Page 89 of Hockey Player Seeking Fan

"I know so. When this season is over, I’m going to take you to a cabin in Vermont or Maine, and we’re not going to leave for forty-eight hours. I’m going to fuck you on every single surface. I’m going to have you calling out my name so many times you would think there was no other name in the English language."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah," he says. "I miss you."

"What?"

"I miss you. I wish I were with you tonight."

"No, you don’t. You’re just saying that."

"I never just say anything."

"Yeah, well... I also think you won the bet," I say quickly, and I’m not sure why I say that. Maybe because I’m feeling uncomfortable. Maybe I don’t have the way with words that I thought I did.

He pauses, and there’s silence on the phone for a couple of minutes.

"What do you mean, I won the bet?"

"I think you won. I don’t think there are soulmates anymore. I don’t think that love and passion and excitement only come when you’re with the one and only. I think that maybe just enjoying the moment and your partner can be enough."

"I see. So that’s what this is to you?" he says. "Just a fun moment?"

"I mean, isn’t that what this is to you?"

He grunts. "It’s fun, all right. I’m glad we’re both having fun.”

“So what’s your prize?"

"My prize?" His voice sounds twisted. "I don’t know. I’ll have to think of something."

"Don’t sound so excited. I mean, if I’d won, I would’ve had many things on my list."

"Yeah, if you’d won, that would’ve been something."

He sounds slightly dejected, and I wonder if he’s tired or nervous about the game.

"You’re going to do fine, by the way. Practice is going to be great, and I’m sure you’re going to win, and you’re going to be MVP, and you’re going to get a huge bonus."

"Yeah, that sounds really good." He yawns loudly. "But I should go. I don’t want to be late tomorrow and… well, this is an important game."

"It is. And good luck."

"Thank you. And I’ll let you know what I want as a prize."

"I mean, you can say you want me." I laugh.

"Any which way?"

"Any which way, huh?" He sounds slightly salty. "What if I were to say I wanted you in a sex club?"

"Well, as long as I wasn’t with any other men, perhaps."

"What if I wanted people to watch? To watch while I’m breathing heavy and?—"

"You mean you and me?"

"Yeah. Would you be down with that?"