Seduced by the Game (10 page)

He deserved it.

When she hit the crescendo
of the song, he could see her tears welling up and soon a tear rolled down her
cheek as she sang her heart out. She was going to do great things. As the
realization that she was going to do them without him settled on his heart, his
own eyes filled with tears. Taking in a deep breath, he moved his hand along
his cheek, catching his tears, as Lacey finished the song, causing the crowd to
lose it. Unlike he usually did, Karson didn’t clap or cheer, he only watched
her. While she smiled and bowed, thanking the crowd, he hoped that the powers
beyond gave them another chance later in life, because if he did get another
chance, he’d never let her go. No matter what. He regretted what he had done,
and he knew that he would live with that regret for the rest of his life.

As he walked away, his
heart heavy, he knew that his love for Lacey would never stop. While he knew he
was about to embark on a new journey, he also knew that his heart would forever
stay hostage to Lacey Martin.

And there was no other
place he’d rather leave it.

###

Don’t miss the continuation of Lacey and
Karson’s story in Laces and Lace, an Assassins Series Novel, due out in 2015!

Books by Toni Aleo

The Assassins Series

Taking Shots

Trying to Score

Empty Net

Falling for the
Backup 

Blue Lines

Breaking Away (due
out in June 2014)

A Very Hockey
Holiday (due out in Dec 2014)

Laces and Lace (due
out in Dec 2014)

Rush Series

Jude (due out in Oct 2014)

Standalones

Let it be Me

The Whiskey Prince (due
out in Aug 2014) 

Bio:

When not rooting for her beloved Nashville Predators, Toni is
probably going to her husband’s and son’s hockey games and her daughter’s dance
competitions, taking pictures, scrapbooking, or reading the latest romance
novel. She lives in the Nashville area with her husband, two children, and a
bulldog.

www.tonialeo.com

Facebook:
facebook.com/tonialeo1

Twitter: tonilovesweber6

Hooking Hannah

© Cassandra
Carr & Cindy Carr

Dedication

We dedicate this to the countless brave people who have fought
cancer and won and the equally brave souls who have lost their battle.

We also dedicate it to the scores of hockey players who have
always been ready to give their hearts and resources to a good cause.

Cassandra’s Special Dedication:

To my mom, who I co-wrote this story with. Thanks for being my
most constant supporter!

Chapter One

Ice blinded Scott
Richards, a fine, snowy film covering his visor as he waited for his turn in
warm-ups. As he wiped it with the back of his sleeve, he glowered at the man
who’d started the shower of ice.

“I’ll get you for that,
Mickey.” Mark “Mickey” McDonald didn’t seem fazed in the least.

“It’d be the first time
this season you’ve hit anybody. Bring it on.”

The players near them
laughed, but Scott grinned. “Who needs to bang bodies when I can put the
biscuit in the basket instead?”

Mickey made a derisive
noise. “Yeah, yeah.”

Scott loved the All-Star
Game. Every player there was the best in the sport, and it was the one time,
barring perhaps the Olympics, where the guys really mixed and played for a
common cause. Sure, the game couldn’t exactly be called riveting hockey, but it
was fun for both players and fans. He was happy to be a part of anything that
increased the popularity of the sport.

The game started a little
while later, and Scott, a centerman, lined up for his first shift against a guy
he’d played with in juniors. “Hey, man.”

“Who let you in the
building?” the guy sneered, but followed it up with a toothy grin which
displayed his mouthguard more than his actual teeth. It was neon yellow and
Scott had to blink just to regain the focus in his eyes.

“Top five in faceoffs,
seventy points already, baby.”

“Still gonna kick your
ass.”

“Love to see you try.” The
linesman dropped the puck and a scrum ensued to gain possession. Scott came out
with it, skated a stride and then stepped neatly around his opponent, and
passed off to his winger. He heard the guy swear behind him and laughed. Man,
he freaking loved playing hockey.

Scott streaked through the
slot. The defenseman at the blue line who’d been passed the puck by the winger
must’ve seen him raise his stick, because he sent a smooth saucer pass that
Scott one-timed, catching the goaltender off guard and recording his first goal
of the game on his first shift. He and his teammates did a brief celebration
and then changed lines.

By the final buzzer,
Scott’s line as a whole had eight points, three of them Scott’s with a goal and
two assists. It didn’t really matter in an All-Star Game, but every guy in both
locker rooms was a competitive SOB. Guys who’d make it this far in the league
didn’t just dislike losing, they
hated
it. Absolutely loathed the entire
concept. Fortunately, on this night, his team came out the winner and the
atmosphere in the locker room was jovial and jubilant.

He quickly stripped off
and showered, then got back into his favorite dark blue wool suit. A lot of the
guys hated wearing suits to games, but Scott didn’t mind. Sure, he was no
accountant or lawyer or anything, but he was a professional in his own right
and in his opinion shouldn’t be any more willing to come to work in shorts and
flip-flops than any of them.

The media had been allowed
into the room by the time he finished dressing in the players’ private area,
along with the families and various other VIP types. The beat reporter from New
York Newsday pushed his way through the throngs.

“Great game, Scott! Can
you tell us about your linemates tonight?” He thrust his microphone in Scott’s
face, but Scott was so used to it he didn’t even flinch.

“It’s a bunch of talented
guys here, that’s for sure,” he began, knowing they wouldn’t expect more from
him than a couple of platitudes. After all, these guys would be his opponents
when he went back over the bridge to New York. He was glad he’d hired a car to
take him to and from the arena in Newark. It was a rough area and no way would
he trust his BMW around here.

“Do you like the new
format of the All-Star Game?”

“Eastern Conference versus
Western Conference makes perfect sense to me. I never quite got North America
versus the world. But I’m sure the league always has their reasons for why they
do things. I just come here to have fun and play hockey.”

Scott was rolling his eyes
to himself at the ridiculous words, but on the outside, he flashed a smile and
turned to another reporter. Several others asked him questions, mostly along
the same vein, and though he answered each patiently, Scott started to get a
little antsy. Didn’t they listen to the answers he gave the other guys?

Then he spotted her. A
wave of heat hit him like a freight train and he ran a hand over his face.
God,
she’s gorgeous.
Clad in a pair of skinny jeans with boots and a jersey –
wait – a jersey? Scott looked again. Yes, a Sutton jersey. One of his teammates
for the All-Star Game, but normally an archrival considering he played in New
Jersey and Scott played in New York. What was this girl to him? A wife? That
would be a total bummer.

He looked again. No, there
was another woman standing closer to him, also wearing a jersey. Her body
language made it apparent she was with Sutton.

Getting his stallmate’s
attention, Scott jerked his head toward the small group. “Any idea who the
woman is? The one in the skinny jeans?”

The other man, who played
with Sutton in New Jersey, craned his neck to see over the throngs of media and
family. “Yeah, that’s Sutton’s sister-in-law. The other chick is his wife.
They’re fraternal twins or some shit.”

Scott laughed. Hockey
players were nothing if not eloquent in their speech. “Have you ever met her?
The sister-in-law, not the wife.”

“Yeah, she’s come around
after games a couple of times.”

“Can you introduce me?”

“Why don’t you just go
over there yourself?”

“It’d be way too obvious.”

“What, and me bringing you
to them wouldn’t be?” Scott huffed out a breath. “All right, all right, keep
your panties on. I just need to do my tie. Beat guys wouldn’t even let me
finish tying it before they started with the questions.”

He waited, shifting from
foot to foot. Scott knew he looked pretty good in his dress-up duds. Hopefully
this sister-in-law would agree.

Glancing up again, he
watched her throw her head back and laugh, exposing the slim column of her
neck. An image of him scoring over those tendons with his teeth flashed into
his mind and his dick began to harden.

Not a good time for that.

Surreptitiously he pushed
on the front of his slacks, willing his erection down. She’d probably run away
screaming if he lumbered over there with a huge hard-on. Scott wasn’t a small
guy anywhere, and when erect, his cock stretched over seven inches and was as
thick as many women’s wrists. He didn’t brag about his bedroom encounters,
especially since in actuality they were few and far between, but he had never
left a woman unsatisfied. At that moment he was profoundly grateful for long
suit coats.

He continued to watch her.
The woman’s expression was open and friendly, and Scott found himself thinking
about doing other things with her, like walking down Fifth Avenue looking in
all the fancy store windows, hanging out in Central Park on a warm summer day,
or driving out to his place in the Hamptons for a long weekend.

Scott knew he was getting
way ahead of himself, but his gut was screaming that he needed to meet this
woman. He didn’t believe in love at first sight or anything – who did? – but
this woman fired up his blood.

* * * *

Hannah had a weird feeling
someone was watching her, but refused to turn around. If no one was, she’d feel
like an idiot. She waited a few minutes and the feeling persisted, even
stronger. The hairs stood up on the back of her neck. What was going on?

This part of New Jersey’s
locker room usually didn’t have many hockey jocks wandering around naked, but
there was always the show-off, proud of his body and willing to display it no
matter who was around. By this time most players were showered and out of their
uniforms, most now clad in all manner of expensive suits. Tammi had wanted to
congratulate her hubby Darren Sutton on his game and participation in the
All-Stars, so Hannah had come along.

They were talking and
hugging, so Hannah’s attention wandered and she cast a careful eye around the
room, hoping to get a sideways glance at whomever or whatever was causing this
weird feeling. She shuddered.

Then, out of the corner of
one eye, she got a glimpse of the guy who she knew instantly was the culprit.
And he was still staring. Their gazes caught. A smile curled his lips in a
lascivious grin and he winked at her. Winked? Did guys do that anymore?

He started to move toward
her so she quickly swiveled her head back to face Tammi and Darren.
Get me
outta here
, she silently pleaded. She did not want to attract the attention
of a hockey jock. Hannah had heard too many stories about the antics of the
players from Tammi. And besides, they traveled all the time and you were left
at home worrying about them, like Tammi did whenever Darren was away. No
thanks.

“Uh, are we about done
here?”

“What?” Tammi turned to
her. “Got somewhere to go?”

“No, but…”

“We were just talking
about going out somewhere for a drink. Want to join us?”

“Oh, I don’t want to
intrude.”

“You wouldn’t be.” 

Hannah recognized Anton
Dakarov, who played with Darren for New Jersey, when he approached with – oh,
shit – the winker, as they sauntered up. Darren introduced them. “Tammi and
Hannah, meet Scott Richards and Anton Darkarov. Gentlemen, and I use that term
loosely—Tammi, my wife, and Hannah, my sister-in-law.” He turned to Tammi. “You
know Anton, of course. Scott plays for New York, the bum.”

Turning to face Scott,
Hannah got her first good, full-on look at him and her stomach dropped a good
foot.
Oh, my God. He’s gorgeous.
Those hockey helmets hid a lot of a
guy’s face and she’d had no idea he was so striking.

There he stood, though,
hotter than hell in a dark blue suit that probably cost more than her entire
wardrobe, eyes sparkling at her as if she were a platter of steak and he was a
starving man.

Hockey was Tammi’s world,
what with having a hockey player for a husband and all. Hannah and hockey,
though? Especially hockey men? Nada. Nothing. No way, Jose. That life was crazy
and one she’d never envied Tammi for. Well, except for her unlimited clothing
and latte budget. She looked down, planning a strategic exit, but Tammi’s arm
swung around her shoulders.

Darren spoke, obviously
addressing the two men. “We were thinking about going out for a drink.
Obviously there’s nothing right around here, but we could go into the city.
Maybe you can point us somewhere, Scott.”

“Sure.”

She looked up in time to
see the evil grin spreading over her twin’s face. “That would be my husband’s
obtuse way of inviting both of you along, in case you didn’t get that.”

Scott threw his head back
and laughed.
Wow. I didn’t think he could get hotter.

“I can’t,” Anton said.
“Gotta get back to the wife. The baby’s not sleeping and so neither is she. I
promised I’d stay up with the little bugger tonight.”

“I’ll tag along. After
all, we’re not archenemies again until tomorrow.” Scott looked over at her as
if to assess her reaction.

Now Tammi turned to her
too. “See? Everyone’s going. Well, except Anton, but he’s got an excuse. Come
on, Hannah. You never have fun anymore. Have drinks with us.”

Oh, thank you, Tammi, for
telling this strange guy with his eyes glued to me like scent on a gardenia
that I need to get out more. Thanks a bunch.
To prove her twin wrong that she was boring,
she flashed a brilliant smile and said, “Sure. Sounds like fun.”

Having a drink with a hot
guy isn’t the worst way to spend the rest of my night, even if I have no
intention of it going beyond that.

Fifteen minutes later,
they were heading out the player’s entrance of the arena, Tammi and Darren in
front, holding hands and she and Scott behind, he with his hand on the small of
her back. They had to stop and sign some autographs, most of them flocking to
Scott. He was good-natured about it, taking time to sign each and every jersey,
program, and diary.

The piano club they went
to was small and cozy, and she breathed a sigh of relief that the men hadn’t
opted for one of those loud, glitzy clubs where you couldn’t hear yourself
think. The men ordered beers and burgers, and she and Tammi decided to split an
order of fries to go with their wine.

After everyone was finally
full, Scott flashed a killer smile and her stomach fell—again. This was
ridiculous. She wasn’t crazy over hockey players like a lot of women. Sure,
Darren was okay, but from what she’d seen, he wasn’t typical. When she looked
into Scott’s green eyes and saw the sexy, hot glint of interest in them,
though, her heart beat faster and suddenly nothing mattered.

Scott reached over and ran
his fingers over her wrist briefly. “So, are you a hockey fan?” He grinned
again, seemingly confident of his prowess with women who loved the game.