Sequel: Attractions

Counting the Ways to Reject You

Chapter Five

I wish I could relay what happened at the Skills competition but I didn’t remember. I wasn’t paying attention. I was in constant turmoil and questioning my morals about dear old Patrick Sharp.

The next night was not any better when the game began. He was all I could think about. He was all I could think about the night before, tossing and turning in bed, feeling more awake than I had for months.

Let me tell you, it was obnoxiously irritating.

My eyes traveled over him as the competition ended. He was hot, sweaty, and incredibly good looking.

“Still arguing with yourself?” Tessa asked into my ear.

I nodded. “Yeah. It’s like a damn light switch. One day I hate him, the next I like him.”

She laughed. “Nat, darling. You finally just let him close enough for you to admit it. You’ve always liked him Nat. You just never admitted it to yourself or anyone else.”

Her words rang throughout my head as Patrick was announced as the MVP the game. I clapped respectively, but my thoughts were nowhere near respectable. It baffled me how I thought things like that when I thought of Patrick Sharp. It had been years since I’ve been with a guy, much less a hockey guy.

And there I was falling for Patrick Sharp.

~~~~~

We walked back to the room in silence around two that morning. The after party had just finished and we were both exhausted, him more than I was. I was actually still plenty awake, unfortunately.

“So you’re MVP,” I said lamely, trying for anything to start a conversation. Hell I would have settled for the weather if it would get us talking and stop me from thinking things about Patrick Sharp. “Who’s getting the car?”

“My brother and dad are already fighting for it.”

“Rock, paper, scissors. Best way to solve anything,” I shrugged as we stepped into the elevator.

“Really Nat?” he laughed. “Rock, paper, scissors?” He paused and thought about it. “That might actually work.”

From then on it was awkward shuffling until Patrick decided to start off a conversation.

“Are you okay Natalie? You’ve been acting funny since this morning,” Pat finally asked me as we entered the room. It was as simple as that. I could tell him and be just as simple.

“Mhm,” I muttered, pulling out my phone as I leaned against the hotel’s ‘kitchen’ table. Or I could be complicated like the girl I was.

“Who are you texting?” Patrick’s breath was hot on my neck, as he stood behind me. It was like my brain shut down and my senses took over and they wanted more than his breath on my neck.

“Crow,” I squeaked out.

It was like he knew what was going on. It was like he could see into my mind and every fantasy I’ve had about him since the game started.

“I’m going to go change,” he whispered in my ear and he left the door open to his room. I watched, wide eyed as he stripped down out of his shoes, pants, and finally he was left standing in his boxers and shirt and tie.

It was at that time that Crow decided to call me. I picked up absentmindedly, still watching Patrick. “Didn’t you say I was interrupting your Crow time and to bug the fuck off?”

“You sound preoccupied,” he noted.

I was. “Just watching. . . something. . . .on television. . . .” Real smooth there Natalie Whitt.

“Oookkkkaaayyy then?” he asked. “You sure you’re okay there Nat?”

Patrick looked at me and held up a piece of paper that read:

Natalie get off the phone with him

“Gotta go bye,” I hung up on one of my best friends and strode into the bedroom with Patrick Sharp.

He looked down at me, slowly removing the jacket I had on. “What are we doing Natalie?” he asked, slowly, his eyes on mine. His voice held so much longing, but I knew his mind was still working and it was in overtime. I was the girl who never wanted him and there I was wanting everything he had to offer.

“Well a lot of things. None of which can probably not be repeated to any teammate.”

“Why’s that?”

A naughty smile rose on my lips. I pulled playfully on his tie and over to the bed, my foot closing the bedroom door with a satisfying click.
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sorry it's been a while and that it's short but i wanted it to end there. comments?