Read Online On the Fly (Crimson Romance) by Katie Kenyhercz - Free Book Online Page B

I to question tradition? Besides, I have to be at ice level anyway to give the opening speech.” She stood up and strode past him, leading the way to the elevator and humming
Superstition
under her breath. He made a frustrated, guttural sound behind her. She grinned.
    They were both silent in the elevator, and while they stood two feet apart, she could feel him as though he were pressed against her. She breathed in his cologne — something woodsy, clean, intoxicating. He kept looking at her when he probably thought she couldn’t tell. It took every ounce of strength she had not to grab him by the T-shirt and finish what they started. When she couldn’t stand it a second longer, the doors slid open, and she almost burst through. Her heels clicked loudly on the concrete of the basement floor as she made her way to the locker room. Carter’s plastic-protected blades clacked behind her. She ground her teeth, willing the throbbing pain in her head to go away.
    The door slightly muted loud male voices and shouts of laughter, but when she opened it and stepped inside, the room went quiet. The guys who had been taping their sticks and pads paused, and twenty-one sets of eyes went straight to her. Suddenly, her mouth felt full of cotton.
    Carter stood behind her, and the guys’ attention turned to him. With some of the tension relieved, she cleared her throat. “My father wished you luck before each game, and I’d like to continue that tradition. I know it’s been different. I appreciate how you’ve cooperated with Coach Windham.” Jacey stood taller and tried not to think about the heat radiating from the man behind her. It felt like standing with her back to the sun. “And I think you’ve found out just how qualified she is.” Playful groans rose around the room. Nealy smirked. Jacey smiled. “The preseason is behind us, and I know you can take the Kings tonight.”
    Shane Reese smacked his stick blade against the wall. “Oh yeah!” The rest of the guys reciprocated, including Carter, who lumbered out from behind her and slapped a few teammates on the shoulder as he moved to put on the rest of his gear. Jacey seemed to fade into the background as the guys finished getting ready and clomped single file down the tunnel to the rink. Before following, she offered up a silent plea to fate.
    Her headache escalated to pre-aneurysm status when she entered the arena and stood next to Madden. He chatted up a camera guy, and the two shared a laugh betting who could score a date with the pretty female reporter checking her nails. Preseason attendance had been spotty, but tonight fans were out in full force. With their bullhorns. Relief surged through her even though most of the crowd probably came because of the singer she scored for the national anthem. But ticket sales were ticket sales, and this town needed another team to cheer for.
    They went crazy when the Sinners skated out onto the ice and started their warm up. Several twenty somethings in the front row sported Broadway makeup and long hair teased to perfection. They wore second skin blue jeans and scoop neck T-shirts with PHLYNN written across the chests in rhinestones. They jumped and screamed “Carter!” as he skated by. An elbow nudged her arm and she looked over to see two, gleaming blue Aleve in Madden’s open palm. Wide-eyed, Jacey whispered a heartfelt “thank you” and downed them dry. She looked back to the women and arched a brow. “How can he have a fan club already?”
    “Oh, them? Those are the Phlynn-addicts. You know, like fanatics? Their term, not mine. They follow the golden boy wherever he goes.”
    Jacey frowned. Carter skated by again, waved to his harem with a grin and then looked directly at her, amusement plain on his face. She rolled her eyes and looked away. Madden opened his mouth — no doubt to comment — when the announcer directed everyone’s attention to the Jumbotron screen. The crowd stood and went silent as Wayne Newton sang