Stone Cold

Date<3

Richy follows me out to the barn after dinner as I begin cleaning up the stables.

“Stay away from Stone, do you hear me?” He starts sweeping the floor for me. “The guy is a walking player and not good enough for you.”

I sigh and straighten the saddles before checking the straps. “I can make my own judgements Richy.”

“Really? What about Alexander and that fucker, Leyton?” He snaps and abruptly stops sweeping. “You let that guy near you.” He shivers at the gross thought.

“Leyton is hot,” I shrug as though no big deal. “Not very good at, what did you call it earlier? Bumping saddles.”

Richy slams his hands to his ears and his face sours. “I did not need to know that! Just promise to stay away from them, please?”

I shake my head, “not going to happen.”

He groans in annoyance but continues to help me finish up the chores out here.

-

I sit in the hockey arena better prepared this time. I wore my winter coat, hat and gloves. I even bought a hot thermos flask with me.

“So what number is your brother?” The guy beside me asks. He seems nice enough so I accepted when he asked me on a date. I had originally planned on just a nice meal but figured we may as well come and watch my brothers game. Given he had been so determined to get me here before. I will not admit to wanting to lay my eyes on another guy though, that would be weird whilst i am out on a date right?

The music begins and the players spill out onto the ice for warm up. I immediately spot my brother.

I point him out, “number twenty.”

My date nods and tracks my brother around the ice.

My eyes wander though, they land on sixteen instead. Stone skates toward the glass nearest our seats and locks eyes with me. He winks and I stick my tongue out at him before smiling. He turns before kneeling and beginning stretches. I have never thought about the simple act being so… enticing before. My gaze struggles to move away from Ajax Stones ass.

A bang on the glass causes me to jump and my gaze flies toward my brother who had caught me ogling Stone. Again.

My cheeks burn a little but I flash my brother the middle finger.

He bangs the glass another twice in warning but that just makes me smirk now. Oh, I am going to enjoy coming to all of his games this season.

“Can I be honest?” My date asks and I turn to him. “I should probably be sitting in the opponents stands. I don’t really support your brothers team.” He chuckles the words like I am going to laugh along.

Instead I stare at him with contempt as I stand up. “Feel free to go sit that side if you prefer.”

His eyebrows shoot up before he smiles, “oh thanks.” He grabs his drink and starts walking down the aisle. I watch him walk away with disbelief. With a shake of my head I sit back down in my own sit and turn back to the ice.

Stone is on his feet again and his eyes are glued to my face. It is difficult to read the expression on his face but after a second he rights himself. He skates to the glass and gestures for me to come to him. I hesitate a moment before standing again and climbing the two rows of chairs down to the ice. It is still early so not all the arena chairs are filled yet.

“Are you okay?” He asks me through the glass.

“I’m fine,” I shrug just as my brother skates up next to stone.

With a scowl at Stone he turns to me to speak, only Stone cuts him off.

I am not able to hear what is being said exactly, the glass between us is thick and Stone is no longer shouting.

My brothers eyes flare as he turns and tracks my date finding a seat the other side. He finally turns back to me, “go sit in the guest box!” Richy points to the reserved area where each player gets one guest each match to sit. Usually, that box is full of girlfriends or flavour of the week puck bunnies. Not sisters.

I glance over and spot one of the girl Richy is seeing this week, already snuggled in. “You already have a guest,” I shout back to Richy.

Before he can answer me Stone cuts in again, “you can be my guest. Go sit on my guest seat.”

Richy’s jaw ticks with annoyance but he there is not much he can do about it. With a smile of thanks to Stone I work my way through the chairs and into the guest box. This whole section has numbers painted on the chairs, I find number sixteen and sit down.

The girl beside me, currently in Alexander’s guest chair, smiles in greeting. “So are you the new guys girlfriend or something?”

“No,” I smile back at her. “Just a friend.”

I hate to admit that the word tastes so wrong on my tongue.

-

I sit on the edge of my seat as the clock ticks down time. This is their last opportunity to pull ahead, both teams are currently drawn in points.

Richy rams an opposing skater into the boards with a thud and takes the puck. He travels across the ice but soon becomes surrounded. He passes the puck between a players legs and Stone is awaiting the other side. After a fancy back spin around a player, he slaps the puck toward the goal. It flies under the goalies arm and lands in the net.

I find myself jumping out of the seat to stand as I cheer alongside everyone else.