Holly

I saw the text when I got home from the small party with Shelly. My phone was in my purse all night as I nursed hard cider and chatted with friends. I wasn’t drunk, but I needed a little something to calm down my nerves after seeing Logan tonight. The time in his room was brief but intense and more than I was used to. In school, I wouldn’t do that during a breakup but here he was going all alpha on me.

I had to admit that he was hot, but he couldn’t do that to me. He was the busy one as well, being a hockey star. He was the one that was out there signing autographs for girls that would sleep with him on the spot. He probably had been with many of them. I knew how to use the internet and looked Logan up. He was a manwhore back in his day and Shelly confirmed that with a roll of her eyes. She’d always hold it against Logan that he was so protective of her while he was out there being a slut.

She didn’t tell me this as someone that was interested in her brother. Shelly just bitched about Logan as a loving sister would and I was safe. I wasn’t looking to hook up with him, at least not that she knew.

Inside, I wanted him so bad that I could taste it.

I read his text, wondering what the fuck it meant. It was too late to respond though I was pretty sure we were going to the game tomorrow. We talked about it over dinner though I never confirmed my presence there. I set the phone face down on my night-stand after I was in bed, feeling the alcohol.

“You kissed Cory! I can’t believe it,” Shelly said from her bed across the room. God, I had. I was hot and bothered over Logan earlier tonight and then there was the cider. Cory was looking to hook-up after we went to that party and I had a weak moment. It wasn’t that he was a bad kisser, and quite good. I just wasn’t into the man that was doing it.

“Yeah. I guess he deserved that after spending nearly the entire weekend with me.” I laughed softly, feeling a little sick inside at the memory. He was too aggressive once it went on too long and his tongue was all over my mouth. His hands were all over my body. I didn’t want that yet and was happy when Shelly suggested that we leave to get some sleep. I felt like I was dodging a bullet.

We woke up mid-morning and went for coffee. I was still a bit shell-shocked from the night before and sipped mine quietly. Shelly was excited about the game and she smiled at me, asking if I was going to go with her.

“Sure. It will be fun.” I replied with a soft smile. I tore off a piece of muffin and nibbled on it slowly as I thought ahead to the game. I had his jersey to wear and the shirt that smelled like him tucked into one of my pillowcases. When it was dark, I’d pull it out and inhale his masculine scent, thinking back to our night together. Shelly never knew about the shirt since I hid it well in my pile.

We went back to the dorm and dressed for the game. We were going to have a quick lunch with her parents in the box. I looked in the mirror at myself in the baggy jersey, daydreaming for a moment about wearing it as his girlfriend. I blinked, knowing that it wouldn’t happen. We couldn’t handle a week apart without acting like idiots.

“That looks great on you,” Shelly told me as she braided her hair. She was wearing her own jersey, and I smiled at her. “He gave one to you right away. That’s impressive.”

“That’s not the norm?” I questioned as she chuckled.

“No. A lot of girls have asked over the years but he’s fussy. He wants the person with his name on their back to love what they’re watching. The idea of girls using that to make other ones jealous is petty to Logan.” Shelly explained, making me want him all over again.

“He sounds mature in some ways.” I joked, knowing that she joked about her brother a lot.

“He is. Always has been. I just like to give him shit,” Shelly told me as she lined her lips with a dark stain. I was wearing minimal makeup and glossed my full lips with a clear, shiny gloss. We left the dorm and she drove us to the arena, parking in the back with hopes of getting out of there early. We had early classes. I got out and walked with her, enjoying the emptiness of the parking lot. We were here quite early, but Shelly could get in now, greeting the staff at the door as she showed them our passes.

We made our way down to the box, finding her parents plating food at the buffet. They told us to get some and hugged us once we were sitting down to enjoy the food.

“I love that on you.” Linda told me, gesturing towards my jersey with a smile. “It feels like you’ve always been a part of this family, Holly. I love that.”

“Thanks,” I replied, flushing slightly. The words meant a lot to me after having such absent parents. I wished they weren’t coming from the mother of a man I’d stayed in a room with over a week ago, but it did mean a lot. We enjoyed the food and then settled into the seats to watch the game as family joined us, sitting around us. I watched as the guys skated around the ice, passing pucks, and shooting goals for practice before the game. The crowd was screaming around me, and I lost myself in Logan’s world for a moment. Time seemed to stop as I wondered again what it would be like to be with him on a more permanent level. What would it be like to know his family that way?

I sipped my soda and let the fantasy go. We slept together once and had a strong attraction to each other. That wasn’t anything all that unusual. He was a hockey player that was gorgeous and more than likely had that with women across the country. I would be a dim memory in time, but he’d always be the guy that I compared others to.

The game started to screams and cheers and Logan was focused from the first puck drop. He tried to take it to the goal a few times, but the other team was good. They blocked him and the others before Logan got by and scored the first goal. I screamed along with everyone else and hugged Shelly as he celebrated with his team. It seemed like Logan scored a goal with every power play and ended up leading his team to a 6-2 win. I hugged Linda and Shelly as we danced around the box, feeling giggles bubble out of me.

We waited to congratulate the team and Logan hugged his family tightly. He nodded at me, looking me over in the jersey as his eyes darkened.

“That suits you,” he told me as I smiled weakly.

“I was proud to wear it today,” I assured him as a guy walked by, clapping Logan on the back. He grinned and thanked the fan before Linda snuggled up to her son.

“Are you going out with the team?” Logan frowned as he looked over at some guys walking out to his car.

“I’m pretty wiped. We had a lot of practice for this game and I need some rest,” Logan told us as he glanced at me. “I might get something to eat. Want to meet at the diner near my place?”

We all agreed, and Shelly drove out of the parking lot to meet them. I worried that it was late, but she assured me that we wouldn’t be out that long. He was tired and would want to sleep soon.

I walked into the diner to see everyone gathered in the back. Shelly and I took some seats and ordered burgers as I fretted for a moment over my waistline. I’d need to run or something after this meal. I looked at Logan as he explained a goal while running a hand through his hair, making me throb inside. He was confident in this setting; talking about his game and greeting the hesitant fans that approached the table. Logan was sexy as he basked in his element and I leaned back, licking my lips.

The meal ended as he hugged the family. Logan paid for everything and I watched as he slid his card back into his wallet. He walked over to me, pulling me into his arms. I stilled, feeling him against me again.

“Thanks for coming,” he murmured as I smiled. “I want to take you home with me.” Everyone else was talking and couldn’t hear him as I blushed. “Can I see you this coming weekend? I’ll be traveling after that.”

“You want to see me?” I asked as he chuckled.

“Yeah. Will you respond if I text you?” he asked as I nodded. “Good.” Logan let me go, and I glanced at the family to see that they were still talking. They didn’t notice our embrace.

Shelly drove us home and I could not stop thinking about seeing Logan again. I crawled into bed knowing that I was looking at five hours of sleep, still tossing and turning. Things were going forward again with the smallest push and I was scared.

I dragged through the week and managed not to mention my plans to Shelly. I’d want to until I remembered who they were with, letting her babble on about Cory. She was seeing his friend Bryan now and seemed convinced that I should hook up with Cory. It would be perfect in her eyes.

We were walking back from class on Thursday as she messaged Bryan.

“Want to go out on a double date with them tomorrow night? There’s a show and we can go out to dinner.” She looked at me with a wide smile and I wondered what to say.

“I can’t. I have plans with a friend.” I replied as she frowned at me.

“You only ever hang out with me. What friend?” Shelly asked as I forced a laugh.

“The project friend. We’re a little behind on it and need to do some work. We’re going to try to have some fun as well.” I reminded me about my false friend and Shelly nodded. She seemed to believe me. “Last time was a huge downer.”

“I’ll say. I’m bummed. Maybe next weekend?” Shelly asked as I nodded slowly.

When I wasn’t with her, I was messaging Logan. He was getting the same hotel room this weekend, and I’d meet him there on Friday. Shelly was still going to see Bryan, so I could get out without any suspicion. I packed a small bag to take with me and hopped into my car, driving into the city as butterflies swarmed my stomach. I was nervous about this.

I parked in a garage and slipped my bag over my shoulder. We weren’t going to go anywhere since this was a secret tryst and I doubted that I’d even be in clothes at all. I walked into the lobby and waited for a car to take me up to the room, shifting back and forth on my feet. I stepped inside and glossed my lips as I rode up, rushing to the door as my feet moved faster than my brain.

The door opened, and Logan pulled me inside. I dropped my bag as he kissed me, pressing me against the wall. It had been a few weeks for us and my body screamed for him. I wrapped my arms around Logan and we ended up fucking right there, unable to wait. He carried me to the bed when we were finished and kissed down my naked body.

“That was quite a greeting,” I told him as he trailed his hand down my stomach.

“I haven’t stopped thinking about you,” Logan said as I raised a brow at him. “I mean it. I haven’t even been with anyone else since us.”

“No?” I asked as he shook his head, giving me a long look. “That seems impossible.”

“Have you?” Logan asked as something crossed his face. “That date. Did it end that way?”

“No. It didn’t. I wasn’t attracted to him at all. That was Shelly’s idea, and I didn’t know what to say.” I looked at him as anger crossed his face.

“I have never wanted to tell my sister to stop talking so badly in my life. It was like she was saying all of that to torment me,” he murmured as I rolled over to face him.

“She doesn’t know about this. Shelly never would have done that if she did, Logan.”

“I know. I wish I knew what the fuck this was between us. In some ways, it could be perfect because we’ve already done the hard part with the family and all. In other ways, it could upset people.” Logan said as I frowned at him.

“We haven’t formed anything. We’ve slept in a hotel room one night and we’re doing it again. I’m in school working my ass off and you are making yourself a star. You’re the it man in hockey and barely home. What are we going to tell people?” I asked softly as he leaned in for a soft kiss. “I don’t know where I’d fit into your world.”