Chapter 6

Tyler

Friday night goes by in a blur, but we win against Philadelphia, and that's all that matters. Cindy wasn't in the stands tonight, but she comes to most of the games.

I wonder why she wasn't there?

Her absence bothers me more than it rightfully should, and it made me play that bit harder. But I still have visions of her wearing my number, and it's all the fuck I can think about. It's every sports guy's dream to have a woman who's the object of his affections wear his jersey.

I can just see it now, #61 Peterson on her back.

I end up going to bed late Friday night alone, nursing a cold beer and a plan in place.

I'll confront Cindy on Monday morning. I've decided, since I know where she'll be just before eight-thirty. There ain't gonna be no escaping me then.

Hopefully, I'll see her in the meeting again and I'll make it even more clear I can't stay away from her. I hope she wants it as much as I do. She seemed pretty keen from where I was sitting and standing, with cold coffee down my front.

The thought is sobering. I know I should talk to someone for advice, maybe Jay, but maybe someone outside of the team is better. Christoph is always pretty level-headed about most things, and a friend of mine outside of the hockey circles, Luke, has always been a good friend over the years. Though, I don't see much of my old friends like I used to.

I see more of Jay, Ashton and Taylor, which reminds me that we're gonna meet up for drinks one weekend when we're not playing since we haven't done that for a while.

Everyone is pretty tense going into the conference finals, as no one wants a repeat of last year. And as captain, I have the job of keeping everyone motivated and ensuring I have plenty of encouraging words to help them relinquish any self-doubts.

That's the plan, anyway. It usually works. The guys all want this as much as I do, and we've worked fucking hard to come back from last year.

I'm out on-the-fly late Saturday afternoon when I park my silver Maserati outside my coffee spot, right across from the stadium for a refreshment. I know she doesn't work today, but I still like coming here.

The barista's know me well by now, they should, since I'm here every damned morning ordering the same thing and sitting in the same spot.

I guess we all have our superstitions. And it's become a distracting habit over the past few months, one I'm not too sure I want to give up.

I fucking like watching her, knowing she's safe.

Fuck. If anyone tried to hurt her, I'd see red and do some serious damage.

It's when I go to grab my takeaway and I'm about to leave the cafe when I look over to one of the tables, close to the door, and see the back of a woman's head. The first thing I see is jet black hair, pull-up up into a high swinging ponytail. Then I can hear Cindy's soft voice because her table is so close to me, that and the cafe is quiet. I swallow hard. I don't think I've ever seen her with her hair up before.

She's sitting across from a blonde girl who looks up at me.

I stand there like an imbecile holding my coffee. I press my lips together and decide I'm not chickening out, no fucking way. She tilts her head on the side, still looking at me, but says something to Cindy.

That's when Cindy turns her head. Fuck me if the first thing does is smile, and it's a sweet, unexpected smile. Then she goes and bites her lip as she gives me a little wave. I take that as my cue to sidle on over there and say hello.

Of course, I'm usually the king of cool and casual, but today, my heart beats fast in my chest and I feel a notch of excitement in my gut.

"Hey," I pull a grin from nowhere as I stop in front of their table.

"Hey, Tyler." Her smile is like the sun breaking through the sky on a cloudy day. It lights me up inside, making me feel all kinds of things I shouldn't, but I'm loving it all the same.

"Hey." I smile right back as I glance between Cindy and her friend.

"This is Susie, my best friend," she says, gesturing over the table to her friend.

"Hey." I give her a nod.

"Hi, Tyler. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too."

"Would you like to join us?" Susie asks right off the bat.

I see Cindy's eyes momentarily grow wide as they spare each other a glance across the table.

"You sure?" I ask her friend, then glance at Cindy. "I mean, I don't wanna intrude."

"You're not intruding." Susie assures me.

I wanna know what Cindy thinks, so I give her a chin lift and I see her smile shyly.

"We'd love for you to join us," she says, in a slightly shaky voice.

I don't know what that's all about. Do I make her nervous?

Wouldn't that be something. If only she knew how hard my heart was hammering in my chest.

So I pull out a chair right next to Cindy and sit down, placing my takeaway coffee cup on the table. They look like they're just finishing their meal, but I decide not to order anything, even when the server comes over to ask me.

"What have you girls been up to this weekend?" I ask, glancing first at her friend, as I don't wanna appear rude.

"Not much," Susie says. "Just catching up on housework."

"Same." Cindy nods. "Well, that and hanging out with Henry."

I stare at her a moment too long. Henry? Who the fuck is Henry?

"Oh, my dog," she quickly amends, probably noticing my furrowed brows.

I soften a little, realizing I'm acting like a possessive asshole. "Your dog?" I muse.

"Yeah, he's a one-year-old black French bulldog."

"They're cool dogs." I grin. I'm glad she's a dog person. My parents have a golden retriever and I vowed one day, when my hockey career is over and I'm home more, I'll have a bunch of dogs.

"He's the best," Cindy gushes.

So I know now what subject she's gonna not mind talking about if we're stuck for conversation. Not that we are, it flows pretty effortlessly. And that's saying something since I barely know either of them, and I just crashed their dinner. I like how it's easy flowing though, and not awkward.

"My parents have a retriever. She's the sweetest," I tell them. "Though she sheds and her fur is absolutely everywhere."

They both laugh.

"Henry sheds a little," she says. "But it's pretty manageable."

"What about you Susie? Do you have any pets?" I ask her, as they finish up the last of their wine.

"I have a moggy called Muffy." She laughs into her wineglass.

"Ah, you're a cat girl."

"All the way. I love dogs too, but Muffy wouldn't like having a dog around."

"Yeah, they tend to be a bit like that, and not as needy as dogs can be. When I go to my parents, Ruby expects a half an hour belly rub before I even sit down."

That has them laughing again. I like being the cause of that.

I'm also learning pets are a very safe and encouraging topic. Good to know.

We banter back and forth a little more before it looks like the night is coming to a close. To which I offer them a lift home since Cindy said they took a cab tonight as they were both having wine.

"I'd be happy to drive you," I tell them. Anything to get some more time with her.

I've really enjoyed sitting here talking to her and her friend tonight, but I'm not done or ready to say goodnight.

They both look at each other and Cindy shrugs. "Sure, I mean, if you don't mind?"

"Of course not, I'd be happy to."

"We only live a block away from each other, so if you don't mind if I tag along?" Susie asks.

"Of course I don't mind." I smile. This is turning out even more perfect than my Monday morning ritual.

"Sounds great, should we?" I nod towards the door as Cindy pushes her chair out and I wait for Susie to exit the booth seat and we all walk out to my car.

Okay, it's a bit of a statement piece amongst the kinda ‘normal' looking cars parked around it. The girls both look momentarily wide-eyed at the sight.

"My pride and joy," I say, as I buzz the car to unlock it and open both the passenger doors for the girls. If there was one thing my mama taught me, it was how to treat women right, and I'm not forgetting my manners, especially now I have Cindy in my sights.

"Thank you." She smiles softly, as she slides into the passenger seat.

I'm delighted she sits in the front, while Susie slips into the back.

I couldn't have picked this out more perfectly if I tried.

I start up the engine when I click my seatbelt on, and what the heck, give the engine an extra throttle. I swear I hear Cindy giggle. I glance over at her as she watches me in the dark. I hope to God we get to drop Susie off first. That's the plan. I just need five minutes alone with her. Surely that can't be too much to ask.

We chatter lightly in the car. I ask them what else they've been doing this weekend. Cindy tells me she has lunch tomorrow with her mom and sister, though she doesn't sound overly excited about that prospect. I wonder what the deal is there.

Then I think back to the conversation I overheard when Coach was talking to her mom. The conversation that told me more than what I bargained for.

I feel bad for overhearing it, but it gave me some insights into her life at least.

Even if they weren't good ones. Her mom sounded like a control freak. As far as I know, she had a very bad incident in college, and something was mentioned about a wayward ex.

"I have dinner with my family tomorrow," I tell them. "My parents live out in the burbs. My mom makes the best Moussaka in the universe."

"Oh, I love Greek food," Susie says from the back.

"Me too," Cindy agrees. She glances at me again. I can see from my peripheral that she looks from the road to me every so often, and her glance lingers. "Can you cook, Tyler?"

I swallow because I like the way she says my name. More than I've ever liked anyone else saying it.

"I'm pretty good," I say honestly. "My mom taught us boys the basics. I have two brothers, Dion and Chris. Dion, my youngest brother, thinks he's the best cook, but there's no way that's true. I'm pretty domesticated too in other areas, but I've been living out of home since I was fifteen, so I guess I ought to be." I wonder if I'm babbling, but I can't seem to stop myself.

"Wow," Cindy says. "That's pretty young."

I shrug. "I grew up pretty quick, that's for sure."

"Have you always loved hockey?" she asks.

I take my eyes off the road as I glance at her briefly. "Always," I reply. "Though my dad had it in his sights that one of his boys should be a football player."

I hear Susie laugh from the back. Cindy too.

"And did either of them become football players?" she asks.

"Nope." I shake my head. "Christoph is in finance, and Dion is a golfer."

"I'm sure they're very proud of you all the same," Cindy says.

My parents are my biggest supporters. I got so damned lucky with the normal childhood I had, with lots of extended family members to keep us on the straight and narrow.

"Well, my grandma is even more proud," I chuckle. "Her and my grandpa even come to some of my games."

"That's awesome." Cindy smiles. "I love that."

I glance at her again. There's an edge to her voice, but she doesn't hold it for long. She looks at me and smiles.

I want to tell her how beautiful she is. I want to reach out and touch her face with my hand and feel her soft, delicate skin. She's too sweet and pure to have the likes of me pawing all over her, but it doesn't stop me from wanting it.

I pray to fucking God she doesn't just jump out of the car straight away when I get to her place.

We arrive at Susie's in no time, where I assure her friend I'll have Cindy home safe and sound in just a few minutes.

"You better," she tells me. "I know where to find you, just in case."

I laugh. She's joking, but I couldn't think of anything better than stealing her away. Cindy leans around then and gives Susie a hug through the console and I get a whiff of her perfume. It's on the vanilla side, with a hint of caramel.

Sweet, like her.

"Goodnight, Susie. It was great meeting you," I say.

"You too, and thanks for the ride." She smiles. "Night, Cindy."

"Night, Suse. I'll text you when I'm home."

I wait until Susie is safely inside her apartment and then take off down the street.

Cindy rocks back in her seat as I put a little too much pressure on the accelerator.

"Woah," she says with a laugh, holding her hand to her heart.

"Sorry. I get a little carried away." That totally comes out wrong, but so fucking right. And she glances at me again.

"You're very sweet," she says out of nowhere.

That earns her another sheepish grin from me. Everything she says comes out so unexpectedly. I've no idea what she's going to come out with next.

"Really?" I balk. "You sure?"

"Giving us girls a ride, then waiting for Susie to get inside."

"You're gonna go away thinking I'm a nice guy soon."

She giggles, and I can't help but keep the stupid grin on my face. "And that's a bad thing?"

"Don't girls like the bad boy kind?" I raise an eyebrow. I know I sound like an ass, even if I am joking. But in actual fact, I really wanna know her answer. I wanna know if she fantasizes about me, the way I do her.

My dick kicks in my jeans at the thought. He's been unceremonious tonight, and I've had trouble keeping him at bay.

"Maybe the good boy, bad boy," she says. "What kind are you, Tyler?"

I keep my eyes firmly on the road, though I don't want to. "I'm nothin' good if the tabloids are anything to go by." Hopefully she doesn't read too much into those. She comes off as the good-girl type to me. I hope she doesn't think I'm too wild for her.

"I don't read too much into that anyway," she says, directing me to turn the next left and we're on her street.

"That's good. Most of it's bullshit, anyway."

"It must suck getting stuff written about you," she says, as I swing into a parking space outside of her townhouse.

"Ah, you get used to it." I shrug. "The press have laid off in recent times anyway.Well, at least since I broke up with my girlfriend a few months back." I don't know exactly why that comes out of my mouth, maybe because I want her to know I'm single.

And fuck, do I wanna mingle.

"I'm sorry. I heard something about that."

I glance at her. Nope. She doesn't look that sorry. "Don't be. It was a mutual thing. Are you seeing anyone?" I ask outright, though I think it's a given that she isn't.

She shakes her head.

"I couldn't keep my eyes off you at the last meeting," I keep on spouting.

She laughs and turns a little in her seat as she ejects her seatbelt. "Yes, Andrea told me."

So they were writing in their notebooks about me. I smile at the thought.

"I'm pretty sure you looked at me back." I idle at the curb and neither of us moves.

"I couldn't help it. You're kind of hard to miss."

Thank God we're in the dark. That's all I can say. I'm struggling to keep anything at bay hearing her words.

Down, boy.

"Really? How so?" I ask, intrigued. I've figured out the best way to get answers out of a girl is to fucking well ask.

"You're very intense," she says.

Perceptive. I like that. "I could say the same about you."

She laughs now. It's soft and musical and all the things I didn't know I loved until now. "Me? Intense?"

"It's the eyes," I breathe, knowing I shouldn't be so forward and so damned honest because I don't want to scare her off. But this is me. Up front and center. She's lucky I've been able to keep it at bay this long.

She shakes her head. "You can't be serious?"

I grin and pop a shoulder. "Now, why would that be so hard to believe?"

"Because there are way more intense, beautiful girls than me," she says.

I stare at her pretty face for a moment. Does she really have no idea?

I find myself shaking my head. "Nope, I don't think so, Cindy. I love your hair like that, too."

She swings her ponytail a little and laughs. "You're saying I don't wear my hair up much?"

"I don't think I've seen it up before." Maybe I'm admitting I've been a little too observant, but I'm past the point of caring. "And trust me, I would've noticed."

She purses her lips in the dark and I see her swallow. Shit, is her breathing shallow?

I can't even glance down at her chest, even though I can see her breasts heaving. I'm trying to set the scene here, not get caught staring at her rack.

"You would?" She plays with the end of her ponytail with her fingers and just that movement has my dick straining even more.

Damn. It's gonna be another palm-fest when I get home tonight.

"I would," I reply, as her eyes flick down to my lips.

I think it's now safe to say that the heat between us is being felt on both sides.

"You're very beautiful," I whisper. Unsure why I'm doing that. I guess I don't wanna break this spell between us. I don't want the intensity to end when she gets out of the car and walks away from me. "I've been thinking it for a while now."

She presses her lips together as I watch her every movement and fuck it if I don't lean over and brush some loose strands from her ponytail from her shoulder.

She closes her eyes and takes it in. I've never been more captivated by anyone, and from such a simple touch. But I know if I don't do it, I'm going to implode.

"I'm sorry if I'm being very direct." My voice is slightly more hoarse than I started out with.

Her eyes flutter open for a second, and she shakes her head lightly. "Don't be sorry about that," she says. "I like it."

It's not even music to my ears now. It's a symphony. One that's taken its own course and I'm just following on for the ride. But I'm cool with that. I couldn't think of anything better.