Pucking Only (Night Hawks Hockey #2)

Chapter Six Jealousy

CHAPTER SIX: JEALOUSY

CARSON

“Yo, Carson, you okay? You look like you’re spacing out.”

I blink and am surprised to find Wilder standing in front of me, frowning as he studies me closely. We’re standing in the middle of The Ice Hawk, our favorite bar, unwinding after practice. We’ve got a few days until our next game so getting a little partying in isn’t that big of a deal.

Except, I’m not really feeling it tonight.

The rest of the team is drinking and flirting with the puck bunnies who always flock to this place because they know we come here. The only person missing is Jensen, but he doesn’t come out as often as he used to since he’s shacked up with Grace.

“I’m good,” I tell Wilder, because he’s still staring at me. “Just a little tired, I guess.”

He arches a brow. “You sure? You’ve got a bachelorette party over there eyeing you like a pack of hyenas on the hunt and you’re not even paying attention.”

I glance in the direction he’s indicating and there is indeed a pack of tipsy women surrounding a girl in a costume wedding veil, ogling me from afar .

“Remember that time you offered to be a stripper for that one bachelorette party?” Wilder asks, slapping my shoulder. “Why don’t you do that again?”

“Oh, yeah!” Cruz exclaims, suddenly coming up to my other side. “I remember that night. You were wild, Monroe! Didn’t you hook up with the redheaded hottie from that party?”

“Yeah,” I nod. “That was a wild night.”

“Ugh, she had an ass I still dream about,” Cruz groans. “I was so jealous.”

“But you went home with that cute little blonde number with the purple dress,” Wilder points out.

“Oh yeah,” Cruz replies with a slow grin, before taking a sip of his drink. “She was hot as fuck, and not shy.”

“What does that mean?” Wilder asks with a curious grin.

Cruz waggles his brows. “She gave me a little strip show before we got down and dirty.”

“Bringing it back around to our boy, Monroe,” Wilder declares, slapping me on the back. “Our own in-house stripper. Isn’t that right my guy?”

“Yeah,” I sigh halfheartedly. “That’s right.”

Try as I might, I’m not all that interested in thinking about past hookups. Truth be told, I don’t have much interest in finding a new hookup either.

“Well, go on, man,” Cruz urges. “Get over there! That bachelorette party needs a little excitement introduced to it.”

I shrug. “Just not feeling it tonight.”

Wilder looks surprised and presses his hand to my forehead.

“You sick?” he asks. “Got a fever or something?”

I duck away from his touch. “Get away from me. I’m not sick. Just… not horny.”

“You’re dying!” Wilder declares dramatically .

“Nooooo!” Cruz wails.

I roll my eyes. “Shut up. I’m more than just a very, very large dick.”

Wilder chuckles. “Sure you are. Whatever. I’ll just assume you got hit in the nuts with a puck or something.”

“You’re free to think whatever you want,” I mumble, raising the beer I’ve been nursing for half an hour and take a sip.

Wilder turns so he’s standing next to me and gazes out across the bar. Jayce is busy flirting with a potential one-night-stand. I don’t see Zander anywhere.

Frowning, I ask, “Where’s Zander?”

“Oh, didn’t he tell you?” Cruz answers. “Grace’s cute friend invited him to grab a drink somewhere they could talk since they’re both gamer geeks.”

I jerk my head around and stare at Cruz, wide-eyed. “What? He and Skyler are out together?”

Cruz’s brows shoot up. “Uh…yeah, I guess? I don’t think they’re like out, as in on a date or anything like that, but they are out in public together somewhere?—”

“Fuck,” I hiss, downing the rest of my beer in a few gulps.

“You seem upset,” Wilder says with a low whistle.

“I’m not upset,” I grumble. “Just annoyed. Skyler doesn’t even know Zander. She always does this!”

“Makes friends easily?” Cruz offers.

I shoot him a glare. “No, she steals friends. She’s all charming and quirky around everyone and they’re completely unaware that she’s really a pain in the ass.”

Wilder chuckles, looking surprised. “I think she’s pretty cool, and I’m pretty sure the rest of the guys agree with me. .”

“Yeah, I’m sure they do,” I growl. “But I’ve known her practically my whole life and she’s like a sister to me. You don’t know her like I do.”

“What?” Wilder exclaims, his brows shooting up in surprise. “You didn’t tell us that! We all knew she’s Grace’s best friend. I don’t think any of us knew the friendship went that far back. Shit, man, I’m sure Zander doesn’t have any intentions of hurting her.”

I shake my head, frown, and grumble, “It’s not my business.”

Wilder still looks concerned but I don’t bother giving a further explanation.

“I gotta go,” I say. “Cover me tonight, will you? I’ll get you next time.”

I give him a pat on the shoulder and head for the door, leaving my empty beer bottle on a table as I pass by.

Once I’m outside, I pause on the sidewalk and suck in a deep breath of the cool night air. There’s a release of pressure now that I’m out of the crowded and noisy interior of the bar. Sticking my hands in my front pockets, I start walking down the sidewalk. My apartment building is several blocks away. I could use the walk to try and clear my head. I don’t want to think about Skyler and Zander anymore. It’s none of my business. There’s no reason for me to worry about the two of them hanging out together at all.

I get home and head straight into the shower. I want nothing more than to wash the remnants of this day away. The hot water pulses down on my head, and I can’t stop thinking about Skyler and Zander hanging out. I’ve been clenching my jaw so hard, my teeth ache. I keep recalling how quickly they warmed up to each other in the locker room. The way Skyler lit up when she realized that Zander was a gamer like her made my stomach turn. I don’t think she’s ever smiled up at me the way she smiled at him.

Irritation and jealousy clash within me, confusing me and only making me more frustrated.

Why should I be jealous? I don’t like her like that. It’s none of my business who she flirts with.

Still, I can’t stop thinking of her smile, and how sexy she looked in her tight jeans and crop-top sweatshirt that showed off her taut stomach. Her glasses had been perched on her nose in a way that made her look both nerdy and adorable.

Shit, why does she have to be so fucking gorgeous?

Suddenly, my thoughts shift and I’m no longer thinking of what happened in the locker room earlier today. I’m imagining her standing in front of me, gazing up at me with those big brown eyes of hers, the water running down her body and soaking every inch of her.

“Carson,” she murmurs with those plump pink lips. “Why are you such an asshole?”

“Because you drive me fucking insane.”

Cupping the back of her head I yank her toward me, dropping my mouth to hers in a rough kiss. She gasps and parts her lips, giving me room to plunge my tongue inside.

As the fantasy plays out in my head, my cock starts to throb and harden. With a frustrated growl, I fist my length, stroking it as I imagine pushing her down to her knees in front of me.

She doesn’t resist and continues staring up at me with hunger in her gaze.

“Do you want this cock?” I ask her as I stroke myself, imagining her dropping her gaze to it and licking her lips.

“Yes,” she says, her voice husky.

“Beg me.”

She looks back up at me .

“Please, Carson… Please, can I have your cock.”

“Where?” I demand to know.

“In my mouth.” She parts her lips and opens her mouth wide. I hiss out a breath as I stroke myself faster and faster, gritting my teeth as pleasure burns through my belly.

I offer it to her, pressing the head against her lips. She responds instantly, licking the drop of precum before taking the tip into her mouth and sucking on it.

I groan. Fuck, I wish this was real. I wish Skyler was here right now, kneeling on my shower floor with her mouth around my cock instead of my hand.

She sucks me deeper into her mouth, looking up at me through those sexy glasses of hers. I want to touch her so badly. Run my hand down her torso and feel her breasts. Bend over so I can touch her between her legs and feel how wet she is for me.

“Carson, I want more,” she whimpers. “I need more.”

“Tell me what you want, baby.”

She gives me a sultry look. “You know what I want.”

I do. She wants me to fuck her. This is my fantasy, after all, so of course I know what she wants.

Because that’s what I want.

I blink and she’s suddenly standing back up and beckoning me toward her with a crook of her finger. I cross to her and grab her by the waist, pulling her in for a kiss before I spin her around so her back is against my chest. Running my hands up her sides, I cup her breasts and thumb her nipples as she gasps and moans.

The sounds I make as I continue to stroke myself mirror the ones I’m imagining she might make.

Pleasure coils deep in my belly, growing tighter and tighter as I get closer to release. I focus on my fantasy as I envision pushing Skyler up against the shower wall.

“Please, Carson,” she begs. “Please don’t make me wait any longer. ”

“I won’t,” I growl out loud. “I’m going to make you forget any other man exists other than me.”

What is happening to me? I never think things like that, let alone say them. The words just seem to flow through my mind. I can’t stop them.

I gaze down at Skyler’s willing and ready body and I let out a deep groan.

Just as I’m envisioning lining myself up to plunge inside her, my body jerks and my orgasm rolls through me, taking me by surprise. I snarl as I come hard.

The fantasy of Skyler fades away as I come down from the high of my release. Resting my arm against the shower wall, I lean against it and let the water flow down my neck and back as I fight to catch my breath.

Damn it. That was unexpected. My imagination just really ran away with me. I can’t let that happen again. I can’t have these thoughts about Skyler. It’s too much of a slippery slope. I already let my jealousy of her ruin my night with my team, and I’m sure it didn’t escape Wilder and Cruz’s notice. If I don’t get a hold of myself, I’m only going to make things awkward, not only for me and Skyler, but our friends as well.

Maybe the best thing for me to do is keep my distance from her. Otherwise, I’m not sure what I might end up doing. I’m pretty certain we would both regret it.