The Hot Hockey Player

Chapter 13 - Madeline🌸

"I wasn't here but I heard their encounter was... explosive ?" Colin chimes in with a grin.

How the encounter between two sweet people can be explosive ? I'm dying to know. "How ?"

"Let's just say we didn't like each other very much at first. But I'm a lawyer and had to deal with him sort of. Remember when I told you everything was against us ?" I nod in agreement, intrigued. "Well, me being a lawyer played a part in that but that's a story for another time." Katia doesn't look sad, but there's a hint of hesitation in her eyes that tells me she isn't ready to dive into that chapter just yet. I give her an understanding smile, and we turn our attention back to Colin, chatting a bit more until he heads off to join the guys for a shower. With a wave, the three of them head out, leaving us back in our trio..

Suddenly, something clicks in my brain. "I have a question, does it mean you're older than John ? Don't answer if you don't want to," I quickly add, feeling a blush creep up my cheeks. "It just occurred to me that maybe you were and, you know, it's totally fine. I'm not judging. Really not." My voice trails off to a murmur, and I feel the heat rise even more. Why do I always ramble when I'm nervous? I mean, it's a fair question... right? I can ask her this ?

She chuckles at my behavior, not at all bothered by my question, "Yes I am. I am 30 and he's 26." Right now, that's a shock.

"Oh God, I thought you were 27 !"

"I'll take that as a compliment" she says laughing.

"And you should !" roars Lily behind us. "God I wish I had you skin at this age".

Second shock. "No way you're above 30 !" I exclaim.

"And yet... I am 31 and yes my husband's younger too but by two years only. What can we say ? We love them younger," she laughs at her own sentence then quickly continues, hushing her hands in front of my face, "I shouldn't say that like that. Please act like you didn't hear anything."

I laugh because she's funny and in her defense, love has no age. Plus, I'm no one to judge. We keep taking a bit waiting for the guys. I'm telling Katia a bit more about the faint on the plane and she tells me how it'd been scary for the boys. But I can feel her stare elsewhere. So I also turn, missing the satisfied smirk on her face, and I meet with someone or rather with a mountain of muscle. Lily and Katia kindly mock me. Because it's Jude's chest I'm now looking at. And oh boy, I'm standing way to close for my hurt to handle. 

"Oh hi" I finally mutter when I regain some consistency.

"Hey. When did you arrive ?" Jude asks me.

"A few minutes ago. I've met the girls" I say, turning to point them. They both wave back and Jude rolls his eyes at their antics. I should too but I'm way to disturbed. He's still holding me and the simple fact that his hands are on my hips is doing something to me and I find myself squeezing my legs together, as much as it's possible anyway considering the fact that we're standing up. 

I'd almost say it doesn't bother him if it wasn't for the freaking smirk plastered on his face. But he act like everything's normal. "You've met the Yin and the Yang. But they are nice."

I have the decency to smile because it's nothing but true. The girls seem very nice, "So it seems."

"I'm sorry training took longer than usual, as it was the first one, coach needed to do a speech".

I completely understand and I tell him just that, "That's okay, I had company and I would have waited for you anyway".

His eyes lit up, and his voice soften a bit, "Really ?"

"Really."

We both seem to be lost in each other's gaze again. It's like we're once again alone in the ice rink. I could look at him all day long and still tell you by the end of the day how deep his eyes are, how they seem to reflect a story I'm eager to hear. Before Colin comes between us, snapping us back to reality and breaking our moment.