ASHER

PRACTICE IS A PAIN IN THE ASS.

Half of the team was late for one reason or the other. Which made Coach furious to begin with. Scratch that— he's pissed. He's been ranting for so long it feels like my ears are bleeding. But it's completely justified so no one has a retort. We all just stand there with the puck, our hockey sticks and helmets in hands with disappointed looks on our faces. Not as disappointed as Coach McKillian apparently.

Beside me, Cole's shoulders sag but he's still listening. Coach doesn't think we're taking this seriously and the championship game that we're suppose to be working her asses off for isn't in reach. We're not there yet.

And he's right. Our goalie Eric was late. Tyler too and it's funny because we all sleep in the same house. I should've been late out of everyone else here. I have a pretty damn good excuse but I'm not because I always put the team first. Heck, when I didn't have a babysitter I had Coach watching my son instead of calling off that night against Pendleton. I'd do anything for these assholes who I call my teammates and friends.

Would they do the same?

As the captain, I'm not ashamed to say that this was the worst practice I've ever seen.

Coach sighs, rubbing his head. "If you guys keep this up you won't see Frozen Four."

"Yes sir." Rhett says, the guy kinda lost his British accent since living in the US for eight years and now he talks like us.

When someone talks, it seems that recharged Coach to continue. "That was useless! Do you hear me? Useless! Hit the showers and get the hell out of here!" His voice booms off the walls which we're all use to. Then he mutters profanities and walks briskly in the direction of his office I'm sure. No one dares follow him.

"Yes sir." Cole salutes and he earns a shove from Tyler. "He grew grey hairs right in front of us."

I nudge Cole in the ribcage and he guffaws. "If only we could stop joking around."

He wipes sweat from his forehead. "Why am I being attacked?"

"Because you deserve it. Let's not bring this shit to our next game." I remove my helmet and follow the guys into the locker room where I toss my gears and strip naked. I'm so immune to the smell of the locker room that I don't feel light headed when I walked in.

Tyler yanks his shoulder pads off. "I got it. I got it. Coach already nailed the points."

He's tired of hearing from the long lecture he just received and trust me, so am I. "I hope you got it because he can easily bench your ass."

Tyler laughs it off but I'm not joking. He was one who Coach called out earlier. It's just practice so he wasn't shedded like a piece of raw chicken. Coach is hard on all of us so when we don't performed the way he expects, that's what frustrates him. Especially when goals are being handed out like candy on Halloween night.

I drag myself to the showers. Back in the day, it could be awkward for someone who doesn't understand the found family because we'd walk around naked in the locker room and then shower beside each other. All joking and laughing. Talking about life and chicks. It's fun and we come down from our highs under the showers. Eric's the shampoo guy. Always has shampoo when it's needed.

Looks like I'm the only one taking a shower now though. The warm water pours down my back. My muscles are tense. I brush a hand through my soaked head. If I speak, my voice will echo off the tile walls. Man does the water feel good. I bring my face under and shut my eyes then I hang my head down and let the droplets do it's thing.

Tell me why my brain forms the splitting image of Riley Becker.

Why the fuck now?

Jeez. I'm so fucked.

I force my eyes open. I can't do this right now. Just my luck and raging hormones I'm already sporting a hard on. Great. I got it. I like her. I can't back out. I look around, scoping out my surroundings. Nobody's walking in. I'm going to make this quick.

Leaning my hand on the titles, my other gives myself slow strokes as I visualize a scene. I'm reliving our text messages except now we're saying these things to each other in person.

Riley with her killer eyeliner and those pair of leggings that I like. She's flashing me a devilish smile as she walks to the shower swaying her hips which hypnotizes me. "If we're in the act of foreplay, trust me you'd feel it."

"Hands or mouth?"

The water from the shower head soaks her dark hair. Droplets of water cascading down her forehead, the bridge of her nose and then disappears into her delicious lips. Jesus Christ. She's looking me in the eyes, refusing to break eye contact. "Both."Her voice so soft that it wraps around my body.

Slender fingers swiping over my chest. Riley leans her head forward and presses a hot kiss to my pecs then she trails all the way down.

Then she gives me a stroke but it's me stroking my cock harder. When her warm mouth attaches to the tip of me I suck in a deep breath. I'm not going to last. She goes further, bobbing that pretty little head of hers and in actuality I work my hand faster. She's going fast pace, her tongue flicks to the tip of me, her hands working me simultaneously and that's when I take off like a rocket.

My breathing quickens, my heart rate increases and my cum washes down the drain. A while without and now I'm fucking hallucinating. I stay under the shower for another twenty minutes, this time switching out the warm water for cold to at least wash away my sinful thoughts.

I wrap a towel around myself even though I really don't need it and I walk to collect my hockey bag with my clothes. I'm changing when Cole walks up to me. "You're not taking a shower?" I ask, pulling my shirt over my damp head.

Instead of answering my question, Cole lowers his voice so that it's just between us. "Were you jerking off in the shower? I told you to call Samantha dude."

Actually, I fantasized about your sister in the shower and jerked it.

"You heard?" I should probably be embarrassed but I'm not. He's probably heard worse. We're both laughing now. "I'm good jerking it, thanks. Not calling Sammantha."However tempting that might be, I'm not doing it. I can't remember the last time I even saw Sammantha. I don't think about her and I don't think about Layla either. Not in that way.

Cole doesn't look convinced. "Whatever you say. I don't think that's going to serve you any longer. I'm not distracting anyone else another day on why they can't use the showers right now. You owe me."

Might look embarrassing to some but Cole and I are like best buds and jacking it is one of the most natural things ever. Everyone does it.

I brush my wet hair back. "Thanks man. You saved everyone from an explosion."

He shakes his head but laughs anyway. "So listen," Well now he's got my attention. "Riley's friends created a group. I told them to add us and I already gave them your number so when you see it pop up on your phone don't think it's some random puck bunny." He lost me at Riley's friends. What group and why? "I wanted to figure out what we're doing for my birthday but I wanted to celebrate with her too. Her friends might come up with something that we can all do if you're down."

Oh.

"No. It's fine by me." I shrug, searching for my phone now that he's saying I'm added. When I finally find it, just like Cole said, there is a group chat.

He picks my phone and points out Kianna, Sutton and Mattie's number and honestly I don't remember a damn thing. I get the names but the numbers I'll need time. He saves them to my phone which is good because I wouldn't be able to tell otherwise.

I'm scanning the screen while getting dressed. Cole doesn't look like he's taking a shower here so I swing my hockey bag over my shoulder and head for the exit. He hands my phone over and I get my car keys ready for the parking space. The group chat's notifying me.

MATTIE CHANGED THE GROUP CHAT NAME TO STRIPPERS

Tyler's message pops up first. Of course he's active. He's Tyler. I don't know a teammate who isn't on it when it comes to women.

TYLER: now I'm listening who
are the strippers?

RHETT: you are idiot

SUTTON: we were going to do like our own thing for Riley but Cole proposed
why not something for both
of them together
you know twin power

She adds a little emoji on the side.

ERIC: and you guys came
up with us stripping?

RHETT: Cole doesn't like
us that much to see
us half naked on
his birthday

TYLER: he already gets
it for free here in the
locker room anyway

MATTIE: LMAO

KIANNA: Who says y'all
are stripping for Cole?

I finally type. I don't want to imagine what Kianna is referring to. The thought of us stripping for Riley doesn't land with my spirit. Me? Fantastic. The others? I don't want to see it.

ME: I don't know about that

ME: This is Asher btw

KIANNA: We know who you are lol

SUTTON: what are you thinking then?

ME: why isn't Riley in the
group I'm still catching up here

If Riley was in the group, she could decide what she wants for her own birthday.

MATTIE: we wanna surprise her

ME: where do you think she'd like?

Classical music when painting. Already knew that. Hot chocolate with whipped cream. Already knew that too. Often wears black and or green. Peeped that too. Loves make up because that eyeliner speaks for itself. Yup. And... she smokes. Preferably cigarettes. I didn't realize I've collected this much about her until now.

KIANNA: Guys I'm thinking
a hookah lounge screams Riles to me
wyt?

COLE: Yup now find a hookah lounge
and bar that would be perfect

Even though Cole and Riley shared a birthday, they never celebrated together. It's going to be interesting when Riley realizes that we're all going to be there. Normally, she doesn't speak to us so I wonder if this will be forcing her to interact. Though she did say it's nothing against us and more like there wasn't a place for her to have conversations with everybody. It makes sense because almost every time we see her as a group it's in support of Cole. She's far from shy and more on the side of intimidating at first glance.

The girl use to be one who sits, supports and leaves the hockey arena and yes I wondered what her deal was but that use to be it. I never had other thoughts about her. Now that I know her deal and I've seen her outside more, somehow she's infested my thoughts.

She's the only girl on my radar.

——-

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I didn't proofread this so idk if there are grammar errors, I'll edit this over the weekend when I have time. Thanks for reading and happy Friday <3