Page 3 of Offside Possession

A soft, warm feeling warning me something big was about to happen I couldn’t brush off made me smile as I pushed the doors open. The scent of great BBQ filled my lungs as I looked around. The place was pretty much what I expected from its social media pages. I stood there, when suddenly, a gist of hesitation prickled at me.

I’d had the same distinct, odd feeling when I’d lived in LA and had gone to watch the Kings play against the Lonestars.

It was a feeling so different, so unusual, it had freaked me out and I’d immediately left. Call me a scaredy cat; I didn’t care. There was something to be said about listening to your intuition.

But I wasn’t running away this time.

Someone came up behind me, and I moved to the side. Just then, I caught sight of a gorgeous, tall guy sitting at the bar. I’d seen hot guys before. I’d lived in LA, where every other person was more than pretty enough for TV and movies and magazines. Worked with and dated them all the time! But he was different.

Mine, a little, territorial voice chimed in the back of my head.

I couldn’t tear my eyes off him. He was wearing a plain white tee, light blue jeans, and brown work boots while staring up at one of the many TVs that were hung up all around the place.

My heart did a funny thing inside my chest.

Maybe it was because it had been a while since I’d hooked up with anyone? In LA, hook-ups were great, but when guys started to try to get too serious, like the last one, I’d stopped dating and somehow put myself in a dry spell.

One that maybe, hopefully, needed to be redeemed tonight.

I pushed forward, my steps full of renewed vigor as I walked straight to the bar with the impenetrable knowledge that my life was about to change.

But I had no idea of just how much.

CHAPTER 2

CHANCE SCOTT

I was peeling the label off the untouched beer bottle in front of me, my gut heavy with the decision I had come to a while ago but hadn’t told anyone yet.

I was going to retire.

It was time.

My time.

Time for what, I wasn’t sure, but everything inside of me had started to ache. I needed to take a step back. It wasn’t just my age. At thirty-seven, I knew I was older but easily still had a season or four left in me. Something had shifted inside of me, though. After playing in LA last season, something kept churning inside of me that it was time to hang up my skates. Professionally at least.

I glanced around the somewhat busy bar. I knew I had been spotted by two different groups of guys at either area of the bar. They were talking and pointing in my direction, but thankfully, they were giving me my space. I’d make sure to send them a round on me when I left as a thank you.

I was retiring.

By this time next year, I wouldn’t be waking up at the butt crack of dawn for an early-morning run or early practice. Life would be completely different. I still wasn’t sure what that would look like, but a part of me was really fucking excited for it. I almost wanted to say fuck it and call it quits before the season started, but I knew better.

One more season.

I heard someone take the seat next to me, and the hair on the back of my neck stood up. Fuck, thirty minutes in of being at the new bar my brother had asked me to invest in, and I had been recognized enough to be approached. My eyes dipped down and caught an incredible set of legs, not necessarily long but toned and smooth with heels so damn sexy and high they should be considered weapons.

Puck bunny, I guessed and rolled my neck.

I wasn’t in the mood to shake a woman off tonight, but I wasn’t in the mood to bring anyone back to my place, either. I was done with that part of my life. Easy sex was great. Fun, too. And as a longtime player for the Houston Lonestars I’d had my fair share of women throw themselves at me in hopes to either rope themselves a hockey player or sleep with one to have a great story for their friends. I’d done the latter many times. Too many times.

As my eyes drifted up the body of the woman next to me, every inch I soaked in only got better and better. Holy fuck, I thought to myself. I shifted in my seat, unable to stop the way my cock started to take notice as it woke up. My beautiful stranger must have felt my gaze on her because she turned, glancing up quite a bit. When her sea-glass green eyes locked with mine, it felt like I was struck by fucking lightning.

Holy fuck. The woman next to me was trouble with a capital T.

My mouth was suddenly bone dry, my tongue way too big for my mouth. Our eyes locked. I couldn’t get myself to look away while we stared at one another for god only knew how long. I wasn’t positive because I was pretty sure time had seized to exist in that moment.

Those pretty eyes brightened, and I wondered if she knew who I was. But before I could offer her a drink, she gave me a tight smile and turned around. I sat there, slightly paralyzed for a moment.