Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 70269 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 351(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 70269 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 351(@200wpm)___ 281(@250wpm)___ 234(@300wpm)
I stayed quiet and just listened to them. I wasn’t sure of my place in their banter yet. After a few minutes, Johnson turned to me. “Are you ready for tomorrow? Coach is going to really push us to get us in shape for this next game.”
I sighed. He was right. We’d played like shit in our last game and after a less-than-stellar practice, he was going to be all over us. I could handle it though. I didn’t have a choice. “I’m as ready as I can be.”
I continued to listen to their chatter, occasionally looking up at the football game on the bar’s TVs. When the game went to a commercial break, I glanced around the room, curious who else was there. I’d started to recognize a few of the regulars, some of whom were rabid fans. When my gaze moved to the corner booth, my heart skipped a beat. My stalker was watching me as he lounged in the booth, drink in hand. He lifted it toward me in salute as a server approached our table.
“Zeke?” she asked.
“Your boy’s right here.” Johnson slapped me on the shoulder.
“The gentleman in the corner sent this for you.”
I glanced down at her tray and saw a glass of whiskey. Was it the same thing my stalker was drinking?
“Thank you,” I said as I lifted the glass and set it on the table. I was sure he wanted me to look at him. I had to fight to keep from turning, but I kept my gaze on the server.
“Aren’t you going to drink it?” Johnson asked once she’d walked away.
“I might as well.” It had come directly from the bar, so it was probably safe. No reason to let it go to waste.
I lifted the glass to my lips and took a sip. I was tempted to toss it all back, but I had no doubt it was something expensive that deserved to be savored. The liquid rolled over my tongue, smooth, rich, and fiery. When I swallowed, I felt like my whole body was glowing. Damn, that was good.
I couldn’t stop myself from looking over at the man then. He lifted his glass again and before I could stop myself, I raised mine as well. His smile sent shivers down my spine.
His gaze drew me in. I almost rose to walk over to him. I might as well be on a leash the way he took control of me. Fuck, that was not the kind of thought I needed to be having about this guy or anyone else. I was no one’s dog. I was in charge of my own life, and I was going to succeed—at giving up gambling, at playing for Boston, and at keeping myself away from men like him.
He did have good taste in whiskey, though. I took another sip before I put the glass back on the table.
I inclined my head to the back of the bar. “Restroom,” I said when Johnson raised his eyebrows.
He grinned, and I shook my head. “I’m going alone.”
The last thing I needed was to be caught in the bathroom with a man. Any man. That escapade would be all over social media and I’d be known as the hockey player with his dick out at a bar. I wanted to be known for my skills on the ice, not my slutty ways. I needed to look like a good boy.
But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t keep my gaze from flicking toward the corner booth. The man wasn’t there anymore. How had he disappeared so fast?
I wanted to look around the bar to see if he’d moved to another table or gone to get a refill, but I didn’t let myself. It was good thing that he was gone. I didn’t want him there. I didn’t need his attention.
I pushed open the restroom door and went in to take care of business. When I stepped back out into the hallway, I glanced around, wondering if my stalker had returned. The hallway was empty. I headed back out into the bar, unable to stop myself from continuing to look around for him.
He really seemed to have vanished. Why did my stomach feel all funny at the thought? It couldn’t be because I was disappointed. That would be ridiculous. I was here to relax and hang out with my friends. That was all.
But the whole time I sat with my teammates, drinking, smiling, and pretending to listen to everyone’s stories, I was wondering when I’d see the man next. Would he ever actually approach me? Not that I wanted him to or anything.
I said good night to everyone a few minutes later and headed home so I could get enough sleep to be alert for our workout the next day. I realized my stalker being at the bar had kept my mind off the money I owed and the people who could be watching me right now. I shivered, despite how warm it was outside, and hurried back to my apartment building. The whole way, I expected to hear steps behind me or see someone lurking around the corner of a building. Fortunately, no one jumped out at me, not the men I owed and not my stalker.