly obvious how we are together.

There’s nothing in his expression to think he noticed anything. I reluctantly submerge into the icy bath and shake my head, lips trembling from the cold. “No. But thanks a lot for leaving me high and dry, eh? I got stuck dancing with the woman who was the highest bidder on our auction item. I swear she thought I came with the package as her personal boy toy for the night.”

Canners laughs. “Sorry ‘bout that, bro, but the wife and I had somethingsto take care of before relieving the babysitter.”

I quirk an eyebrow. “I didn’t realize that hotel had pay-by-the-hour room rates.”

A roll of tape comes sailing at my head and I duck so it misses me and lands on the tile floor.

“Just you wait, Keeners. Someday you’ll have kids who will eat into all the precious time you have with the woman you love. You gotta find the time when you can and get creative or lose it.”

I reach for the towel hanging over the edge of the bath and step out of the tub, my body racked with shivers, my balls frozen and shriveled against my legs.

The same type of pain I experienced with the blue balls I had last night. If that’s what Cannfield deals with on the reg because of a baby cockblocking him and his wife, I will easily sayno thank youto any future kids. Fortunately, my brother has produced grandchildren for my parents, so there’s no need for me to carry on the Keeney family name.

I bend over and pick up the roll of tape from the wet puddle on the floor and hand it back to Brett.

“Sorry, not sorry. I’m good with my lifestyle. You chose kids.”

The massage therapist, Kip, finishes up with Soren, who, based on the sounds of moaning, is practically orgasming on the table during his massage.

“You giving him a handy over there, Kip?” I quip, tugging my towel tighter around my waist.

Soren growls his usual bad-tempered response, flipping me off as he throws his legs over the table. With hands knuckling the edge to stabilize himself, his eyes are half-lidded and his hair a messy stack of blond strands, his head drooping forward. Yeah, he definitely enjoyed the massage work, orgasm or not.

I slap our new Austrian goalie’s shoulder. “Tough night last night, Wolf?”

He grumbles something in German and gingerly places his feet on the ground while Kip starts to change the sheets on the table.

“Nah, I’m good,” he says, the word good sounding likegoot. “I’m ready for tonight. You?”

“Fuck yeah, I am. Who knows, it could be my last opener.” It rolls off my tongue like it’s no biggie, but the very thought of it hits like a punch to the gut.

Wolf grunts and Kip slaps the table as an indicator for me to hop on. I do as he says, gripping the towel to keep it wrapped around my hips as I stretch out prone to lie on my belly. Then I place my head in the face cradle and groan with fatigue.

“None of us know the future, but I’m glad I get to play with you, Keeney.” Soren smacks me on the back. “And not against you.”

He chuckles and walks off to the showers, his bare ass in full view as he goes. Soren may be a grumpy loner who doesn’t care if his parts are on display, but he’s a fucking good goalie and I’m happy he’s with us this year.

With Kip’s strong precise hands, I soon understand why Wolf was in such complete bliss. My body needed this.

Almost as much as it needed Karis.

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