How the hell was he speaking to her like that? Lucas had his hand on the door handle when he heard Anna laugh.
“You all think you can impress or scare me with your shouting.Idecide who is fit to play and who isn’t. So, stop making such a fuss and listen to what I have to say.”
A grumble came in response. “It’s not fair. I always get a slap on the wrist. And there’s just as much bullshit coming out of Dax and Matt’s mouths!”
“Yes,” Anna drawled, her sympathy evident. “It must be hard to have to put up with so much. Just because you’re the youngest. But if it helps, I would have yelled too.”
“I’m not the youngest. There are a few players younger than me.”
“Yes, but they’re not yet as advanced as you. They still need a few years to be accepted into the upper, elite circle. But, I imagine it’s exhausting not being taken seriously by the others. Even if they respect you, at times, it must seem that they don’t.”
Perplexed silence was the only answer. And Lucas understood Leon. He too was staring open-mouthed at the door.
Leon had just yelled at her and she responded with an incredibly generous kindness the bastard didn’t deserve.
“Do you truly believe they respect me?” he muttered after a minute.
“Hello? They busted heads for you today because they were so angry that Thompson seriously hurt you.”
“Hm,” he said. “I guess so. What about you? Do you respect me too? Enough to maybe put your hand somewhere else?”
Okay, that was enough. Lucas gritted his teeth and stepped forward. He saw through the crack in the door that the center was on an exam table with Anna leaning over him, her hand on his shoulder…and something hot and ugly was unfolding in his stomach.
They were close. Way too close. And Leon should damn well take back what he had just said!
His hand still on the doorknob, he heard Anna speak again, reminding him that she was perfectly fine on her own.
“You know, Leon, I’ve talked to you maybe a dozen times now,” she remarked with a loud sigh. “Each time, you flirt with me…as you do with every other woman in this world. Are you even really interested inany of them?”
Leon opened his mouth in confusion. “Of course I am!”
“Not on a sexual, but an emotional level,” Anna added matter-of-factly.
The player frowned. “I don’t understand.”
Anna laughed. “Of course not. Let me put it this way: What are you looking for in a woman?”
“I don't know. She has to be tall and good-looking.”
“Aww, that doesn’t sound shallow at all,” she said, placing her hand on her chest.
“Well, I don’t know,” Leon replied defensively. Was the bastard blushing? “I haven’t thought about it. Women usually find me.”
“Ah, of course. The terrible fate of hockey players. But you know, you’ll never figure out what you really need or want, Leon, if you don’t take it seriously and just flirt with every woman you meet. But maybe that’s what you want? Just to have fun? I completely respect that. I feel the same way.”
“You only want to have fun?” he asked incredulously.
“Yes.”
“But…then why don’t you sleep with me?”
She laughed. “I’m picky.”
The corners of Lucas’ mouth twitched. Was she?
“I see. So what type do you like?” Leon asked sharply. “What are you looking for?”
She tilted her head thoughtfully. “I don’t know. I honestly don’t even know if I ever want anything serious. But…” She hesitated, speaking softer, “A man who can communicate well would be great. I have…none of those in my life at all.”
