Pucking Around: Chapter 51

Tess takes a sip from her big tumbler of iced tea. She’s rocking a red, high-waisted bikini to go with her crazy mane of sunset red curls. “Okay, girl, you gotta walk me through it again.”

We’re standing in the surf, far away from the boys, who are busy setting up beach base camp. Jake sent a message through the group chat and now my casual idea to go for a walk with Tess has turned into an all-out Sunday morning beach party. Half the team is already here, and the other half is likely on the way.

I glance back over my shoulder. Jake and Caleb are fighting with Novy, kicking sand at him, and throwing soccer balls at his head. He runs off jeering, beer dripping down his hand. Behind them, Langley helps Sully and Shelby set up a big beach awning. Sully’s three kids are already in the surf with buckets and shovels, digging in the sand while Poseidon bounces around them.

I sigh, looking back out at the water. “His fears aren’t unfounded. I’ve seen the way teams can treat players. Physical care takes priority, but the emotional care is often forgotten in the equation. We have to be able to treat the whole person, and that’s what I’m trying to do.”

“So…you wanna take this guy up to Cincinnati for super-secret scans? And Dr. H is willing to help you?”

I roll my eyes behind my sunglasses. “There’s no reason to sound so incredulous. You don’t know Dr. Halla like I do. He’s a good person, Tess. He understands better than anyone how the players get caught between a rock and a hard place. We’re both just trying to cushion the blow for him.”

She nods. “Yeah, makes sense. And your goalie is willing?”

I bite my bottom lip. “Umm…”

“Oh god, girl.” She laughs. “You set it all up with Dr. H without clearing it with the goalie first?”

“I wanted it to be as easy as possible to say yes,” I reply defensively. “If it’s all set up and all he has to do is get on a plane, he’ll do it, right?”

“I mean, I would, but I’m not a pro athlete. We’ve got no idea what he’s thinking or how he deals with this kind of stress.” She steps forward, looping her arm in with mine. “But enough about work, I wanna talk about your juicy steamy love life.” She tugs me forward and we walk in the wet sand, the surf lapping at our ankles.

“Oh god, where to begin?” I mutter.

“How about you start with the little handy session I stumbled upon in the kitchen this morning?”

“Tess!” I cry, smacking her arm as she cackles. “I thought you were asleep upstairs!”

It didn’t go too far past PG-13…I don’t think. Caleb was at the counter making his gross coffee and he looked so edible, his hair all tousled. I couldn’t help but wrap my arms around him and tease him a little, my hand slipping inside his sweats. Jake came in and joined us, pressing in behind me. No clothes came off. We didn’t even kiss. But it was still a slow-burning, three-way orgasm. I worked both of them at once while Jake worked me, Caleb’s hands pressed flat against the counter. We all just eased our way to climax, breathing as one. It was amazing. Just thinking about it has me wanting to drag them behind the Hawaiian ice stand and do it again.

“Girl, you are in so much trouble,” Tess says with a laugh. “This is already serious. Especially for you,” she adds, giving me one of her all-knowing Tess stares.

“We’re just having fun,” I say. “Exploring what this might look like. With the season in session, it’s easiest to just live together,” I deflect with a shrug.

“What this looks like is you waltzing down the aisle of every hockey girl’s greatest fantasy,” she replies. “Those boys worship you, Rachel. You’ve got them hooked on your top-shelf kitty cat, and now they’re gonna follow you wherever you go.”

“Tess…”

“Hey, you’ll get no judgement here,” she adds. “If you’re happy, Tess is happy.”

“But can we really be happy?” I say, letting my truths out now that I’m alone with my best friend. “How do I maintain this if I want it to stay private? They won’t be happy being my dirty little secrets forever. It’s not fair to them.”

“Hmm…well, what do they want? Do they want the world to know you’re a fearsome threesome? Are they ready to brave the media storm that comes with the Rachel Price experience?”

“I think we’re all happy with things as they are right now. Maybe we’ll get through the season and…” I sigh. “I don’t even know. I don’t know what the hell I’m doing. I just can’t seem to stop.”

“What you’re doing is falling in love with two men at the same time, Rach. And they are most definitely in love with you,” she adds.

I spin to look at her. “You’ve been around them for all of two seconds!”

“That’s all it takes to see how crazy they are about you,” she says with a laugh. “Plus, none of you were really trying very hard to hide it from me. I mean, you picked me up from the airport and drove me to your lover’s house, and he met you at the door with a kiss, while your other lover cooked us dinner and made moon eyes at you all night.”

I glance back over my shoulder. “Are we being that obvious now?”

Before Tess can reply, we’re both shrieking as a rogue soccer ball whacks her in the back of the head. She spins around, her iced tea sloshing out of her cup. “Hey, watch it!”

Langley comes running over, a horrified look on his face. “Whoops. Sorry, ma’am.”

Tess gives him a level stare, nostrils flaring as she massages the back of her head.

“Langley, you did not just call her ma’am,” I tease.

He ducks down for the ball before it floats off with the surf. As he straightens, he turns to face her. “Whoa,” he says on a breath.

Tess and I both smirk as Langley glances at me. “Doc, who is this?”

“She’s right in front of you, Langley. Ask her yourself.”

He shakes his head. “I wouldn’t dare.”

Tess tips her head to the side, her wild red curls blowing in the sea breeze.

“Why not?” I laugh.

“Because no mere mortal would dare speak to such a goddess,” he replies. He barely gets the words out before he’s flashing her an All-American smile.

“Ooo, that’s a good line,” Tess hums, batting her lashes.

Next to her I groan, rolling my eyes.

“You like that one?” he says with that boyish grin.

“Mhmm.”

“What am I? A troll under a bridge?” I mutter.

“Nah, you know you’re still our Hot Doc,” he replies, tucking the soccer ball under his arm. “But you’re like, way off limits. And waaaay out of my league. Both of you are.”

Tess pops a hand on her hip. “What’s your name, Cutie?”

“Langley—umm—Ryan,” he adds, raking a hand through his sandy blond curls. “What’s yours?”

“Cuteness, you can call me whatever you want, so long as you call me for dinner,” she teases with a wink.

His smile falls as he blinks, dazed by her brilliance. I’m not surprised, she’s a ten and a half. In her plunging, high-waisted red bikini, she’s a fifteen. His gaze darts to me. “Wait—can we do that? Is that—she’s off limits, right?”

“What are you lookin’ at her for?” Tess huffs, both hands on her curvy hips. “Rachel isn’t my mother. You wanna ask me to dinner, you ask me.”

He looks like a kid on Christmas as he blurts. “I—dyouwannagotodinnerwithme?”

Now I’m laughing. “Tess, I think you broke his brain.”

Tess snorts, crossing her arms under her full breasts. She knows exactly what she’s doing, drawing his eye down.

“Langley!”

“Langers!”

“You got the ball, man!”

The guys all shout for him, and he waves, turning around to chuck the ball towards them. He looks back at us, his eyes on Tess. “Nice to meet you, Tess. Later, Doc,” he adds at me. Then he’s running off, those cut back muscles glistening in the sun.

“Okay,” Tess says, tipping down her sunglasses to watch him run away. “Yeah, no I’m not mad about that. He’s cute, right? Like a cute lil puppy at the beach. Maybe he needs to find a new owner…”

“Hands off,” I say, giving her my best level stare.

She snorts. “Why?”

“Because you’re a goddess of epic proportions who would eat him alive.”

“All goddesses gotta eat,” she replies. “I bet he tastes yummy.”

“Langley is like twenty years old. He’s an infant, Tess.”

“That just means he’s got stamina,” she murmurs, watching the guys kick the soccer ball. “You’ve seen him workout. I bet he runs a five-minute mile without breaking a sweat. Mmm…I like a runner.”

Now I’m laughing, my tension easing. “You are the worst. And you’re not getting involved with a Ray this weekend.”

She scoffs, flipping her hair back. “How can I, when you’ve already got them all locked down in the Price Pussy Palace?” As she says it, she kicks water at me.

I squeal, splashing her back.

“Rachel!” Jake calls over with a wave. “You want one hotdog or two?”

My face falls as Tess howls with laughter. Covering my mouth with her hand like we’re twelve, she shouts back, “She wants two!”