Redtails
Hockey goaltender Shane Conrad had been having a great year…until recently. His
slump couldn’t happen at a worse time. He needs to get his head in the game,
not find a woman to screw with it. Until he meets Bliss Vescovi. She’s the
perfect distraction—hot as hell in bed and smart enough out of it to realize their
affair will end with the season.
Bliss
isn’t looking for a commitment, especially not from an intense, driven man used
to control. Her ex’s need for control had nearly made her his emotional slave
and she’s sworn she’ll never give another man that kind of hold over her again.
But a one-night stand with a hot hockey player who won’t be around forever? Totally
doable.
Until
Shane’s off-beat humor and killer smile get around the guard on her heart. And
Bliss’s open warmth makes him believe the game might not be everything there is
in life.
When
Shane gets called up to the NHL, Bliss believes she’s found the perfect excuse
to break up and avoid heartbreak later. But Shane’s nickname isn’t Brick Wall
for nothing. He won’t go down without a fight because he knows, no matter where
he is, Bliss belongs at his side.
Release Date: May 9, 2016
Redtails Hockey Book #1
Moonlit Night Publishing
Buy Links:
Amazon http://bit.ly/BrickWallAMZ
Excerpt:
Chapter One
“Son-of-a-mother-fucking
bitch.”
Walking
into the empty locker room of the Reading Civic Arena, Shane Conrad tossed his
helmet, even more when it smashed into the wall. Something cracked, either the
wall or his goalie helmet and he didn’t much care either way.
One
more nick in the cinderblock meant shit. One more ding in his helmet… Well, his
game was fucked at the moment and he probably wouldn’t need the goddamn helmet
much longer anyway.
Not
the way he was playing.
“Fuck.”
The
rest of the team was still on the ice, though they’d be making their way back
here in a few minutes. This was their last practice before their last game
before the three-day Christmas holiday.
And
it looked like Shane would be riding the bench tonight.
Which
made him feel like he was back in high school—the fat, awkward kid at the
school dance, sitting alone on the bleachers while his friends danced with the
hot chicks. The ones who only gave him the time of day because he had a wicked
sense of humor and he’d led his high school hockey team to three straight
victories.
Throwing
himself onto the bench, he ripped open the laces on his skates then threw them
on the ground for good measure.
Fucking hell, this sucked. Get your damn head
out of your ass.
Good
advice. Wished he knew how to do it.
Frustration
burning through him like lit gasoline, he started stripping off the rest of his
gear, careful not to rip his practice jersey and shorts. Didn’t give a shit
about the rest. He shoved his pads into his locker out of habit before he
grabbed a towel and stalked naked to the showers.
He
stood there for at least five minutes, let the scalding hot water pour over his
head and back, trying to get the frustration and the anger to roll away with
it.
So
far, not working.
And
didn’t that just make him want to suck down a gallon of Jack Daniels?
“Shane.”
He
stiffened as his teammate Cary Lenville’s voice penetrated the fog in his head.
He considered ignoring him but no one ignored Cary.
The
assistant captain and player coach of the Reading Redtails Hockey Club, Cary
was the glue that held the team together. At thirty-six, he was the oldest
player with the most experience. And, even if he wasn’t the most skilled
player, he was the guy everyone went to when they had problems. Cary always had
an answer, didn’t matter what the question was. And even if it wasn’t the
completely right answer, it was better than anything you’d come up with on your
own.
But
Shane knew Cary couldn’t help with this problem. Not when Shane was pretty damn
sure it was all in his messed-up head.
Shutting
off the water, he grabbed his towel. “What’s up?”
He
didn’t meet Cary’s gaze and he tried to keep the edge out of his tone but
couldn’t manage it. Not when frustrated embarrassment threatened to choke him.
Goddammit,
he was supposed to be the team’s number one goalie. They’d nicknamed him the
Brick Wall, for fuck’s sake. So why the fuck wasn’t he playing like it?
The
guys were depending on him to help them get to the Calder Cup championships
this year. They’d been playing well enough to consider it a real possibility.
But
Shane had to pull his head out of his ass…like, now.
“Coach
said you’re not going home for the break.”
Huh?
He
turned to give Cary a look before heading back to his locker. Luckily, no one
else was off the ice yet so he had time to pull himself together.
“Yeah,
that’s right.”
He
didn’t add that he couldn’t bear to go home to Minnesota, where his mom would
fuss over him like he was still in high school and his pop would lecture him
like he was still his coach.
He
loved his parents but if he had to deal with them for an extended period of
time, it would totally fuck with his head.
And
that just made him feel worse.
Could
he be any more screwed up? If he
continued like this, Coach would trade his ass to Alaska or send him down to
the ECHL.
“Then
what’re you doing tomorrow night?” Cary asked.
Shane
snorted with disgust and shook his head. “Besides drinking myself into a coma?
Not one goddamn thing. Why?”
“Come
to my place. Lori and I are having some people over.”
Shane
automatically shook his head. “Nah, man. I don’t think I’d be good company.
Thanks anyway.”
Cary
went silent but he didn’t move. And that was never a good thing. The
six-foot-two, two-hundred-plus defenseman not only was built like a brick shithouse
but was pretty much as immoveable as one.
As
the silence stretched on, Shane sighed and turned, forcing himself to look
directly into Cary’s eyes.
“What?”
Cary
had crossed his arms over his chest, emphasizing just how broad the fucker
really was. “You’re strung tighter than a drum and you need to decompress or
you’re gonna explode. And that won’t be good for you or the team. Won’t be
anybody there you know and we won’t talk hockey all night, unless Lori goes on
a bender. Besides, I could use the backup.” He grimaced. “Lori’s always
collecting new people. I swear I won’t know half the people there. And her
cousins are crazy.”
Hearing
Cary talk about the love of his life coaxed a smirk out of Shane. The guy was
married to an abso-fucking-lutely gorgeous woman who seemed to think Cary hung
the moon and stars. Cary apparently thought the same of her.
It’d
be sickening if they weren’t so perfect for each other.
But…
Christ. Cary wanted him to spend a
few hours making small talk with a bunch of people he didn’t know? He opened
his mouth to say no again but Cary just stared at him.
Shit.
Shane’s resolve crumbled.
With
a sigh, he began to pull on his clothes. “How crazy?”
Cary’s
shit-eating grin made Shane want to smile back but he squashed the impulse.
Didn’t want to give the guy the impression he’d won. Even if he had.
“Let’s
just say they have some holiday traditions that’d put the Addams family to
shame.”
Shane
tried not to sigh but couldn’t help it. “As long as there’s alcohol, I guess
you can count me in.”
Cary
nodded, his grin disappearing. “You find it helps?”
Shane
didn’t bother to misunderstand him and shook his head. “Not really. And no, I
don’t have a problem. At least, not with alcohol.”
Cary
took him at his word. Another thing that made every single one of the guys
worship him like he was the goddamn King of Hockey.
“Good
to hear it. And yeah, I know you’ve been having a few bad weeks. It happens.
The break’ll be good for you, even if it’s only for a few days. Get your head
on straight. If you want, we can do some drills tomorrow, just the two of us.”
And
this was why Cary was the rumored
front runner as the next Redtails Coach. The gossip mill outside the locker
room had been working overtime lately. Their current coach, according to the
gossip, had a lock on an NHL job. Everyone expected Cary to step into the
vacated position.
The
players loved him. The front office
loved him. The fans thought he walked on water.
Shane
found himself nodding. “Yeah. That’d be… That’d be helpful.” He hoped.
Cary
grinned then punched him on the shoulder and practically knocked Shane off the
bench. The guy had cement fucking bones.
“Good.
And come to the party. You’ll have a good time.”
* * * * *
“So
I told him, he needed to pick one pattern or the other. Honestly, how hard is
it? I mean, it’s not like I’m the only one getting married. It’s his wedding,
too. Shouldn’t he at least be a little interested in the china we’re going to
be using for the rest of our lives?”
Bliss
Vescovi sat on a loveseat in a corner of Lori Lenville’s comfortable living
room, sipping champagne and nodding sympathetically at the two women sitting
across from her on the couch.
They
seemed like nice women and, when they’d discovered Bliss worked at the With
This Ring Bridals boutique… Well, you would’ve thought they’d found a long-lost
soulmate.
At
any other time, Bliss would’ve been thrilled to talk weddings. She actually
enjoyed them, even when she had to handle the occasional bridezillas,
momzillas, bitchy sisters-in-law-to-be, drunken sorority-sister bridesmaids and
snotty three-year-old flower girls.
She
knew how to deal with them all. Her Aunt Rosie, who also happened to be her
boss, called her a godsend.
Bliss
loved her aunt and would be forever grateful to her dad’s sister for giving her
a career.
And
even after her own wedding had fallen apart two years ago, she still got teary
when she helped a bride-to-be find that perfect dress for her walk down the
aisle to the man she’d decided to spend her life with.
But
now, Bliss had no time for a life partner. What she really wanted was a night
partner. Preferably just for one night and, oh please, could he be good in
sack?
Hell,
she wouldn’t even wish for great. Just good enough with his hands to get her
off at least once.
No such luck lately.
And
it didn’t look like tonight would be any better. Not one of the guys here
tonight made her want to go to the trouble of giving up a few hours of sleep.
Jeez, what’s wrong with you? You’re only
twenty-seven, not ancient.
But
between working with her aunt, whose business was steadily growing, and the
fact that her friends were either married or hooked up with Mr. Right Now…
Well, she didn’t get out much.
And
when she did…she had to wonder if there were any decent guys left in the world.
Most were dicks with attitude problems or nerdy man-children who lived in their
parents’ basements, played video games until three in the morning and spent
their weekends drinking with their buddies who were lucky or mature enough to
have an apartment.
And…
Oh my god. Was she really this much
of bitch? No wonder she couldn’t find anyone to screw. Honestly, she wouldn’t
want her either.
“Lori’s
been amazing. She helped us smooth
over the problem with the zoning and made sure we had all the right permits.
She’d been our guardian angel…”
Bliss
nodded, completely in agreement with her new friends on this one item.
She’d
met Lori at a local Chamber of Commerce mixer. Aunt Josie hadn’t been able to
attend but she’d begged Bliss to go in her place. She couldn’t even remember
why her aunt had sent her. She only knew she hadn’t wanted to go. But then
she’d met Lori and they’d bonded over a few drinks and mutual admiration for
hockey.
Lori’s
husband played for the local professional hockey team and, though Bliss had
only been to a few games, she’d gained an appreciation of the sport from her
dad. It’d been the one thing the two of them enjoyed watching together. If it
hadn’t been for hockey, she and her great, hulking bear of a father might never
have held a conversation that didn’t begin and end with “How was school?”
Her
dad tried but she’d always been a girly girl and that had been her mom’s
domain.
“So
I told him if he didn’t at least attempt to get along with my cousin, we might
as well call off the wedding. I mean, my family is so important to me and…”
Yep,
she totally got that. Family was important. She’d seen more than one wedding
disintegrate into factions more fierce than anything in the Hunger Games during
the planning stages.
And
anyone who said words would never hurt you had never dealt with a Bridezilla
whose mother-in-law dared to have an opinion on what color napkin should be
used at the cake table.
Bliss
swallowed a sigh.
What the hell are you doing here anyway?
She
should be mingling, flirting, having a good time. It wasn’t like there weren’t
any good-looking guys here tonight. A few of them had even made eye contact and
two had tried to start conversations.
Until
five minutes later and she realized they only wanted to talk about what they
did and how much that should impress her. Sure, they had decent jobs and wore
decent clothes and were attractive but—
What’s wrong with you?
“And
who tells your mother her mother-of-the-bride dress makes her look fat? You
know what I mean? I just wanted to punch…”
Yep,
Bliss knew exactly how the bride-to-be felt. She wanted to punch someone, too.
Except
Bliss didn’t do physical violence. She was no tough cookie. More like a cupcake
with fluffy frosting. And who didn’t love cupcakes, right?
Sighing
again, she took another sip of her drink and tried to wipe the pissy look off
of her face.
She
knew she was no great beauty but she certainly didn’t look like an ogre. Sure,
her nose was a little too big and her body a little too curvy. But she still
managed to attract guys who liked big tits and a decent ass. She knew that
because most guys she talked to couldn’t stop checking out either one long
enough to hold a rational conversation.
Then
again, she hadn’t exactly allowed any guys close enough to get to know her
better. A vicious cycle, one she didn’t know how to break.
So,
here she sat. Smiling and nodding through a conversation with two women she
barely knew.
This
had been a mistake. She should just take her pitiful self home and—
The
front door opened, catching her attention simply because it was directly in her
line of sight.
But
then he walked through.
And
she actually felt her mouth drop open. Like, literally, her jaw dropped. Then
her lips parted and she sucked in a sharp breath that she immediately tried to
cover with a slight cough.
She
assured her new friends, who interrupted their conversation about guest lists
to make sure she wasn’t choking, that she was fine and managed to come up with
a question to get them back on their conversational track.
So
she could go back to checking out the newcomer.
The
really big newcomer.
And
she didn’t mean fat. She meant built.
Big as in broad. Wide. He looked like a—
Hockey player.
Like
Lori’s husband, Cary, who greeted the newcomer with a big smile and a firm
handshake as he pulled him farther into the house.
Cary
led the new guy right into the great room, where she sat against the far wall,
and walked him straight to the bar.
Bliss
tried not to stare. Really, she did. But how could she not when this guy ticked off every box on her Yummy Meter,
including a few she hadn’t know she had.
Like
his dark, wavy hair. Everyone in her huge Italian family had dark hair so every
boyfriend she’d ever had had been blond, pretty and clean cut, like he’d just
walked off a magazine shoot, including her ex-fiancé.
This
guy looked like he hadn’t had his hair cut in months or seen a razor in days,
if the dark stubble on his strong, square jaw was anything to go by. He looked
scruffy but not like he was trying to be trendy.
Now,
the bright blue eyes… Yeah, she absolutely had a thing for those. And his were
a perfect ocean blue she could see from across the room. Combined with that
nose that looked as if it’d been broken a few times…
Damn.
Her mouth watered.
And
when her gaze slipped south… Hell, she was pretty sure her thighs just clenched.
The
guy had to be at least a few inches over six feet, which means he’d tower over
her. And his clothes couldn’t hide the fact that he had muscles in places all
men should have muscles. Like in their thighs. And their abs. And their arms—
When
he took off his coat to let Cary hang it in the closet, she had to swallow
because… Oh my god. The man’s arms bulged beneath his blue dress shirt.
In
black dress pants and that blue shirt, he looked good enough to eat.
And wouldn’t you love to get your mouth on
him?
Yes,
please. Anywhere he had skin.
And
when he turned to walk with Brandon to the makeshift bar on the other side of
the room, she thought she might have actually squeaked at the wonder of his
ass.
Ho-lee shit.
“Bliss,
are you okay?”
Blinking,
she turned her attention back to the two women, now staring at her with
identical expressions of knowing amusement.
Damn.
Had she been that obvious?
She
forced a smile. “Yes, I’m fine. Sorry, I, uh…”
“Got
a glimpse of Shane Conrad.” The bride-to-be, whose name was Chrissy, smiled
with commiseration. “He certainly is nice-looking. Kind of shy, though. Lori’s
tried to set him up with a few girls before but nothing’s stuck. He’s
apparently a really nice guy but doesn’t talk much. Or he doesn’t like girls.”
Chrissy shrugged. “No one’s been able to figure out which yet. Would you like
to meet him? I’m sure Lori would be thrilled to introduce you. He’s kind of
become her pet project.”
Is
that why Lori had invited Bliss tonight? To introduce her to Shane? Not that
that would be a bad thing but…
But what?
“I
think I need a drink. Anyone need another?”
Both
Chrissy and her friend shook their heads, their grins widening.
Bliss
didn’t care. For the first time in
months, she wanted to jump a guy’s bones. She’d be damned if she didn’t follow
up on it.
And
maybe later, she’d get to strip off his pants and shirt and rub against his
naked body like a cat in heat.
Just
as long as she didn’t stick her foot in her mouth first.
