Pucking Human (Thin Ice #7)

Chapter One

The Tuesday night crowd was every bit as enthusiastic as the Saturday crowd. It helped that the Chuckers were headed straight toward a ship. Rider watched from the owner’s box, the way he did at every home game. He chewed antacids like they were candy. Everything rode on this season. If the team’s owner, Tanner Paige, kicked him to the curb, financially, Rider would be fine. Not only had he come from a long line of professional athletes, he had played pro hockey for twelve years before getting this job. But if Tanner booted him from the sport, then that was what would happen. He would lose his only connection to his greatest love: the game.

“Give me those. If you keep this up, you’ll never shit again.” Ben swiped the antacids from Rider’s hands.

Ugly words rose in Rider’s throat. He bit back the desire to lay into the bossy assistant. He hated when Ben scolded him, especially when they weren’t alone.

Ben handed him a prescription bottle. “If you’d take the right meds, you wouldn’t need these.” He shook the fruity flavored over-the-counter meds at him.

Rider rolled his eyes and twisted the lid from his prescription. Before he tossed back the pill, Ben took the bottle from him and handed him an open bottle of water.

“Don’t take that dry. It won’t help. Plus, I don’t want to perform the Heimlich tonight.”

“Remind me to fire you tomorrow.” Rider mumbled the threat under his breath. He never won arguments against Ben.

Ben’s gorgeous hazel eyes sparkled with challenge. “What was that?”

Rider swallowed the pill with a healthy dose of water before responding. “Thank you.”

Ben hummed. It was an oddly sexy sound. “That’s what I thought.”

The crowd roared as a buzzer sounded. Another win. Rider went back to watching the ice. Lev Medvedkov took his victory lap. Every time the guy showed up and showed out, Rider breathed another sigh of relief. He had taken a huge gamble by paying the guy more than he had ever paid for another player. Tanner hadn’t exactly balked, but he also made sure Rider understood the decision was on his head.

Ben leaned his way, bumping shoulders with him. “There. You can breathe again until Saturday.”

Rider met Ben’s stare. They shared a smile. Rider opened his mouth, hoping to convince Ben to stay late with him. A slap across his back pulled Rider’s attention to the man, who approached to congratulate him.

“Great job, Rider. Genius move getting Medvedkov and Coach Murphy this year. Fucking magic.”

Rider smiled and dipped his chin, accepting the compliment. “I live for this team.” It was the way Rider always responded. In truth, landing Medvedkov hadn’t been his doing as much as it was Murphy’s. Lev and Murphy had fallen in love. Rider had taken advantage of their feelings to lure Medvedkov to stay in New Orleans. It had been more manipulative than genius. Still, Rider took his congratulations from the room of businessmen and celebrities who took advantage of the owner’s box. He couldn’t ignore them. Players weren’t the only way they made money. Sponsorships were every bit as important as winning. Rider had to keep people wanting to add their names to the arena during games.

By the time Rider finished rubbing elbows, he turned in time to catch Ben slipping out the door. Disappointment washed over him. Ben wasn’t required to stay past game time. Rider knew he could call and Ben would come back, but he didn’t have any legitimate excuse for that. Still, Rider followed. He didn’t intend to stop him. Rider only wanted to make sure Ben made it to his car unaccosted. Ben had a huge personality, but he was a small guy. He still turned heads. His perfectly styled dark hair and sexy round ass made people look twice. Those things also held Rider’s attention. It was more than looks, though. Ben made Rider feel alive. Things had been this way since Rider hired him two years ago. His obsession hadn’t started right away. That had grown over time, getting bigger every day. The way Ben’s eyes sparkled with challenge kept Rider on his toes. Rider couldn’t get enough.

Ben stepped into the elevator and turned. Their gazes met. An evil-looking smile touched Ben’s lips. He pressed the button to close the doors faster. As it slid closed, a soft chuckle fell from Rider’s lips. He was such an asshole. Rider couldn’t get enough.

Ben’s cheeks hurt from smiling. The ride to the ground floor took forever. It stopped on every floor. He hadn’t considered everyone else leaving the game. Ben had run from Rider. Everything about the guy was a challenge. Ben loved it. Every other aspect of his life was boring and empty as hell. Tonight, Rider had driven him insane with the constant popping of antacids. Geez. The guy had a fucking prescription for ulcers. Without Ben, he would be in the ER right now, hoping for relief. Since they had made it through the night without ending in a screaming match, Ben had darted out the first chance he had gotten. Sometimes he had to take his wins and go. Rider had been in one of those moods. Ben knew how to read him after two years of being his personal assistant. He knew when to cut and run.

The elevator reached the ground floor. Ben didn’t get off when the doors opened. Instead, he hesitated. Then he watched himself insert his key to get back to the executive floor. It was out of his control. Ben told himself he needed the jacket he had left in the office. Despite spring’s arrival, the nights were still slightly chilly. Somewhat. Maybe enough for a light jacket.

Knots tightened in his stomach as the elevator took him back upstairs. Rider thought he had left. He could be up to anything by now. Up for anyone. They spent most of their time together. Ben knew Rider wasn’t celibate. He spent a ridiculous amount of time praying he never actually saw Rider with anyone else. It had been a year and a half since he had been forced to endure watching Rider leave the office with someone else. Occasionally, Ben was tasked with sending flowers or wine to some unknown person. It had been at least six months since he had been asked to do that. Ben lived in fear of doing it again.

As he neared the top floor, Ben almost changed his mind. This job was all he had. If Rider had found his fun for the night, Ben might quit. Honestly, he had no idea how he would react. He pressed his hand to his stomach, trying to hold in the fear. When the doors opened, Ben stepped out into the quiet hallway leading to the corporate offices. The nights were always nice here. No phones rang. Peace filled the air.

Light spilled from the open doorway of the office he shared with Rider. Ben’s nerves frayed. He almost turned around. What if Rider was inside with someone? Ben’s steps slowed as he approached the door. He froze and listened. No sound emerged from the room. He chanced a quick peek around the corner. Rider sat at his desk alone, staring at nothing as if lost in thought. Ben stepped into the room.

Rider’s ice-blue gaze turned his way. Ben’s heart skipped a beat. Rider’s hard features didn’t soften. They rarely did. His dark hair grayed at the edges. Forty-one looked damn good on him.

Ben smiled. “Sorry. I didn’t know you were still here.” He motioned toward his desk in the corner of Rider’s office. “I forgot my jacket.”

Leaned back in his chair with his dress shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows, Rider linked his fingers behind his head and stretched. The move made his shirt strain against the huge muscles he had built from years of playing professional hockey. As always, the sight mesmerized Ben. A tired, sexy-looking grin flashed across Rider’s face. “I haven’t checked the weather. Is it cold out there?”

Ben shrugged. “I didn’t make it outside. You never know this time of year. If it’s warm tonight, it’s likely to be freezing in the morning or vice versa.”

“True.” Rider picked up his phone as if dismissing Ben.

Ben headed for the jacket hanging on the back of his chair.

“It’s fifty-four degrees, according to my phone.”

“Oh.” Ben grabbed his jacket. “It’s a good thing I came back, then.”

“Fifty-four isn’t cold.”

A laugh burst from Ben at Rider’s comment. “Maybe for you. Some of us don’t have your thick body.” Fuck. Had he just said that?

“Did you just call me fat?”

Ben shot him an exasperated look. “Spare me. You know I didn’t.”

The evil smile Rider wore let him know Rider was just fucking with him.

Ben rolled his eyes. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He headed for the door.

“Ben.”

Ben froze and turned back Rider’s way. “Be safe going home.”

Ben dipped his chin. “You too.” He turned away and took two steps.

“Ben.”

He fought a huff as he turned around again.

“Text me when you get there, so I know you made it.”

With an eye roll, he headed for the door again. He got one foot into the hallway.

“Ben.”

He growled. His gaze moved back to hold Rider’s stare.

Rider smiled like an idiot. “How far would you have made it if I hadn’t called you back?”

God, Rider drove him crazy. “Ass.”

“Pfft. You love me.”

Ben shook his head and walked away before his stupid heart gave away his thoughts. Sometimes, deep down in a secret place no one could see, Ben very much feared he did love Rider. That was the scariest part of all.