Scoring the Player Read online

  “I would never ask you to change your plans just to be here with me. I can tell how important your family is, and how much you enjoy the camps you help with. And realistically, I don’t think we could ever make something work between us. We just live two very different lives, not to mention the distance. But I would love to be your friend.”

  “Friends with benefits?” Brian smirks at me. “Sorry, that was the playboy in me slipping out,” he quips.

  I smack him on the chest, laughing. “I knew you couldn’t keep that side of you locked in,” I tease.

  “It’s just second nature and slips out sometimes. I promise I’ll keep it in check,” he says on a laugh.

  “Okay, Mr. Playboy. Let’s eat our dessert and watch a movie.”

  I snag the remote off my end table and pull up Netflix, then hand the remote to Brian to let him pick, but he refuses it. “You pick. I’m just here to be with you, so as long as you’ll let me hold you – with no funny business going on – I’ll be a happy man.”

  I glance at him, not quite believing him that he won’t try any moves. I turn my attention back to the TV as I scroll through the movie selection, finally settling on Miracle. The expression on Brian’s face lets me know he’s shocked I picked a movie he’d actually enjoy.

  “You didn’t have to pick a movie about hockey just for me.”

  “I know, but I wanted you to be at least a little bit interested in the movie.”

  We settle in beside each other, each of us with our desserts, as the movie starts. About halfway through the movie, I stand to take our plates to the kitchen and grab a glass of water.

  “Need anything else while I’m up?” I call out to Brian from my kitchen.

  “I’m good for now,” he replies.

  When I return to the living room, Brian stands as I approach the couch. I’m a little confused, until he lies down and then reaches for my hand. He pulls me down so I’m in front of him. I rest my head on his arm, and he wraps his other one around me, pulling me closer to his body. Hot damn, this man is one solid wall of muscle. He’s all hard and chiseled from what I can feel pressed against my body. I can also feel his hardening length pressed against my ass.

  As we settle in, wrapped up in each other, my body completely relaxes – well, as relaxed as one can get with a sexy man wrapped around her, and his erection pressed against her ass. I’m a little surprised he isn’t trying to make any moves, to take this to the next level, but I also love that he is sticking to his word and not making everything about sex.

  I feel Brian shift his head, and take in a deep breath. “God, you smell good,” he whispers. The goose bumps break out along my arms and legs, all simply because he whispered in my ear. His five o’clock shadow scratches against my cheek and neck ever so lightly, and combined with the softness of his breath on my skin, tingles run down my body, straight to my clit. I’m almost ready to say fuck it, and turn in his arms and move this along. He has my body so on edge, it wouldn’t take much of him touching me for me to crest over the edge of orgasm. But, I stay strong and do my best not to rub up against him as we stay wrapped up in each other’s embrace.

  Chapter Five

  Brian

  Lying here, stretched out on Kinley’s couch with her in my arms, is pretty much the best place I could be. She fits so well tucked up against me. The only thing better would be if we were naked and I was buried inside her. I am so fucking turned on with her pressed up against me, but as I have told her many times tonight, this isn’t about sex.

  I wish I could put my finger on what it is about Kinley that brings this feeling of contentment over me. I have never felt this way around a woman, and I wish I knew exactly what it is that just feels right. We’ve only known each other for about a week, and have spent less than a day together in that amount of time, but there’s just something different about her. I know they say when you’ve met your match – the one person you are meant to spend the rest of your life with – you will know it. I have to ponder if that’s what I’m feeling when I’m around her.

  I’m not focused on the movie at all, as my mind is racing, trying to figure out how I can keep this woman in my life with so much in our way. Texts and FaceTime calls can only go so far once I’m gone in just a few days, and her life is here. I can’t come back before the season starts, as my summer is already packed with commitments until I’m due to training camp in September. So, I’ll just enjoy this time we do have, and hope our friendship continues, so that maybe it could lead into something more later.

  I break from my thoughts to see the movie has ended, and I realize Kinley is sleeping in my arms. I hate to wake her, but my arm fell asleep awhile ago and I need to piss. I should probably let her get to bed and head back to Scott’s place. I rub my hand up Kinley’s arm and whisper into her ear, “Kinley, sweetheart, wake up.” She stirs, stretching, as she turns her head to look up at me.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep,” she says drowsily.

  “It’s ok, sweetheart,” I whisper. “But I do need to go to the bathroom. Then I should go. You need to get to bed.”

  Kinley pushes herself up to a sitting position and I straighten my arm, trying to get the blood flowing again. She points me to the bathroom, and I stand to head that way, planning on just calling an Uber once I’m done.

  When I come out of the bathroom, Kinley is still sitting on the couch, looking a little more awake than she did just a few minutes ago.

  “I’ll just get an Uber. I don’t want you out driving tired.”

  “You don’t have to go. You could stay here if you want.”

  “Kinley…” I groan. “You’re killing me.”

  “Sorry,” she smiles. “I just enjoy spending time with you, and I know you're leaving in a couple of days. It won’t hurt my feelings, though, if you would prefer to head back to Scott’s.”

  I walk over and pull her up from the couch, wrapping my arms around her. “I would prefer to stay here with you. It’s just taking all my self-control not to bury myself inside of you.”

  I pull back and look down at her. Her cheeks have turned pink, as my words hang between us. I’ve been fucking hard since she picked me up, and it was almost torture to have her lying in my arms. But even with the worst case of blue balls I’ve probably ever had, it’s still worth it if that means Kinley will be in my arms tonight.

  Kinley leads us into her bedroom and climbs onto the bed. She pats the space beside her, for me to join her, so I comply. I’ve never been one to be able to sleep in my clothes, but it isn’t like I can strip naked before climbing into bed with her.

  “Will you have any issues if I strip down to my boxers?” I ask.

  “No, go ahead,” she says, barely above a whisper.

  I keep my eyes on her as I reach back and pull my shirt over my head one-handed, dropping it to the floor. My eyes never leave her face as I unbuckle my belt, then unbutton and unzip my jeans, before dropping them to the floor as well. My black boxer briefs leave little to the imagination, nor do they hide my erection. Kinley’s eyes drop for just a second down my body; I can see her swallow and the slight widening of her eyes as she sees the outline of my dick.

  “Are you sure you’re okay with this?” I ask her, keeping my eyes on hers.

  “Yes,” she quickly says.

  I pull back the sheets on my side of the bed and slide in. Her bed is a queen and I don’t really fit; hell, I hardly fit in my own king, due to my height. Once I’m in, I slide closer to her, pulling her back into my arms. If I’m going to suffer through not being able to strip her and then bring us both to orgasmic bliss, I’m at least going to hold her.

  We both lay there in silence. Kinley has her head on my chest and an arm across my stomach. I’ve taken to running my fingers through her hair, loving the way it feels against my skin. Kinley starts tracing the lines of my abs, pecs, and the outlines of my tattoos lightly with her fingertips, and it’s taking everything in me to not twitch under her touch.


  “A penny for your thoughts,” she rasps out, almost quiet enough for me to miss it.

  “I’m thinking that if you don’t stop tracing my abs, I’m going to lose my self-control and roll you under me,” I tell her honestly. She abruptly stops and places her hand flat on my chest.

  “I’m so sorry,” she says, and starts to push away from me.

  “Nothing to be sorry about, sweetheart. But a man can only show so much restraint,” I choke out as I tighten my hold on her, to keep her from leaving my arms. “You don’t need to move, I can control my urges, but your hand was wandering a little low, and had it gotten any lower, I can promise you my control would have snapped.”

  We fall back into a comfortable silence, Kinley keeping her hands in check and not traveling along my body. I do my best to take some deep breaths and think about stats, or the smell of the locker room after a hard practice or game; anything that will help me take my mind off the raging erection I have going on. I need some of the blood in my body to return to the head on my shoulders.

  I break our silence by turning her question back on her. “A penny for your thoughts.”

  She takes in a deep breath and shifts so she can look up at me. “I’m thinking about how much you surprise me. Most guys wouldn’t be satisfied just cuddling. I told you my boundaries, and you have not once tried to cross them, even though you want to. And then I go and make it harder by teasing you with my wandering hands. I’m sorry about that. I keep sending mixed signals and don’t mean to do so, but you just make me feel so comfortable.”

  “Kinley, I might be known as a playboy, but I would never push you, or any other woman, into a situation that you were not comfortable with. I need you to understand that, and truly believe it. You could be naked next to me, and if you told me I couldn’t touch you, my hands would be glued to my side. I will always respect the boundaries that you set.”

  She looks at me, tears building in her eyes, and that fucking breaks my heart.

  “What’s wrong, sweetheart?” I ask, as I cup her face and gently wipe away a tear that broke free from her lashes.

  “Why do you have to be such a great guy?”

  “My momma raised me right, and my sister would kick my ass if I ever stepped over a boundary set by a woman. They both might be half my size, but I wouldn’t dare cross either of them,” I say, trying to lighten the mood a little bit. This gets a laugh out of Kinley and I know it’s worked.

  “Your mom and sister sound like amazing women. I think I would love them if I was ever able to meet them.”

  “And they would love you right back,” I tell her honestly. I can feel it down to my bones that Kinley would fit perfectly into my life, my family. I just don’t know how to make that happen.

  We stay up the rest of the night, her in my arms, talking the night away. I have never felt so comfortable with another person, outside of my family. My only small hope is that somehow Scott rekindles his relationship with Becca after their date tonight, and that she comes to Indy. Then, maybe Kinley will have an excuse to come down to see her best friend, and I would get to see her as well.

  Around 5am, we both start to drift off to sleep. After a few hours, I startle awake when I feel Kinley slip out of my arms and out of the bed.

  “Where are you going?” I rasp out, my voice still thick with sleep.

  “To the bathroom and to start some coffee,” she replies sweetly over her shoulder as she walks out of the room.

  I roll over to grab my jeans. I have no idea what time it is, but I do know I need to find some food soon.

  Kinley comes sauntering back in a short while later. “Do you want some coffee?”

  “Yes, and then I need some breakfast.”

  “You read my mind,” she chuckles. “How do you take your coffee?”

  “With a little creamer, if you have it.”

  “I’ll be right back,” she says, as she leaves the room again. I stand, stretching. My muscles are stiff, after a night of sleep in a too-small bed that my body isn’t used to. I slip on my jeans and shirt, then head into the bathroom to relieve myself. As I’m coming out, Kinley is headed back down the hall toward me, carrying two cups of coffee. She hands me one and I follow her back out to her living room.

  “Would you like to go out to breakfast?” I ask Kinley.

  “Yes! I was going to ask you the same thing. My fridge is looking pretty empty, as I haven’t been grocery shopping in a few days.”

  “I’m open to wherever you want to go.”

  Kinley’s phone starts chiming. She stands to grab it and starts to laugh as she reads the text. “Becca is texting to see if I want to have breakfast with the guys. I texted her back that you’re here, and that we’re in.”

  “I was kind of surprised I hadn’t gotten a text yet from Scott, asking where I was. I wonder if they even realized I wasn’t back.”

  “Oh-em-gee!” Kinley yells, and starts jumping up and down.

  “What’s got you all excited?”

  “Scott and Becca are officially back together. She stayed the night with him last night and they apparently worked through everything.”

  “Good for them,” I chuckle. “Maybe Scott won’t be such a pissant in the locker room now. He’s been pining after her for as long as I can remember.”

  “We’re going to meet them at a local restaurant in about forty-five minutes to an hour. Sound good?”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  “I’m going to go grab a shower. Did you want to take one once I’m done?”

  “I’ll be good until I can get back to Scott's.”

  “Okay, well, make yourself at home, and I will be ready soon.”

  As Kinley heads toward the bathroom, I relax on her couch, grabbing the remote to see what I can find on TV this morning. I settle on sports recaps on ESPN, until she comes out looking sexy as hell again. Fuck, today is going to be a lot like yesterday. I’m going to be walking around with a fucking hard-on all day.

  Chapter Six

  Kinley

  We meet up with Becca, Scott, and Murph for breakfast, which was a little crazy. Scott is a well-known local celebrity. Add in a couple of his teammates, and people go nuts. We finally make it through breakfast and decide to head to the downtown market. Becca and I tend to hit it up for fresh produce a couple times a month, and Murph and Brian are looking for Alaskan things to take back to their moms.

  Once we arrive at the market, Brian and I split off to wander through all the booths set up. He finds some Alaskan knickknacks to take back to both his mom and sister before we meet back up with the rest of the group.

  “Hey, I think after we leave here, I’m going to head home for a nap. I’m exhausted,” I tell Brian, as we head toward where we are meeting everyone else.

  “Care if I join you? I could go for a nap myself,” Brian says, as he pulls me into his side.

  “If you want.”

  “I want.” He winks at me.

  We spot the rest of our friends and approach them. I’m still tucked into Brian’s side, and his arm is around my waist. I catch Becca’s gaze, and she raises an eyebrow at me, a knowing look on her face.

  “Hey, guys, find everything you needed?” Becca asks, turning her attention to the guys.

  “Yep,” both Murph and Brian answer her.

  “We’re going to head out. Catch y’all later,” Brian tells everyone.

  “Call me later,” Becca calls out to me as we are walking away, and I wave to her, so she knows I heard her.

  We make it back to my place and head right to my room and crawl into bed, completely exhausted. Brian has once again stripped down to his boxer briefs, and I have on my tank and boy shorts.

  “If I wasn’t so tired, I don’t think I could keep myself from stripping these off of you,” Brian says, as he flicks his fingers along the elastic of my underwear.

  “Mmm…sorry for the torture, but no funny business,” I reply, as a yawn escapes.

  I’m just about to
fall asleep when my cell dings with a text. It’s from Becca.

  Becca: Do you guys have dinner and evening plans yet?

  Kinley: No.

  Becca: We are going to grill and then sit around the fire pit at Scott’s. Do you want to join us? Bring your suits and we can hang out in the hot tub.

  “Sounds good to me if you want to go,” Brian says from over my shoulder, after I show him the text.

  Kinley: Brian says we’re in. Want me to bring anything?

  Becca: Perfect! I will let you know. Once I get to Scott’s we’re going to make a list of what we need at the store and make a run. Maybe you could bring your famous dip?

  Kinley: I can do that. What time are you thinking?

  Becca: Whenever. I’m sure we will start grilling around 6ish.

  Kinley: OK, sounds good. We will be over probably around 5.

  I set an alarm on my phone, so that we don’t oversleep, and so I have time to run to the store to get everything I need to make my famous dip. I can just put it together at Scott’s if we run out of time.

  A nap is exactly what I needed. I wake up refreshed and after getting ready, Brian and I head out to the store and then over to Scott’s. While I quickly make my dip, Brian heads to his room to shower and change. Once he is done, we all congregate outside before Scott grills the steaks. The weather is beautiful, so we enjoy our time with each other, reminiscing about old times and listening to the guys tell us about life as NHL players.

  It's late when we all decide it’s time to call it a night. Brian walks me out to my car, and before I can open my door, he grabs my hand and turns me toward him.

  “Thank you for spending time with me this weekend. I had an amazing time on our date last night, and staying up all night getting to know you.” He runs a finger down my cheek and along my jaw, and I can feel the heat in his gaze as I’m sucked into it. I can tell he really wants to kiss me, but is holding himself back. I lift up onto my tiptoes, and place a kiss on his cheek.