Astrid
I felt a deep longing as I sat on the bench and watched their practice. I noticed as all the guys stepped on the ice, they would smile. Each of them, as if this was the only place they wanted to be. Of course, the only exception to that was Ryder.
I did my best to avoid eye contact with him once he was on the ice. Instead, I would focus on Bentley or Henrik. Every now and then I would study Sarcom and Ollie, our goalies. Usually finding some kind of weakness that I wish I could manipulate. But alas, I was stuck on the bench in normal shoes.
I rushed a glance at Ryder and noticed he was talking to Coach, who after they separated skated over to where I was on the bench.
"So you finally told the team?" Coach beamed.
I shrugged and carefully tried to cross my arms, avoiding all my broken and bruised parts, "Yeah. I figured now was a better time than any."
"Do you know when you will be joining us again?" Coach asked.
"Well, my GP told me four weeks at the least so I'll be back on the ice in three."
Coach chuckled, "That's the spirit."
He picked up his whistle and blew it. Everyone's heads shot up and focused on him. "Alright ladies, on the goal line!" Coach shouted. He grimaced and turned towards me "no offense."
"None taken." I chuckled as everyone else groaned, but didn't argue as they got on the line for some conditioning.
Coach skated them for twenty minutes before they went on to normal practice. As I was watching them work on some breakouts, I heard footsteps behind me.
A warm hand settled on my back as Luka stood next to me.
"It won't be for long," Luka said having noticed my longing.
"I know. Do you ever miss it?" I asked Luka.
"All the time." He said as he watched Ryder, Tucker, and another winger-my replacement- skate past the bench.
"I used to ask Doc daily if my knee was looking better, or if he thought I could even skate. And every day he told me to go stretch and ice it." Luka turned his blue eyes to me. "Every day I would hope that that day was the day but one day, probably three months after my injury I got on the ice, against everyone's order, and the second I started skating on that knee, it buckled. I remember the pain as I hit the ice and my first thought was 'you idiot' and my second thought was 'I'm done.' I decided that day to leave hockey behind and focus on something else."
"You haven't skated since then?" I asked.
"Nope. I left the ice behind and focused on athletic training, but there isn't a day that I don't think about skating or the 'what ifs'." Luka shook his head as if clearing some thoughts or memories. "The point is, I might've been able to skate again, but I couldn't wait to skate again and I completely ended my career by doing that. So moral is, let yourself heal before you jump right back on the ice. If not for yourself but for me and the others." Luka reached his hand out and grabbed my smaller hand in his huge palm.
I rolled my eyes slightly but let him tug me somewhat closer, "I'll try. You might have to hold me back some days. But I'll try. For you and the team." I felt myself fall into Luka's sparkling blue eyes.
A loud whistle rang through the empty stands. But not the coaches whistle. A wolf whistle.
Luka chuckled as one of my teammates hollered, "Get 'em, girl!"
I groaned but pushed away from Luka. I glared at the rookie, Wild, who had hollered.
"Why don't you get skating Wild," I yelled back at him.
He just grinned and went back to standing in line, talking to whoever stood in front of him.
"There are no secrets on this team." Luka shook his head and crossed his arms. His muscles bulging at the action.
Attempting to tame my hormones, I peeled my eyes away from his delectable body and focused instead on the drill that Coach was running.
An hour later, the boys practically dragged themselves off the ice from exhaustion. I opted to stand outside the locker room and say goodbye to them as they left, rather than sit in the locker room and make them uncomfortable.
Predictably, a lot of the guys went to the training room and begged for Luka's help. Whether it be rolling sore muscles or massaging stiff shoulders.
I figured that we would be staying late because Luka was going to be busy, so I made myself a home in the front lobby.
Finding a comfortable chair near a plugin, I plugged my phone in and found myself scrolling through social media as I waited.
I looked up every time someone came out and realized that there could only be five people left in the locker room.
The Twins, Bentley, Henrik, and Ryder.
I figured Ryder was still here because he was talking to Henrik. And although Sarcom left, Bentley was still here so he must be coming back with Luka and me.
I heard voices coming down the hallway and was surprised to see Luka, Bentley, and Henrik walking together. Smiling, as if they were old buddies.
Ryder came out from behind them, sent me a glare, and promptly left. Leaving little said.
The trio greeted me and we all walked out to Luka's truck.
No one seemed bothered to be back at my place, much to my relief, as I quite like having people over.
I made dinner and we all sat around the living room, talking about hockey while watching hockey.
Figures.
I was surprised as a knock disturbed our conversation.
Henrik shot up, but I quickly hushed him and got up to open the door myself.
I was even more surprised to see the Ülf twins standing on my front porch. Snow falling and landing around them. A blast of cold air hit me as I opened the door and instead of questioning them, I invited them in, if only to save my exposed legs from the harsh winter air.
They came in with no protests and stomped the snow off their boots.
"What are y'all doing here?" I asked as I took their jackets.
"Well, Henrik said you had food, and we were hungry, and plus you're fun to be around now that we know what your deal is," Colten said.
"My deal?" I asked.
Corey grinned. "Yeah, to be honest, we thought you were dealing drugs. That's why you were so small, wore baggy clothing, and kept to yourself. We didn't want to get cut off the team, we decided to stay away until we knew for sure." Corey explained.
Luka choked. "Astrid a dealer? She will barely take her prescribed drugs in fear she'll get addicted." Luka snorted and everyone else chuckled.
With a glare at Luka, I spoke again,
"Well, there's plenty of food leftover if you'd like. And feel free to make yourself at home. Of course, my guest room is always open, those three," I jabbed a thumb at the trio of idiots in my living room, "seem to prefer the living room."
Colten took his stocking hat off, and his ginger hair fell around his face. "Thank you, Astrid. Sorry to impose."
Both the twins spoke at the same time, "We were bored."
"Yeah, no, I get it. You're welcome anytime." I walked into my kitchen and pulled out the leftovers from dinner. And although there were a lot of leftovers, a glance at the sheer size of the twins, told me that there would be little leftover.
And of course, I was right. The twins finished every last bite of my pasta and they thanked me many times as I cleaned up the kitchen.
For the rest of the night, we all settled back around the TV, talking and laughing while the winter weather outside blew about.
Luka at some point had moved to the floor and I found myself tucked between the twins. Their presence warm and comforting.
It was a couple hours later that I noticed the soft snores coming from some of the males in my living room. Henrik was fast asleep in one of my recliners while Luka was asleep in the other. Bentley had fell asleep on the floor, on top of stacks of blankets.
The twins were surprising still awake, though I could tell they were sleepy.
I chuckled to myself when I realized that they were reluctant to leave, instead opting to slowly fall asleep on my couch.
"What's so funny?" Corey said, noticing my low chuckle.
"Nothing." I shook my head as I got up, my ribs protesting slightly. "Are you two staying here tonight?" I asked though I already knew the answer.
They shared a look before turning back to me. "Would you mind if we did?"
"No, of course not. I'll get the guest bedroom ready," I said while walking over to my hallway closet where I grabbed spare blankets and pillows. "The bathroom is through my room," I told them before disappearing in the guest bedroom.
Inside, I turned the light on and set the blankets and pillows on the bed. I was glad I always kept this room clean, even though this is the first time someone has stayed in this room since I moved in freshman year.
Footsteps disappeared down the hallway as one of the twins went to the bathroom. Another set stopped in the doorway.
I turned and met amber eyes and a playful smile, though it was undermined by a tired look.
"The sheets are clean and here's some extra blankets and pillows in case one of you guys want to sleep on the floor," I explained to the older twin.
Colten smiled as he looked over the room before his eyes settled on me. "Thank you, Cutie."
"No problem." I nodded and made to leave but another body blocked the doorway.
Corey shoved past his twin and sat on the bed. "I call the bed," he declared as he bounced on the bed a few times.
"And why should you get the-" Colten was cut off by his twin.
"Because it's my turn," Corey said, a challenge in his voice.
I rolled my eyes at their back and forth. "You guys keep track of who's turn it is?"
"Since day one," Corey smirked at me.
"Right, well have fun settling-"
I was cut off as Corey reached down to the hem of his shirt and pulled it off in one smooth move.
Holy balls. I couldn't help but admire the athletic body on display. I'd seen their bodies in the locker room before, but it felt more professional in that setting, but here... Here my body and brain couldn't help but react to this fine specimen of a man.
Colten sighed as his twin leaned back and held eye contact with me.
"You were saying?" Corey said.
I glared at the twin. "Have a good night, don't let the bed bugs bite." I said as way of saying goodbye.
It was hard to sleep that night when all I could picture was those washboard abs that would make any man envious and any women - well...
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Thank you for reading Chapter 15. I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter. Let me know in the comments who your favorite character is so far, besides Astrid. Feedback is always welcome.
~Until Next Chapter.