Cheap shot

Chase

Although we won, I was still fuming. Will was playing cheap the entire game. I figured he would pull something, but taking cheap hits on me all night wasn't what I was expecting. I was expecting him to give me a reason to hit him. Hard. However when he wasn't taking cheap shots at me with his stick he made it his mission to stay away from me. Then, like the bitch that he is, when he finally got the balls to hit, he charged Miles instead of me. After the whistle. Miles wasn't even digging at the puck. It did make me feel a little better that Willow got a photo of it. I was hoping it turned out.

I rushed to get undressed, knowing Willow was probably waiting out in the cold. She insisted we not be seen together to avoid more problems. They all thought we were sleeping together anyway so I don't know why she avoided being seen with me.

"Dude," Miles laughed, placing his hand on my shoulder." Reid was upstairs before the game and saw Willow tell off some girl, look,". He held his phone out to me and I read through the message.

My jaw dropped the further I read, and I was laughing my ass off by the end of it. "She asked her that? That's awesome. Hey Callum! Check it out. Willow told off your tag along from a couple weeks back. Guess they aren't so friendly now,"

I handed the phone to Callum before getting back to what I was doing. I heard him laughing up a storm a few seconds later "I am so glad I never called her back. Had I have known she was just a puck bunny looking for another player to add to her list I never would have asked for her name. She was disgusting,". He shuddered.

Finally undressed, I closed up my bag and headed for the door. "Hey! I want that photo!" Miles yelled. I laughed and continued out. Walking through the lobby, I caught Will out of the corner of my eye chatting up a girl hanging off his arm. I looked over to see it was Robin. Huh. Willow was right.

"A little sore, Andrews?"

I stopped, facing her with my brows raised. "From bitch hits like that? Never. If your boyfriend there could actually grow a pair and throw a real check then maybe. Until then I'll just keep showing him how it's done," I half smiled and continued walking

She let out a fake laugh, sneering. "As if you could-"

"Fuck off leftovers,". I called over my shoulder. There was a chorus of laughter that I ignored as I let the door shut behind me. Quickly, I went to the truck, loosening my tie on the way. I spotted Willow leaning against my tailgate. I grinned mischievously, hitting the panic button on my keys. She screamed as the horn sounded, making me laugh.

"You asshole!" she whisper yelled, punching me in the arm.

"Couldn't resist,". I said, throwing my bag in the box before tossing an arm around her shoulders. "Did you get my goodside?"

She laughed, her face going a light pink. "I think they're all good sides. I'll send them to you as soon as we get in the truck I can hook it up to my laptop,"

"Orrrr. You can come hang out at my place and do it there," I let her go and went around to the drivers door. She hopped in right after, not answering. "Or I can just get them later, whatever you're comfortable with. A few of the guys are going to come over after they get cleaned up if you want to meet them and hang out. If not that's okay,"

"Okay,"

"Okay go home or okay go to my home?" I asked turning the key.

"Okay go to your home," She smiled

"Okay,"

After we got inside, I tossed my keys on the kitchen island and lead Willow upstairs so she could use my desk. I opened the door and she looked around the room. I kept things pretty clean so I wasn't worried about having her in there. I walked over to the desk, shifting my lap top from its place to make room for hers.

"Alright, You do your thing and I'm going to go grab a shower in the meantime,".

"Okay, " she smiled up at me, now sitting in my computer chair. It was technically a 'gaming chair' but I didn't game, it just happened to be more comfortable.

I jumped in the shower, trying not to think about her. The night we met, I had wanted to take her home initially, but once I found out who she was, and seeing the hurt on her face, I'd wanted to back off. Leave her alone. But I couldn't. A week later when I saw her again, I couldn't resist coming over to say hi. She looked so different, bot hunched in on herself, trying to shrink back from attention. For the second time, I saw eyes on her everywhere. Except the second time I couldn't take my eyes off hers. And the way she felt against me while we danced was amazing. I had to force myself to keep my hands off of her ass, though I knew she probably would have let me do it. I didn't want her to think that I was planning on taking her home. I was having a good time, and I didn't want her to stop.

But then she tipped over the edge. She couldn't be there anymore, she couldn't go home alone, and I couldn't take her back to my place. I didn't want her to think we did anything. Then she stripped in front of me. I tried to be a gentleman but it was so hard. The dress was gorgeous on her, but it was nothing compared to the skin underneath. I was actually ashamed of myself when I got off to the thought of it later. I wanted her, but not just once, so I'd settle for being friends, even if that's all she wanted.

I rushed through, slinging a towel around my waist. I cursed, realizing I forgot to grab clothes. A towel was better than nothing. I made my way back to my room where Willow was now reviewing the photos she took.

"Oh hey, do you want to see- oh my god," She'd turned around and was now looking at me, her face an adorable shade of red. I couldn't ignore the spike in my heart rate seeing the way she looked at me, the same way I couldn't ignore her eyes dropping and tracing down my body.

"Like what you see?" I asked smugly.

"I-uh" she turned back to her laptop "Where are your clothes?" She was so cute, even her ears were red.

"Forgot 'em,". I said, opening my dresser. I found a pair of track pants and boxers, and threw them on. After the way she looked at me I felt like going shirtless. I came around behind her, smiling at her still pink ears when I leaned in beside her.

"These are really good,". I had planned to tell her that even if they weren't but they were fantastic shots

"Thank you," she smiled.

"Here," I said, lifting her laptop. "Lets sit on the bed so we can look through them,". I slid up the mattress until my back rested against the headboard and patted the bed beside me. "I don't bite. Well unless you want me to,".

She rolled her eyes, coming up to sit beside me, taking the laptop. She closed the tab and went back to the beginning of the album so we could start from the beginning.

"Miles is going to love that one," I said when we got to it. It was taken from behind, but he was bent at just the right angle that you could see his stick perfectly angled on the follow through, and could make out the puck hitting the net just over his shoulder.

"Yeah? I don't know if I want to clean it up or do that and make it black and white. I think black and white,".

"You're the artist ma'am," I replied.

"Ew don't call me that,".

"Okay babe,"

She snorted and rolled her eyes, flipping to the next photo. Finally we got to the one I'd been waiting for and it nearly had me in tears. She managed to take the photo a millisecond after miles made contact, Will's shoulders jerked back at an awkward angle with his feet off the ground. You could even make out the panic in Will's eyes in the exact moment he realized he screwed up. Comparing that to the murderous look miles was wearing it was comical.

"Yes! That's the one! Best picture I've ever seen,". I was howling. It turned out even better than I expected. She giggled herself and it was the best sound I've ever heard.

"What's going on in here?"

Willow jumped beside me and I grinned at miles "Dude, you've got to see this,"

He came over to the bed and leaned down beside Willow to look at the screen. "No fucking way! That's amazing! Look at his face,". He started howling with laughter. "You HAVE to send me that! Hear, give me your phone, you can text it to me,".

She handed her phone over and I felt pang of jealousy. That's all I had to do to get her number? She never offered it, I had just showed up at her place tonight hoping she had decided to come.

"Of course,". She smiled at him

"Slide over, I want to see,".

Willow shifted over, putting herself halfway into my lap, but I was not moving. "No way dude, keep your sweaty ass of my bed. You smell like hockey equipment,".

He groaned." Fine, but I want to see them later!"

I laughed at he got back to his feet and left the room. There was no way I was letting him get in this bed smelling like that. I sleep here. Noticing Willow still half way on my lap, I froze. I wanted to pull her and her computer into my lap. I set my hands on her hips and noticed the way she froze so I decided to shift her back to her spot. Her ears went red again. I was beginning to really like seeing it. That felt like a weird thought.

However, she did smile up at me, and shifted closer so our legs were touching. I put my arm around her for the second time tonight, but this time she didn't shrug me off. We continued clicking though the photos.

"Hey! You got my goal too. Nice job Willow," I smiled at her and she grinned back up ay me. Downstairs the front door banged open "It's drinking time boys!"

" Ah here we go. We should probably get down there,"

"Yeah, just let me get some of these on my phone to send to Miles,".

"Speaking of which,". I reached over, grabbing her phone " you have Miles number and not mine? Some best friend you are,". I joked.

I typed my number in quickly then handed it back to her so she could put the photos in it. It only took a minute or two before we were headed downstairs with the laptop in hand. I was sure the guys would want to see the pictures from tonight. If they didn't, I would make them anyway. And be happy about it.

"Hey Andrews!" I set the laptop down on the grey marble island, clasping Owen, our goalie's hand. "What's that for?" he asked gesturing to the computer

"Willow got some great shots tonight," I grinned proudly, stepping aside and putting my hand on her back to push her forward. " Willow, this is Owen,".

"So you were the girl in the corner. I thought you were stalking me,". He reached out and shook her hand, grinning

"Maybe you're just the most photogenic," She flushed and Owen laughed.

I introduced willow to about half the team tonight starting with Miles and reintroducing her to Callum, my room mates and long-term best friends. After introductions, the guys took turns huddling behind the laptop, checking out her work while we all piled into the living room. We lounged on the huge sectional with a few others while a couple guys took advantage of the pool table in the dining room, It was technically for dining but we used it as a second living room.

I draped my arm around willow again, taking advantage of her lack of refusal today.

"So," I started, swishing around the beer left in the bottle. " Are you going home tonight? Or do you want to stay here?"

"Um, what do you want to do?"

I smiled "Don't answer my question with a question. If you want to go home, I will take you home. If not, you can spend the night here. Again, no defiling. Unless you want to defile me, then that's okay. Kidding," I said grabbing her arm before she could hit me. " I won't touch you, I promise. Friends remember?"

She smiled softly, a light blush on her cheeks. "I'll stay,"

I tried to hide how happy I was to hear that. "Can I get you a drink then?"

We had dryland training the next day, so most of us capped it at two or three drinks, just enough for a small celebratory hang out. Willow only had three, maybe four. She kept pretty quiet, just hanging out with me for the night. I introduced her to Reid, Mile's sister briefly, who congratulated her on her comments to Robin. By the end of the night, Willow had a nice buzz going, and was curled up against me on the couch with her head on my shoulder.

"Tired?" I asked, pressing my nose into her hair. She smelled like some kind of fruit. Sweet and lovely.

" Yeah, a little,". She said sheepishly

"Thank God. Me too," I heaved myself off the couch, pulling her up with me. Once we were upstairs, she stopped to use the bathroom across the hall before coming back to my room. I had just pulled a clean shirt out of my closet when she walked in.

" I don't have any pants that will fit you, but I can give you a shirt. I tossed the wadded black material to her and she turned it over, snorting.

" Really? You just had to give me a wolves shirt?" She joked

" Well, honestly I was going to give you this one,". I said holding up a maroon t-shirt that barely fit me anymore "But it's a little shorter than than one. You can still wear it if you want to,"

" Nope, I'm okay. Wolves is fine,"

I smiled at her, then turned away to let her change, only turning back when I heard her flip the blankets back. I turned back to join her, crawling in on the opposite side, laying flat on my back, one arm behind my head. I looked over at her facing away from me, reaching out and tugging a piece of her hair between my fingers.

"I have to get up early tomorrow, but you can stay here while I'm gone. I have dryland training at six, so I should be back here by nine thirty,".

"Okay,". She said, turning around to face me.

We were quiet for a few minutes before she spoke again.

"Chase?"

"Yeah?" I turned on my side so I was facing her.

"Why do you want to hang out with me?"

The question kind of surprised me. "Because I like being around you. You're funny, and talented, you're easy to talk to,". She was quiet again, thinking. I reached out and tugged on the end of her hair again. "What's wrong with that?"

"You're not just pretending to be interested just to piss off Will or Wyatt?"

"No. For the last time. That isn't even one of the reasons I like spending time with you," And I wasn't lying. I was perfectly content to just be friends with her right now. She was different than the other girls I've been with. I didn't want her for a night only, and I want to be around her sober. She was refreshing. "Why?"

She shrugged "I don't know, I'm just not the kind of girl you usually hang out with. . . and the night you took me home, they both texted me to tell me that I'm not worth anything but sex to someone like you," She mumbled the last words, but it didn't soften the blow. I reached out putting my hand on her waist.

"Willow. They don't know anything about me for one, or you for that matter. You're too smart for that. Your brother hates me, so he doesn't want to see you with me. Will? The guy is just a dick who's pissed off he got caught cheating. You're too good for him. I don't plan on using you. I like being with you. However you want,"

Her eyes met mine. "Promise?"

"I promise," I said rolling my eyes. "Now come here you weirdo," I reached over, pulling her close then turning on my back. She hesitated for a beat before gently laying her head on my chest, and slinging her arm over my waist.

Apparently I have a lot of work to do.