15. Playing to Lose

CHAPTER 15

PLAYING TO LOSE

BIG D

Money has always been a burden to me. Grew up with very little of it, yet I was a happy kid. I make enough for a simple life as a bachelor in L.A. Still happy. Sure, if I had more I might be able to do more, have a nicer place to live, a nicer car. Having those things does not guarantee I'd be any happier with myself.

That ranch and horses I want in Montana someday, complete with a special cowgirl to keep me company—that could bring years of happiness, though. And if it makes Kallie happy to have those things… Then yep, I'll need to be making more money.

"I have a sizable trust fund, but Dad will take it away if I don't marry Jeremy," Kallie finally admits as we continue to argue in the middle of the parking lot. When she talks of money, though, I'm certain we don't have the same views about it. She grew up with more than she could ever want. Could our different backgrounds cause us to go our separate ways in the end?

"Doesn't your dad know he cheated on you?"

"Yes, but he doesn't know about the addiction."

"Then tell him. What father in his right mind wants their daughter to be married off to a guy hooked on drugs who can't keep his dick in his pants?"

She hesitates, like she doesn't want to tell me something, then changes her mind. "Jeremy threatened to hurt me if I say a word abut the drugs to Dad."

My blood boils. I thread my fingers through my hair with one hand, pacing away a few feet. "That jackass better hope I never run into him again. He'll get an ass whooping for threatening you."

"Look, I'm just waiting for the right moment, when he shows his true colors and fucks up, so I can prove to Dad he'd be an embarrassment to the family and to his business. Dad will hate that, then fire him. Jeremy's threats will have no meaning; it'll be all his fault and he can't hurt me then. I'll be able to appease Dad and get access to the funds. Then I'll leave and I can start anew somewhere. With you? Montana maybe? I don't know."

With a scowl, I set my bag down, maybe a little too hard to the sound of the glassware complaining inside of it. "Kallie, if money means so much to you that you'd endure through all of this, will I even be enough for you? I'm just a poor cowboy hick from Montana, living in L.A. on semi-pro pay, which is not a cheap place to reside, given the cost of living there. If all you want is money, then maybe I'm not cut out to be in your world."

"No, it's not like that. Cody." Her fingers gather my shirt like a desperate plea. "You're amazing exactly the way you are, money or not. Money has never been an important factor for me when it comes to the men I date."

That's because you have it, I want to say, but don't. I stop the argument to catch a breath. I chew my cheek, pace a little, arms folded over my chest, taking stock of things. Of all the cowgirls I could have hooked up with, I had to do it with the most beautiful one in the middle of the most fucked up situation. I finally square back up to her.

"Then leave now, before you get any further into this. Forget the money. Come stay with me in California and we'll figure things out. I have plenty of room for you in my apartment above Saint's garage. Hell, Saint doesn't use half the bedrooms in his house, so there's probably a huge closet there you could claim because I imagine you have a pretty large wardrobe. Or we can move out and get our own place together."

"I wish..." She doesn't finish her thought as her phone rings in the pocket of her trench coat. When she retrieves it, I spy jerk-face's name on it.

She taps a few buttons. "He's texted me a few times in the past hour. And now a call? I better take this, in case it's important."

Nothing he has to say can be that important. But I let her get it. "Go ahead. I'll be right here waiting for you."

Her eyes do a double take, like me saying that is unbelievable to her. She walks a few feet away and answers the call.

"Hello?"

With both hands, I scrub my face and listen intently.

"Uh, yeah. I am in San Antonio. How did you know?" She asks.

The hairs on the back of my neck stand up. My instincts tell me there's something more to all of this than she knows, something going on between Jeremy and her dad. I don't know what it means, but when it comes to Whittaker, I won't second guess the feeling in my gut.

"I'm visiting a friend," she exclaims, her voice rising.

Back in the friend zone. Great. I scoff, hating that I'm standing here as witness to this nonsense. But I'm in it now, whether I think it's a good idea or not; I can't walk away from her.

"No, I won't be back for a few days… Well, you're the marketing director. I'm sure you'll figure it out… No, I won't help you. I took a few days off, so let me be. Goodbye, Jeremy." She hangs up; good thing because I was a second away from yanking it out of her grasp and putting him in his place.

She clicks a few buttons and I can see that she's powered off the phone. "Ugh. He knows I'm here. I have no idea how that's possible. Someone must have recognized me and called him. I even dressed down, covered my hair?—"

"So, you were trying to disguise yourself?" I wave my hand, motioning up and down her body.

With a sheepish look, she admits. "Yes. People in hockey know Dad and Jeremy, and by association, me, too. But I'm here for you, Cody. I took a chance because I wanted to see you in action. You're such an outstanding player. I reviewed your stats of the past few years, and I can't believe a national team hasn't snatched you up."

"Yeah? You can thank Jeremy for the false rumors about me."

"For what it's worth, I loved every minute of the game, watching you out there."

My chest deflates, finally able to relax, like it'd been so wound up from the moment I first saw her tonight. I step toward her, finally bringing her into my arms, enveloping her in my protective shield of a body, and lodging her perfectly beneath my chin. My lips graze the top of her head. "I loved you being there. The only things better would be if you were wearing my jersey and if I could have seen you sitting down by the glass as I played."

She chuckles and moves out of my hold, unbuttoning her coat. There she reveals her top, a blue hoodie. It's one that the Puckers sell that says, in bold white letters, "Property of the Puckers."

"Will this do?" She asks.

My lips spread wide, splitting my face. "I'm so fucking happy to see you wearing that. Of course, my jersey, number thirteen, would be better."

"You want me to wear your jersey? You know what that means?" Even in the dark of the parking lot, the gleam returns to her eyes.

"Yeah, I know." I surround her with my arms again, molding our bodies together. "It means you're mine. But I don't need a jersey to prove that."

Our mouths collide, fusing with hot passion, and pent-up need. Tongues twirl, greedily deepening. Moans communicate, saying all the things we want to say to each other but haven't yet.

My cock needs to bury inside of her, and he makes his presence known, knocking on her stomach. She reaches between us, rubbing him. He's primed and ready for action.

I groan and it's all I can do to let her go, as we stand here in the now empty lot under the stars. "So are we still on for tonight, my cowgirl? I planned some sweet surprises for you."

"Of course. I've been looking forward to time with you all week. I want to be with you. That's why I'm here. But Cody, I'm sorry about?—"

"Hey, sh. It's okay. We'll figure it out. As long as we're together, it's all that matters. Yeah?"

"Yes. I'm parked over there." With keys in hand, she points to a sporty red Mercedes. A click of a button unlocks the doors and the taillights blink on and off.

Of course, this version of her would drive something fancy like that. While in my mind, she's riding in an old truck with me down the Sunrise Highway in Montana someday, wearing shit kickers and wranglers, holding hands with me, and singing classic country tunes as we watch the beautiful scenery pass by.