Erik (Arizona Vengeance 2)

Sadie stops talking to Valerie as the players come onto the ice and since we’re the visiting team, the Vengeance is first. Given that we are the away team, I’m surprised by the rowdy roar from our fans, despite the fact we’re probably outnumbered seven to one. The girls and I stand in our seats stomping our feet on the concrete floor and clapping our hands enthusiastically. Sadie gives several wolf whistles and Valerie screams out, “Kick ass tonight, Legend.”

My eyes tend to stay on Erik when he’s out on the ice. I’m sure it means nothing more than I have a bit of a closer connection to him than the other guys who I’ve recently been hanging out with. It absolutely has nothing to do with the fact that I find him a million times more attractive than any man standing in this arena tonight. It’s certainly not a factor that my one night with Erik was the absolute best sex I’ve ever had in my entire life. In fact, I am sure it’s nothing more than an affection for him for the way he took responsibility for his bad actions and the sincere apology he gave me.

Yeah…that’s why I watch him.

We stay standing for the national anthem and for a good two minutes after the game starts. The Cold Fury fans are a dedicated group and they have every reason to be coming off back-to-back Cup championships. If they pull off a third this year it will be quite a feat.

The reason we continue to stand is because the Cold Fury fans don’t sit down after the game starts. They remain standing and cheering, and in order for us to see what’s going on past the people in front of us, we’re forced to stand as well. It takes a few minutes into the game before everyone settles into their seat.

We easily stay immersed in the game and it’s a nail-biter. The Cold Fury come out swinging hard but why wouldn’t they? They have some of the most notable veteran players in the league. Men like Alex Crossman and Garrett Samuelson. Their goalie, Max Fournier, is probably the best in the league and I doubt Legend would mind me saying that.

And let’s not forget they have one seriously badass woman who is their general manager. Gray Brannon—who is married to the goalie coach and former Cold Fury goalie himself, Ryker Evans—has literally turned the hockey world upside down by making controversial acquisitions based on statistical models. I don’t understand the ins and outs of it but I remember after she won their first championship, the sporting world was never quite the same again.

Sadie leans toward me and bumps her left shoulder to my right one. She doesn’t take her eyes off the action on the ice but asks from the side of her mouth, “So what’s the real deal with you and Erik?”

While Sadie and I are close, I have not told her about my history with Erik. That’s purely because it embarrasses me that I was stood up in such a crass fashion after jumping right into his bed while hardly knowing him. It sort of feels like I asked for it. At any rate, she only thinks that my annoyance with him had to do with the way he had come on to me in the early days. I merely told her that Erik has made a sincere apology and we have agreed to be friends.

“What do you mean?” I ask her.

She turns to look at me and the expression on her face says she can’t believe I’m so stupid. “Oh, come on, Blue. Surely you can tell how into you he is. Everyone can see it.”

I shake my head in denial. “No way. He’s as friendly with everyone as he is with me.”

Sadie snorts. “You are refusing to really see what’s going on. But if you really pay attention when Erik is around you, he’s not seeing anything but you.”

I truly have a hard time believing this. Erik has been friendly, casual, and laid back around me. And that’s all.

Which is why I don’t understand why the thought of him being truly interested in me causes a warm flush through me and an increase to my pulse. I follow him out on the ice, watch him crush an opponent against the boards, and the aggressiveness he displays on the ice hits me between my legs.

I sigh with frustration.

I don’t like how my brain is telling me to just be friends with him while my body is telling a completely different story.

I force my attention to the game itself and not Erik. I let the excitement of battling against the current Cup champions fill me, and I join the other Vengeance fans in screaming and cheering as loud as I can to give them support.