Cage's Misconduct (NHL Scorpions #3) (21 page)

“I’ll try, but if he really looks as good as this picture I can’t promise anything.”

We were still discussing Cage when he walked right into my line of sight down on the sidewalk.

“Hey, ladies. I have beer and pizza, but no one to answer the door.” Apparently he’d knocked but we didn’t hear him from our spot on the deck.

“Oh, sorry! We’ve been out here. Come back up, I’ll meet you at the door.” Ignoring my mother’s waving hand to keep me seated I got up and walked inside to greet Cage.

The aroma from the pizza box filled my nose as I opened the door and he stepped in. I took the bag containing both beers and put it in the fridge. “That smells so good.”

“Yeah. I know I’m here really early, but I thought we could have some pizza now, and then I could get something else later or whatever.”

“Mom and I had sandwiches a little while ago, but you go ahead. We can heat it up later in the oven. It’ll be fine. If not, I’ll send you out for something else.”

“You got it. Anything you want.”

We were still making small talk when my mother walked in and stopped dead in her tracks. “Okay. I’ve always thought your drawings were dead on, honey, but I think you missed the mark here.” To my dismay, she stood there fanning herself as her eyes drifted over Cage from top to bottom and then back up again. My mother had always been an enthusiastic voyeur of the male physique.

“Cage, this is my brutally honest mother, Maddie. Mom, meet Cage Booker, or Dalton if you prefer.”

“Well, I love the name Dalton. I think I’ll go with that if you don’t mind.” She stuck her hand out to Cage, and without missing a beat he took it in his.

“I think I’d like it if you called me Dalton. It’s a real pleasure to meet you, Maddie. Your daughter is one of my favorite people. There aren’t many like her, are there?”

“No, I think you’re right. My children are a bit better than the rest.”

I was sure Cage would have liked to argue that point. Me? Sure. Jody? Not so much. Before he could stick his foot in his mouth, I led them both outside.

“Actually, I noticed the last time I was here that the uncovered part of your deck needs some work. I brought my hand sander and deck paint to touch it up for you.” My deck was split into two sections. The section that was covered by an awning was tiled, while the section that wasn’t covered was wood planking. Not sure why they did that, but they did.

“That’s nice of you, but you don’t need to do anything to fix this place up. It’s a rental, remember?”

“Yeah, I know, but I need something to do. I need to do something to get some exercise, and since I had the stuff left over from doing my deck, I thought I’d just do this one, too. Do you mind?”

“Nope. Have at it.”

As he was walking by, he caught a glimpse of the drawing I’d neglected to put away. “Is that me?” He put his stuff down on the faded deck and walked back to pick up the drawing.

“Huh? Oh, yeah. It’s nothing. I was just dabbling.” I tried to grab the tablet and close it, but he held tight to it.

“When did you do this?”

More uncomfortable than I believe I’d ever been around him, I shrugged my shoulders. “I think I started it at your house. When we were talking on the deck.”

“It’s incredible. It looks just like me, except for the eyes. Right? Or do I really look like that? I look like a lost puppy who just found his forever home. That’s how I look?”

I was getting into some uncomfortable territory here. I didn’t particularly want to answer his question. Lying wasn’t something I cared to do either, but telling him the truth was scary. Even so, I went with the truth at a mere whisper. “That’s how you look when you look at me.”

Forgetting my mother was standing right next to us—hell, forgetting the rest of the world existed, I think—he cupped my cheek. “Well, that makes sense then.” He took a step toward me as we heard my mother try to sneak away. She was quiet as a mouse, but the spell was broken nonetheless.

***

Halfway through painting the deck, Cage peeled his shirt off to the delight of any woman who was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of him. Men too, no doubt.

“Jesus. Karen, do you see that? We could grate cheese on his abs.” I was pleased my mother had finally found her inside voice, so Cage didn’t hear her ogling him.

I sighed. Who wouldn’t look at such yumminess? “Yeah. Yeah we could.”

“What is wrong with you, child? Snatch him up. He obviously wants to be caught.”

“Did you happen to forget I live in Canada and he lives here? I’m not so sure a long-distance relationship is the best kind to get into with a hotter-than-hell professional athlete. You?”

Mom frowned. “Well, don’t ruin it with logic.”

I laughed and frowned back at her. “I hear that.” We continued to enjoy the scenery until we got caught.

Cage must have felt our eyes on him. He looked up and grinned as if he knew exactly what we’d been discussing. “Hot out here today, huh?” His bare chest glistened—yes, glistened—in the afternoon sun. Good Lord …

“Little bit.” Was it just me, or did my voice sound kind of breathy?

“I’m going to run home and take a shower before the game. I didn’t realize how hot it was in the sun. I’m pretty sweaty.” He ran his hands over his chest and abs. My mother actually sighed.

“Mom! Why don’t you go get Cage some iced tea?”

“Huh? Oh, yes. Sure. Be right back.”

“Take your time.” She was killing me. When she was safely out of ear shot, Cage began laughing.

“You’re bad, Cage. You know exactly what you’re doing, don’t you?”

His brows shot up and his mouth opened slightly. “What? I’m just painting the deck. A couple more minutes and I’ll be done.” He winked at me and then went down onto his knees to finish the last bit of painting. This new position gifted me with a view of his jean clad ass and bare back. It was getting hotter outside by the minute.

With perfect timing, my mother walked back out. “Here’s your—oh my.”

“Mother!” She had to go. “That’s it. Let’s go back inside while Cage finishes up out here, shall we?” I got up and collected my drawing book and pencils, prodding my mother to fold up the easel and lean it back against the wall.

Back inside, Mom and I were sitting at the kitchen table sipping tea when she told me that she thought I should think about staying in San Diego.

“Trying to get rid of me?”

“Oh, of course not, sweetie. I just think you like it better here. And it’s a world away from all those bad memories, isn’t it? You don’t have a job there anymore and no ties to hold you back. Why not? You could just start fresh.”

“I think I’d like to stay, but it’s not that easy. I’d have to find a company to sponsor me or get married or—”

“Do that one. Get married.” She pointed her finger at me to emphasize her words.

“I’m not going to get married just to stay in the States. That would be very wrong.” Not that it hadn’t crossed my mind, but that would be crazy. And I wasn’t crazy.

“Why? Just pick the right guy.”

“Oh sure. Why didn’t I think of that? It’s so easy. Let’s see. Cage is hot, maybe I’ll ask him.” My mother had lost her mind.

“Ask me what?” Cage walked in carrying his supplies with his shirt slung over his shoulder.

“If you’ll marry Karen so she can stay here.” Excellent. I got more help from Mom.

Cage’s grin turned devilish. “Are you going to ask me to marry you, Karen? I don’t know. I want to be romanced. You’re going to have to work for it.”

“No, I’m not going to ask you to marry me. My mother’s just thinking out loud. I think she may have lost her mind.”

Turning serious, Cage’s grin disappeared, and he looked down at the floor. “I would, you know. If you wanted to. I mean so you could stay.”

He was as crazy as my mother. “Are you insane? Marriage isn’t something you play at, Cage. When I get married, I want it to be forever. I want to be married to someone who loves me more than anything. And whom I love more than anything in return. I want kids and a house with a big yard for our dogs to run in. I want it all.”

He let out a loud breath, and shrugged his shoulders. “Well, the offer stands. You want me, I’m yours. Now I’m going to go home and shower. I’ll be back soon.” The click of the door closing was loud in the ensuing silence.

My mom and I sat there at the table staring at each other for a minute or two before she broke the silence. “Well, that was interesting, eh? Do you think he was serious?”

“How could he be? And thanks for that.” The scary part was, I think he was dead serious. I think he just might do it to let me stay here. Cage. The guy with one of the fastest reputations on the team. The ladies’ man was willing to take himself off the market. Obviously I would never consider marrying him. It was just crazy! Crazy. Of course it was.

When Cage returned, we ate some Chinese food he’d brought and watched the game, but he left directly afterward. Marriage was not discussed again.

Cage

I decided to go to The Pub to watch the sixth game of the series. Technically I was well enough to watch in the press box, but I couldn’t stomach the thought of being there and not being able to play, so I may have milked it a bit. If we lost this one, we were out. I was going to call Karen, but since her mother would be gone soon, I figured I’d let them spend the night together without me. Besides, it was high time I got out with other people. The more I was around Karen, the more I didn’t want her to leave. It wasn’t healthy, the way I was obsessed with her.

As soon as I walked in, I wanted to walk out. Jody and Vlad were at the bar, and I didn’t feel like being around them. Although, being who I was, I wouldn’t have been left to myself anyway. Fame definitely had its benefits, but it was also a pain in the ass sometimes. In hindsight, it was a colossally bad idea to go to The Pub to watch a playoff game that I was supposed to be playing in. What the hell was I thinking?

“Oh my God—Cage Booker!” And there were the girls. Three of them ran up to me before I even made it over to the bar. So much for sneaking back out. I pasted on the smile I reserved for the public and greeted them.

“Hi ladies.”

“Can I have your autograph?” With that said, the busty brunette pulled her top down low for me to sign her chest.

“Sorry, I don’t have a pen with me.” What the fuck? Did they think I carried one with me to autograph body parts? Wait, shouldn’t I have been enjoying the attention? Checking out her offerings?

She stuck out a pouty lip, but didn’t pull her shirt back up. “How about we get one at my place? Then you can sign other parts of me, too.”

“Very tempting, but no thank you. Not tonight.” I tried to walk away, but another brunette reached out and grabbed my arm.

“Aw, come on Cage. We can
all
go back to Julie’s place. The three of us—and you. Think of the fun we can have.”

Three on one. Now that was an intriguing offer, but I still wasn’t interested. There was only one woman I wanted to play with, and it wasn’t any of them.

“Sorry ladies. I’m going to have to stick with no. Thanks again.” I made a more forceful getaway and got all the way to the bar. “Give me a Molson, will you?”

“Sure thing. How you feeling, Booker? Any chance you might be back for the seventh game if there is one?” Pete had been a bartender at The Pub for as long as I’d been coming here.

“Nah, afraid not. I’m done for now, but if—
when
we get to the next round, I’ll try to get clearance again.” I didn’t hold up hope, though. I tried to ignore it the best I could, but I still got headaches and lights still bothered me, although thankfully the sensitivity was getting better. The ribs I could work through. There was hardly a day on the ice that I didn’t have to deal with some kind of pain anyway. We were all used to that.

“Hey, Booker. My sister get smart and finally kick you out?” Jody was talking right over the head of the guy sitting next to him. At that moment I was thankful that there was someone separating us, because I’d about had it.

“No. You’d like that though, wouldn’t you, Jody?” It was time. It was past time. I wanted this whole situation with Jody done with. I was sick and tired of tiptoeing around that asshole. “What the fuck is your problem with me?”

“Uh, guys? This isn’t the place. Don’t put on a show for the customers, huh?” Vlad stood up at the same time as the guy sitting between us did. That was probably a good idea on his part. Vlad took up the empty spot, keeping us separated. “Come on. Let’s just have a beer, okay?”

“No. Not okay. I’m sick of it, but you’re right about our audience. Come take a walk with me, will you Jody?”

“What, are you calling me out? This isn’t high school, Booker. Besides, Karen would kill me if I made a dent in your pretty little face again.”

I got up and leaned across Vlad to get up close and personal with my buddy Jody. “Just come outside, asshole.”

To show me he didn’t jump to do my bidding, he took his sweet old time following me out the door. Vlad shook his head, looked skyward and stayed seated at the bar.

The green awning over the front door was well lit and empty, but we walked farther out into the parking lot anyway, stopping under a street light. “All right. Let’s just get this over with. I am so fucking sick of your attitude. I’ve never done anything to you, so
what the fuck
is your problem with me?”

“Are you serious? You really can’t figure it out? Jesus, Cage. You fuck anything in a skirt. Your temper’s explosive. Hell, you’ve done time! And you’re interested in
my
baby sister. Does that make it easier for you to understand?”

His hand was curled into a fist. I had to be honest; I did not want him to hit me again. Dude hit hard. He was a fucking incredible enforcer. Great to have on your team. Not great to be standing in front of him watching his hands clench and unclench in his effort to not hit me, but fuck it. He was right. I had an explosive temper and the lid was about to blow. So I attacked first.

I shoved him with both hands as hard as I could. He staggered, but didn’t go down. “Like you were any better. How many puck bunnies did you screw before you met Lacey? And
you’re
going to point out
my
temper? I seem to remember hearing about you physically picking Lacey up out of a speed dating session before she was even your girl. And I have
not
done time! Jesus, man. I got carted away to the police station for all of about two hours because I hit a guy who’d hit a girl in a bar. So tell me again what your fucking problem is.” I shoved him back again for good measure. He staggered again, but then got me with a solid punch to the stomach. I guess I should have been thankful he missed my ribs, but damn, I couldn’t breathe.