Scoring One Night (Blue Ridge Mountain Hockey #4)

Aspen

I had the strongest urge to run away. My heart raced as I raised my fist to knock on Melanie's door. For just one moment, I hesitated, because what if she tells me to go away or worse, explains how I was screwing everything up.

It wouldn't be the first time I hurt someone because of my mistakes.

I finally tapped on the door. It swung open after a moment, revealing Sophia smirking at me with her arms crossed.

"Didn't think I'd be seeing you here again," she said, eyeing me up and down.

"Uh, hey Sophia," I stammered, taken aback by her presence. "I was looking for Melanie. Is she around?"

"If it isn't prince charming." She smirked. "Yeah, she's inside. Come one in."

Did Sophia know about what happened? Melanie must have told her that we almost kissed earlier today. I stepped inside the apartment and looked around.

The living space was sparser the last time I'd been here, with a coffee table missing and the colorful cushions I remember from a few months ago now gone from the couch. Sophia had already grabbed her jacket and a few bags by the front door and was halfway out the door when Melanie appeared, her hair pulled up in a messy bun that made her look breathtaking.

"Hey, ," she greeted, a hint of weariness in her tone.

Sophia shot us both a pointed look. "I'll leave you two kids alone," she said, a playful edge to her voice. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" With that declaration, she slipped out the door, leaving me to wonder just what it was Sophia wouldn't do.

"Alright, enough, Sophie," Melanie called out as she entered the living room, her eyes meeting mine. "Sophia moved out a few weeks ago; she was just here picking up some things she forgot."

Melanie waved me over to the couch once Sophia had left. I sat and she took a seat next to me.

"Look, Melanie," I began, my gaze locking with hers. "I'm really sorry about all of this. I should've been more careful at work. And, well... with everything."

"Apology accepted," she replied softly, her piercing gray eyes studying me intently. "But please understand, , the only way I can afford this apartment with Sophia having moved out is with this job."

I watched Melanie's fingers nervously fidget with the hem of her shirt, and it dawned on me just how much my behavior had affected her. It wasn't just about the awkwardness; it was about the impact on her life and her career.

"Melanie," I began, clearing my throat. "I realize that I'm immature. I'm the youngest on the team, and for some reason, I think I have to act like it, too."

I rubbed the back of my neck before I continued, "What I've realized in the last few weeks is that behavior can hurt people. The people I care about. I screwed up Lydia's front yard with fireworks, and now what happened between us could cost you a job."

She sighed, tucking a stray strand of her raven hair behind her ear. ", we're both adults here, and we both made decisions that night. It's not just on you."

"Still," I insisted, my gaze falling to the floor. "I should've known better. I shouldn't have put you in such a difficult position."

"You were drunk," she admitted softly, "and I was the one who suggested going to your place that night. And today, I wanted to kiss you as much as you wanted to kiss me. So, if we're going to assign blame, then let's at least be fair about it."

She wanted to kiss me? Yes, I was in that room with her. Yes, I remember her leaning forward, but to hear her say it made me smile.

It made me want to kiss her now. But before I could, she said something that stopped me.

"I've worked so hard for this job. All my life, people told me I wouldn't be able to do much." She sucked in a breath, as if preparing herself for something. "I haven't told anyone about this, but I have a learning disability."

I was blown away by Melanie's honesty. She was intelligent, strong, and even more beautiful in this moment. I was thankful to have her in my life, even if it meant that I had to keep my distance.

"Honestly, I never wanted anyone to know. Not that I'm ashamed, but because the last thing I want is pity."

I shook my head. "Never. I would never pity you; I'm in awe of you." That last part slipped out before I realized what I was saying.

Her eyes softened at my admission. We were silent for a heartbeat before she said, "Why I'm telling you now is because I had to work so hard to get to where I am. I can't jeopardize that."

Fuck. I felt like the most selfish jerk alive.

"I should quit the team," I blurted out, feeling a knot form in my stomach at the thought of leaving the one thing I was truly passionate about. "That way, even if they find out about our night together, they can't do anything. Since I won’t be on the team anymore."

"Absolutely not," Melanie snapped, her eyes widening in shock. ", you can't just give up on your dreams because we made a mistake. What about the hard work you've put in to get where you are? What about the International Games? We both need to take responsibility for our actions, but quitting the team is not the answer."

"But it's my fault," I protested, a sharpness in my voice that surprised even me. "If I had just done what I promised and not gone to the bar that night, none of this would've happened."

"What did you promise?" Melanie asked, then waved her hands in the air. "You know what, it doesn't matter. Besides, I'm the one who suggested we go to your place after the bar. So if anyone's to blame here, it's me."

"No, it's my fault," I insisted. "I should've known better. I should've thought about the consequences."

"Are we really going to do this?" Melanie asked, raising an eyebrow. "Argue about whose fault it is? Look, , we both made a mistake, and now we have to figure out how to move forward."

"Exactly," I agreed, running a hand through my messy hair. "But I can't help but feel like quitting the team would be the best thing for everyone involved."

"Listen to me," Melanie said firmly, leaning forward, "you are not quitting the team. We'll find another solution, one that doesn't involve you giving up your dreams."

I sighed, knowing she was right, but still struggling to accept it. My heart ached at the thought of putting her career in jeopardy, yet I couldn't deny the spark that flared between us every time we were near each other.

It was time to reveal my truth. She was strong enough to share her disability with me, the least I could do was share how I felt with her.

"I need you to know..." I whispered, trying hard to find my voice, "know how distracting it is for me to be around you. How am I supposed to focus on the ice when all I can think about is wanting to be next to you? Wanting to kiss you. Wanting to do all the things that would get you fired and me kicked off the team."

The last thing I wanted was for Melanie to lose her job because of our reckless behavior.

She was silent for a moment, staring at her fidgeting hands before snapping her head up to look at me with a mischievous glint in her eye. "If this were Sophia, there wouldn't even be a discussion," she mumbled to herself.

"What?"

"What if," she started slowly, as if weighing each word, "we came up with a plan that allowed us to... release some of this tension without anyone at work finding out?"

My eyebrows shot up, and I leaned in a little closer. "Go on," I urged, intrigued by where this was headed.

She let out a breath and pushed her shoulders back. "I'm attracted to you, and you're attracted to me. That's a given."

"Right," I said as my eyes scanned her body.

I couldn't help it, I had to double check. Yes, I was still very much attracted to Melanie.

"At work, we are strictly professional. I'm your physical therapist and you're a hockey player. But in the evening, when we don't have plans with friends, we can spend the night at one of our places." She waved around her apartment.

That sounded like the best idea I had ever heard. While I may not be as mature as some of the players on the team, I did know one thing. Even friends-with-benefits relationships can get messy sometimes.

"Okay, fine," I conceded, meeting her gaze while trying to contain my excitement. "But if things get too difficult, if we can't keep our professional and personal lives separate..."

"Then we'll stop instantly," Melanie interrupted, her voice firm but reassuring. "But for now, we need to focus on finding a solution that doesn't involve both of us giving up our dreams."

As dream-like as the plan sounded, I didn’t like the idea of stopping it if emotions got involved.

Even with that weighing on me, my cock wouldn't let me think about it for long as I stood and said, "Okay, let's get started."