Rushing the Goal
Page 20

Benji was the one.
“Fucking hell,” he yelled as Sinclair pushed hard to get back down. He wouldn’t make it. The Stars player passed it to the other one, and he looked as if he was going to shoot. So Benji dropped down, stretching his body completely out in the hopes that, if he did pass it, Benji would block it. Praying to God above, he closed his eyes, hoping he didn’t get hit in the mouth.
Dude did shoot, and it didn’t hit Benji in the mouth.
But it hurt.
Right in the spot below his ribs where his pads weren’t protecting.
Gasping for breath, he popped up just as Sinclair came in, taking the puck and passing it back up. Going straight for the bench, Benji tried to watch as their offense did work, but he missed when they scored the tying goal. The arena went nuts, as did the bench while Benji sat down, the pain still very much stinging in his chest. As Anderson skated, tapping his glove to everyone, he pointed to Benji.
“Wouldn’t be tied if it wasn’t for you, BP. Attaboy!” he called out with an extra tap on Benji’s head.
He nodded, a grin pulling at his lips as the trainer came over to make sure he was okay. He told him he was, and he was sure of it. It would be a nasty bruise later, but for now, he had a game to win.
But even though the Assassins fought, the Stars scored two more times, winning the game.
Benji hated losing games. Probably more than he hated when someone died on Game of Thrones. Which was basically everyone, but whatever. He hated it. Especially when Coach ripped into them. He was loud, he was mad, and who could blame him? The defense let Odder down and Benji didn’t like that. Every goal that was shot was something the defense should have blocked. It should have been easy for Odder, but when his own team was blocking him, how was he supposed to do his job?
They had some work to do.
Leaning back in his locker, Benji sucked in a breath and let it out before he gently eased his jersey off, wincing at the pain.
“Jesus, you got stung bad,” Sinclair said from his left, and he nodded as he touched the aching spot very lightly. The pain was red-hot.
“Fuck, it hurts.”
“Nothing is broken, though?”
Benji shook his head. “I don’t think so. We’ll see tomorrow.” Sinclair nodded as he leaned against his legs, pulling in a breath. “We need to work on the kids. The goals tonight shouldn’t have been scored,” Benji announced.
“Agreed. We’ll take care of it tomorrow,” Sinclair said, letting out a breath. “I mean, I get that I’m young like them too, but they were making careless mistakes.”
“That’s what I think.”
“Oh, well, we’ll get there.”
“That’s right,” Benji agreed, continuing to take deep breaths to ease the pain.
“So, I know you’re hurting and you can turn me down, but Baylor and I wanted to take you to dinner, if you’re hungry.”
Looking over at his captain, Benji smiled. Ordinarily, he’d turn him down. He wasn’t much for going out after games. Usually, the guys went for drinks or to party after a win. Benji was more of a go home or to the hotel and chill kind of guy. That’s just what he did, and he figured that was why Sinclair looked so wary when asking. But what he didn’t know was that Benji hadn’t stopped thinking about Sinclair’s sister since Monday night.
It was getting bad. Like, he stalked her Facebook, her Instagram, and even her Twitter. He found that she really didn’t post on Twitter, or even Facebook, but that girl’s Instagram was loaded with pictures and videos of Angie. Some of Lucy too. One in particular that he couldn’t get out of his head was her on the beach this past summer. She had a baby in her arms, her thin, sexy body curvy in every way possible, and the smile on her face was gorgeous. It made her ten times more beautiful than he already thought she was, and he still couldn’t shake the image.
He wanted Lucy.
Bad.
So with a nod, he said, “I’d love to.”
Sinclair’s brows rose. “Really?”
Benji could only laugh as he untied his skates.
He really needed to get out more.
Maybe with Lucy.
Sitting across from Baylor and Jayden Sinclair at the little sushi bar they chose in downtown Nashville, it was easy for Benji to see they were made for each other. As much as she gave and he took, he threw right back at her. They argued over food choices, about where to lay her bum leg, and also what they were doing after dinner with him. Baylor wanted to go home and sleep, but some of the defense team had gone out to drink their sorrows away, and Sinclair wanted to go monitor. Benji kind of agreed with Baylor, but he knew that Jayden needed to go.
Not that it was any of his business, which is why he said nothing, only drank his water. Baylor took it in stride, though, and Benji was pretty sure their bickering was foreplay, which made things a little uncomfortable for him, but he was on a mission.
Lucy.
“Anyway,” Jayden said after they ordered and he wrapped his arm around Baylor, pulling her into the crook of his arm. Or so Benji thought. But instead of resting his arm around his wife, Jayden pulled out a bag, handing it over to Benji. “This is a thank-you for helping me out Monday. Baylor picked it out, but I think you already have these.”
Benji took the gift with a laugh. “You didn’t have to get me anything. I don’t mind. I loved it, plan on helping still.”
Baylor beamed as Jayden scoffed. “Seriously? I heard those girls are nuts.”