Power Plays & Straight A's (CU Hockey 1)

“You? Really?”

I shove him. “I didn’t realize … I didn’t know he was trying to …” I’m still unclear how he backed me into that corner. “He tried to kiss me. And I say tried because he was mostly slobbering all over my face, but then he kind of boxed me in and shoved his tongue into my mouth.”

Foster’s nostrils flare, and I swear if I wasn’t holding onto him right now, he’d already be out of bed and hunting Morris down. “I will fucking kill him.”

“You promised.”

“That’s why he bullied you? Because you rejected him?” Foster’s voice is too loud, and I hurry to shush him.

“No. He bullied me because I fought back.”

Foster’s rage dims. “What? What did you do?”

I’m relieved to find Foster’s voice has softened, and even though he still looks mad, I can tell he’s fighting back a smile.

“The only thing I knew how to do. I kneed him in the balls and ran away.”

Foster’s mouth hangs open.

“I’m small and weak, so he probably wasn’t expecting it.”

“Zach …”

“I suspect after that I became a target because he wanted to prove it was a fluke. Or, I dunno. Maybe he was panicking about kissing a dude at a party and wanted to torment me into not saying anything. I didn’t fight back again because I had the feeling he was looking for an excuse to beat the crap out of me. Either way, his fear tactics worked.”

Foster grabs me and hauls me over so I’m straddling his lap. I’m sure he’s about to kiss me but instead, he pulls me into a tight hug.

“I’m okay,” I assure him.

His arms tighten. “Maybe I’m not.”

“Foster …”

“It’ll never happen again.”

I run my fingers through his hair. “That’s sweet, but you can’t promise that. And I don’t want you to. Being responsible for myself is one of the many reasons why I chose CU for my graduate degree.”

The smile Foster’s been fighting breaks free as he shifts me so we can both lie down again. “Sounds to me like you already had it under control. How about you consider me your backup?”

“I guess backup is never a bad thing.” I roll over and pull his arms around my waist while he buries his face in my neck.

And yes, I think having backup is acceptable. For however long it’s going to last.

29

Foster

“This is not going to be a repeat of last time!” Coach yells as we suit up for the game.

Pointed looks are thrown in my direction.

“Not going to be a repeat,” I dutifully say.

As pathetic as Morris is for going after Zach for rejecting him, I’m not going to retaliate. Uh, again.

I took my shot at him. I don’t need another one.

I want another one, but not at the expense of hockey or Zach. I promised Zach I wouldn’t.

“We play smart. We play hard. And we walk away with the win,” Coach says.

We get fired up, and I get my head in the game.

We’ve only lost one game this season—not including the last UVM mess. If we keep going the way we are, the CU curse will be our bitch. Now that’s a legacy I’d love to leave behind.

Coach leaves us to go out into the box, and as soon as he’s gone, Jacobs throws his glove at me.

“Are you sure you’ve got your head in the right place?”

“Yup.” I throw his glove back at him.

He catches it easily. “Hmm, did you and Zach break up?”

“Nope.”

“But you’re not going after Morris …”

“If anything, he’ll be coming after me. If he can catch me.”

“He’ll be out for blood.”

“He can try all he likes. We’ll be focused on the points.”

Jacobs nods. “That’s the way it should be.”

“Sure thing, Topher.”

He glares at me. “No. That’s not becoming a thing.”

“Mmhmm.”

“Your boyfriend is annoying.”

“But he’s cute, right?”

He slaps my shoulder. “If you’re into that sort of thing.”

Damn right I am.

I address the room. “Let’s get out there and show everyone the curse is not real.”

The yelling and excitement before a game never fails to put us in the right headspace.

Adrenaline fills my veins as we walk down the chute toward the ice.

We move as a team. We’re in sync.

And that lasts right up until the puck drops.

It’s not only Morris out for blood. It’s the whole fucking team. With me as their main target.

I take more hits than if I were in a boxing ring.

The coaches call for a line change, pulling me off the ice.

“Payback’s a bitch, ain’t it?” Jacobs asks.

“Beck!” Coach yells. “Protect Grant’s ass out there. They’re gunning for him, and he’s the highest scorer on this damn team.”

“Yes, Coach,” Beck says.

Coach slaps my back. “Keep your head.”

I down some water.

Keep my head. Keep my head. Keep my head.

Hockey players can have the most natural talent in the world, but if they let things get in their heads, they’re as useful as a first-time skater who’s been drinking.