Page 36 of Hockey Player Seeking Fan

“I think you've had enough drinks for the evening. I should take you home.”

“You just want to get into my bed,” she says, reaching over and touching my arm. Her skin is warm as it slides down my bicep. “Wow, you're pretty muscular.”

“I work out. Comes with the job.”

She throws her head back and laughs. I stare at her long slender neck and my heart races slightly. “You want to know a secret, Ty?”

“Always,” I say, staring at her lips. I wonder what she would do if I went in for a kiss. They are perfectly shaped and luscious and I desperately want to know what they taste like.

“I hate hockey,” she says, laughing. “I know, you want to kill me, right?” Her expression is one of humor, but I can see apprehension in her eyes. She’s nervous that she’s going to offend me and for some reason that touches me. I don’t often come across emphatic people.

“No, not particularly.”

“I think it's one of the most boring sports. But if I'm honest, I don't really like any sports. Baseball’s boring. Football’s boring. Basketball’s okay. Golf—oh my gosh. But hockey? It's like a bunch of Neanderthals just decided to get on the ice and beat the shit out of each other.”

“Well, it's not quite that, but?—”

“What? You've never gotten into a fight on the ice?” she asks me.

I stare at her. “I mean... when I was younger.”

“I saw a video of you like two months ago, getting down with—what was his name? Rodney Lebel from Cincinnati?”

I hold my hand up. “Now, are we here to talk about boring hockey, or are we here to talk about how your dating life is going?” I am eager to find out if she’s made any connections. I am hopeful that she hasn’t. And I’m apprehensive about what that all means.

She groans loudly. “You just want to bring up the bet again because you know I'm losing. But joke’s on you.” She pushes her finger against my lips. “I know that I'm going to meet the love of my life.”

My heart races slightly. “You do, do you?”

“I do.” She hiccups and giggles. “My drink’s gone. I want another one. Do you want a drink?”

“I don't think you should have another drink. I think?—”

“Oh, stop being a boy, Tyler. Do you or do you not want to have another drink with me? Because if you don't, I'll just go on my dating app and find a guy who is willing to have a drink with me and then?—”

“What do you want?”

“I'll have a...” She hiccups. “Why don't you surprise me?”

“Okay. You stay right here.”

“Where else would I go? To the clouds? I can't fly.” She flaps her arms up and down. “Oh my gosh, could you imagine if I could fly? I'd be on the news or something. Man, people would want to?—”

“Are you sure that?—”

“Tyler, I am not a kid. You can't tell me what to do. By the way, thank you so much for bringing that cash for John. She’s totally going to fall in love with him, and they're going to get married and have a billion kids. I bet you they name their first son Tyler after you. And if there's a wedding and I get invited, I will invite you as my plus one. Not because I really want to go with you, but because—” She blinks. “What was I saying again?”

“Nothing. One second.”

I jump up and walk over to the bar. I order myself a beer and then get a Sprite for Erica. I'll tell her it's mixed with something, but what she doesn't need is more alcohol.

I head back to the table, and she's sitting there playing on her phone. For a few seconds, I’m nervous that she is on a dating app, trying to match with someone.

“What are you doing?” I say lightly as I hand her her drink.

“I was playing a card game.” She holds up her screen. “I was bored. I wanted someone to talk to, but you weren't here.”

“Because I was getting you a drink.”