Author: Jaci Burton

“As stupid as that is,” Liz interjected.

Tara pinned Liz with a look. “But it’s her reason, nonetheless.”

Liz waved a hand. “Whatever.”

“So anyway,” Tara continued. “Was it good?”

That got Liz’s attention. “Yes. Tell us. Was it?”

Jenna shook her head. “You’re as bad as men.”

“Men don’t gossip about sex details,” Tara said.

“They don’t?”

Tara shook her head. “No. Mick told me all they say to their friends is, ‘I gave it to her so good last night, she couldn’t walk today,’ or some such nonsense. But no details. We want details.”

“Huh. Well, I gave it to him so good last night he couldn’t walk today.”

Liz snorted. Tara tilted her head back and laughed out loud.

“What are you all laughing about in there?” Mick asked.

“Girl talk,” Tara hollered to him before turning back to Jenna. “And?”

“And what?”

“Come on, Jen, we need more than that,” Liz said. “Just how good was it? That man is sex on a hockey stick. I’ve seen him play. Hell, he’s my client. His stamina on the ice is epic.”

Jenna leaned back in her chair. “And you want to know if that stamina translates to the bedroom.”

“Hell, yes.”

Her lips quirked, remembering last night, and her body heated. “Then…hell yes.”

Liz slapped her hand on the table. “I knew it. Not that I have any complaints. Gavin—”

Jenna held up a hand. “Is my brother and I so don’t want to hear about your sexcapades with him.”

“You are not fun.”

She stood and grabbed the carafe. “I’m going to refill the coffee. You can share sex stories with Tara. I’ll be right back.”

She went into the kitchen. Her mom had just ended a phone call.

“I’m sorry, sweetie. It was Diandra, who couldn’t make to the wedding last night because Bill had emergency gallbladder surgery.”

Jenna refilled the carafe from the full pot of coffee on the counter. She knew Diandra was one of her mother’s oldest friends. She and Bill had been over to the house so many times over the years, they were like family to Jenna. “Oh, no. Is Bill okay?”

“He’s fine. Still in the hospital because they’re treating him with antibiotics due to an infection, but he should go home by tomorrow. She was so upset to miss the wedding.”

Jenna leaned against the counter. “Understandable considering the circumstances. I’m glad Bill is okay.”

“Me, too. Now what were you girls talking about in there?”

“Nothing much. Wedding stuff.”

“It was a great wedding, wasn’t it?”

“The best, Mom. The absolute best.”

And that was all she was going to tell her mother. It was bad enough Liz and Tara knew about Ty. Since she didn’t intend to see him again, there was no point mentioning him to her parents.

DESPITE THE LACK OF SLEEP, TY WAS ENERGIZED AT the game.

They were up three to two with four minutes left in the third period. He paced in the penalty box after getting a high sticking penalty. Fifteen seconds to go and he was out of there.

Seconds ticked by like hours when he was in the box and the game was on the line. He watched the time count down, then sprang out of the box and onto the ice, taking his position back.

Wolkowski passed him the puck and he threaded it through the defenseman and back to Eddie, putting himself in position in front of the net. Eddie shot it over to Victor, who sent it sailing back to him. He slammed the shot at the net but the goalie defended, then sent it circling around behind the net.

Damn.

Adrenaline pumping, he moved backward when the Montreal center breezed toward him. He wouldn’t let him past and jammed his stick against the center’s, then took the puck from him, digging his skates into the ice and charging toward the opposite goal again.

His opponent slammed a shoulder into him and prevented his forward movement, and they fought for the puck. The puck slid free and Ty went after it, determined not to give it up. Every fraction of a second was a battle to be won. He wasn’t going to let their center take the prize from him. They reached it at the same time and Ty swung around, turning his back to the center. He raised his stick, scooping the puck away from the opponent. He passed it to Victor, who shot it to Eddie.

Tyler skated to the net.

Eddie fought his defender for the puck and slammed it to Ty. He took the puck around the back of the net and swept it to Victor, who was in perfect position to the right of the goal and tucked it into the net.

The lights behind the goal flashed on, signaling success.

They scored, and the crowd leaped to their feet.

Tyler skated to Eddie and Victor, they piled on celebratory high fives, then finished the damn game.

After, Tyler was pumped and ready to celebrate.

“You guys ready to go out and party tonight?” he asked.

Eddie was always up for an after-game celebration. “You know it. If you’re buying.”

Ty shook his head. “You’re a cheap bastard, Eddie.”

“Yeah, but someday I’ll be a rich cheap bastard, especially if I keep getting guys like you to buy my dinner and beers.”

“I’ll buy you dinner for that pass tonight, and Victor’s dinner for that goal. You can buy your own damn beer.”

“You are on,” Victor said. “Beautiful women will want me after that goal tonight.”

Ty patted Victor on the back. “I think beautiful women want you even when you don’t score a goal.”

Victor pursed his lips and nodded. “This is true.”

They headed over to Riley’s. Not because he expected Jenna to be there. It was Eddie’s suggestion, because he liked their steaks and also because of Renee, the cute waitress he was still trying to muster up the courage to ask out. Plus, Victor had spotted a blonde there the other night that he hadn’t yet managed to take to bed, so he wanted to see if she’d be there.

And if Ty was buying dinner, he had to come along, right?

Jenna just happened to be working tonight. So not his fault.

She didn’t look surprised to see him walk in. She didn’t look happy to see him, either, though she didn’t look unhappy.

She looked tired.

Renee was working tonight and brought their drinks over. She eyed Eddie, and Eddie eyed her.

Ty elbowed Eddie in the ribs. “It’s obvious she likes you. Ask her out.”

Eddie blushed crimson. “Maybe I will.”

“I mean, like this year, dumbass.”

“Congrats on a kickass game tonight, guys,” Renee said. “The shots are on Jenna for the win.”

“Excellent!” Victor lifted the shot of vodka. “To the Ice.”

“To the Ice,” Ty said, though he looked at Jenna when he downed his shot of whiskey.

He might have seen a hint of a smile on her face. Or maybe he was just imagining it, because it was gone as soon as he saw it.

But he wasn’t here for Jenna tonight. He had come to celebrate a game win with his buddies.

They ordered steaks, had a few beers, and Victor found his blonde, who was just as eager to see him again. Soon they were surrounded by eager fans happy to talk about tonight’s game.

It had been a great game. Ty wanted to share his exuberance with Jenna, but it was Saturday night and the place was crowded. She was busy manning the bar, but after last night he’d be an asshole if he didn’t at least go up and talk to her.

He waited until she’d filled drink orders, then leaned against the corner of the bar.

“Hey.”

She was washing glasses. “Hey yourself. Good game tonight.”

“Thanks.”

She hadn’t made eye contact yet, so he waited until she finished what she was doing. When she had, she walked to the other end of the bar to fill a customer’s drink order.

Okay, she had to see to her customers. He understood that. He could be patient.

But when she came up to his end of the bar and continued to ignore him, he figured something was up.

“You look tired.”

She gave him a half smile. “I am tired.”

“Rough night last night?”

“No. Good night last night. But you know that’s it for us.”

Not offended, he leaned against the bar. “Letting me down easy?”

She gave him the kind of look he’d given to countless women before. The ‘It’s been great, but’ look. “Tyler…”

He laughed. “Send Renee over to refill our drinks. And get some sleep tonight, Jenna.”

Their game was over, at least according to Jenna.

If he was a sensitive kind of guy, his feelings might be hurt.

Good thing he wasn’t sensitive, and it took a whole hell of a lot to hurt him.

And the game was far from over.

She thought she wanted a guy who didn’t play sports?

He’d find her one.

Or maybe more than one.

TEN

THERE WAS SOMETHING VERY STRANGE IN THE AIR.

Or Jenna was giving off some new kind of pheromones, because she was getting hit on left and right lately.

For the past week she’d been surrounded by a steady stream of potential dates. It was as if someone had been advertising her availability out there somewhere.

But that couldn’t be, so she just chalked it up to pheromones.

It had all started the day after she’d said good-bye to Tyler. First she’d met the hot accountant from west county who’d come into the bar and zeroed in on her like she was the only woman there. She’d been flattered when he’d asked her out, but he just wasn’t her type.

The next night it was the guy who owned the car dealership. What was his name? Oh, yeah. Stan. He was great looking in a sexy, nerdy kind of way, with black-rimmed glasses and a muscle-bound body that showed how much he worked out. Plus, he was smart, and she loved smart guys. But again, there just wasn’t enough chemistry between them, so she nixed his request for a date.

Then she’d met the model. Oh, dear God in heaven had he ever been good looking. He’d come in with several people—men and women who’d been just as good looking as he was. Every person in the place had stopped to take a second glance at the group, who looked like they’d just stepped off a photo shoot. And when Robert—that was his name—had leaned against the bar and flashed his thousand-watt smile at her, she’d nearly dropped the bottle of beer in her hands.

They’d talked for almost an hour. He drank beer, which showed he wasn’t fussy, and told her he’d been modeling since he was a teen. He’d said modeling wasn’t what he wanted to do for the rest of his life, but right now he was capitalizing on a career that paid really well. He wanted to take his money and open up an art studio. He’d showed her some of his photos on his phone. He was damn photogenic, with a body that was as good looking as his face.

She still couldn’t figure out what the hell he was doing hitting on her, but he seemed nice and friendly and genuine. All of his friends were nice people, too, which just proved you could never judge a book by its cover.

And when Robert asked her out, she was determined to broaden her horizons, so she’d said yes.

He took her to the art museum, and he surprised her by being more than a little knowledgeable about art. He said she should go to New York, and she’d told him she’d seen the Louvre, so they talked about art over dinner. He said he liked to paint, which was one of the reasons he wanted to have his own art studio. He wanted to showcase his own work alongside other artists.

He was such an interesting guy. So damn good looking, talented, motivated, and fun to be with.

But when he kissed her good night—and he was a great kisser—meh.