Goalie Interference (NHL Scorpions) (13 page)

Vlad was still in the training room, soaking in a whirlpool, when the buzzer sounded, ending the game. There was a TV in the room allowing Vlad to catch the rest of it. Cage pulled off a stellar performance. He’d be lying if he said it didn’t rankle him a bit. He wanted Cage to be great for the team, he did, but it was still a blow to his pride.

Speaking of the bastard, Cage sauntered into the room to see how Vlad was feeling. In typical Cage fashion, he started out his conversation with an old man comment. “Can’t hang with the young guns anymore, huh, Impaler?” He looked back and saw that the TV was still on. “I see you caught the game. You see my saves? You better be afraid, old man. It’s just a matter of time until I’m in the number one spot.”

“Fuck you, Booker. Don’t you ever know how to talk to people like they’re not shit on the bottom of your shoe? I’m doing fine, thanks for asking.” Vlad was in no mood to deal with that cocky little shit. In no mood at all. Vlad tried to stand up and get out of the whirlpool, but went back down as soon as he put weight on his bad hip. “Shit!”

“Whoa. Dude, let me help you. I’m sorry, man. I didn’t realize how badly you were hurt.” Cage walked over to him, but stopped about a foot from the whirlpool at Vlad’s look. He obviously did not want his help.

“Just go back to the locker room and celebrate with the team, would you, kid? I’ll be there in a few.” When Cage left, Vlad let out a weary sigh as he gingerly lifted himself up again. He was able to get out and get himself dried off. After he dressed, he limped his way into the locker room. He was about to tell the team that he had played his last game.

“Hey, Vlad. How you feeling, man?” Keith came over to him as soon as he saw him walk in. “Here, have a seat. That looked like a nasty position to go down in. What’s hurt, your leg?”

“Not really. I’d like to talk to the team for a couple of minutes before the celebration really kicks in. Think you could get their attention for me?” Vlad just wanted to get it over with at that point.

Keith paused in the middle of removing his elbow pad. Vlad knew he was intrigued. “Yeah, sure.” Keith whistled for attention. It took a couple of minutes and another whistle and shout, but they finally quieted down. “Hey guys. Vlad wants to talk to us for a second. Listen up.” He turned to Vlad. “They’re all yours.”

“Well, first of all, good game. Sorry I couldn’t finish it with you.” Vlad looked down at his feet. He knew he was stalling, but if he said it out loud, if he finally told them he had to retire, it would really be true. He was leaving the NHL. He’d never play pro hockey again.
Fuck, that sucked
.

He looked out at his teammates and took a deep breath. “This is tougher than I thought it was going to be.”

Keith walked over to him. “Just say what you need to. We got your back, man. We’re family here.”

Vlad could feel that nagging burn behind his eyes again. These guys really were his family. “Thanks, I know it. Okay, I guess I’ll just cut to the chase. Tonight was my last game. I’m retiring at the end of the season, but I’ll be on LTIR for the rest of it.” There were sounds of shock and denial going around the room.

“Is that why you’ve been such a foul bastard lately?”

Derek, the equipment manager, slapped Cage in the back of the head. “What the hell is wrong with you, Booker? You need a serious attitude adjustment.” Cage had been getting on everyone’s last nerve lately. The better he did in net, the worse he got.

“What? I’m just saying what everyone else is thinking.”

Keith had had enough of Cage for the moment. “Ignore him. I know I will. Now, what do you mean this is your last game? What’s going on?”

“I have avascular necrosis. It’s a bone disease, and it’s currently residing in my right hip. I’m having surgery soon to replace the damaged bone. I’ll be able to suit up again someday, but my pro hockey days are over.” There, he said it. And—he was okay. Not great, but okay.

“Wow.” Keith looked everywhere but at Vlad. “I—I don’t know what to say.” He ran his hand through his hair and looked Vlad in the eye. “I’m really sorry, man. You’ve given everything you have to this team. You’ve been our number one goalie for years. You’ve held records in the league for a couple of them. We’ll all feel the loss.” Going for a little levity, he said, “Although, that little fucker …” He pointed to Cage. “Will probably be happier than a pig in shit.”

Cage clearly took offense to that and whipped his head around to address the whole room. “That’s not true. I know I screw around a lot and say the wrong things now and then, but I’d never wish any of you harm. Yeah, I want to be the number one goalie, but I wanted to earn it.” Cage walked over and shook Vlad’s hand. “All kidding aside, Vlad, you’ve taught me a lot. You’re a great mentor. We’ll all miss you in here.”

“Thanks, Booker. You just make sure that you work as hard as you can to support this team. I’m not just going to disappear. If you start fucking up this team, you’ll still have me to deal with, got it?”

Cage smiled. “Yes sir, Impaler, sir. Good luck with your surgery.”

“Thanks.” After receiving well wishes, condolences, and a few snide remarks about hurting his hip on purpose so he could ‘bump uglies’ with the hot doctor, he took his leave.

Zoe was waiting for Vlad by his car. She’d been standing there for over an hour, and her feet were killing her. She was also getting a bit chilly in nothing more than her skimpy shorts and top. When Vlad finally limped out, she noticed he didn’t seem too pleased to see her.

“Hey, Zoe. Why did you wait for me? I thought Jody was taking you home.” Vlad obviously wanted to be alone. Or she thought he did anyway. She hoped seeing her standing there in her hot little shorts made him rethink that, even if he was tired as hell.

“Are you serious? You didn’t think I’d want to be here for you after the game? Especially after you got hurt? How are you feeling?” He’d hounded her for years, and now he didn’t want her around? What the hell?

Vlad shook his head at her, exasperated. “Christ, do you have any idea how many people have asked me that? How am I supposed to answer? I’m fine? I feel like shit? My hip hurts so fucking bad I could cry? Which one would make all of you feel better?” There he went again, being an asshole.

Zoe walked over to him and took his keys. “I’m going to give you a slide on the attitude. I’m sure you’ve been playing nice in the locker room long enough. Go get in the car. I’m driving.”

“Nuh uh. No one drives my baby but me. She’s a classic. No way.” Vlad tried to grab the keys back, but she wasn’t giving them up.

“Yes, Vlad. I can recite it in my sleep. Everyone can. She’s a 1969 Camaro Z28. Supercharged. Three-point-five inch exhaust mufflers and some other stuff. Bottom line? She’s a car. Get in.” Zoe walked around to the passenger’s side and held the door open while Vlad stared at her in disbelief.

“Not just ‘supercharged,’ Zoe. She’s got six hundred sixty supercharged horses ready to gallop under that hood.” Vlad was pointing at the hood as his voice rose. He was seriously defensive of his car. “She’s more car than you can handle. Give me the keys. Now.” He held out his hand expectantly, but Zoe just laughed at him and got into the driver’s seat.

When she turned the key, the engine roared to life. She had to admit, it did sound incredible. It truly was an awesome piece of machinery, and by the sound of it, Vlad had finally gotten all the bugs worked out of the engine. The white racing stripes on the bright blue paint sparkled, but it was still just a car. She stepped on the gas pedal, making it roar louder. Zoe raised her voice to make herself heard over the noise. “You coming or not?”

Vlad carefully slid into the passenger’s seat and gave her a look that would make lesser women cower. “I swear to Christ, Zoe. If you get one scratch on Louise I will throttle you—throttle you!”

Zoe swung her head toward him. “Louise? That’s my middle name.”

“Yeah, I know. Let’s just go, okay? I want to take the meds the doctor gave me and try to sleep. I have an appointment with the surgeon tomorrow.” He obviously wasn’t in the mood to talk, so they drove to his place in silence.

When she pulled into the underground garage, Vlad realized that he’d need to take her home. “You should have driven to your house. Why are we here? You’re not taking my car home.”

“I’m not going home.” She opened the door and got out, leaving Vlad still sitting in the car. Rolling her eyes, she walked around and opened his door. She bent down, giving him a fabulous view of her breasts, and asked him if he was coming.

Not yet
. He continued to stare at her breasts for a few seconds before answering. “Yeah. Okay. I’m really tired, though, Zoe. I just want to go to sleep.”

Zoe smiled, shaking her head at him. “I got it, Vlad. You don’t have to worry about me. Your virtue’s safe for tonight. Come on. Just this once, let your guard down, and let me take care of you. Let’s go.”

Vlad looked at the steps leading to the elevator with unease.

“Six steps, Vlad. That’s it, just six steps.” At the top, Vlad heaved a sigh of relief. They got into the elevator, and he ran his security key over the panel to take them up to the penthouse.

Once inside, Zoe followed him into his bedroom.

“What are you doing? I told you—” Vlad stopped mid-sentence. Zoe was undoing the knot in her shirt. “Zoe?”

She continued to unknot her shirt as she peeked up at him through her lashes. “Hmm?” He wanted to relax? She knew a great way to help him relax.

Vlad swallowed hard. “I said: ‘what are you doing?’ I—I thought I was going to take my meds and go to sleep?”

“Take your meds and lay down. Don’t argue, just do it.”

He was captivated enough to follow her orders without further question. It only took him a minute to go into his bathroom and take his meds. He’d thrown his shoes off on his way back into the bedroom and was about to unzip his pants when Zoe stopped him.

“Let me.”

Vlad looked up at her and saw that her shirt was gone. As were her shorts. She was standing in front of him in a red lace bra, red thong, and her red stilettos. He wanted to freeze time so that he would have that vision of her forever in his mind.
Incredible!

“Jesus, Zoe. You are so gorgeous. I want you so much I can’t think straight.” He took a step toward her, letting out a heavy sigh as he reverently ran the back of his fingers down her cheek. “God, I want you, but I honestly don’t know if I can tonight.”

Zoe had her hands on his zipper and could feel him bulging out of his pants as she carefully lowered it. “Oh, I think you can, Vlad.” She cupped his length as she slid the zipper all the way down. “And, from the feel of things, you want to as much as I do. So, the only question here is how creative do we have to get?” She licked her lips as she continued to stroke him. “I can do creative, Vlad.”

She walked him slowly backward, until his knees hit the bed. Putting her hands on his chest, she gently pushed him back until he was lying down. Then she carefully shimmied his pants off, mindful of his sore hip with each move she made.

He scooted himself up farther on the bed while ripping his shirt up and over his head. Zoe followed him and pushed him back down again. Throwing her leg over him so that she was sitting astride him, she said, “I think this will work just fine, don’t you?” As long as he didn’t move too much, she wouldn’t even have to be that creative. What a shame.

Vlad wasn’t sure he had enough blood in any part of his brain to form a coherent thought, so he simply nodded his head in agreement.

Laughing in triumph, Zoe gently rubbed herself against his hardness. “Oh, that feels good. Is that okay?”

“Uh huh.”

“Let’s lose the rest of our clothes, shall we?”

Vlad propped himself up on his elbows and watched as she leaned over, pressing herself against him. She didn’t leave an inch between them as she slid down his body pulling his briefs off along the way. He enjoyed watching her undress him, but it was nothing compared to watching her undress herself. The heated look in her eyes as she unhooked the front clasp of her bra told him she was a woman who knew what she wanted. There was no shyness in her moves. No hesitation. As she peeled her bra off, she allowed her hands to brush over her sensitive nipples, letting out a low moan.

“That feels good, but not as good as your lips.” She climbed her way back up his body and got close enough for him to have a taste of her. “Ahh, that’s better.” She allowed him a quick minute to nibble and lick her breasts before she pulled away and stood up to take off her thong. Standing at the side of the bed, she turned around giving him her back. She hooked her thumbs in the sides of her thong and ever so slowly slid it down, bending over and wiggling her ass as she did so. When she reached for her shoes, Vlad broke his silence.

“Leave them on.” His voice was rough with desire. She felt her insides clench at the rough, raspy sound.

Without saying a word, she straightened up and got back onto the bed. She threw her leg over him, and quickly but gently took him deep inside her until she couldn’t tell where she ended and he began. Neither one of them wanted to take the time for foreplay. It was one of those times when she simply had to have him inside of her as soon as possible. She was more than ready for him. “Am I hurting you?”