He was silent. Of course—it was a personal topic, after all. He always remained silent when it got personal.
“Why can’t my...” She cleared her throat. “Why can’t Dax just ask me what I want? Why can’t he adapt to me instead of the other way around? I want harmony. I deserve harmony.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
She sighed. No. Of course he didn't. “It doesn’t matter.”
Lucas was silent again. Finally, he hesitantly reached under the covers to take her hand. “Sex with me shouldn’t make you think about your brother.”
She laughed.
Anna quickly discovered that the atmosphere in the L.A. Hawks’ locker room varied depending on whether the team won or lost.
But she’d never experienced it like today.
“Fuck, we’re good!”
“Dude, Moreau, how is it that not a single puck got past you?”
“Man, maybe I’m starting to believe in God.”
The voices were loud and euphoric, full of profanity. They were also filled with so much joy that for a moment Anna felt as if she were standing in front of a kindergarten class that had been told they were having ice cream for lunch.
Before she could laugh and congratulate them, two arms wrapped around her and lifted her up. “I didn’t even feel my shoulder, Doc!” Leon yelled in her ear, shaking her so that her arms and legs flailed in the air. “So, you practically made my two goals today!”
“A great honor,” Anna said, laughing. “But now, let me down before you break me!”
Grinning, Leon did as he'd been asked. As soon as she was back on solid ground, she glanced at Dax and Jack, who were rolling their eyes but still grinning from ear to ear. Then she shifted to Lucas. His smile was noticeably fainter than the others'. He wasn’t jumping up and down or yelling across the room. But his gaze was so warm, his posture so infinitely relaxed, that Anna’s smile widened. Yes, he was happy. She was supposed to check on Leon first to see if his shoulder was completely intact, but instead, she heard herself say, “Moreau! Your knee. Come with me. Now. You can celebrate later. Congratulations to all of you.”
She waved at him to follow her and left the locker room. She only realized he’d been trailing her when his stubble scratched her cheek as he leaned over her shoulder.
“Bossy,” he murmured against her ear, grazing his lips against it as he brushed his chest against her back.
“You said I had to be more careful so the others wouldn’t notice,” she said innocently, glancing over her shoulder at his face.
“Oh, that wasn’t a criticism. I liked it.” He smiled — and Anna wondered when her body would stop turning into a tingling wreck whenever he did.
“You really shouldn’t have told me that,” she said in amusement, reaching into her bag for the key to the treatment room, which she always had to lock because of the medication. She couldn’t find the key or her cell phone, though, which had definitely been in there before.
“Oh, crap. I think my phone flew out of my pocket when Leon picked me up,” she remarked with a sigh. “We have to go back. And...” She quickly glanced around the empty hallway before turning in Lucas’ arms, standing on her tiptoes, and pressing her lips to his. “Congratulations. You played really well,” she whispered, running her hands through his hair.
“Thanks.” He stroked her cheek with his thumb. “I feel like my stamina has never been better. That must be because of you.”
“And all the granola bars,” she said with a laugh, letting go of him. “Okay, let’s go get my phone and the key.”
They turned and walked back to the locker room, which was still incredibly noisy, but the boys had earned it.
“That was quick,” Leon remarked, puzzled, when she reentered. “Did you just put your magic hands on him for a moment? You know, I dream about them sometimes.”
She snorted. “I’m just getting my...”
“Here,” Dax interrupted, holding out her phone and keys. “Fell out of your pocket when Leon hugged you.” He glared at the center. “You...” He paused because the phone started ringing. “...have a call from...”
He paused again, but this time he didn’t continue. This time, he opened his mouth, but no words came out. Instead, Anna noticed, as if in slow motion, his hand gripped the phone tighter, his shoulder muscles bulged, and his face turned red.
“What the hell?” he whispered sharply, looking up abruptly. “Dad?”
Shit. Anna hastily took the phone from him, ignored the call, and slipped it into her pocket, but obviously, it was too late to cover it up.
