Seduced by the Game (54 page)

Moving to the end of the
bed, Tim looked White over and winced. His face was a lot more swollen than
before, one eye so puffy he couldn’t open it, and there was blood crusted on
his chin. The doctor had given White some painkillers, but Tim had a feeling
the kid hadn’t taken them. Fully-clothed and cringing at every movement, White
looked utterly miserable.

“I okay. Little sore.”
White tried to smile at Madeline as she smoothed his light brown hair away from
his face. It turned into a grimace. “Hurts to talk.”

“Then don’t talk, honey.
We’ll get some ice for your face.” Madeline frowned at Tim, which got him
moving. He grabbed the ice bucket from the table and hurried down the hall to
fill it. By the time he returned, Madeline had a damp facecloth that she was
using to clean away the blood. And White’s head was on the pillow she’d fixed
for him.

Tim couldn’t quite explain
why seeing White like this bugged him so much—this wasn’t the first time White
had left a game looking like he’d just crawled out of a car wreck. Tim had a
feeling he had Madeline to thank for it. Not that he hadn’t looked out for
White, for all his players, before because he had. But she’d made being a
little more protective of this kid all right. Who else did White really have?

The thought didn’t make
Tim sad though. His boy wasn’t alone. As Tim dumped some ice in a folded towel
for White’s face, Madeline was busy taking off White’s shoes. She laughed when
White stopped her from undoing his jeans with a grunt.

“Would you prefer your
coach help you out, buddy? I just want you to be as comfortable as possible.”

White made a face, which
looked painful. He rolled to his side. “Can take my own clothes off.”

Every word came out
muffled, like White’s mouth was full of cotton balls. Tim handed Madeline the
ice and held out his hand to help the boy to his feet. “You didn’t take any of
the pills Doc gave you, did you, kid?”

“Don’t need ‘em.” White
shoved down his jeans and kicked them off. His face went pale, which had the
dark bruises standing out even more. “Hate taking meds.”

As White lay back down,
Madeline pressed the ice-filled towel to his face and resumed stroking his
hair. “I don’t blame you, but they’ll help with the swelling.”

“Fine. But I take ’em, you
gotta go.” White met Tim’s eyes as Tim drew the blanket up over his bare legs.
Regret filled the kid’s undamaged eye. “Sorry I screwed things up for you.”

“You didn’t. Just lie
there and let me look good to her.” Tim lowered his voice as he bent down, even
though he knew very well Madeline could hear him from the other side of the
bed. He pulled the blanket up to White’s chin. “All better, buddy?”

Laughing and groaning,
White pushed Tim away. “Fuck off. Let me sleep.”

Yeah, not happening.
And from the regret-filled
smile Madeline shot his way, she had no intention of leaving either. She went
to the mini fridge and took out a bottle of water. She handed it to Tim. “Where
are your pills, Ian?”

“In my jeans.” White
stared at the ceiling and let out a heavy sigh. “Pass me my phone too, please?”

Madeline passed White his
phone, then tapped two pills into her palm. After White finished texting
someone, Madeline pressed them into his hand and watched him take them. Tim
helped White lean up, snorting when the kid grunted and snatched the water.

“I ain’t invalued,” White
muttered.

And the boy had gone to
college? Tim took the water bottle and set it on the nightstand. “You mean
you’re not an invalid.”

“That too.”

“Get some rest, White.
We’ll stay until Brends comes back.”

A soft knock at the door
brought a smug smile—followed by a wince—to White’s lips. He cleared his throat.
“That you, Perron?”

The door opened and the
muscular forward came into the room, his light blond hair rumpled as though
he’d just climbed out of bed. He folded his arms over his chest, his eyes hard
as he stared down at White. “I’m starting to think you need a babysitter, kid.
Why’d you tell me and Callahan you were fine? You look like shit.”

“I
am
fine. You
gotta stay with me or Tim can’t take his lady out, and then I’ll
feel
like sh—” White glanced over at Madeline. “Max Perron is the nicest guy on the
team. He’ll take good care of me.”

“You’re damn right, I
will. You’re lucky Callahan’s not here, Bruiser. Are you trying to end your
career already?” Perron picked up the bottle of pills that Madeline had set
beside the water on the nightstand. “Did you take your meds?”

“Ya, Coach and Madeline
made sure I did. And been icing my face.” White prodded his jaw lightly with a
finger. “Working already. My mouth hurts a bit, that’s all. No reason to freak
out.”

Perron apparently didn’t
agree, but his concern had Tim satisfied that White was in good hands. He
turned to Madeline, not sure if she’d agree, but hoping maybe the night could
be salvaged. The way she was watching Perron wasn’t promising. She’d gone all
momma bear on White, and another player wouldn’t treat her baby as gently as
she would.

“Max Perron is a good man,
Madeline.” Tim slid his hand around the back of her neck, speaking softly as
she relaxed against his side. He stroked the side of her neck, enjoying the way
she let him touch her as though it was the most natural thing in the world.
“It’s good for the boys to look out for each other, and you won’t find anyone
better.”

Madeline nodded slowly.
“You make sure he keeps icing his jaw, Max. And call if he gets sick or
anything. I’m not sure I trust that he’d have told the doctor the truth about
headaches or anything else. He goes straight to the hospital if there are any
symptoms of a concussion.”

“Yes, ma’am. No question
about that.” Perron flashed Madeline a broad smile, bringing out his full Texan
charm. “I reckon he’s just smartin’ from lettin’ Deek get off a few punches,
but I don’t trust him either. I was stupid like him at his age.”

“You’re what, five years
older than me?” White grumbled as Perron brought the ice pack back to his
cheek. “Gimme that, I can do it.”

“Then do it so Miss
Madeline won’t have to fuss over you no more.”

“Good night, boys.” Tim
gently steered Madeline toward the door, sure she’d turn around and demand to
stay even after they reached the elevator. They passed through the lobby and
stepped out onto the street where the cool night air toyed with the tendrils
framing her face and a slight, wistful smile played at her lips. He’d stopped
worrying about White as soon as he’d seen the kid was well enough to continue
with his matchmaking efforts, but maybe Madeline didn’t feel the same.

She noticed him watching
her and let out a soft laugh. “In case you’re wondering, I’m fine leaving him
to his teammate. They’re good boys; they’ll take care of each other. I’m
missing my own brothers, and Ian’s getting all the coddling I can’t do for
them.”

“Do you get to see them
often?” Tim slid his hand down her wrist, lacing their fingers together as they
crossed the street. On a Wednesday night the Crescent bar shouldn’t be crowded,
but there were quite a few people milling around the terrace and the music was
louder than the last time he’d been here. They might not be able to hear each
other even side by side at a small table.

This date wasn’t going at
all as he’d planned.

She squeezed his hand and
slowed close to the open door of the bar. “A few times a year, but it’s better
that way. They’re sowing their wild oats and aren’t too keen on their big
sister cramping their style.”

No resentment in her
words. Actually, she sounded a bit relieved.

Laughing, she led the way
into the bar, raising her voice as she wove through the crowd with practiced
ease. “You can only say ‘Well, bless your heart’ to your own blood so many
times before you start wondering if you’re gonna catch their stupid. I love
them, and I know they’ll be all right when they grow up a bit, but I have my
own life to live. It took getting away from the drama before I realized how
exhausting keeping up with it was!”

Tim nodded, not so much
because he understood the drama—Mom didn’t tolerate that kind of nonsense when
their large family got together—but he’d had to take a few steps back from
hopeless situations. During Dean’s dysfunctional marriage there had been times
Tim’s inability to help his brother left him feeling drained and useless. When
he could finally do some good, like letting his niece Jami stay with him while
Dean was swamped with work, his relationship with his brother had improved.

“You obviously aren’t as
big on sharing family secrets as I am, so why don’t we discuss the matter at
hand.” Madeline hopped up on a barstool like an eager girl, flashing him
another of her challenging smiles before addressing the bartender. “This man
seems to think your beer will make me rethink my preference for foreign lager.
Please start me with your best local brew.”

The bartender, a man their
age with a shiny bald head and pale eyebrows, smiled at her, completely
charmed. After determining whether she preferred a light beer or a dark malt,
he fetched two heavy glass mugs and a bottle of Kentucky Brunch. “Lady, I think
you’ll like this one.”

For the next few hours
they tried all Tim’s favorite beers and several he’d never had before but
sampled on recommendation from the bartender. The foreign brews Madeline asked
for were rich and full-bodied, some better than anything he’d ever tried
before, but the real win was Madeline admitting at the end, in a slightly
slurred tone, that he had good taste.

Warmth filled him with her
approval, along with the alcohol in his blood, and he laughed out loud as they
strolled down the street. He wasn’t trying to be cocky or anything, he was
just…so damn happy. He couldn’t remember the last time a date hadn’t felt like
a job interview he was trying to pass. With Madeline, it hadn’t even felt like
a date. They were simply together, enjoying one another, with nowhere else they
wanted to be.

He wanted more time like
this, more time with her. The sky lightening reminded him that they’d be back
on the plane in a few hours. She’d leave with them, but after that…He had no idea
where she lived. Or even how long she stayed in any one place.

These were things he
should have asked her already. Instead, he had to start thinking about getting
her to her hotel. And going back to his. They both needed to sleep. One day off
before two games at home and Coach Paul would probably want to schedule a team
practice.

“You’re thinking awfully
hard, Tim.” Madeline drew his arm around her waist and rested her head on his
chest. “You didn’t comment about our reaching the beach. Didn’t see how beautiful
the moon looked on the water before the clouds covered it. You’re so far away.”

“I’m here. I’m just
wondering where you’ll be tomorrow.” He followed her gaze. High above them,
white clouds ghosted across the huge, pale gold moon. Waves lapped at the sand
only a couple of yards from where they stood. The ocean breeze was crisp,
almost cold, but the air tasted as fresh as it did back in Nova Scotia. Which
had him wondering where she called home. “Do you live in Georgia or—”

“I have a condo in New
York, but I’ve been renting it out since I got the job with the airport in
Halifax. I just got a lease for a nice little house not far from Dartmouth.”
She cocked her head and peered up at him. “So you don’t have to worry that I’ll
disappear from your life after tonight.”

“Good, because I enjoyed
this. I’d like to take you out once we get home.”

“We’re out now, Tim.” She
slid her hand to the small of his back, under his shirt, as though she craved
the contact with his bare flesh. His lips curved as she tilted her head,
inviting his kiss. The rich flavor of the beer sweetened her lips, and he
savored the faint traces of coffee and whiskey in the last brew as he slipped
his tongue past her soft, parted lips. She teased him with her own tongue,
letting out a soft moan as he held her firmly against him and deepened the
kiss.

Her breasts swelled over
the top of her shirt as they were pressed to his chest, and he had to pull away
before he was tempted to cup them in his hands, free them right here like he
had every right to. He wanted his mouth and his hands all over her, but not
yet.

“I should get you back to
your hotel.” He rested his forehead on hers and tried to slow his racing pulse.
No woman had even set him off-balance like this. He questioned his every move,
went from being completely comfortable to awkwardness in a breath. Women
preferred men who led the way, who knew what they were doing, but for some
reason Madeline took him out of his element.

“What if I ask you to
stay?”

The answer is yes!

No. He pressed his eyes
shut. If he spent the night with her, he had no idea which side of him she’d
get. He’d seen how she’d responded to Dean.
That
was what she needed.
And Tim wasn’t sure he could give it to her.

This was how he’d felt the
few times he’d let his brother talk him into going to a play party. Tim had
been raised to accept lifestyles different from the norm, so his brother
casually mentioning he was into BDSM wasn’t shocking. Tim’s own reactions to
the atmosphere in the kink clubs however…that was disconcerting. He’d always
been “the nice guy” in high school, dating the shy girls, being the boy they
had no problem introducing to their daddies. Meeting his first Domme had been
quite the experience. Hot sex and a few hours to let go and simply do each and
every thing she asked of him.