Big League: MMF Romance Read online

Reid had rolled onto his back. His cock was like an iron bar, standing straight up against his stomach. Miles had barely sucked it into his mouth before Reid exploded, his hands tight in Miles’ hair.

  Chapter 4

  The moment Miles walked into the sports bar, at least half the people in there cheered.

  “Happy birthday, man!” His teammates surrounded him, slapping him on the back. Someone pressed a full glass of beer into his hand as the crowd swept him along to the big table they had, right up beside the bar.

  Right away, Miles was more than happy to be there, surrounded by all of his friends. He didn’t know why he’d been dreading it. He always liked celebrating his birthday.

  Hell, he liked celebrating any occasion. He couldn’t figure out why he hadn’t been in the mood for much of anything lately. Nothing he did could lift the weird, anxious feeling he’d had more often than not these days. At least now he felt a lot better.

  Denis handed him a shot. “Hey, everyone shut up.” They quietened down and he continued.

  “Alright. As we all know, we’re here to celebrate Miles becoming an old man.” Miles lifted his eyebrow, but he grinned at the same time. “Happy birthday, Miles. May you still be able to play a good game and not have to use a walker for at least another year.”

  Everyone laughed. Miles didn’t normally have a thing about getting older. He was only twenty-six, for god’s sakes. But now what Denis was saying was making him think. Time was passing.

  “Seriously.” Denis raised his glass, and everyone else did the same. “To the best captain the Stormers have ever had, and one hell of a hockey player. You do what you do better than anyone else. Cheers to Miles!”

  Miles downed his shot along with everyone else. He hadn’t even set the empty glass down before Denis was handing him another one.

  “Drink up, man. It’s your night!”

  Miles had gone through four more toasts, one right after the other, by the time he took a moment to look around and take in who was there. Seemed like the entire team had shown up. It was shaping up to be a great night. This is one of his favorite sports bars, and he knew nearly everyone there.

  “Miles!”

  Adding his empty shot glass to the growing collection in front of him, Miles turned around to find himself face to face with Blake.

  Blake gave him a quick bro hug, wishing him a happy birthday. They had barely broken apart when someone else was in his arms, squeezing him tight.

  “Happy Birthday!” It was Lora, her smile wide.

  Miles gave her a hug and a grin back, but it froze on his face when he saw who else was there. Scott. Of course.

  The happy threesome.

  He tried to keep the smile pasted on his face as Scott shook his hand, joining the others with birthday wishes.

  Blake ordered another round of shots. Miles couldn’t take his eyes of the three of them. Now that he knew, he could see it plainly. It was easy to tell they were all together. The way they looked at each other. Their ease. The way they touched each other quickly, discretely.

  Blake didn’t want anyone else on the team to know. Miles got that. But he couldn’t help the flare of jealousy now, when he saw how they were with each other. Of all people, Blake was one of the last ones he’d ever expected to get into something like this. Blake was nothing if not a conventional guy, just a regular hockey player. The kind Miles had spent most of his life around.

  Not one to have a secret like that.

  Like Miles did.

  Was he really jealous of Blake? How was that possible? Miles was never jealous of anyone. He had no reason to be.

  Did he?

  He did miss it, sometimes. Being in a relationship. It had been awhile for him. In fact, he hadn’t been involved with anyone since…

  He stamped down that train of thought as fast as he could. Not for awhile. He had to admit, he was getting tired of the one night stands. But the chances of him finding what he really wanted were pretty much none. Not that he was even sure exactly what he really wanted.

  But hearing from Blake about what his relationship truly was about had stirred up some unwanted thoughts for Miles. Some very unexpected thoughts. To be honest, Miles hadn’t quite believed that what Blake had told him was real. Not until now, when the evidence of it was right in his face.

  The way they were together, all three of them…maybe that kind of thing really was possible. Three people in a relationship? It didn’t seem likely.

  But there they were.

  Not that it mattered. It had nothing to do with him.

  Miles scowled as he pounded back the shot Blake gave him amid even more birthday wishes. He slammed the glass down on the counter much harder than he meant to. He wasn’t a big drinker, never up for more than a couple of beers after a game. The alcohol was going right to his head.

  Good.

  Someone took hold of his arm as he was ordering himself a beer.

  “Miles. I want you to meet my friend Claire.” Lora had to raise her voice to be heard over the growing noise of the crowd.

  “Hey,” Miles said absently, lifting his glass to his mouth as he turned to face her. He stopped, arm halted in mid-movement.

  Wow.

  She was gorgeous. At least that’s what he thought. He hadn’t checked her out yet, only because he couldn’t stop gazing into her eyes. They were such an unusual shade of green. He’d never seen anyone with green eyes before in his life. And Claire’s were really gorgeous.

  He knew he was starting to stare, crossing the line between polite and rude. But hell. He just couldn’t make himself stop looking at her.

  “Hi there, Miles,” Claire said. “Happy birthday.”

  “Um. Thank you.”

  Other than a friend of Lora’s, who was this woman?

  He needed to know.

  Chapter 5

  “So what do you think?” Lora slid into the seat across from Claire.

  “About what?” Claire asked, taking a sip of her martini. It was just what she needed, plus it was really good. She hadn’t had one of these in a long time. The sweet liquid coursed down her throat and she gave Lora a smile.

  Lora rolled her eyes. “About Miles,” she said. “What do you think about Miles?”

  Claire glanced up, gazing across the room. Miles was still standing right by the bar, talking and laughing with a group of his friends.

  She shrugged at Lora. “He seems nice. But we barely spoke.

  “Why not? That’s why I left you guys alone.”

  “Well, we weren’t really alone. He’s been surrounded by his team all evening.”

  “I wanted you two to get to know each other. He’d be perfect for you.” Lora paused, taking a long sip of her drink.

  “Are you trying to set us up?” Claire stared at her friend in disbelief. “Really? You know how I feel about that.”

  “Yes, I do. But it’s time you got over your fear of being set up. I know you. And I know Miles. You two would be absolutely great together.”

  “Maybe. But I don’t think so. He doesn’t exactly strike me as a one-woman type of man.”

  “Oh, but he is. Okay, maybe he doesn’t act like it all the time. Or, well, ever. But I know him. He might not admit it, but I know he wants to settle down with someone. Find the right woman. Someone like you.”

  “And how could you possibly know that?” Claire drained her glass. She needed another drink if she was going to have this kind of a conversation.

  Lora shook her head and grinned at her friend. “It’s how he is. Since Blake started with the Stormers, I’ve spent a lot of time with the team. I’ve gotten to know most of them pretty well. Once you get to know them, it’s pretty easy to tell the ones who want to just screw around. And that’s their lifestyle. They stand out from the ones who want something more. And Miles? Sure, he’s picked up a woman now and then. But I can just tell. I know him. He wants a relationship.”

  Again Claire glanced up in Miles’ direction. She’d had a little trouble
wrenching her gaze away from his blue eyes when they met. He was certainly good-looking, she’d give him that. His ruggedly handsome face was made even more appealing by his full lips.

  And he had the body of a hockey player.

  Okay, so he was hot. And he did seem nice so far. But what could you possibly tell from a one-minute conversation?

  Although, she did trust Lora. Lora definitely had good judgment when it came to men, that was for sure. “That might be true, Lor. But you know I’m not looking for anything right now.”

  “Well, it’s time you started.” Lora tapped her glass on the table for emphasis. “Your last relationship’s been over for a long time.”

  “Not that long.” Her friend might have a point, but her ex was the last person Claire wanted to think about right now. Not when she was supposed to be out having a good time.

  Lora shook her head. “It’s time you got back out there. Time you got over him.”

  “I’m over him,” Claire insisted, although heat rushed to her cheeks in spite of herself. Hopefully the low light in the bar would keep Lora from noticing. “I just don’t know if I’m up for doing it all again.”

  “Doing what?”

  “Any of it. Dating, the whole relationship thing, anything. I just don’t think I have it in me any more.”

  “You can’t just give up. You know, you never told me what happened, not really. Why’d you guys break up?”

  Claire shook her head. “Not now. I’ll tell you someday, but I just can’t right now. And it’s not because of him. It’s just too hard. Dating, and everything that goes along with it. It’s exhausting.”

  But Lora wasn’t about to give up herself. “Come on.” She grabbed a couple of shot glasses off the tray of a passing waiter. “Drink up with me. It’s time for you to start again. Besides, if you’re truly not into having a relationship–which I don’t believe for a moment, by the way–you could do a lot worse than Miles. Especially if you’re not going to be in a relationship ever again, like you just said. Then it’s definitely time to go out and just have fun. No dating required for that. And so, why not with Miles?”

  Claire raised her eyebrow. “Weren’t you just selling him to me as Relationship Guy? Now you’re telling me that he’s One Night Stand guy? But whatever. That’s not the kind of thing I normally do, and you know that.”

  “Sure I do. And again, if you’re not looking for a relationship, then it’s time you just had some fun. And by the way, I don’t believe you for a second when you say you’re over your ex. But if it’s true, then you’re free to do what you want.” Lora handed her one of the shot glasses. “Drink up.”

  The liquor burned down her throat as Claire swallowed the shot in one gulp. Setting the glass down on the table, she took another glance over in Miles’ direction. He really was hot.

  Maybe Lora had the right idea.

  “I’ll think about it,” Claire told her friend. “I really will.”

  “Well, you’d better think fast.” Lora tipped her head towards the bar. “Or you might have to get in line.”

  It was true. The crowd of players surrounding Miles had grown, and not with other men. There were more than a few women looking to score with a hockey player tonight, and Miles was definitely on their radar.

  “We don’t want him to go home with the wrong woman.”

  Did she care who Miles went home with? Claire couldn’t deny that there was a bit of a spark between her and Miles when Lora introduced them. Although she wouldn’t admit it to Lora. He was a good-looking man, of course. But there was something more.

  Could her friend be right? Lora was better at relationships than Claire. Maybe she should listen to her on this one.

  “There you are.” Blake slid onto the bench seat beside Lora, wrapping his arm around her. “What’re you guys up to?”

  “Not much.” Lora gave him a kiss. “Where’s Scott?”

  “Bringing the next round of drinks over. He just lost a bet with me.”

  Claire was about to sneak another glance in the direction of the bar when someone sat down in the empty seat beside her.

  “Hey there.” Turning her head, she looked right into the eyes of Miles.

  She gave him a welcoming smile.

  Chapter 6

  Miles woke up slowly. At least, he thought he did. He couldn’t open his eyes. After one attempt, the harsh glow of the light made him squeeze them shut right away and want to forget he ever tried.

  What was going on? He felt like he’d had an extra-long practice session, or the way he sometimes did after starting hardcore training again after an entire summer off.

  No. Not possible. None of those things would have made him feel nearly as bad as he did now. And what was up with the searing, stabbing pain behind his eyes? He never got headaches, not unless…

  Oh. Right. His birthday. The bar. Beer. Shots.

  Lots and lots of shots.

  That explained why he felt this way. Memories started coming back, and each tiny flash was just that much worse than the last one.

  This was why he never drank very much. Exactly this. He hated feeling like anything other than in top physical shape. If only he’d stuck to his usual two-beer limit, the way he did after every game.

  What was with his arm? It ached too, but in a different way than the rest of his body. He moved it experimentally, and it felt worse.

  Something was poking into him. Miles reached for the source and grabbed it, holding it up in front of his face as he cracked one eye open.

  What the hell?

  It was a lacy pink bra. Its wire had been digging into his arm.

  What the hell was something like that doing here? In his bed?

  Miles couldn’t even remember bringing anyone home with him. Why would he? Cautiously, he forced his eyes open completely, turning his head to the left.

  He was alone. He exhaled, relief flowing over him.

  Flashes of memories started coming again. A woman, in the elevator with him. Clothes flying onto his bedroom floor.

  What the hell would he do that for? He never, ever brought anyone back to his place. It was a standing rule. No exceptions. He’d never broken it. What had gotten into him last night?

  Oh, right. Well, way more vodka than he’d probably ever consumed in his entire life, drunk down in the space of a few hours.

  Damn it.

  At least he was alone now. He squeezed his eye shut once again, only to bolt upright at a sound coming from down the hallway.

  What was that? Whoever he’d brought home was still here?

  Fuck. This day was getting worse and worse, and it hadn’t even started yet. Of course she’d still be here. Her bra was still here. A pain-filled glance around told him that the rest of her clothes were still here too, strewn all over the floor.

  Memories were coming back faster now. He had fun, he remembered. She was a sexy woman. The one he’d brought back home with him. Why the hell had he done that again? Too late now. But yeah. Memories were definitely coming back to him. He hadn’t forgotten the sex, because there was nothing wrong there. Nope, nothing but good things had happened, at least from what he could remember.

  It was just the alcohol making his head pound, mixing up the good memories with some bad ones that were unexpectedly coming back to him. Bad ones that he hadn’t thought about in a long time. Why couldn’t he force them out of his head? He was good at that.

  Except for now.

  Focus. Stay in the present. There was no need to think about the past. But Miles couldn’t do it. Along with the memories of being in the bar last night with all of his friends around him, his birthday, having a good time, Miles was flashing back to his childhood and he couldn’t stop.

  He was a teenager again. Too many lights. Bad things. A sharp pain in his head, just like now.

  Stop it. He couldn’t go down this road, especially not now. Miles worked hard to keep these memories away from him. They couldn’t be coming back now. But the pain in his head gr
ew stronger. Just like the one he remembered from back then. And the bad thing that had happened after.

  Stop it.

  And he was taken away from his bad thoughts by the woman coming back into his room.

  All Miles could manage to do was stare at her in confusion.

  “Good morning.” The smile she gave him was as bright as her eyes.

  Goddamnit. How the hell was she so cheerful?

  Probably because she wasn’t hungover as all hell like he was. Miles squinted at her. Right. He remembered her. Everything about her, except her name. She was a friend of Lora’s. Was that a bad idea, sleeping with his friend’s friend?

  Probably. But it was too late now. Way, way too late for that to occur to him now.

  “Hey,” Miles mumbled. What the hell was her name again? He knew it. He had to know it. That was one thing he made a point of, was always being polite to his one night stands.

  Claire. Yes. That was her name. He was pretty sure that was her name. He smiled back at her in relief.

  “So.” Claire stretched out beside him, draping her arm over his bare chest. “You want to go get some breakfast? Seems like you don’t have much of anything to eat here.”

  She went through his kitchen? Christ. Miles had to get out of this, right now.

  “Oh yeah, about that. You know, I’ve got a really long day ahead of me. A big practice, working out, you know. Stuff like that.”

  He paused. Did he really? He had no idea if he had a practice to get to or not. Oh well, he’d figure it out later. “So, um, as much as I’d like to take you out somewhere, I really can’t do it. You should probably be on your way now.”

  She raised her eyebrows at him. Shit. Had that come out ruder than he’d meant it to? Damn it, he couldn’t think straight right now. He needed to be alone.

  Claire said nothing, just started gathering up her clothes. Should he help her? Miles made a move to get up, falling back when the room spun around him.

  Christ, this was horrifying.

  “I don’t mean to rush you,” he tried.

  “No problem,” she said smoothly. But her voice had an definite edge to it.