AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Good job, princess,” he murmured under his breath as he tugged my dress down around my hips and up over my chest. Then he handed me over to Jamie, who circled my shoulders with one strong arm and tucked me against his side as he led me back into the pool hall.
12.
Hope
Everyone could tell exactly what we were doing outside. I was sure of it.
I hid my burning face in the crook of Jamie’s neck, overwhelmed with warring emotions. On one hand, what happened in the alley was the hottest thing that I had ever experienced in my entire life. I felt like a new person, a new woman, truly sexually liberated for the first time. But I was also too embarrassed to make eye contact with any of the players huddled around three pool tables at the back of the hall. Rowan at least had the good sense to peel away and duck into the bathroom so we didn’t all reenter the bar together. I was flushed, giddy, and also on the verge of humiliated tears. Now that the wave of pure pleasure had washed over me and ebbed away, I remembered the viral story about Lola, and how furious Mr. Branson had been. Worry seeped in, weighing me down.
“What’s wrong?” Jamie murmured, raking a hand through my hair and holding me close. I shook my head, burying my face in the soothing smell of his shirt and squeezing my eyes shut. I was afraid if I tried to speak, I would burst into tears, and then I’d really have something to be embarrassed about.
“Your turn, Jamie,” said the promising but arrogant and unpredictable new center, Kane Devereaux. For a second, I clung to Jamie, afraid to let go, afraid to be exposed. For someone who had been such a willing exhibitionist a few minutes ago, now I just wanted to crawl into a hole.
Instead, I went to the bar and ordered a drink. Putting some distance between myself and the team helped me calm down and think clearly. Everything was okay. Everything was great, in fact. One of my biggest fantasies had just been brought to life. We’d officially crossed the line. Jamie had shared me with another man.
I’d ordered a Shirley Temple earlier just to have something to sip on, but this time I ordered whiskey. My face burned as I sipped it, but I could already feel its calming effects. It was a much-needed anesthetic to my brain. I’d gulped half of it and was feeling a little bit fuzzy when someone sat down on the stool next to me, their elbow bumping mine. I turned to see Kane Devereaux sitting there, pretending he hadn’t noticed me. When he felt me staring, he glanced my way and flashed me a sly smile.
“Enjoying yourself?” he asked as he signaled the bartender for another bottle of beer.
“Um,” I said, confused by his knowing tone. He couldn’treallyknow what I’d just been doing with his coach and captain…could he? “I am, yes.” He nodded, staring up at the football game that was playing on the big screen TV behind the bar.
“That’s what I hear,” he said in a cryptic, amused tone.
“What—?” I started, but just then the bartender banged his fresh drink down in front of him. Kane picked it up, tipped it at me in a sarcastic salute, and then he was gone as quickly as he’d arrived.
13.
Hope
I’d already given myself two fairly severe burns so far tonight. I wasthisclose to throwing in the towel, literally, and running away. Instead, I used the rag to wipe the sweat from my forehead and put another three salmon filets down on the flat top.
We were unusually busy and had been for a couple of weeks. Was it possible that Thacker’s marketing efforts were finally paying off? He’d leased a few billboards out on I-80 and said he was confident they’d bring in business, but he looked as surprised by the sudden crowds as I was.
I was honestly glad to have work to lose myself in because my personal life was…confusing. After my strange interaction with Kane, I asked Jamie if he had been talking to his teammates about our…extracurricular activities. He denied it and snuggled up to me on the couch.
“Is that what you want me to do?” he’d asked.
“No!” I exclaimed. “I mean…I don’t think so.”
When we were in our bed, under the cover of night, discussing him sharing me with his team, it was all very exciting and sexy. But there was something about the way Kane had looked at me—or rather,notlooked at me—that had left me uneasy. I was feeling the strong urge to pump the brakes on oursituationuntil I had a better bead on how I really felt about it.
The last thing I wanted was a repeat of what was currently happening with Lola and Reid. But I couldn’t erase what had already happened. At least one member of Jamie’s hockey team knew exactly what I was—a slut. Rowan had been right there on the raw edge of my and Jamie’s experimentation. I hadn’t been worried, then, about whether or not he would keep our little rendezvous a secret, but now the question consumed my every waking thought.
That’s what I heard, Kane said.
During a lull in the onslaught of orders, I ran to my locker to check my phone. I’d sent Lola a long, rambling text message trying to explain what Jamie and I were doing, what I’d been thinking and wanting. She was the only person I knew who might not immediately judge me. I saw her reply waiting on my lock screen, and my heart lodged itself in my throat as I swiped.
You dog!!! JK, I’m so proud of you! And frankly, a bit shocked! I didn’t expect you to follow in my footsteps. But now that you have, there’s one thing you need to understand. The guys on the team are going to find out. It’s bro code or something. The more people you introduce into the relationship, the more likely you are to be outed. But that’s okay! Be happy! Embrace your inner sex goddess! Gotta go to work but let’s video chat tonight!!!
I’d been hoping for more concrete advice, but just hearing from my best friend soothed me. A bit. She was basically saying that if I was going to do this, I had to get comfortable with the thought of an entire minor-league hockey team knowing my business. And sure, that was a scary thought. But scarier was the idea that Jamie might lose his job because we’d been stupid enough to invite his coach into the mix even though Mr. Branson had implemented a new, franchise-wide zero-tolerance policy on fraternization.
I thought of Rowan again, my eyes narrowing as I tossed my phone back into my bag and slammed the locker. He had to be the leak. He hadn’t waited even an hour to blab.
I spun on my heel, ready to stomp back to the line, and ran headlong into Thacker’s chest.
“Whoa.” He reached out to grab my shoulders and steady me but I shrugged him off.
“I’m fine, thanks.” I raised my head to give him a taste of the venomous glare that had been meant for Rowan. Aiming it at Thacker was almost as good. Instead of being pleased that his business was finally booming, he’d been in a terrible mood lately for some reason, and he’d been taking it out on me. “Not that you care.”
