2. Maverick

two

Maverick

" S hit! That's not what we were going to ask her." I pace the kitchen, clenching my hands at my side. "You were supposed to ask her out—not ask her to be our agent."

"I'm sorry I froze. Looking into her soft amber eyes, I forgot everything we practiced." Dalton slouches down on one of the barstools by the island.

We've only been members of the Minnesota Norse hockey team for two weeks. During that time, we witnessed our teams and owners' relationships with their girlfriends. Dating three guys at the same time seems a little weird, especially in a Midwest state that appears to be highly conservative, except for the Twin Cities.

Having Cassi as an agent would be amazing for our careers, but we decided we all want to date her if she'll have us. We don't care that she's thirty and we're twenty-two. There's just something about how she commands the room when she walks into it.

The first time we met her was our first day on the team. Coach Davis was giving us a tour of the facilities when Cassi walked by and said in her sultry voice, "Gentlemen." with a nod before entering her office. No one has ever referred to me as a gentleman before. It's usually, hey, kid, or Hey you. The way she offered respect to my two teammates and me, who are newbies to the team, meant a lot for our confidence in playing on a new team. She addressed us as gentlemen in front of our new coach, which earned her our respect.

"We have to fix this." I refuse to let this opportunity slip between our fingers.

"Or we use this to our advantage. If she agrees to be our agent, we can win her over. If we are just three guys who think she's interested in dating all three of us like the rest of the relationships on our new team, and she tells us no, then we won't have a chance to change her mind."

"I don't know Ace. It sounds a little too risky. Why can't we just be honest with her?"

Dalton has a point. I don't want to risk losing the chance for us to be with Cassi. "Let's keep an eye on her tonight, and then over the weekend, we can come up with our game plan."

Thirty minutes later, we watched our woman throwback shot after shot with two of my teammates, Fin Baxter and Tarek Hayes. I'm not jealous that she's hanging out with them since I know they are each in a committed relationship, as unconventional as it is, sharing their girlfriends with two other guys—it's all the tequila Cassi has consumed.

Cassi might be curvy, but she's still too tiny to handle keeping up with all the alcohol Tarek and Fin are drinking. Hopefully, Coach Davis will not find out about tonight's drunken fest. Luckily, the team owners are here with their girlfriends, so we shouldn't get into too much trouble even if Coach told us to limit it to two beers a night. With the keg in the kitchen, I have to believe that none of my other teammates plan on sticking to that rule. Speaking of kegs—I haven't noticed anyone going to the kitchen for the tap beer. While Dalton, Ace, and I have been nursing our red solo cup full of keg beer for the last half hour.

Beck, one of the team owners, catches my eye, nodding toward our cups. " It looks like the three of you have been initiated into the Men of the Norse group. Fin and Tarek ask you to pick up a keg for the party and risk getting caught by Coach Davis or one of the assistant coaches. Classic."

"That's a really a thing?" Ace asks, shrugging off the initiation comment. "I thought only the woman had a group."

"Ah, they're so young." Jensen, another team owner, joins the conversation. We need a support group, too. It's not easy keeping our women salified."

"Speak for yourself." The third owner of the team, Colt Hayes, flops down on the couch next to Jensen and grabs a blonde as she strolls by, placing her on his lap. "Isn't that right, Gemma?" He kisses the woman, and she kisses him back until she breaks free with a wiggle and a laugh.

"Believe me when I say you all keep me extremely satisfied." Gemma leans over and kisses both Jensen and Beck on the lips before sliding off Colt's lap and continuing with her original destination.

"But how does it work? Sharing the same woman. Don't you ever get jealous?" Dalton speaks my thoughts out loud.

"It works because we want it to work. We all fell for Gemma. It wasn't something we planned or imagined happening—it just happened. The first day we saw her, we all fell for her. She's the glue that keeps this relationship held together." Colt explains, but it seems too easy.

"And you're all okay with sharing her?" Ace asks again.

Colt turns his attention to Ace, "When you know, you know. Watching Gemma with Jensen and Beck, my two best friends doesn't make me feel angry or jealous—it makes me happy to know someone loves her as much as I do."

"If you don't have that level of love to give, then being in an extended relationship isn't for you." Jensen pushes off the couch to a standing position. "It's getting late. I think it's time to get our woman home and pleasure her until she passes out."

"Good luck with Cassi. She's a good egg. She needs to have the same happiness the rest of the girls have." Colt pats my shoulder as he rises from the couch to follow Beck and Jensen.

"Wait," I say, pulling their attention back to me. "How did you know we're interested in Cassi?"

"He's kidding, right?" Colt rolls his eyes at Jensen before continuing. "The way your eyes follow her when she steps out of her office and into the arena to talk to the other players. Or your eyes have been tracking her every movement tonight when you thought no one else was looking. But here's a news flash for you, fellas. We know you can't take your eyes off her." I open my mouth to deny what he's saying is true, but he holds up a hand to stop me, "Don't insult us by denying the truth. We're going to head out. You might want to check on your woman." He nods to Cassi, who has a half-empty bottle of tequila raised to her lips.

Dalton and Ace follow my gaze. "I think it's time to collect our woma, too." I step closer to Cassi and hear Colt yell, "Good luck," from behind me.

I think it will take more than luck to win over a woman like Cassi. I can only hope the three of us are strong enough for the job.