But it’s also paired with a squirm of her hips and suddenly I’m not thinking about another time.
I’m thinking aboutthistime.
Rolling, I snag the container of syrup…and then I roll back and?—
“Whoops.”
She jumps, muscles flexing against the drop of syrup I’ve trailed over her belly.
“Damon,” she whispers.
I bend, drag my tongue through the sticky mess.
“Syrup,” I say. “Thistime.”
TWENTY-THREE
Joey
“No!”I shout. “Not a fucking chance!”
Yeah, I don’t yell at my players.
The refs on the other hand…
Tonight they’re going to fucking get it.
Missing two blatant penalties and an offsides that led to a goal against us (though, thankfully, my video coach was on point and advised that I use my coach’s challenge, so I was able to get the goal called back). Worse, though, my guys are getting hammered and the calls are one-sided and…
We’re all frustrated.
Hence my shouting.
And cursing.
“That is completely unacceptable!” I’m still shouting, trying to get the ref’s attention even though the fucker seems to be purposefully ignoring me in lieu of sprinkling his focus on the other bench.
I step forward, one foot on the boards, leaning over and glaring at him. “This is bullshit and you fucking know it!”
He just…skates on by.
Fucking asshole.
I step back, teeth grinding together so fiercely that a bolt of pain shoots through my jaw. I take a breath, know that I need to find my control, that losing my temper isn’t going to help anything and it sure as shit isn’t going to get the assholes in black and white stripes on the ice to change their minds.
Plus, me yelling at the assholes is already going to end up on TikTok.
Last thing I need is to give the bloggers even more ammunition against me.
Kind of like sleeping with the GM?
That sends a bucket of cold water through my consciousness and I freeze.
“What do you want to do?” Tommy asks.
A breath. Two. Then I step back and mutter, “You all keep your heads. I’ve lost mine enough for the rest of us.” One more breath and then I lift my voice. “No retaliating,” I tell the guys. “No letting them get us off our plan. Let’s keep grinding and focus on winning this period, yeah?”
I get a lot of nods.
