Reed (Cold Fury Hockey 10)

"The biggest," Reed says with a wan smile. "It's been almost thirty years since there's been a three-peat Cup champion."

"But they have you," I say with a bright smile as I tilt my head at him. "So it's practically damn guaranteed."

All of the stress that seemed to be emanating from Reed vanishes and he laughs. Grabbing my hand, he pulls me across the couch as he lies down and I come to rest on top of him. His hands go to my ass and he presses me into his pelvis and, well, hello there.

Reed is definitely excited to see me.

My eyes drop to his mouth because all I can think about is kissing him right now. But his words stop me short when he says, "It's going to be a really trying season, Josie. The pressure will be intense and travel is hard on relationships. You need to know that."

I frown at him as I push myself up, resting my forearms on his abdomen so I can look down at him. "That's an odd thing to say out of the blue like that."

"What? That the season is going to be stressful?"

I shake my head. "No. That it will be hard on relationships. It sounds like a dire warning. Or a self-fulfilling prophecy. Or even some type of setup for you to lead into a deeper conversation."

Because Reed has never gotten this serious on me before, I actually kind of expect him to laugh it off and tell me that's not really what he meant. But instead his expression turns somber and he stares at me intently. "I can't devote the same time to you during the season."

I push up on him further and now I'm getting angry. "And I never once expected you to or even asked you to."

My anger isn't returned. His voice is soft and sympathetic, as if he's apologizing in advance for something. "I know you didn't. I didn't say that. It's just that we've had a great summer and it's been very carefree."

"So by definition and the pessimistic sound of your voice, the fall is going to be awful. Is that what you're trying to say?"

He shakes his head, his eyes turning tender A hand comes up and strokes my hair. "No, Josie. I'm just saying it's going to be different. And I want both of us to acknowledge that and be prepared for it."

I stare at him a moment, my eyes searching his frantically for some hidden meaning. I feel like he's trying to say something but just won't say it. This goes nowhere fast, as Reed just holds my gaze, his expression so neutral I can't tell what he's really thinking.

Finally, he smiles while wrapping his hand around the back of my neck. "Are you hungry?"

I give a tiny shake of my head. "I ate something at the hospital."

"Well, let's get you to bed. I know you're exhausted, and so am I after all of this shit with Marek today."

"Actually," I say as I push all the way off his body and come to stand by the couch. "I'm a little wired from my shift and need to unwind. I'll just work on a puzzle for a bit until I get tired."

Reed rolls off the couch, straightens, and then pulls me into his arms. This feels good, yet I still feel unsettled. I feel marginally better when he frames my face with his hands and presses his lips to my forehead. He looks down at me and smiles. "All right. Don't stay up too late."

"Promise," I say, and then he kisses me on my mouth. Soft and brief, and it invites nothing further from me.

Reed turns toward my stairs and I move to my kitchen table. I'm just pulling out the chair to work on an awesome puzzle of the Manhattan skyline when Reed says, "You know what?"

I look over my shoulder at him. "What?"

"If you're going to stay up awhile, I think I'm just going to head over to my place. You've got to be up early tomorrow, and if you don't mind, I'm going to be a bit lazy tomorrow and sleep in."

Sounds legitimate on its face. In fact, just before I'd walked in the door tonight I wouldn't have thought twice about him wanting to stay at his place so he could sleep in and I wouldn't wake him up.

But something is off.

I know it.

By the look on Reed's face right now, I know he knows I know it.

Clearing my throat, I put on a forced smile that I hope is deceptive enough and say, "Yeah...sure. I totally get it. You don't have much of your summer left and you should take what opportunities you can to get some sleep."

"Okay," he says with obvious relief. "Cool. I'll see you tomorrow after you get off work. Maybe we can just stay in and chill out."

"Pizza and beer it is," I say with a brightness I don't feel.

"Awesome," Reed says and then shoots me a wink. "See you tomorrow."

It's a good five minutes after he leaves that I realize I'm still staring at the door, and I really have no clue what just happened.

Chapter 25

Reed

Yawning, I scratch my stomach as I head down the stairs toward Josie's kitchen. It's almost noon, but I just woke up and I need coffee pronto. When I get halfway down, I stop at the murmur of voices and I remember that Josie and Aiden were going to be working on their project here today. In this past week since I've been back from New York, Josie has had to pull some double shifts at the hospital and she and Aiden are trying to make up some time on their project.

I almost start backpedaling to the bedroom where I intend to hide out, but I also remember Josie told me they would be here all day. She and I have plans for dinner tonight, but for the day she's in work mode and I'm on my own.

This rankles me. Not because I'm losing out on time with Josie, or that she's spending it with her former boyfriend, but because it's another example of how little I have in common with her. She's working on an important medical comparison study on her day off. I'm waking up at noon on a Thursday and my biggest decision is what to eat for breakfast today.

Or rather, lunch.

My ears tune into their conversation filtering in from the kitchen. I can imagine them huddled at the table. Josie will be in front of the laptop typing with Aiden beside her, reading snippets from medical reports. Josie will pause, and then turn slightly to him to make a conclusion. He'll argue with her. They'll discuss it like reasoned adults. She'll go back to typing.

I know all this because I've seen it before. Josie and Aiden work here sometimes. Other times they work at his house. None of that bothers me, and I don't hang around too long when he's here. One thing I learned for sure that day golfing with Aiden is that he doesn't have Josie in his sights. He might have when he first returned, but I believed the dude when he told me he cares for her and wants her to be happy.

The only slight proble

m I see is if Josie will be truly happy with me for the long run. Can I provide for all her needs, which are complex and layered, because Josie is so complex and layered? Or is this perhaps only a fling that got her back on her feet after Aiden broke her heart?

So many doubts, not enough answers. For a man who has never cared for a woman like this before, I'm out of my depth.

Aiden's voice filters up the stairs to me. It's monotone and brisk. It's a doctor's voice. "This case...the patient was only sixteen years old. Pregnant thirty-two weeks, presented with some spotting and cramping. No prenatal care. Had been raped and was completely ostracized by her family. She'd been living in an abandoned hut and living off some scraps offered to her by some kind villagers. Severely underweight."

Josie makes a sound of dismay that I hear as clear as if she were standing next to me. "Protocol here would be to do an ultrasound, counseling," she says. "She'd be in the foster system, so direct contact with her case supervisor."

"My protocol was a lot simpler," Aiden says, and I can hear some emotion in his voice. "No ultrasound equipment. All I had to go by was the patient's report of some sporadic fetal movement. I took her basic vitals and gave her our last bottle of prenatal vitamins in stock. I also gave her some of our meal rations. Sent her on her way."

There's nothing for a moment, and then Josie murmurs, "I don't know how you did it. I would never be cut out for that."

My stomach knots and I have no clue why.

It could be for a variety of reasons.

Possibly for the fact that Josie could indeed do that if she wanted, and yet she doesn't feel she could.

Or maybe it's because she and Aiden discuss really important things. Life and death. Humanity. Critical stuff that could impact people in a very good way. She's a brilliant doctor and highly educated. I didn't do all that great in high school and now chase a puck around the ice for a ridiculous amount of money and prestige.

My stomach cramps again, most likely in apprehension over a conclusion that seems to be hurtling at me faster than a high-speed train.

I've got nothing of true value to offer Josie outside a few good orgasms and lots of laughs. The real question then becomes, is that really enough for her to be fulfilled?

With resolution and knowing I can't hide upstairs, I make my way down and step into the living room. Josie's head immediately swivels and she looks at me with a sweet smile. "Hey, sleepyhead. Decided to finally get up?"