“I noticed that Sky had to fish you out a couple of times tonight,” I tease Koen as I lean toward him. His blue eyes are like nothing I’ve ever seen before, and they blow out slightly at my nearness.
Huh. I fucking knew this wasn’t all one sided.
“My fighting isn’t that bad,” he sighs.
Mmm. God, does he smell good.
“We all know it’s not. You’ll willingly take people bigger than you during a game,” I murmur. “So why are you so scared of little ole me?”
I didn’t mean to say that, but my smirk softens the words.
“The Little Viking smells really fucking good today,” Skylar says under his breath, making Koen gasp slightly. “I’m not going in after you to save you because you can’t fuck shit up, Koen. I do it because my asshole puckers every time someone fucking punches you.”
“Why are we talking about puckered assholes?” Koen asks, just loud enough for everyone else to hear.
Oh, game on, baby boy. I like it when you play dirty.
“Because I forgot to plug mine,” Sky says easily, taking a drink from Olsson. Skylar rarely bottoms, but he will take the fall without an issue in a conversation when necessary.
Koen’s cheeks heat as he finishes his drink, and Olsson hands him another before continuing on. No one comments as I take a small sip of my Cosmo, savoring it before I continue the conversation. I had to remind myself of who I fucking am, but I’m back in action.
“We aren’t easy to embarrass,” I tell Koen. “The more you run, the harder we’ll chase you.”
“I don’t get it,” he sighs, leaning back in his chair.
Everyone is laughing and chatting, which means they’re ignoring us for now. A couple of the bar patrons have come over to talk with other players, giving me the ability to talk to Koen without an issue. Even Sky is talking to the guy on his right.
I know he’s still painfully aware of what’s happening between Koen and I. Nothing much manages to get by him.
“What don’t you understand?” I ask. “Sky and I want to get to know you better, but you don’t seem to want that. Is there a reason for that?”
“I… You’re obviously with Skylar, so I don’t understand what you want with me,” he says finally.
Everything. That answer isn’t going to go down well, so I roll my thick lips inward instead for a moment.
“So I have to see you as a piece of ass to want to know more about you?” I ask, chuckling under my breath as I regroup. “I think we both know that’s not true. I hope you’re prepared to get on board with a little courting, because that’s what’s happening here. I can’t fucking wine and dine you if you’re hiding from me.”
“I… what? Again, you’re with someone,” Koen says obtusely.
“Not everyone is in a relationship with only two people,” I drawl. “Do I need to explain complex polyamorous relationships? Would you like some diagrams as well?”
“Oh fuck off,” he says, his lips twitching. “I get that part.”
“Skylar and I got together when we were rookies. We don’t have shallow relationships, Koen. Now, if you’re not attracted to us, that’s an entirely different kettle of fish,” I admit.
“It’s not…I don’t date,” he says, standing up suddenly and moving quickly toward the teammate furthest away from me.
I’m disappointed as Skylar’s hand reaches out for me, and I move to the chair that Koen just vacated. I hold my man’s hand as I lose myself in the conversation, grinning as people talk about different plays.
Since I don’t always pay attention to the entire game, some of it is new for me, and I get a whole new perspective on other plays. I need to hold onto something to ease the sting of being rejected by my scent match.
“Koen’s shot at the end of the game was sharp,” a fan says with a grin. The man is wearing Cougars gear, and it’s obvious that he follows our games. “The other team’s goalie missed the puck completely.”
I remember that shot and how it went through the perfect hole over the goalie’s right shoulder. There was no way anyone was knocking the puck away.
We all discuss the game, and what we think could have gone better. The fan’s name is Joseph and he seems pretty chill. I still notice when Koen leaves us to sit at the bar with a couple of people on the team and Joseph’s gaze follows.
I have to swallow back a growl as Skylar’s thumb runs over the back of my hand. As a team, we’ve been playing better, and I think that hanging out will help warm everyone up to us. I can’t fuck that up by coming on too strongly.
