Miles Dempsey
"Ah, fuckkkk. That feels so fucking good."
I blink open my heavy eyes, adjusting to the fluorescent lights of the locker room. My gaze drifts lazily to my teammate, Jason Tayler—JT to the boys who's sprawled out in the adjacent metal tub. His arms hang over the rim, body submerged in the ice-cold water, colder than a polar bear's ass in Antarctica. I can't feel any of my limbs at this point, and I'm half convinced I've frozen into this tub permanently. My eyes find the small stopwatch perched atop a white bucket beside me.
1:37 left to go.
"Hey, you coming out with us tonight?" JT asks, his voice breaking through my thoughts. He winces, dragging his bottom lip between his teeth as he shifts slightly, the icy water no doubt biting into his skin.
"Can't," I reply, my fingers tapping rhythmically against the outside of the tub, the condensation making them slip occasionally.
"Why not?" JT frowns, a pout forming on his lips. "If you're not going, then I can't go either." His frown deepens dramatically, and I can't help but roll my eyes.
"You're going. I need the house tonight," I tell him, barely suppressing a smirk as realization dawns on his face. A goofy grin tugs at his lips.
"Oooooh, you're having Allie over, eh?" He wiggles his eyebrows, clearly enjoying himself a little too much.
JT's been my roommate for about four months now, ever since the Kings drafted him from his pro team in Vancouver. He didn't have anywhere to stay in LA, so I offered to house the eighteen-year-old for as long as he needed. Our captain, Drew Anderson, did the same for me six years ago when I first moved down to the States, so I figured it was my turn to pay it forward. Plus, the kid's got potential. And, well, he's a fanboy. His words, not mine.
Not that I mind having him around. We get along great, and it's kind of nice having a roommate again, something I haven't had since college. The only downside is when I want to have a girl over like tonight. I would've gone out with the guys if Allie hadn't been so adamant about seeing me, and since the kid's going to be out anyway, I figured why not?
"I'll have Tate pick you up," I say, cutting off any further discussion. JT doesn't have a car yet, and as much as I like the kid, there's no way in hell I'm letting him drive any of mine.
The timer beeps, and I lean over to switch it off. Rising from the tub, I shiver as the cold air hits my red, ice-numbed skin. JT watches me, curiosity in his eyes.
"Tate won't mind?" JT asks, still shivering in the tub.
I shake my head, wrapping a towel around my waist. "Nah, you'll just third wheel a bit. But you're good at that, right?" I grin.
JT groans, though I'm not sure if it's from the water or my comment. "They won't be all lovey-dovey all night, right?"
I laugh. "You'll be with the other guys at the bar. I'm sure you'll lose Tate and Kaitlyn eventually." Tate's my best friend, a guy I've known since our Harvard days. We both got drafted by the Kings after only a year in college. Never thought he'd settle down before me, but every time I see how smitten he is with Kaitlyn, I want to slap him.
Kaitlyn's always been Tate's girl, even before she actually became his girlfriend a few months ago. It's a complicated one.
"Hopefully. I can't stand people being in love. Bleh." JT fakes a gag, and I smile.
"Once you fall in love, you won't be talking that smack, kid," I say, pretending I know what the hell I'm talking about. I've never been in love.
JT pulls a face. "That'll never happen. I've never met a girl I'm genuinely interested in." He looks serious, and I have to bite back a laugh.
"You might have to start considering another option then," I joke, grabbing my junk over my towel.
JT's eyes widen in horror. "Fuck no! I'm not gay! I worded that wrong," he protests, his face turning an alarming shade of red.
I burst out laughing, shaking my head. "Relax, kid, I'm just messing with you. We all know you like the ladies you're just not very good with them yet."
His shoulders slump in defeat. "These girls just want one thing, so I give it to them, and then they scurry. I'm fine with that. I'm too busy for a relationship anyway."
I chuckle, grabbing my stuff. "Focus on school and hockey, JT. Women are complicated. Trust me."
JT shoots me a skeptical look, but I know he'll take my advice. "I'll catch you later. I'll let Tate know about tonight," I say, giving him a thumbs-up before heading to the locker room to change.
As I pull on comfortable clothes, my phone buzzes in my locker. I grab it, smiling at the message from Allie.
Allie:don't ditch me, asshole.
Miles:I wouldn't dream of it, gorgeous.
Allie:that's what i thought.
I chuckle low, pocketing my phone. No strings attached relationships are a blessing, especially with a girl like Allie. She gets me, and I get her. We both know what we want, and we've never pushed for anything more. It's rare to find someone on the same wavelength these days, so I consider myself lucky. Plus, she's my type to a T—curvy, brunette, and those dark eyes? Unreal.
I gather my things and head over to Tate's locker. He's sitting inside it, only wearing black boxers as he types away on his phone. "Hey, man," I say, getting his attention.
"Yeah?" He glances up briefly before going back to his phone.
"Can you pick up JT tonight? He needs a ride to Dez's."
Tate furrows his brows, looking up again. "You can't take him?"
"I'm skipping. Allie's coming over," I admit, not bothering to lie. He grins slightly, slapping my leg.
"Yeah, okay. I got the kid," he says, before returning to his phone.
"See you tomorrow," I say, saying my goodbyes to the rest of the guys before heading out of the facility.
It's not even four in the afternoon, but I'm already exhausted. I've been up since 4:30 AM, and the thought of a nap is incredibly tempting. But I know I'll have to pick up the house a bit before Allie comes over, so sleep will have to wait.
JT gets home about an hour after I do, having stayed back for a meeting with Coach Thomas and the other rookies. He crashes on the couch while I clean up, and I can't help but feel like his dad sometimes, even though I'm only six years older. He's not a bad roommate, though could be a lot messier, thank God he's not.
The doorbell rings around eight, and JT answers it since he's closer. "Hi, Jason," Allie's voice greets him.
I roll my eyes as I step into the large open-plan living room. JT's cheeks flush pink, and he stutters, "Come in, Allie."
Her dark brown eyes linger on him for a moment before she spots me, and her smile drops instantly. You'd think she hated me with that look.
She looks me up and down, making a face. "You're wearing that?" Her tone is pure disdain.
I glance down at my gray sweats and vintage t-shirt, confused. "The fuck is wrong with it?" I ask, genuinely perplexed.
Allie raises an eyebrow, taking in her reflection in the hallway mirror. She's dressed to the nines—hair pinned up, makeup flawless, a brown two-piece that hugs her curves, and matching heels that clack against the floor.
Suddenly, JT's phone rings, breaking the awkward silence. "Oh, that's me. See you guys later," he mumbles, slipping out the door without answering the call.
Allie turns back to me, her expression unimpressed. "We're going out?" I ask, half-expecting her to laugh it off as a joke.
"No shit, Sherlock. I'm not staying in again. Your bed will still be there when we get back," she says, crossing her arms.
I groan internally. I wasn't planning on going out tonight. In fact, I was trying to avoid it. Every time we go out together, rumors start flying, and the last thing I need is more gossip about my love life. But Allie's not giving me a choice.
"Give me a minute," I mutter, heading upstairs to change.
I can't fucking believe I'm doing this. Taking Allie out will only fuel the rumors that she's my girlfriend when she's not. It's not the first time we've gone out together, but this is the first time it'll be just the two of us. I'll have to keep a low profile tonight, avoid any cameras, and pray no one recognizes us.