“I’m so sorry, Sid,” she said.
I waved a hand dismissively. “It’s nothing. You alright now?”
She nodded. “I think I’ll go down and watch practice for a bit if you don’t mind. Just getting out of this office will help. I’ll be okay when I get back.”
Killian cocked his head at me, tilting it toward the open doorway. I followed him into the hallway, hoping he didn’t plan to continue our argument from the other night.
“You want one of my T-shirts?” he asked. “I’d give you this one, but it’s sweaty.”
I looked down at my brown-stained sweater. I kept extra clothes in my New York office, but hadn’t gotten around to bringing anything here.
“That’d be nice. I’d go home and change, but I have a meeting at eleven.”
“I’ll bring one up.”
I fell into step beside him. “I can just come down with you. Thanks for the save, by the way.”
He glanced over and grinned. “No problem. I take it that was Keri who screamed?”
“Yeah. She’s mortified by the whole thing, I can tell.”
“That scared the shit out of me. I thought someone was up here hurting you guys or something. I took my skates off in about five seconds.”
His concern and chivalry warmed me. I’d never had a man run to my rescue. Mostly because I’d never needed it, but he didn’t know that. I would’ve caught the rat myself. It wouldn’t have been the most pleasant part of my day, and it probably would’ve involved putting a bucket over it until an exterminator arrived, but I would’ve taken care of it.
“You weren’t scared of it,” he said as we walked down the concrete arena stairs.
“No.”
“What are you scared of, it not rats?”
I didn’t even have to think before answering. “Failure. That’s the only thing that scares me.”
We were at the bottom of the stairs now, and Killian stopped and looked me over. I saw admiration in his expression. “You’re something else, Sidney Stahl.”
“So are you, Captain.”
Orion came around a corner and saw us. His brow furrowed when he noticed Killian’s bare chest.
“Just helping with a rat in the office,” Killian said. “We used our shirts to catch it.”
“There’s a rat in there?” Orion eyed the shirt balled up in Killian’s fist.
“No, uh . . . Liam caught it.” Killian pulled his shirt back on over his head.
We hadn’t been doing anything wrong, so why did I feel like we’d been busted? I smiled at Orion and crossed my arms over my coffee-soaked chest, hoping nothing beneath my sweater was showing.
“The team’s looking good, Coach,” I said. “And I hope we’ll see you and Samara at the fundraiser Saturday night.”
“Oh, we’ll be there for sure . . . I have to run. I’ve got an interview to get to.”
He nodded and headed back down the hallway he’d come from. Killian and I walked the rest of the way to the locker room in silence.
“Hang on,” he said when we got to the door. He went inside and as soon as the door closed I heard him yell.
“There’s a lady comin’ in, boys! Cover your junk.”
The door opened again and I stepped inside.
“I can wait out here,” I said. “I mean, you can just grab me one.”
“Come on in. The place is almost empty anyway.”
The locker room was neat and quiet. The dark carpet with the blue and white Flyers logo in its center was swept perfectly clean.
Killian approached an open wood locker along the wall and grabbed two folded up T-shirts.
“You want a Flyers one or one from my college team?”
“Uh, you pick,” I said.
He handed me a gray one. “This one’s smaller. I’ll guard the stall if you want to change in here.”
I felt another player looking at us. “I’ll change in the bathroom. Thank you for loaning me the shirt. I’ll return it.”
I turned and left the locker room. Liam was walking in the door as I was walking out.
“Thanks,” I said. He nodded at me silently.
I went right to the bathroom, where I took off my sweater and replaced it with Killian’s Penn State Hockey shirt. It carried his scent—a mix of leather hockey gloves and his cologne. I was alone, so I let myself inhale it for a few seconds before leaving the bathroom. Though I could have sent Nicole to my condo to get me a new shirt, I knew I wouldn’t. Killian and I were never going to happen for several reasons. Mostly because it would be unethical, but also because we were completely wrong for each other. But I could admit to myself that I found him very sexy and this shirt was as close as I’d ever get to him . . . and I planned to wear it as long as possible.
Killian
I had no reason to go up to Sid’s office. I’d lifted weights, showered and packed for the upcoming road trip. It was time for me to go home and do my laundry. But, here I was walking through the open area in her office where a door should’ve been.
“How’s it going?” I asked Barb, one of Sid’s assistants. She reminded me of my mom, her short brown hair sprinkled with gray.
“Good. It’s been quiet since this morning. Guess we got all the excitement out of the way early today.”
I smiled and picked up a heavy silver paperweight from the edge of her desk, turning it around in my hand.
“Did you want to see Sidney?” Barb asked. “She’s in between meetings, so I think she’s free.”
“Yeah, if she’s not busy.”
Barb got up from her chair and walked to the door to Sid’s office, knocking softly.
“Come in,” Sid said from inside.
“Killian Bosch to see you,” Barb said, sticking her head in the open doorway.
“Send him in, please.”
Barb waved me over and opened the door further so I could walk in. Sid’s other assistant Nicole was sitting in a chair in front of Sid’s desk, a notebook in her hand.
“Hey, Killian,” Nicole said, a purr in her voice. “Have a seat.” She patted the chair next to her.
Sid glared at her blonde assistant, but Nicole didn’t even notice.
“So, verify that the right dresses and coats were sent and then pick up those groceries, please,” Sid said. “And if you can grab my dry cleaning, too, you’ll be done for the day after that.”
“No problem,” Nicole said, smiling as I sat down in the other chair in front of Sid’s desk.
“Hi,” I said to Sid, admiring the way she looked in my shirt. It was baggy on her, but it was mine and she was wearing it, which did something unexpected for me. Seeing her dark red hair against the gray fabric made me instantly hot for her.
“Hi.” The corners of her lips tugged up a little in a smile.
“How’s it going?” Nicole asked, breaking the invisible current of electricity between Sid and me.
“Nicole,” Sid said sharply. Her assistant gave her an innocent stare. “Thanks. I think that covers everything.”
Nicole jumped up and left the room without another word, and Sid rolled her eyes as the door closed.